Now when you think of Christmas destinations Vilnius in Lithuania might not come to the front of your mind, I am here to tell you that it is well worth a visit! The city comes alive during the festive season with multiple markets, plenty of lights, a stunning ice rink and an iconic gigantic Christmas tree.
Plus there are plenty of incredible coffee shops, cafes and restaurants to warm up in. I highly recommend tagging it onto a Baltics winter weekend, to experience a cosy Christmas-y city without the crowds. Keep reading for lots of ideas of what to do in Vilnius at Christmas.
There are affordable direct flights from London available daily. We actually caught a bus to Vilnius from Riga in Latvia where we had spent a few days exploring (Riga Winter City Guide). The journey was super affordable and easy, I cannot recommend it enough!
Vilnius is a very compact city and super walkable. The only time we used public transport was when we got a taxi to and from the airport, which is only 15 minutes away from the centre.
If you want a festive weekend away, I recommend visiting during the month of December when there are chances of snow, lots of lights on display and the Christmas markets are in full swing.
Vilniu is a smaller city, so you don’t need more than a couple of days there. We only stayed one night, but I would say two would be optimal.
The historic old town is the ideal location to stay as it means you will be able to walk to everything. We opted for a spacious apartment right in the heart of the city centre.
Travel and accommodation in Lithuania are surprisingly affordable, but once you get there expect typical capital city prices for foods, drinks and activities.
It gets pretty chilly in winter so make sure you pack warm layers, thick coats, hats and gloves. An umbrella is probably a wise idea too! There is no Uber, but Bolt is the equivalent app and is super easy to use.
Christmas in Vilnius is a sight to be seen! The city doesn’t hold back when it comes to decorations, and their main Christmas tree is super extravagant, with a changing design every single year. There are multiple Christmas markets with the main one being located in Cathedral square. It’s a gorgeous setting, with plenty of yummy food stalls, local crafts to shop and a carousel to ride. It is less traditional than the markets in nearby Tallinn and Riga, but still absolutely gorgeous. You can also browse two smaller Christmas markets. There’s a handful of stalls near the Town hall (as well as an ice rink) and a festive food market at Lukiskes Prison 2.0 (which was a personal highlight for me!).
You can’t go wrong with ice skating on a winter weekend! Every year a large ice rink gets built right in front of the stunning Vilnius town hall. It has its own small selection of Christmas market stalls right next door, and there is skating available throughout the day.
The old town of Vilnius has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to cute streets, historic buildings and an abundance of churches. It can be easily explored on foot, so here are some popular spots to add to your walking route:
– Gates of Dawn
– Pilies street
– The Palace of Grand Dukes
– Vilnius Cathedral & Catacombs
– The Churches – there are SO many, Vilnius is a city with one of the highest density of churches in Europe. Some personal favourites include St Anne’s Church, St Catherine’s Church, St Francis Church, Saint Peter & Pauls, St Philip & Jacob and the view from the top of St John’s Church bell tower is worth seeing.
If you want to get an incredible view over the city, I recommend climbing a hill to visit either The Hill of Three Crosses or Gediminas Tower. They are right next to each other and both offer panoramic views over Vilnius (as well as a bit of a steep climb to get there!). Right underneath these hills is the gorgeous Bernadine Garden, which is well worth taking a stroll through – especially if it’s been snowing!
Uzupis is a unique neighbourhood to explore, as it is actually among the tiniest republics on the planet covering less than one square kilometre. Complete with its own president, currency, government and even a navy! It is well worth visiting as it has plenty of cafes, street art as well as independent boutiques and galleries. You can even get your passport stamped at their “border control” as a fun souvenir.
There is nothing I love more than vintage shopping in a new country, and Lithuania really impressed me with the boutiques. There was so much great stock, including lots of heavy coats and fur jackets. Perfect for if you want to stock up for winter. My favourite bouquets were definitely De’Zavu as they are so well curated and organised, but the Humana shops are also worth stopping by.
The food scene in Vilnius really blew me away! There are so many amazing cafes, coffee shops and restaurants and we hadn’t a super long list we wanted to visit, but only had time to hit up a handful. Of the ones we managed to stop by, these were our favourites:
Mon – for pastries, matcha and brunch.
Backstage Cafe – for delicious coffee.
Strange Love – for coffee, brunch and cake.
Urban Garden – for wholesome brunch, lunch and salad bowls.
Rosehip Bistro – for nourishing plant based meals.
El Gato Negro – for elevated mexican food.
Safe travels,
Zanna x
Let me slide into your inbox. A monthly newsletter of all the good stuff – latest posts and videos, rants and rambles, recommendations and resources.
Website Designed by Brogan Daisy Digital © Zanna Van Dijk 2025
