The underrated ‘Capital of Christmas’ has everything you could want for a festive break but there’s also plenty more than just Christmas – including Stranger Things locations
Nestled in the south of Lithuania, Vilnius, the second largest city in the Baltic states, is a place where Christmas is celebrated with gusto.
Every nook and cranny of the city sparkles with festive lights, baubles, gifts, and all sorts of decorations you can imagine. The streets are festooned with Christmas trees, buskers strumming carols on their guitars, and everyone indulging in warm wine, soaking up the holiday cheer.
The city has earned the title ‘Capital of Christmas’, and it’s not hard to see why – they pull out all the stops when it comes to decking the halls.
I had the pleasure of visiting this enchanting city and was swept away by the festive euphoria. There’s a magical aura that permeates the city, making the spirit of Christmas palpable.
READ MORE: Jet2 launches huge sale with £400 off all holidays and 20% discount on flights
As I wandered around, snowflakes gently falling, fairy lights twinkling, and shop fronts adorned with such stunning decorations that you can’t help but stop for a closer look.
A short flight from London City airport (with return fares starting at £33) transported me within hours to this vibrant and mystical Baltic city, steeped in rich history and home to over 50 churches, subterranean spas, numerous museums, and an arts quarter. It’s also gained fame as a filming location for Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, with parts of season four shot here, including scenes in a now-defunct 100 year old prison.
READ MORE: Winter sun destination with 25C weather and £1.75 pints is 5 hours from UK
Vilnius is famed for the architectural splendour of its Old Town, one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved historical centres, earning it a UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1994. This heritage-rich area also hosts the city’s iconic Christmas market.
The European Parliament’s Christmas Cities Network crowned Vilnius as the Capital of Christmas, largely due to its internationally acclaimed Christmas trees. The Vilnius Christmas tree has topped the European Best Destinations list two years running.
For me, it was the picture-perfect Christmas markets that drew me to this city. The main Christmas market is nestled in the enchanting Cathedral Square, within the old town, and is renowned for its stunning, award-winning Christmas tree – a genuine 205-square-metre installation standing 20 metres tall.
The market is brimming with quaint wooden stalls offering sweet delicacies, mulled wine, and festive crafts.
You can enjoy a warming mulled wine or a hot chocolate for €7 each, but if you return your mug, you’ll receive a €2 refund, making these festive beverages a bargain at just €5 (roughly £4.60).
If all that wandering about works up an appetite for some authentic Lithuanian fare, you can sample regional specialities from the vendors, including traditional “kaladinis” chimney cakes, sweet curd doughnuts and plenty of pudding-style treats such as confectionery, gingerbread, doughnuts, hot chocolate and naturally mulled wine. The vendors also offer numerous handcrafted goods and locally-made products created specially for Christmas.
Adorned with fairy lights scattered throughout the market and featuring an enormous sparkling tree, the principal Christmas market is genuinely spectacular, but in typical Vilnius fashion, one market simply won’t suffice and the city plays host to ten different ones across the area. Once you’ve finished browsing the stalls, be sure to explore the stunning Jewish quarter within the Old Town district.
READ MORE: ‘We’ve ditched the UK for Thailand by selling everything we owned’READ MORE: Inside the enchanting English village where one Christmas classic movie was filmed
Alternatively, if you’re seeking somewhere for supper, you might venture to Lokys, the city’s most established family-operated restaurant, which serves vibrant pink chilled beetroot soup with potatoes, alongside beaver casserole – genuine regional specialities of the area.
The Christmas market launched on 29th November and will remain in the square until 6th January, whilst you can discover the additional markets at the railway station, Hale Market and a rather unconventional market in Lukiški prison (yes, genuinely!).
The city adores Christmas so thoroughly that the national bank even introduced Vilnius’ own Christmas currency, enabling you to purchase goods from the Christmas markets using the festive tender which was revealed as red pine cones. Another yuletide attraction in the square is the two-storey Christmas carousel.
Standing at a towering 10 metres high, it’s been crafted by Italian artisans in a traditional style. Other jolly features to keep an eye out for in Vilnius include the ice rink in Town Hall Square and the Christmas train that whisks visitors on a 20-minute journey through the twinkling streets of Old Town Vilnius for a mere €1.80.
Book the trip
LOT Polish Airlines provides direct flights to Vilnius from London City airport. Ryanair and Wizz Air also offer non-stop flights from the UK.
Rooms at the Hotel Pacai start from €176 a night (approximately £153).
For more information about Vilnius, visit govilnius.lt.