We love traveling to Europe. The flights from Boston are easy, there are so many destinations to explore, and the way of life is just a blast in Europe. However, we often find ourselves returning to places that we know and love like France and Italy year after year. However, for our first trip back since the pandemic began, we choose to try somewhere new—Lithuania—and we loved it! Keep reading to find out why Lithuania is Europe’s hidden gem.
Getting There
Lithuania is not as difficult to access as you may think. While it is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, the route to get there is similar to most other destinations on the continent from the United States. From Boston we flew on Lufthansa to Frankfurt overnight and then we took a quick connection to Vilnius, the capital. All in all, our travel time was about 12 hours door to door. And pricewise, the flights were comparable to pretty much any of the big destinations like Paris or London or Zurich—so getting there is a breeze! (Although Lufthansa is really the only mainstream carrier from the US that offers an easy route like this!)
Where to Go in Lithuania
Where you go in Lithuania really depends on the season. We visited this summer and therefore we spent half our time on their seaside and the other half in Vilnius the capital. On the seaside we visited Nida and Palanga—these are the coolest European summer destinations we have ever been! Because they are up and coming, they lack the crowds of the Mediterranean and they are extremly affordable, while offering luxurious accommodations, world class dining and funky beach clubs. Definitely check out these destinations next summer if you have time.
After we explored the seaside, we headed back to Vilnius and stayed at the Hotel Pacai. The Hotel Pacai is a member of Design Hotels and is a converted palace, located in the heart of Old Town—so it is the best place for luxury travelers to stay in Vilnius. The accommodations were amazing, the staff was friendly and the food was delicious! Highly recommend this hotel, we had an amazing time and truly can’t wait to go back!
What to Do in Lithuania
On the seaside, you need a car because there are a few places you will want to check out. Palanga is the best starting point and from there you will want to head to the ferry to get to the Curonian Spit, which is home to lots of cute villages and the cool kid capital of the Lithuanian summertime—Nida. In Nida the place to be is the Kupolas Beach Club during the day or night! And there are so many amazing restaurants right on the water to check out too. Read all about this in my piece for Forbes on what to do in Nida.
Then on the other hand, in Vilnius, you will really want to soak up the culture. Vilnius is one of the most complete Medieval Old Towns in Europe so you can see buildings from the 12th and 13th centuries, and all of this is just steps from the Hotel Pacai, so you really need to call this your home base during your stay. There are high end restaurants, clubs and shopping all around, so there is so much to do you will never be busy. And unlike places like Paris or London, Vilnius is relatively undiscovered by American tourists, so you can enjoy the city like a local, while getting that classic European experience of winding streets, little cafes and late nights.
For more ideas on Eastern European trips that you have to take read our stories on Munich and Vienna.