Last updated on : Apr 20, 2021
In a rather provocative and clever campaign, Go Vilnius recently launched a new slogan proclaiming Vilnius, Lithuania, as the ‘G-Spot of Europe’:
“Nobody knows where it is but when you find it – it’s amazing”
One thing is certain – this place is a hidden gem!
During my time in Vilnius, I teamed up with Go Vilnius to write about the city and the benefits of using the Go Vilnius card.
You can buy the Vilnius City Card online and at several locations, and it comes as a 24-hour card or a 72-hour card with or without public transportation. Though Vilnius is a very walkable city, getting the transportation-inclusive option is very convenient, because you can navigate the city using public buses instead of tour buses, which will take you to local neighborhoods. And seeing local neighborhoods is one reason I love riding public transit abroad!
Overall, the card is a great value! When you purchase the card, you will also get a catalog of coupons, which you can tear out and redeem for discounts. For example, the card offers a free walking city tour and discounts on select tours, like the hop-on-hop-off bus. Using the card’s benefits, I saw all of the major sights of the city and one sight I didn’t expect–I unintentionally crashed someone’s wedding in the gorgeous St. Peter & Paul Church. My bad!
Vilnius was first referenced in the 1300s and was a place of religious tolerance, where people came to flee religious persecution. So, it’s no surprise that various groups have inhabited the city since the Middle Ages, including Jews, Slavs, Germans, Poles, Belarusians, and Soviets. Emperor Napoleon called Vilnius the Jerusalem of the North, as nearly half of the city was Jewish up until World War II. Napoleon also fell in love with St. Anne’s Church (below) and said he wanted to take it back to Paris in the palm of his hand.
Currently, the city’s population is approximately 574,000, and the influence of different groups in the city can still be felt. There are quite a few Soviet-era buildings and structures, including Soviet towers, functional-style apartment buildings (meaning dark and plain), and large administrative buildings like the KGB Museum, formerly the KGB headquarters.
In Vilnius, there are coffee shops on seemingly every corner. The city even has a good coffee map, which means the coffee scene is amazing. In fact, so is the food scene!
Sugamour – I loved starting each day with breakfast at Sugamour! It was so yummy and wholesome with a variety of selections, including potato pancakes and eggs scrambled with herbs and veggies. However, the warm passion fruit tea was my pièce de résistance!
Amandus – Located in the Artagonist Hotel, it was a real treat to eat at Amandus. The ingredients look and sound so simple, but my lunch with a medley of different types of tomatoes and basil topped with smoked salmon was so fresh and so flavorful. My meal tasted like I went to the garden and handpicked all of the ingredients!
La Boheme – This place has a beautiful vaulted-cellar that provides a unique dining atmosphere. The menu merges traditional foods with a modern twist. It was delish!
Honestly, there are just too many good restaurants to name them all!
Kempinksi Cathedral Square – With direct views of Cathedral Square, this hotel is the grande dame of Vilnius. I almost stayed here, as I love Kempinski hotels!
Artagonist Art Hotel – Located near Town Hall Square, this artsy boutique property has some really cool vibes! The atrium greets you with a beautiful mural, and the hotel is reasonably priced. Oh…and the restaurant is amazing, of course!
Apartments Satva – If you’re looking for a large, clean, and beautiful unit, you should consider Apartments Satva. Located between the two main squares, Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square, the apartments have a great location and are very affordable (less than $200/night). This was my base in Vilnius, and I loved it!
Vilnius is one of the few cities in the world in which you can ride a hot air balloon over the city. Unfortunately, I was unable to ride in a balloon due to a string of windy weather, but I guess that means I’ll have to go back!!!
Have you visited Vilnius before? What things did you do?
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A very lovely detailed description of a much lesser known city.. hit air balloon excites me
Thanks Mohit,
I wish I could have done that, but the weather didn’t cooperate! 🙂
Wow! Your photos are stunning! And omg their slogan is hilarious LOL
Thanks, Anna!
They definitely have a sense of humor!
Wow I’ve never heard of this place before but looks amazing!!
It is totally under the radar, which is one thing I loved about it.
Wow, that is a very scandalous slogan but it does look like an amazing trip! The pictures of the food would convince me alone!
Hi Amy,
I agree that it’s a bold slogan, but I think it’s working, right? The food was shockingly good!
Amazing! I always find lesser known places worth to explore. Loved all the detailed description of the place.
Thanks Supriya! I agree with you.
Lithuania is one on my list for quite some time but never heard of this place.. Seems like a good place to visit and what a Apt marketing slogan..lolz
🙂 Aldrin, I agree about the slogan. Hope you can get there one day soon!
Pictures are just awesome!
Thanks Utsav!!!
Great article – thanks for sharing! I think that advertising campaign and slogan is genius!! Makes me want to visit.
Hi Andrea,
Their slogan is very catchy! Hope you get a chance to visit one day soon.
Agree with Amy that this is definitely a bold slogan. But bold is beautiful. And it is definitely making people take notice. Lithuania has always been on my list and your pictures make it so worthwhile to visit.
Hi Soumya,
Bold indeed! Thank you for the compliment!
Learnt about a new place today. Looks really beautiful by seeing the pictures. Go Vilnius city pass seems to be a good companion for seeing this place with historical perspective and lovely places to explore.
Thanks for your note! The city felt like a lesson in lesser-known history.
This made me laugh a lot, and we are actually going to Vilnius next month for our wedding anniversary so it was also really helpful to read! We’ll be getting the card for sure 🙂
Hi Alex,
Thank you. That is so cool! You’ll have to let me know how it goes. Also, congratulations to you both!
Beautiful pics. It indeed looks like a hidden gem. Will try to include it on my next euro trip.
Thank you. That sounds like a great idea!
Oh nice, you have seem much more of Vilnus then me. I just saw the city very briefly. Now wanna go again
Hi Alexander,
It’s great that you went. It seems to be a place most have not seen!
That slogan is too funny. Not sure that alone would inspire me to visit, but your photos do. 😉
Thanks Michael! 🙂
Reading your title made me want to know where the location is. Haha… St. Anne church looks pretty. No wonder Napoleon fell in love and wanted to take it back to Paris in his palm.
🙂 Looks like Go Vilnius created an exciting campaign slogan!
Ha! I actually saw this ad recently! Apparently it caused a bit of a stir, but it definitely gets your attention! Looks like another place for the bucketlist. Thank you for a such a great piece 🙂
How funny! They have managed to stir up the pot with this one.
great article.Thanks.for sharing! Lithuania has always been on my list to visit too.Hope i get to visit the place someday.Your blog will definitely be useful.
Thanks and hope you get there one day soon!