Vilnius Lithuania

Travelled : 38km to Vilnius
Stay: Vilnius parking €6/24hrs, no service point,  walk to old quarter  54.68789 25.29386

Although it was only a short way to drive, like all major cities, the traffic was quite heavy. We did a pit stop on the way at City Camping, who kindly let us empty our toilet for free! N54.68028 E25.22687 There were a few staying here but we decided to try out the parking closer in town. It's always dicey as the parking may have been full. But luck was on our side and it seems like a lovely quiet place next to the park land of Gediminas Hill where the city began. 

Like all cities it has had a checkered past and including the Tectonic Knights, the French, Austrians,  Russians, Italians, Swedish, Danish, Jew's and Germans to name of few!
We are literally just next to the old quarter that is a classified UNESCO site. It could also easily be called the city of churches, everywhere you look you can see a spire.
We began our visit in Cathedral Square. Where there is obviously the cathedral,  a belfry that once belonged to the wall of the moat that encircled the perimeter and the Royal Palace, which was just reconstructed in 2013. 

In the pavement we found a stone tile with the name Stebuklas (miracle). It marks the spot where 2 million Lithuanians,  Latvians and Estonians formed a human chain (Baltic Chain) all the way fromTallinn to protest Soviet occupation in 1989.There was also the imprint of 2 feet to mark the 25th anniversary of this event. 

This wall found on the other side of the river also is a memorial for the Baltic chain.

We continued on strolling through the narrow cobbled stoned streets, mainly filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. There are also plenty of churches of which we visited a few.

The square where the Old Town a Hall is - now a tourist office. Below is the door handle.

The inside of the church yard is still waiting renovation.

At the Gates of Dawn we had reached the southern border. It is the only remaining portal of the 10 originally built. 

We existed the gates and followed the wall to the artillery bastion that is currently being renovated.

  We went down into the Uzupis area where we saw the Republic Constitution written in many languages. 

After a quick snack - under €5 for a cappuccino,  a pastry and a soup! We were on our way back through the old quarter and walked through the smaller of the 2 Jewish ghettos that was here in WWII. All its  inhabitants were killed in Paneriai.  Another terrible event.

From here we made our way to the main street Gedimino, which is a large boulevard with the main shopping and eating chains along it. There was a rally but we weren't too sure what it was for.

There were several consulates along the way even spotted the Australian one!

We checked out TripAdvisor and made a beeline for Busi Trecias hoping for some local food. Although we seemed to have the place to ourselves the local brewed beer and the potato dishwas delicious.

Feeling well rested we headed off again and popped in to see Amber Museum. Have I mentioned that every second shop sells amber products. 

Then we had a look at the beautiful St.Anne's church made from 33 different types of red brick.

We found out about about Lithuanian history at the Museum €2 each.

Never seen this type of religious painting before embossed with metal.

This is a wooden toy. Would have loved to see it in action.

Making wooden crosses is a sacred craft here.

It was time for our final push, to go up the top of 48m hill near Bluey to  admire the city. 

There was a 2nd choice the other being the hill of the Three Crosses which were built in memory of 3 monks who were crucified here.

There were many old trolley buses left from the Soviet era.

After a rest in Bluey we went out to try out some more local cuisine at Forto Dvaras restaurant. Both food and atmosphere was great if not very rich and filling. We had a mushroom soup served in a loaf of bread and zeppelins - like big potato filled meat dumplings and potato pancakes. All washed down with a beer of course.