Lithuania

On the North East of Europe, the largest of the Baltic states lies Lithuania which was once a powerful empire that dominated much of Eastern Europe in the 14th–16th centuries. It has become part of the Polish-Lithuanian confederation for the following two centuries.

In the beginning of 1795, Lithuania was occupied by the Russian Empire. They gained their first independence from 1918 to 1940 - then occupied by Germany, during WW2.

In 1944, Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union as one of its republics.

On March 11, 1990, Lithuania declared its independence from Russia, following a unanimous vote of its newly elected government. Russia acknowledged Lithuania’s independence on September 6th.

In 1991. Lithuania was admitted into European Union and NATO in 2004.

Today, Lithuanians are building a modern and democratic society based on their historic traditions.

Places to see

Of the many places to visit in Lithuania, we can recommend Vilnius - a Northerly cultural meeting point at the crossroads of the Roman and Byzantine periods and the European and Eurasian worlds.

The main attractions of Vilnius are:

The Gediminas Castle
The Gothic masterpiece of Saint Ann's church
The Old Vilnius University - a gem of Baroque architecture
St. Peter and Paul's Church
The classical St. Stanislav's Cathedral
Trakai Castle - a water castle from the XIII century which is now fully restored to its former glory
Klaipeda - the coastal city that once belonged to Germany and it is still affectionately known as Memel
The Curonian Spit - a very delicate natural ecosystem, that separates Lithuania from the Baltic Sea by a hairline of sand forming the immense Curonian lagoon
Palanga - a popular beach city with the world’s biggest Amber Museum
Hill of Crosses - officially recognized as a place of pilgrimage for all Christians and characterized by the sheer number of wooden crosses, representing a number of historical periods
Druskininkai - SPA resort and Grutos park with an exposition of the Soviet monuments