BOOKLET WE ARE HAPPY TO GREET YOU TO OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY LITHUANIA!
In this booklet you will find lots of essential information to make your visit as pleasant as possible.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VILNIUS Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. It is the biggest city in this country which has more than 800k citizens! Vilnius is well known for its Old Town, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Best places to visit: - GEDIMINAS’ TOWER OF THE UPPER CASTLE - CATHEDRAL BASILICA - PALACE OF THE GRAND DUKES OF LITHUANIA - VILNIUS TOWN HALL For more information : http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/
Gediminas Tower is the remaining part of the legendary Upper Castle of Vilnius. You can actually climb up to the top of the hill on foot (or taking a funicular if very tired). From there you can see the panorama of Vilnius’s Old Town.
Cathedral and Town Hall squares are the main places for events, so you will definitely visit them more than once!
CLIMATE The climate of Lithuania is mostly humid. However, winters are usually very cold, sometimes temperature is even below −25 °C (−13 °F)! So be aware of that an don‘t forget your warm coat and fur boots! We also recommend bringing cozy sweaters which will keep you away from cold. Gloves and hats are crucial too!
LANGUAGE The first language of Lithuania is Lithuanian language. It’s one of the hardest languages in Europe. But no need to worry, many people of Vilnius (mostly students) speak English! If you’re still worried, here’s the list of the mostly used words in Lithuanian:
PLACES TO EAT You can choose from so many cafes and restaurants in Vilnius! It must be hard for foreigners to make this decision, but luckily, you have this booklet! Here’s some places which will keep the hunger away and won’t hurt your wallet: - - - - - - -
“Čili Pica” (eng.- Chilli Pizza) “Charlie Pizza” “Can Can Pizza” “Katpėdėlė“ – home of Lithuanian tra ditional food “SOYA” – Asian food restaurant “McDonald’s” – fast food restaurant “Drama burger” – burger restaurant Don’t be fooled, pizza places offer other meals than pizza too!
FOOD TO TRY Lithuania’s traditional dish is “cepelinai” it’s grated boiled potatoes with meat inside. No matter what, you must try it! There are some other dishes which are popular in Lithuania: -
Bulviniai blynai (potato pancakes)
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Šaltibarščiai (cold soup)
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Kūgelis (flat potato dish)
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Balandėliai (stuffed cabbage)
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Gira (kvass) Don‘t be afraid to try any of these!
PLACES TO PARTY Feeling the urge to have fun? No worries, Vilnius can offer plenty of clubs and bars for you to enjoy! Here’s the list of Lithuania’s students favourite places to spend the night: Bars and Pubs: - - - - -
“Artistai Pub” “Universiteto Pub” “Liverpool Bar” “Brodvėjus Pub” “Būsi Trečias”
Nightclubs: - - - - -
“Posh” “Exit” “Cocainn” “Mojo Lounge” “Loftas”
PUBLIC TRANSPORT In Vilnius, it’s most comfortable traveling by public transport. There are 3 types: - Trolleybuses (has wires among them) - Buses (are usually red or yellow) - Fast buses (has “G” letter placed on buses number, for example: 5G) Here’s the link to Vilnius public transport’s schedules and maps: http://stops.lt/vilnius/#trol/map/en You can travel by buying a ticket, or “Vilniečio kortelė“. In order to get discounts, you have to bring your student‘s ID. Ticket prices: Single ticket - 1€ (0,50€ with discount) Vilniečio kortelė: 30 minutes – 0,64€ 30 days – 28,96€ (5,79€ with discount)
SHOPPING IN LITHUANIA The currency of Lithuania is Euro. Don‘t forget to exchange money you‘re bringing from your currency to Euro! Mostly food labels are in Lithuanian only. Here’s some names for food: Pienas – milk Kefyras – kefir (fermented milk) Grietinė – sour cream Varškė – curd, cottage cheese Sūris – cheese Sviestas – butter Jautiena – beef Kiauliena – pork Vištiena – chicken, poultry Pomidorų padažas – tomato sauce Kečupas – ketchup Balta duona – soft white bread
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
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