Kaunas

Kaunas is located in the middle of Lithuania, about 110km west of the capital, Vilnius, and the country’s second-largest city with approx. 375,000 inhabitants.

The first time Kaunas was mentioned according to written sources was in 1361, but its history very likely goes way further back than that. The city walls, of which parts are still standing, was built as protection against the German Knights of the Order, perhaps already back in the 13^th century.

When in Kaunas, do not miss visiting the Old Town, Kaunas’ historical centre. It’s located where the two rivers Nemunas and Neris merge, and is riddled with old architectural monuments and historical buildings, such as Kaunas Castle, the Town Hall, and the Presidential Palace. Kaunas was an important trade center during the times of the Hanseatic League, so many buildings in the old town have German architectural influence, and since Kaunas was left relatively un-touched during the Soviet era, many of the old buildings are in their original shape. A very nice street in the old town is Vilniaus gatve and plan to do your tour by foot – all streets are nowadays “pedestrian only”

On a more recent historical note but still architectural: Kaunas was the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to be designated as a UNESCO City of Design, to a large extent due to the city’s interwar (1920 – 1939) architecture which is regarded as among the finest examples of European Art Deco and has received the European Heritage Label.

There are many other sights worth a visit apart from the ones above, here are two recommendations:

• the Ninth Fort– a memorial and museum, used to be the fort protecting Kaunas during the interwar period when it was the temporary capital of Lithuania
• the Devil’s Museum – a one-of-a-kind museum holding a collection of more than 2,000 depictions of the devil from all over the world. Descriptions of the objects are not in English, but this museum is more about looking than reading…

The price level in Kaunas is below European average, so if you feel like going shopping or just taking in the city life, we suggest a trip or walk to Laisves Aleja (Freedom Avenue), a nice tree-lined pedestrian street flanked by shops, cafés, and restaurants.

 

Some general information:

You can fly directly to Kaunas International Airport (KUN), the second-busiest airport in Lithuania and the fourth busiest in the Baltic state.

Kaunas is often referred to as a city of students; there are about 50,000 students enrolled in its universities.

There are 14 trolleybus routes and 43 bus routes in the city.

The currency used is Euro, €.

 

Enjoy your stay in Kaunas!