How do I get to Lithuania? When is the best time to travel? And what does health care look like in the Baltic state? These and other questions are asked by vacationers who want to go on a trip to Lithuania. The necessary information about arrival and arrival, travel planning, accommodation search and the like are therefore summarized here. According to Countryaah, Lithuania is a member country of Europe Union.
Getting there
BY FLIGHT
Lithuania has three international airports: in the capital Vilnius, in Kaunas and in the coastal town of Palanga. Vilnius has the largest airport in the country and is served by the airlines Air Baltic, LOT (via Warsaw), Lufthansa and SAS (via Copenhagen). Kaunas is served by Air Baltic, Palanga by Air Baltic and SAS. The connections with Air Baltic usually go via Riga. The airline flies from Germany from Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich.
WITH THE FERRY
The largest ferry port in Lithuania is located in Klaipeda. From here there are connections with DFDS to Kiel and also to Sweden. The ferry crossing from Kiel to Klaipeda is offered several times a week and takes about 21 hours.
Transporting bicycles, cars or mobile homes is no problem on the ferries. In addition to loungers, various cabin categories can be booked for two to four people, as well as single beds in gender-separated collective cubicles.
OVER LAND
Of course, you can also travel overland to Lithuania by car. On the way you cross Poland and possibly the Kaliningrad exclave (attention: the Kaliningrad area belongs to Russia, so not to the EU and not to the Schengen area, a visa is required!). The “Via Baltica” (E 67) leads from Prague via Wroclaw to Kaunas and is very well developed in parts. To the north it continues to Riga and Tallinn.
For the journey you should bring your passport or identity card (passport with visa if you arrive via Kaliningrad), the vehicle registration document and your driver’s license with you. The green insurance card is strongly recommended, as is a power of attorney if you are not the owner of the vehicle yourself.
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Travel time
June to August is the main travel season for the whole of the Baltic States, the summers are warm and mild and the days never seem to end. The sun hardly sets this far north, the nights remain twilight.
During the summer months, Lithuania is particularly suitable for a vacation in nature: As a nature-loving cyclist, hiker or camper there is a lot to discover. But summer is also the time of mosquitoes. Especially for holidays in nature, especially in the wetlands, a good mosquito repellent is essential in your luggage. The sun can also burn down from the sky, so sun protection is particularly important now. The Lithuanian summer holidays also take place between June and August.
If you want to benefit from cheap flight and ferry prices or hotel offers, you should travel in spring and autumn. The transitional seasons are significantly cooler than here, but this hardly detracts from the experience of nature. However, the weather can then be very changeable, umbrella, warm jacket and rain jacket belong in the luggage.
And Lithuania is worth a trip even in winter. As a city vacationer, you can explore Vilnius or Kaunas or spend a relaxing wellness holiday in the Baltic States. The Curonian Spit is also a pleasure in winter: there are hardly any tourists, the frozen lagoon offers a seemingly endless view and the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. For those who like to be active: How about ice sailing on one of the many bodies of water or on the frozen lagoon or a visit to the traditional winter trotting race in Sartai?
Accommodations
There are all types of accommodation in Lithuania: campsites, simple pensions and guest houses, holiday homes and apartments, but also good hotels and high-end houses. The choice of higher-class accommodation is larger in the cities, while the standard is usually a bit simpler in the countryside.
There are some good spa or wellness hotels in the health resorts of Lithuania. For example in Druskininkai, the health resort famous for its mineral springs, or in Palanga, the popular coastal health resort.
In rural areas in particular, holiday homes or apartments may be a good choice; you are independent and can provide for yourself if necessary. For families, this is also a cheap and flexible option.
Those who travel by tent, caravan or mobile home have a sufficient selection of campsites. Most of them are in the south and south-east, while central Lithuania is a little less well-populated. Spending the night on a campsite is an inexpensive alternative, and you don’t even necessarily need complete camping equipment: small houses or log cabins are often rented out. This is especially nice for car or bicycle vacationers who do not want to take a lot of luggage with them, but also prefer the cheaper overnight option.
Health
Health care is good in Lithuania; almost every city has a hospital. There are enough pharmacies in cities and towns. Nevertheless, travelers who are dependent on medication should stock up on essentials in advance. This also applies to holidaymakers who travel close to nature and to remote areas. In addition, good mosquito and tick protection as well as good sun protection belong in the first-aid kit. Vacationers should think about a vaccination against the tick-borne disease TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis) and seek advice from their family doctor.
Anyone traveling to Lithuania should make sure that they already have the European Insurance Card. However, it is also advisable to take out private international travel health insurance, which is usually very affordable, for example with ERGO insurance .
Shopping / souvenirs
Amber, the “Baltic gold” or “Lithuanian gold”, is inextricably linked with the country. You can buy it in every imaginable form: The “pure” stones (particularly beautiful with so-called inclusions, inclusions of insects or plant remains), as jewelry or processed into pictures or other decorative items. You can buy the jewelry at numerous market stalls across the country, but also in specialized amber shops.
Linen is also a traditional handicraft product from Lithuania. Made into clothes, towels, tablecloths, aprons, etc., it is also a popular souvenir.
In spring, the three-day Casimir Market, held in many places across the country, attracts visitors and locals alike. Traditional craft techniques are presented and a wide variety of goods are sold: wood carvings, musical instruments, jewelry, pottery, baskets, textiles, embroidery and cloth goods.
In addition to traditional handicrafts, you can also find designer clothes in Lithuania – especially in Vilnius. The prices for (local) designer clothing are usually below the Western European level. Once a year, the Mados infekcija fashion festival takes place here, where numerous interesting designers from Lithuania present their latest creations.
Road traffic
Lithuania is a great country for a round trip. The road conditions are good. On a rental car tour you can combine nature and culture in the best possible way. The following rules and laws should be observed:
Lithuania has a speed limit of 50 km / h in built-up areas and 90 km / h on highways. The speed limit on motorways varies: it is usually 130 km / h in the summer months from April to the end of October and 110 km / h in winter (pay attention to the signs for exceptions!).
The low beam must also be switched on when driving during the day. Winter tires are mandatory from November to March. Carrying a fire extinguisher is compulsory. The alcohol limit is 0.4.
Lithuania is a transit country. There are some highways that are relatively well developed.
