About Lithuania

One of Europe's best-kept secrets, you will find a country of boundless forests, clear lakes and white -sand beaches. The tiny capital, Vilnius, with its exquisite Baroque Old Town, reflects a diversity of influences from Germany, Poland, Russia and Scandinavia. The influence of legendary US rock musician, Frank Zappa, is not so clear but his statue on Kalinausko defines the quirky nature of Lithuania.

Peruse the narrow winding streets of Vilnius, with a church on virtually every corner, before driving into the countryside, covered in endless forests, and to the Baltic coast with its white-sand beaches. Follow the meandering river along the picturesque Panemune road and stop to visit the castles at Raudone and Panemune before heading to the coastal resort of Palanga. Here you will find long beaches backed by sand dunes and pine forests and a town well served with bars and restaurants for those long summer evenings.

Lithuania's seaport, Klaipeda, is worth a visit for its narrow streets, half-timbered merchant houses and the remains of medieval fortifications. Head out of town into the national parks where you can canoe on the lakes, cycle through the woods and hike along the sand dunes and into the fragrant pine forests.