A day off in Vilnius

We are currently on the overnight bus to Gdańsk in Poland. This was one of those critical links in our itinerary that always causes me some anxiety - we need to get back to Warsaw for the plane home!

So I am relieved to be onboard and a bonus is free wi-fi so hopefully I can catch up on my much-behind blog. MF is happy reading and I think somewhat surprised to find himself aboard an overnight bus - no doubt I’ll hear about it after 10 hours of travel ...

The Baltic Bike Tour is over and we are pleased to be done with the bikes as the tight itinerary of the second half of the trip and the heat have been tiring.

This morning we get a welcome small sleep-in and have breakfast at a leisurely pace.

We had a wonderful morning. After our relaxed start and saying goodbye to some of our group, we walked away from the Old Town into the New Town (Naujamiestis) - where there are some neglected buildings from Soviet times, modern brand new buildings and beautiful early 1900s architecture - to find the Museum of Genocide Victims that is housed in the former KGB building and which became the headquarters of the Gestapo in 1941 and then the KGB in 1944. The KGB stayed until 1991 when Lithuania became independent from the Soviet Union.

The museum is divided into two parts – the upper two floors document the Lithuanian partisans’ resistance against the Soviet occupiers, the deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia and day-to-day life in the LTSR. The other part of the museum comprise the prison cells, and execution and torture chambers in the basement.

Chillingly, the cells are exactly how the KGB officers left them upon leaving Lithuania in 1991.

Sounds dark, and it was, but it was such an excellent exhibition. The exhibits were presented with English subtitles and the KGB cells at the basement level were sobering.

It was free entry too but I didn’t find out why until all these super tall Lithuanian soldiers came in bearing wreaths of flowers and I knew something was up. As we had come in, there was something being prepared outside and then I heard music and rushed outside to find the army band playing and a Lithuanian choir in traditional dress. I think they were doing rehearsals for something later but it was wonderful nevertheless. Going back in to ask, I saw a notice on the door stating it is the 'Day of Mourning and Hope' today. Amazing.


Back at the hotel for our midday checkout after 4200 steps, we put our bags into left-luggage and set off for the what is known as the Cathedral Basilica to have a slower look than we did with the tour guide yesterday.

Next door is the Palace of the Grand Dukes and as we walked past, I could hear music. We walked into the large courtyard where a stage was set up and a group of musicians was preparing for a concert. We sat in the shade and listened - a nice chill-out.

From here it was a hot walk to the Gediminas Tower high up on a hill overlooking the city. The funicular up was not working properly but as we walked away to take the walk up, it started again. I had read that it has previously been closed so it didn’t come as a complete surprise; obviously they haven’t solved the problems. We were grateful though that it worked for us and we enjoyed the vistas from the top.

We were happy to walk down rather than risk the funicular breaking down again (!) and then through the shady Bernardine Gardens into the Old Town.

We had a delicious lunch in the Little Ghetto area at a lovely cafe, Ponių Laimė. MF had herrings and mushrooms and I had a piece of vegetable pie, plus cakes (and pretty ordinary coffee, which I have pretty much been avoiding in Lithuania).

We walked around exploring and came across the spectacular former Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit where a service was in progress.

Around the corner, we finally found (after much searching) the site of the Great Synagogue which was damaged in WWII and subsequently demolished by Soviet authorities in the 1950s. Now there is just a sign to mark the spot in a very down-at-heel and derelict neighbourhood with litter everywhere. Very forlorn-looking.

We walked then to another church, Šv. Kazimiero Bažnyčia, and a city gate, the Gate of Dawn, and the Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy) chapel over it which are an important religious shrine for pilgrims.

Then into the Town Hall Square, still retracing our steps from yesterday’s tour but on a whim today. There was a photographic exhibition at the Town Hall. MF went off to buy water; when he returned, I wanted to show him the view from the second level when he realised he had left his camera at the supermarket; consequently, there was a very rapid dash back. Very lucky. It was still there at the checkout. Seen here contemplating the universe.

That called for a drink which I was going to avoid today but have just realised that the overnight bus to Gdańsk in Poland is 9 p.m., not 7 p.m. so we can chill out, sitting here at a bar, Amadeus, in Jono Basanavičiaus Square. Did the online check-in for flights home on Sunday whilst enjoying the break at this pleasant bar, sitting outside, watching the world go by.

Finally, we walked back via the Vilnius University area and the Presidential Palace to the hotel to collect our bags and then a fast walk to the hotel to collect our bags; it is a quick walk to the bus stop to catch a local bus to the main Vilnius bus station.

Total steps: 18300 (I can feel every one of them!)