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Gediminas Castle Tower: On a 48 metre hill, the Gediminas' tower is the historical symbol of the city and the remains of the Castle once dominating there from the 10th to 14th century. Its museum is home to many archaeological treasures that tell the story of Vilnius founding by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Gedimino. The view over the old city rooftops is pure magic. Address: Arsenalo gatvė 5, 01143 Vilnius, www.lnm.lt

Vilnius Cathedral: A national symbol for the country and an excellent example of classicist architecture, the city cathedral stands at the location where a 1387 pagan temple used to be, where Lithuanians worshipped the thunder god, Perkunas. In the church catacombs you will find a museum explaining its history. Address: Katedros a. 2, 01143 Vilnius, www.katedra.lt

Vilnius Picture Gallery: Housed in an elegant royal palace of the 17th century, Vilnius Picture Gallery hosts the largest and most important collection of old paintings in Lithuania. The list includes more than 2,500 works from the 16th to the 19th century, emphasising on portraits and icons. Address: Didzioji gatvė 4, 01128 Vilnius, www.ldm.lt

Lithuanian National Museum: The National Museum of Lithuania is an impressive 15th century palace. Its rich artefacts are a panorama of every day life in Lithuania from the 13th century to WWII. Address: Katedros aikštė 4, 01143 Vilnius, www.valdovurumai.lt

Museum of Genocide Victims: Dedicated to the thousands of Lithuanians - victims of the Soviet massacres from the end of WWII to the 60s, this fascinating commemoration museum is housed in the former KGB headquarters. From the personal narrations of people exiled to Siberia, to the authentic underground cells of inmates' imprisonment, torture and executions, the visit to the museum is a unique experience. Address: Aukų gatvė 2, 01113 Vilnius, www.genocid.lt

Amber Museum & Gallery: The entire history of amber, from creation to its infinite applications, unfolds in a fascinating manner in this theme museum that underlines the great importance of the “Gold of the Baltic” for Lithuanian economy and tradition. Here you will see, among other things, exceptional exhibitions of jewellery made of amber. Address: Šv Mykolo gatvė 8, 01124 Vilnius, www.ambergallery.lt

Republic of Užupis: The Užupis district is not just the “Montmartre of Vilnius” but also an independent state with its own constitution, flag, national anthem and president. The “Republic of Uzupis” was established in 1998 by the artistic community of the city, as a gesture of genuine revolutionary humour. This is where the bohemian heart of Vilnius beats with dozens of art galleries and craft workshops. Besides, the word “Uzupis” means creativity and uniqueness.

Gate of Dawn: The only 16th century gate out of the ten entry gates to the Old Town surviving to this day, is mainly famous, for the allegedly miraculous icon of Virgin Mary that is kept in the chapel of the east side. The icon is deemed as one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Eastern Europe. Address: Aušros Vartų gatvė 14, 01303 Vilnius, www.ausrosvartai.lt

Kazys Varnelis House Museum: The house - museum of the famous Lithuanian painter, great art collector and notorious bookworm, Kazys Varnelis hosts works of the artist as well as his diverse international collection of paintings, maps and books. The collection also includes works by Goya and Durer. Address: Didzioji gatvė 26, 01128 Vilnius, www.lnt.lt

St. Anne’s Church: Built in the 15th century from 33 different types of red bricks, this tiny Gothic church is admittedly the most beautiful in Lithuania. It is said that Napoleon was so fascinated by its view that he wanted to take it with him back to France. Address: Maironio str. 8 – 1, Vilnius, www.bernardinuansamblis.it

The Old Town is the first choice for shopping local and quality products. The district around Didžioji gatve pedestrian area and the cobbled Pilies Gatve with the many stalls with craft and art work is a must-do stop for those seeking elegant shops and special local designers' boutiques. Here, you will find everything, from clothes and antiques to jewellery, old books and paintings. Lithuania is famous for its amber and its linen textiles and in Vilnius you will find an exceptional variety of shops specialising in creations based on these two materials. For more expensive shopping, head for the main commercial street of the city, Gediminas Avenue. Here you will find the recently renovated shopping centre G09 with many fashion shops. A little further from the city centre, the popular Akropolis combines shopping-till-you-drop with entertainment of all types, from cinema and bowling to ice-skating. If you want to taste local delicacies, you will have to cross the threshold of the roofed food market Hale Market. Behind this beautiful brick building of 1900 housing the market, you will find a great variety of fresh products, among which, excellent locally produced honey. The open air market of the city is the atmospheric Kalvariju Market, that bustles with life every Saturday. Here everything is on sale, from clothes and old records to bicycles and cameras.

Lithuanian cuisine is a fusion of eastern European and Scandinavian cuisine, influenced by the West. Potatoes are the queens of national dishes and the basis for a wide variety of local delicacies. You will find potatoes cooked in any possible version, from the cepelinai (large boiled potato Zeppelin-shaped dumplings with minced meat or cottage cheese stuffing) and potato salad to the various type of potato bread (kugelis), pancakes made of grated raw potatoes and potato dumplings with mushroom or berry stuffing. The most exotic dish you can try is the vėdarai (potato sausage) cooked in a wood stove. Lithuanians also love cold soups and especially the šaltibarščiai (cold beetroot soup). Accompany it with some kepta duona (fried garlic bread). If the local flavours do not excite your pallet, there is nothing to worry about. Vilnius has many international restaurants for culinary journeys from the Mediterranean to Japan and from India to Brazil. Night-life in Vilnius features classic bars with music and dance clubs. The action is focused at Vokieciu gatve where you will find most pubs of the city. In the summer, the street is full of life and bar hopping is a favourite practice for locals. Most Vilnius clubs have a mainstream character, although the rise of face control practices lately, requires elegant dress code and corresponding behaviour.

• Vilnius Festival: Internationally acclaimed soloists, ensembles and symphonic orchestras from across the world perform every June with Lithuanian artists in one of the most respectable classical music festivals in Lithuania. The festival is also a significant expression platform for jazz, opera and ballet.
• Sirenos – Vilnius International Theatre Festival: One of the leading festival in European theatrical innovation, is held in every autumn in Vilnius. During the ten years of its presence in the international theatrical map, the festival has hosted the most significant names of the modern stage such as Romeo Castellucci, Tadashi Suzuki, Jan Fabre, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Alvis Hermanis, Krystian Lupa, Rimini Protokoll and many more.
• Christopher Summer Festival: The greatest music event in Lithuania lasts two months (July - August) and is held in Vilnius and other regions of the country. The program includes 50 concert premières and stands out for its versatility. Here you will listen to classical music, jazz, street music, experimental projects and musical cycles of traditional instruments, piano and guitar. The originality of the festival? Many events are held in “unusual” venues such as steam boats, hot air balloons, stables etc.
• Vilnius Jazz: The oldest jazz festival in Vilnius (1987), explores every October all the trends in modern jazz, bringing together the greatest names of the international jazz scene and leading Lithuanian musicians. More than 7,000 spectators every year enjoy an avant-garde concert program, jam sessions and innovative projects with the participation of artists from the academic, rock, ethnic and industrial music.

Transportation from the airport

Aegean Airlines lands on Vilnius International Airport (VNO), 6 km south from the Lithuanian capital. At the airport you will find a variety of duty-free/travel value shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, ATMs, foreign exchange offices, a children's play area, 2 hotels and free Wi-Fi. The fastest way to get to the city centre is to take the non-stop train connecting the Central Railway Station of Vilnius, near the old city, to the airport (Stotis - Oro Uostas line). The train departs every 40 minutes and the journey takes 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can take city bus No. 1 connecting directly the Central Bus Station in the city centre to the airport at 30-40 minute intervals. The journey takes 15-20 minutes.