Tourism in Lithuania

Tourism in Lithuania
Lithuania attracts many visitors from neighbouring countries and all over the world. In 2018, 1,7 million foreign visitors arrived to Lithuania for business, family and leisure. Historical legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, rich history, architecture, pristine nature, seaside and SPA resorts are the main attraction points of Lithuania. Domestic tourism is also highly popular – in 2018 it grew by 12% percent. Lithuanians also prefer to spend their vacations in Lithuania – 70 percent.
Overview
Lithuania experiences a constant increase of foreign visitors. In 2017, the accommodation establishments of Lithuania received 3.25 million tourists, which is by 6.2 per cent more than in 2016. Lithuania attracts foreign visitors mostly from Germany, Poland, Russia, Latvia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Estonia and Finland.
In 2017 hotels received 2.2 million tourists, or by 7 per cent more than in 2016. Number of Lithuanian tourists grew by 12.8 per cent, foreigners – by 3.3 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate stood at 54.3 per cent (in 2016, 51.7 per cent), the hotel bed occupancy rate – at 41.4 per cent (in 2016, 39.7 per cent).
Agrotourism has also gained extreme popularity in the country among the locals as well as foreigners.
Ecotourism is actively promoted by the government and national parks – Lithuania has built a successful ecotourism industry, and is also been acknowledged as one of the world's most ethical destinations. Hot air ballooning is very popular in Lithuania, especially in Vilnius and Trakai. Theme routes through historical and nature sites are popular among domestic and international tourists. Nemunas Delta Regional Park, Žuvintas biosphere reserve and Ventė Cape are known for birdwatching.
Tourism information centres operating in all majors cities and smaller towns, national parks and other places, attractive for domestic or international tourism.
If the nature of the tour is that the guide is "interpreting the cultural and natural heritage of an area", Lithuania requires the guide have a guiding license. This definition follows the European standard for tour guiding (CEN). Licensed Tourist Guides are the only professionals permitted to conduct tours in all sites and museums within a city. Licensed guides are required in those areas where the local authorities state that one of them is mandatory. There is a Guides Database to find a guide in your language as well.
Arrivals by country
Most visitors arriving to Lithuania on short term basis in are from the following countries of nationality:
Notable places
Cities
Vilnius – capital of Lithuania, in the past – capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, first mentioned in Letters of Gediminas in 1323. Vilnius is full of cultural events – new operas, classical music, theatre and music festivals.
Kaunas – temporary interbellum capital of Lithuania with prominent functionalism architecture, art and history museums, largest city Oak Park in Europe.
Klaipėda – sea port with an attractive old town, Lithuanian Sea Museum and Dolphinarium.
Šiauliai – famous for nearby Hill of Crosses
Panevėžys – capital of Aukštaitija
Alytus – capital of Dzūkija
Marijampolė – capital of Suvalkija
Telšiai – capital of Žemaitija
Šilutė – capital of Lithuania Minor
Kėdainiai – city in central Lithuania with prominent Renaissance architecture monuments
Trakai – historic city near capital Vilnius, known for it's medieval architecture and surrounding nature.
Towns and villages
Kavarskas – a town known for its dumplings and "magical" water supply.
Stakliškės – a village known for its production of midus and lemonade.
Krekenava – a town known for its meat industry and regional park which houses European Bisons.
Rumšiškės – a town known for its open-air ethnographic museum. The buildings of this museum are exposed as farmsteads and all of them together represent the 5 main ethnographic regions of Lithuania.
Minija – a small village known for water tourism.
Zarasai – a town surrounded by lakes, mainly known for water tourism.
Specific destinations
Protected areas
Protected areas established for the preservation of natural and cultural features. Lithuania has 30 regional parks and 5 national parks and 6 strict reserves.
Aukštaitija National Park
Žemaitija National Park
Kuršių Nerija National Park
Dzūkija National Park
Trakai Historical National Park
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Kernavė – ancient capital of Lithuania, a complex of historical hillforts and an archeological site, called "Troy of Lithuania"
Curonian Spit – the resort and nature reserve.
Vilnius Old Town – the old capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, largest baroque city in Northern Europe, is among the largest historical centres in Europe.
Modernist architecture of Kaunas – described by UNESCO as Architecture of Optimism 1919-1939
Cultural routes
In 2019 Cultural Route of Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was opened which leads through the places in Varėna, Druskininkai, Kaunas, Vilnius, Plungė, Rietavas, Palanga where composer has lived.
Cognitive or sightseeing routes (Pažintinis takas) are highly popular among domestic tourists. Usually they lead through unique places in nature, where the visitor can enjoy the nature and local history while walking some predefined path.
Pilgrimage sites
Lithuania has many holy sites, especially in Samogitia, which are worth a visit.
Major pilgrimage sites:
Gate of Dawn (Vilnius)
Hill of Crosses (Samogitia)
Žemaičių Kalvarija (Samogitia)
Šiluva (Samogitia)
Resorts
Seaside resorts
Palanga – the summer capital of Lithuania with sandy beaches
Nida – a world heritage site with unique nature
Juodkrantė – a resort in Neringa
Spa towns
Birštonas – a balneological resort and a spa town, surrounded by pine forests.
Druskininkai – a developed spa town with the largest water park in the Eastern Europe, the Snow Arena – one of the biggest indoor skiing slopes in Europe. The Water Park and the Snow Arena connected with the cable car.
Likėnai – a resort with mineral springs.
Military heritage
The country has some military sites left and may be very interesting place as a place of militarism heritage tourism. It might be interesting for anyone who is interested in history of the warfare or the Cold War.
Major militarism heritage sites in Lithuania:
Kaunas Fortress, a massive system of forts built around Kaunas during the Russian Empire rule in the 19th century;
Plokštinė missile base, a former Soviet nuclear launch site in Samogitia.
Bicycle tourism
Bicycle tourism is growing, especially in Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route. EuroVelo routes EV10, EV11, EV13 go through Lithuania. Total length of bicycle tracks amounts to
3769 km (of which 1988 km is asphalt pavement). Most known bicycle routes are: Nemunas River Cycle Route, Suvalkija Cycle Circuit, Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route. Most of the Tourism information centres and national parks have their local thematic bicycle route plans.
Festivals
Kaziuko mugė
Užgavėnės
Vilnius International Film Festival
Kaunas International Film Festival
Klaipėda Sea Festival
Museums
Museums include:
Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology
Palanga Amber Museum
Vilnius Amber Museum-Gallery
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Church Heritage Museum
Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping
National Gallery of Art
M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum
Vytautas the Great War Museum
National Museum of Lithuania
Vilnius Castle Complex
Vilnius Picture Gallery
Vilnius Toys' Museum
Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
Lithuanian Aviation Museum
MO Museum – Museum of modern and contemporary Lithuanian art
Tartle – Museum of Lithuanian art heritage and artefacts.
Klaipėda Clock and Watch Museum
Šiauliai Photography Museum
Akmenė Akemenė fossil museum
Ornithological station and a museum in Ventė Cape
Gallery
See also
Castles in Lithuania
List of palaces and manor houses in Lithuania
List of landmarks in Lithuania
List of museums in Lithuania
List of national parks of Lithuania
List of regional parks of Lithuania
References
External links
Lithuania – Real is Beautiful – The Official Travel Guide by the State Department of Tourism
Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
Žemaitija National Park’s website
Lithuanian Guides Database
Lithuania