So, watch out if youre visiting after dark! A Kowno zrobio na mnie bardzo pozytywne wraenie byam kiedy pod koniec czerwca. Be prepared to meet a knight when you go downstairs. The famous mural of artist Jurgis Mainas, a surreal painting of him with a pipe, is one of the more famous pierces of street art in Kaunas. . I have to admit that I was on the fence at first. After the WW1 Kaunas was temporary the capital of Lithuania, thats when the city grew and the new buildings appeared especially in the center. The Town Hall had the most fantastic Christmas tree right in the middle of the square with festive market stalls surrounding it. Kaunas is Lithuanias second-largest city and can be accessed in around 90 minutes if youre travelling from Vilnius. If you only have one day to visit Kaunas, there are a few things you won't want to miss. Restoranas Siesta: Worth visiting - See 161 traveler reviews, 175 candid photos, and great deals for Kaunas, Lithuania, at Tripadvisor. I was impressed that this town was preserved as an example of old Europe very beautiful. Old Town: Not big but worth visiting - See 1,148 traveler reviews, 1,321 candid photos, and great deals for Kaunas, Lithuania, at Tripadvisor. The construction started in 1934 and was declared a masterpiece of modern architecture. It doesnt look so impressive from the outside (almost severe in fact) but when you go inside youll see what the fuss is all about. ), we definitely think Kaunas is worth visiting. The rainiest months are October, July and August. Hi! Its also the location of the massacre of 50,000 Jewish nationals during World War II. As it quickly turned out Kaunas is so much more interesting than Ive ever expected and I was even afraid the day I have might not be enough to see all that Kaunas has to offer! I loved Kaunas, it was my favorite city in Lithuania! I went with Vilnius City Tours and loved my visit. Restoranas Siesta: Worth visiting - See 165 traveler reviews, 181 candid photos, and great deals for Kaunas, Lithuania, at Tripadvisor. Here, there are thought to be over 250,000 crucifixes which were planted in memory of those deported from Lithuania during the occupation. So, try and fit it in if you have time. You can fly to Kaunas International Airport from many other European airports. Some of the links in this blog are affiliate links. Then, Kiemo Galerija was born! On the sightseeing list in any visit to Kaunas, the 14th century castle by the river played an important historical role in defending Lithuania from the Crusaders. Just beyond the Town Hall Square is the Kaunas Cathedral Basilica. Is Kaunas Worth Visiting? dziki, ju jest zdecydowanie lepiej, ale jeszcze mam godzine eby zdecydowa co robi ;) A Kowno naprawd wielkie zaskoczenie, bardzo fajne miasto! Copyright Third Eye Traveller 2023 | Disclosure & Privacy Policy. Or, if youre feeling like some exercise you can climb up here the traditional way by the steep stairs. Then of course youll have to wait your turn to take a selfie with it, because its a petty popular spot for selfies.. Youll find more street art in the beautifulillustrated mapproduced by Kaunas Tourism and check out my post about street art in Kaunas. I also visited in winter with limited daylight, so if you went in the spring or summer months you could experience even more (with better weather lol)! Third Eye Traveller participates in various affiliate marketing programs. Thats where you can see one of the greatest murals Ive ever seen a girl on the pony that looks like its painted with crayons! I found it extremely helpful. Do you have an opportunity to go to Kaunas, Lithuania? Id like to thank Kaunas Tourism for inviting me to explore the city. Yes! As well as its architecture the church has a colourful story. And when someone eventually visits it most likely it is Vilnius - the beautiful capital (that's especially the case of Polish people). Great choice of book and gifts. I loved the Old Towns in Lithuania. A nice blog to read. The Old Town of Kaunas is full of local design shops that I really enjoyed exploring. Outside of the palace is a small garden, with some statues of the president during the interwar period and photos of the city during that time. Its really beautiful and peaceful inside. The museum has permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a concert hall and a nice museum gift shop. This Gothic church was built sometime in the 15th century although the exact date is unknown. You can find the best accommodation options at Booking. When you walk around Kaunas these days, youll see that some of these modernist buildings have been renovated or at least re-painted and they look wonderful. These days, only part of the original castle is left and has been restored. Altogether the place looks really nice and I can only imagine how great it must be there in the spring or summer time when you can chill out at the outdoor cafes during long, warm evenings. They all have English and Lithuanian versions and some have versions in more languages. But, now since the NYKOKA Street Art Festival, it has taken over the city! Thank you for sharing about Kaunas and Lithuania with the world! My feeling was that they are very keen on involving the public in the artistic and cultural projects. However, average temperatures range from 0C in January to 24C in July. Lithuania is beautiful! This post may contain affiliate links. Kaunas. Ive been taking free walking tours in Europe for years. Everyone is invited to share their memories from Kaunas and those are collected, mapped and presented online and in a series of postcards. It was truly unique and there is so much more to it than what meets the eye. The style of this church reminded me of the Church of St Anne in Vilnius as it was built in the same Gothic brickwork style. If you want some vegan food, raw deserts, kombucha and much more visit Mokslo kavine, E. Ozeskienes 7, Kaunas. Please see my disclosure policy for details. And when someone eventually visits it most likely it is Vilnius the beautiful capital (thats especially the case of Polish people). The maps cover every interesting aspect of the city with the right amount of detail and are super useful. Vilnius, the official capital, was under Polish rule during that time. Read all about it here. I bardzo przyjemnie jedzie si stamtd do Wilna. This museum is peculiar, verging on bizarre, and it is just fascinating! - Kaunas, Lithuania 2022 3,673 views Jul 1, 2022 82 Dislike Share Save hello antonio! Shop assistants professional, they can advice about literally ANY book. I didnt know about the museum! Between the first and second world wars, for almost two decades, Kaunas was the temporary capital of Lithuania. Right next to Kaunas Castle is a large green park thats perfect for some relaxation time. So, Chiune and Zwartendijks efforts and their visas for life saved thousands of people who would have otherwise perished. It tells a dark story, about the Russian Empire and Lithuanians being forced into hard labour camps. The exact date of the church is unknown but historians believe it was built in the early 15th century and it was decreed by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander to be the parish church of Kaunas. Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. Kaunas is not too large and a its a walkable city, so youll be able to see most of its attractions on foot. Im so sorry for my late answer, I swear I already wrote back so something must have gone wrong Anyway, thank you for the tip about the street art map! V. Putvinskio street in the city centre, not far from the main street, Freedom Avenue, is where we spotted an impressive number of interesting buildings. Once in Japan, they moved on to different places where they could find shelter. The 16 best street markets in Kaunas - Wanderlog So beautiful! Facts. They were often not so pretty anymore but they definitely had this cool, edgy vibe around. Kaunas Tourism kindly assigned to me a tour guide whos a specialist in the history of architecture in the city (amongst other things). 100% YES! Worth visiting - Review of Soul, Kaunas, Lithuania - Tripadvisor During the day, you can visit the City Museum in the Town Hall, the Kaunas Castle, various churches and many small galleries and design shops. Kaunas. This Street Art Yard was one of my favourite places in the whole city and really defies the concept of a traditional gallery or reality itself! In fact, its unique as its the worlds only Devil museum that has over 3,000 artefacts of Satan. The panorama from up there gives some spectacular views of the Old Town. The place was also full of street art in the most unexpected places! Thats how Kaunas became an open air museum of modernist architecture. My guide, Dalia Leonaviien, took me to see some of the most prominent modernist buildings in Kaunas. Check the official Kaunas Castle site for prices and opening times as they vary throughout the year. Is Kaunas worth visiting? - Kaunas, Lithuania 2022 - YouTube During the Soviet Union, this church was transformed into an art gallery and, after the Lithuanian independence, became a Roman Catholic Church. The museum is split into two sections. Not so romantic as the Thunder God, but I guess we can still imagine! Theyll be used to publish a childrens book, to invite artists to make art based on stories and even to create an augmented reality tourist route around Kaunas . . It seems that in a couple of years tourists will be flocking to Kaunas. The monument is meant to be a place of love and hope. But, if youre on limited time and just want to get a flavour then stop by the Kiemo Galerija or the Court Yard Gallery. Years ago, Vilnius street in Kaunas used to lead straight to the capital. Click here to book train tickets, or check railway times and prices. When you reach the top, youll see the man whos in charge of operating the carriages from a small control room. There are just SO many things to do in Kaunas, you may need more than one day to look around. So, the museum is mostly about showcasing his work. This way you can stop the car wherever you like and get off to have a look at interesting houses. But, Im SO happy I made the decision to go. As well as amazing street art walls, there are also a number of interesting statues dotted around Kaunas each with their own story. In a soft and only slightly creepy voice, she tells you stories about the streets, the houses and the people who lived in them. Freedom Avenue People from Vilnius will always say that Gediminas Avenue is much more beautiful than Freedom Avenue in Kaunas and vice versa. How many days would you recommend between Kaunas and Vilnius? From Pink Elephants, Unicorns, Princesses on Horses, Old men smoking pipes, even Polar bears and cats you will find endless artwork. It is unlike any other church Ive ever seen. I had a similar experience too jumping in without expecting much, being so surprised by its many murals and edgy hipster vibe. Get an offline map of this guide to Kaunas. Or, download a copy online here. This museum also has a tradition in the way you can gift your own devil to them! Let's have a look at the benefits and downsides of visiting Kaunas - and if there are any better options in the vicinity. Id love to go to Lithaua some day! One day in Kaunas - One Day Walking the City Thank you for the information! Things to do in Kaunas I am a short two-hour drive from Kaunas and since moving to Lithuania I will find any excuse to visit. Plus, there is loads of things to do in Kaunas too which is always a winner . You can see the full 2022 program here. It's cheaper, less crowded, and you feel a little less like a tourist. Click here to look for the place to stay in Kaunas. Thank you! As one of the 2022 European Capitals of Culture, the city is going to grow in popularity very soon. M. K. iurlionis is a was a multi-talented artist, known primarily as a painter and musician. It was snowing all evening long, I didnt even go out to get some food and just stayed inside catching up on tv shows. Approximately 1 million litas were spent to build the church. Visit Kaunas Lithuania: Things to do and see ,the Old Town, Kaunas Castle, architecture, street art, museums and much more. Never travel without travel insurance, you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. I later found out it is one of the oldest Brick Gothic churches in Europe. After visiting Estonia and Latvia a couple of years ago, I had one more Baltic country left to see. It is very likely that Kaunas modernism will be rewarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site title and I support these efforts as the place definitely deserves this award!