I only have one day here.I should have booked for longer. It’s beautiful here today on a crisp autumn morning with sun and blue skies. I arrived after a 12 hour journey and had difficulty getting into the hostel as there were no staff on duty but all worked out in the end. It was one of the most monotonous journeys I’ve ever taken and I’ve done a few. However the hostel is basic but good and in the old town which is a revelation. It’s a green city with lovely Baroque buildings, gothic churches, little cobbled streets and some good men’s clothing stores including Zegna! It seems quite fashionable. No wonder it has UNESCO world heritage status. (Obviously not for the fashion). It is really lovely.
The Baroque and Neoclassical cathedral is quite magnificent; light, austere and spacious. Unlike the Baroque chapel it has a beautiful simplicity.
There are many Baroque churches but the complex of gothic at St Anne’s and St Francis is quite stunning. Highly unusual late Gothic with a beautiful interior.
The little cobbled streets and wide boulevards are an eclectic mix of styles but beautifully maintained and there is a lot of construction going on both new buildings and renovation.
I also visited the more interesting area of Uzupis on the other side of the River Vilnia, a place of bars, tattoos parlours and contemporary art galleries. Really chill. Once home to the Jewish community and neglected by the Russians it became home to the marginalised butrecent improvements and it’s occupation by a more boho crowd gave it more vitality.
All in all this is a fascinating city and well worth a longer visit.
The small corners hold a wealth of delights.
With nice restaurants , bars and cafes it would be a great place for a long weekend when you would have time to explore some of the walks in the hills outside the city.
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