Vilnius attracts more and more tourists every year and has already become one of the most popular capital cities in Eastern Europe, especially among long weekend travelers. Even if you are going to spend only single day here, you still might have a great time and all you need to do is plan your trip in advance. So for everyone planning to visit the capital city of Lithuania in the summertime, we have a list of top 6 activities to attend while being in Vilnius. These activities include sightseeing UNESCO heritage sites, admiring nature and contemporary art, lying on the beach near lakes, having a cup of coffee while enjoying panoramic view and finally tasting dinner cooked from local seasonal products. Keep reading and find out more about things local people recommend to do in Vilnius during the season of summer holidays.

Let's take a walk

It is always a good idea to start your stay in Vilnius by joining free walking tours arranged daily by Lithuanian guides (Vilnius with Locals Tours). To see most of the attractions of the city, you should consider taking part in two-hour Old Town & Užupis tour. Vilnius Historic Centre is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites and is preserved for its Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance and classical architecture while Užupis district (self-declared Republic of artists) is full of art shops, unexpected installations and has an atmosphere of freedom and bohemian spirit.

On the other hand, if you want to see Vilnius from a different perspective, then you should step outside from the city centre into the periphery and find lesser known and sometimes even hidden from tourists places. It is the best way to get acquainted with not so shining but the real face of Vilnius during free alternative Vilnius tours. These tours show modern street art objects and everyday life of Lithuanians while visiting station area and Naujamiestis district.

A moment to relax

After a walking tour you might want to take a seat and enjoy some coffee to get energized for the rest of your day. A lovely place to do that is Subačiaus street panoramic viewpoint with café in the neighborhood. Here you can admire the panorama of Vilnius and see Gediminas Castle, Hill of Three Crosses, TV Tower, church spires and many more in the distance. An information stand will help you spot all aforementioned objects. However, if you prefer the city bustle, then you should visit Pilies street which is aligned with the oldest buildings of Vilnius and is full of outdoor cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops and people rushing around.

Enjoy the nature

The greatest place in Vilnius to spend a wonderful afternoon surrounded by nature is Vilnius University Botanical Garden. The bloom of rhododendrons starts in May but some of the species delight us till the end of June. Nevertheless, the main adornment of the garden are peonies and roses. They fill the air up with light aroma and surprise visitors with the variety of colors and abundance of blossoms. In addition to this, the perfect calmness, murmur of the old trees and singing birds supplement the picturesque landscapes of flower fields. The best time to visit Botanical Garden of Vilnius University and familiarize with local flora is in the beginning of summer, but this place is not the only one that can amaze every nature's lover.

A place where nature and art merge

Park of Europe (Europos Parkas) is another remarkable green site in Vilnius, yet it is an outdoor museum of modern art as well. There you can find a collection of over 100 sculptures under the open sky created by artists from countries all over the world (among them are such artists as Dennis Oppenheim and Solas Le Witt). What is more, Europos Parkas was established in 1991 to denote a spot where geographic centre of Europe is located (as determined by the French National Geographic Institute in 1989). Thus while walking in the park, you will officially be in the middle of Europe!

Lie on the beach

Not far away from the Park of Europe there is one more worth visiting place - Verkiai Regional Park with Green Lakes. So when you will get tired of excursions, you might want to rest just like most summer tourists do. In Verkiai Regional Park you can simply lie down on the beach and refresh yourself in the water of six Green Lakes. There are also basketball and volleyball courts for visitors who prefer active leisure. You may rent a boat or participate in jogging, too. This way enclosed by beautiful surroundings you will feel the relaxing vacation atmosphere, just don't forget to sample some homemade ice-cream or delicious local drinks.

Taste Lithuanian cuisine

After the intense day you will definitely want to fill your belly with yummy food. For this reason, the last but not the least thing you must do in Vilnius is to taste local dishes. If you think that Lithuanian cuisine consists of only black bread, zeppelins and potato pancakes, then come to Sweet Root in Užupis and their chefs will prove you are wrong. This restaurant is one of the most popular spots to taste seasons-inspired cuisine. When choosing ingredients owners of the Sweet Root focus on locally sourced produce that grows in Lithuania at that particular time of a year. Large part of the products are from their own garden, forests and meadows. The rest arrive from trusted Lithuanian farmers.

We hope that these top 6 things to do in Vilnius during the summertime will make your trip planning easier and you will experience pleasant holiday while spending as much time outdoors as possible. If you still lack of ideas about what to do and see in Vilnius, Lithuania or you would like to be guided through your stay here, then ask for help and leave all the organisational tasks to friendly and professional local guides. See you in Vilnius this summer!