If you’re visiting Lithuania, here are some of the best Vilnius day trips and places to go after!
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Vilnius is a seriously underrated destination when it comes to exploring Europe! I loved a few days here exploring the city and eating great food.
When visiting cities, I love adding in at least one day trip to get a feel for another part of the area and not limiting my experience just to the country’s capital.
These are a few of my favorite options for Vilnius day trips, as well as the best next stops for a multi-city trip!
The Best Vilnius Day Trips
Trakai
Trakai will consistently come up as the number one day trip option from Vilnius! It’s a cute historic town with a castle on an island sitting on the lake!
It’s equally good as a historic day trip to learn about the Grand Duchy and to see the unique Karaim community here. The Karaim are a Tuskish cultural group brought as a warrior community to protect the castle, and the colorful wooden houses are relics of their influence all over the town!
It’s also a great spot for a day by the water if you want to relax in a beautiful place. There are boats to rent, docks, and plenty of places to swim!
It’s best in summer when the weather beckons you for a swim and an afternoon relaxing in the sun. But you can visit year-round to see the castle on the island.
There are plenty of options to get to Trakai for the day. Both the train and bus are very easy to figure out and run regularly throughout the day. Note that you can rarely buy bus tickets online: you usually buy with cash directly from the bus driver. But you can check the timetable on their website.
If you want someone else to be in charge, take an organized day trip. It’s the most expensive way to get here, but someone else is in charge and it usually includes a guided tour of everything you see. Most of them also include other out-of-town stops, like Kaunas or the Paneriai Holocaust Memorial.
Kernave
Kernave is a great spot if you want to get out into nature a bit, but still want some history! Kernave was the original capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but it’s more known for its Paleolithic historic significance. You can explore the outdoor museum, walk through one of the biggest forests in Lithuania, and learn about ancient Lithuanian paganism.
It takes about an hour to get to Kernave by bus. Again, most of the time you just pay the driver but it’s very affordable – a few euro each way.
Hill of Crosses
The Hill of Crosses is a major pilgrimage site in Lithuania. Its origins are uncertain, but it is believed to have begun by soldiers leaving crosses here during the November Uprising in 1830. It was bulldozed several times while under USSR rule, but people continued to leave crosses and statues here.
Pope John Paul II visited in 1993 and it continues to be one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Lithuania. It now holds more than 150,000 crosses!
Getting here is a little complicated only because it’s not near much else. You can go the organized day trip route or drive yourself (just under 3 hours). There are buses but it’s a bit complicated – take a bus to Siauliai, then a local bus or inexpensive taxi to the Hill of Crosses itself.
For those reasons, I recommend the Hill of Crosses mostly as a stopping point between Vilnius and Riga – more on that below!
Where to Next? Building a Multi-stop Trip from Vilnius
Riga, Latvia
Riga, Latvia is super easy to visit from Vilnius! Riga is another cute capital city full of charm and easy to walk. Its the kind of place you can visit with or without much historical background.
Like Vilnius, spending a few days here is all you need: see the historic buildings like the House of the Black Heads, the Three Brothers, and the Nativity of Christ Orthodox Church; try Black Balsam, and wander the Art Nouveau district! Their Occupation Museum is small but gives a good overview of another country’s experience under successive Nazi and USSR occupations.
Getting to Riga takes about 3.5 hours by car. This part of the country feels pretty easy to rent a car, so it’s worth considering. Getting a car also allows you to visit the Hill of Crosses along the way.
You can also take a direct train there from Vilnius Central Station in about 4 hours 15 minutes for around 35€, so training around is really easy!
Want the best of both worlds? Here’s a day trip through GetYourGuide that takes you from Vilnius to Riga! It stops at the Hill of Crosses and Rundale Palace, sometimes called “the Versailles of Latvia.”
Warsaw, Poland
Another great Vilnius add-on destination is Warsaw! Poland’s capital is a great choice if you’re looking for some of the best that 21st-century central Europe offers. Its historic Old Town Square has the old world charm you’re looking for, surrounded by a modern rebuilt city.
Warsaw is just under 6 hours driving. Again, if you drive, you can stop at Trakai and other cool spots along the way.
You can also take a direct train which takes about 9 hours. Most train/transport aggregator apps don’t work for Eastern Europe and the Baltics, but you can see this journey on the DeutchBahn website. This train continues on to Krakow, a city I absolutely love, so if you make it to Warsaw consider adding on a stop in Krakow!
Gdansk, Poland
Gdansk is a bit further, but it’s such a beautiful town that it’s worth mentioning! Gdansk is a coastal Polish city with all the charm you can dream of! Stroll the colorful streets, walk along the canal, and soak up the small town. Gsdank was one of my favorite stops on a Nordic cruise I did in summer 2023!
Driving from Vilnius to Gdansk takes a little over 7 hours, and would take you near several castles, WWII memorials, and Wolf’s Lair, one of Hitler’s bunkers.
Quick note: If driving, you have the option to drive through the Russian province of Kaliningrad. Which sounds so cool! But you should definitely check visa requirements and your country’s recommendations about traveling through Russia right now.
Taking the train takes a bit longer: 11-12 hours, so not ideal. However, this route takes you via Warsaw, so consider a stop in Warsaw and then add on Gdansk!
After you’ve explored the city, these Vilnius day trips and follow-ons are the way to make the most of your time in Lithuania!
Looking for more Vilnius help? I’ve got a free city guide, a few of my favorite restaurants, and a full Vilnius Masterlist to get you going!
