Vilnius Basics ALCOHOL Lithuanian beer (alus) is among the best in the world. Without doubt. Test as many as you can before settling on a regular brand! The big names are Švyturys from Klaipėda, Utenos from Utena and Kalnapilis from Panevėžys, but there are loads of smaller varieties to try. Visit a microbrewery (see Nightlife) or go for a selection from your nearest menu. Lithuanian beers tend to be stronger than their Western counterparts, making the forming of the simplest words (such as alus) a challenge after just a couple. But the variety is as eclectic as anywhere else. In the Old Town expect to pay about €3 for half a litre. Lithuanian vodka (degtinė) is quality too, though in bars it defers to beer in terms of popularity. Among local spirits, look out for starka, a 15thcentury concoction of syrupy rye vodka fortified with apple leaves and lime blossom, and the local semi-illicit firewater samagonas. Imported alcohol isn’t cheap, so buy the local stuff. Check prices before a session. Lithuania is currently tightening its booze laws, so that from the start of 2018 youngsters under 20 will not be able to buy booze. Alcohol shopping sales times will also change, to Mon-Sat 10:0020:00, Sun 10:00-15:00.
BORDERS
BASIC DATA POPULATION Lithuania 2,849,317 Vilnius 544,391 ETHNIC COMPOSITION (Lithuania) Lithuanians 83.7% Poles 6.6% Russians 5.3% Belarusians 1.3% Ukrainians 0.6% Others 3.3% TERRITORY 65,303 square kilometres Roughly twice the size of Belgium, and the largest of the three Baltic nations. Fertile lowland, peppered with many lakes. North to south, the greatest distance is 276km, east to west is 373km BORDERS Baltic Sea 99km Belarus 502km Latvia 453km Poland 91km Russia (Kaliningrad) 227km LONGEST RIVER Nemunas 937km (475km in Lithuania) LARGEST LAKE Drūkščiai 4,479ha HIGHEST POINT Aukštasis 293.8m
Lithuania is bordered by the Baltic Sea, Belarus, Latvia, Poland and the peculiar Russian exclave born out of the ashes of WWII and the disintegration of the Soviet Union that is Kaliningrad. EU membership and Schengen agreements have as good as removed all border formalities with Latvia and Poland, although getting in and out of Belarus and Kaliningrad remains a process wrapped up in red tape for holders of most passports. Visas for both can be obtained from the Belarusian and Russian embassies in Vilnius, as well as from a few travel agencies. Note, however, that short-term visas for Kaliningrad are now available if you arrive in the exclave by air. For more information about getting in and out of Lithuania, see the website at www.pasienis.lt.
While things have greatly improved for the disabled in recent few years, Lithuania is still a tough place to get around on anything other than two well functioning legs. Even places that claim to be wheelchair friendly can be flanked by deep kerbs or stairs, or are located on cobbled streets. Wheelchair accessibility for public buildings outside the capital is improving slowly. Some newer trolleybuses and buses in Vilnius have low entry platforms, spaces for wheelchairs and hearing loops.
CRIME & SAFETY
MONEY & COSTS
It is not an exaggeration to say that Lithuania is one of the safest countries to visit in Europe. While petty crime mainly in the form of pickpocketing - is as big a problem in this country as anywhere else in the world, violent crime is almost unheard of. Even late at night you will not usually be presented with any potential threats whilst walking around city centres, and this goes for single women as much as for large groups of lads.
Most places of any note in Vilnius happily accept major credit cards, and ATMs are ubiquitous in urban areas, although if you’re planning a trip to the countryside make sure you take plenty of cash along. Lithuania is no longer the cheap country for foreigners it used to be, although it still offers great value to most visitors from western Europe and North America.
LOCAL TIME Lithuania is in the Eastern European Time (EET) zone at GMT+2hrs. When it’s 12:00 in Vilnius it’s 05:00 in New York, 10:00 in London, 11:00 in Warsaw, 13:00 in Moscow and 19:00 in Tokyo. Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, GMT+3hrs) falls between the last Sundays of March and October respectively. facebook.com/VilniusInYourPocket
DISABLED TRAVELLERS
PLASTIC & GLASS Lithuania imposes a super-efficient eco-system for your empty plastic and glass bottles and beer cans. Most supermarkets have a supirkimas – a couple of machines where you can load each one at a time and hear them being scruched into nothing. Make sure they’re completely empty. At the end, press the screen and it’ll print a ticket. Take it to the counter inside the supermarket and they’ll give you some cash. Simple! August - November 2017
11