SEK TRAVELS

I had first visited the Baltic region back in 2019, and ever since, I’ve been meaning to make a return trip. Straddling Russia and the ice-cold waters of the Baltic Sea, its people, culture, and well-preserved mediaeval streets had captured my heart. Most importantly, though, on my maiden journey, I never quite managed to reach the most southernly nation of the trio, Lithuania. With other destinations constantly over the horizon, it has taken me seven years to finally find the time to make it back and tick off a destination from my bucket list. 

Wanting time to reminisce, I decided against the most direct route, choosing instead to start from Riga. Only a 4hr bus ride from my intended destination, it allowed a few, scant hours to see how things had changed since I last walked my way through the cobbled streets of Vecrīga. Amidst the new developments popping up along the outskirts, I was glad to see that the old town had kept what made it so charming. Before long, however, the siren calls of the funky, lime-green FlixBus were beckoning towards a more novel adventure. 

Sometimes, slow travel can have its advantages, especially when it comes to getting a first impression of a new country. From a coach journey, you often catch glimpses of an authentic side to somewhere that you’d never normally see, whether that be the ordinary working farms or the unexpected awe at seeing the sheer number of storks that populate Lithuania’s wetland countryside. There’s authenticity too found at a Baltic bus station. Utilitarian and often built for purpose more than anything else, you won’t find any of the ornate or grand Victorian halls of the railway. Instead, the bus station offers brutal brick pillars, knock-off phone shops and a Lithuanian auntie selling strange, deep-fried pastries, welcoming visitors to the City of Low Flying Angels with the promised scent of oily dough.

The Old Town

Ring-fenced by several steeples, my hopes of unravelling Vilnius begins within its old town. Covering an area of roughly 3.59 square kilometres, Vilnius has one of the largest old towns in Europe. Historically surrounded by 10 gates, only one, the Gate of Dawn, still survives today – making it a perfect starting point to discover the district. Inscribed with a saying that reads “Mother of Mercy, we fly back to your patronage”, this holy structure’s survival has made it an infamous place of pilgrimage amidst devout Christians. Looking down at the streets below, it is said that the gate’s visage of the Virgin Mary saved the gate and the city more widely from a Swedish offensive, earning it recognition from the faith.

More notable still, however, is the role the gate served during Napoleon’s 1812 advance towards Russia. Arriving in the Lithuanian capital, the Gate of Dawn was his triumphant entry point as he rode past cheering crowds on his way towards Gediminias Tower. Walking in his footsteps, even after centuries have passed, there’s still a level of awe to be felt as you witness the same streets and monuments that he saw as he marched towards the bitter north.

Napoleon’s grip on the city didn’t end with his ride through town, and, during the time he spent in Vilnius, he ended up becoming infatuated with one of the old town’s other memorable monuments. Of St. Anne’s Church, Napoleon once expressed that he would love to carry the church back to France “in the palm of his hand.” Seeing the church for myself, I can’t say I blame him!

Utterly stunning from every approach, St. Anne’s is nothing short of a gothic masterpiece. Despite being built late (construction began well into the Renaissance period), this place of worship is no less impressive, with its signature sandstone tones deriving from the 33 different types of bricks used.

Back on the main thoroughfare, the walk through Aušros Vartu and Didžioji streets is a pleasant one. Busy but never heaving, the area is filled with bars, restaurants and several of the city’s most interesting churches. By the time the street merges into Pilies Street and the tower becomes faintly visible, the churches make way for a litany of shops.

Pilies Street is the busiest part of the old town. The merging of two larger streets creates a natural bottleneck, herding visitors towards the heart of the old capital. Traditional stalls mingle with souvenir shops here, and everything has a unique Lithuanian flavour. The traditional café, Pilies Kepykele, about halfway down the street, offers a better sense of Vilnius’ capital culture. Taking time out of my journey towards Cathedral Square, its rustic and homely façade lures visitors to try a vast array of the country’s favourite desserts, from pancakes to generous slabs of Tinginys (a type of chocolate biscuit cake known in other countries as a chocolate salami).

Beyond Cathedral Square and its mighty, Italian-inspired cathedral, the symbol of the city and one of the most recognisable sites in the country comes into full view – Gediminas Tower. Complete with the national flag flapping proudly with every hint of breeze, the tower was once part of a larger castle constructed during the 15th-century. From the top of its hill, you’ll gain perspective as well as some of the best vistas the city has to offer. Standing on the edge of the old town, it provides a cityscape filled with contrasts.

On the northern side of the river, you’ll witness a cacophany of glass, a city’s growing tribute to an ever-encroaching modernity. Look southwards, and, between the verdant greenery are the poking steeples and the faded pastels that give the city its enchanting timeworn elegance.

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