5 days in Vilnius with day trips: the ideal Lithuania week
Vilnius: Hill of crosses siauliai full day
Duration: 8 hours
What’s the best 5-day Lithuania itinerary? Use Vilnius as your base for all 5 days and take 2-3 day trips from it. This itinerary covers Vilnius Old Town thoroughly (Days 1-2), then adds Trakai (Day 3), Kaunas (Day 4), and the Hill of Crosses (Day 5). No car required — all connections are by train or organised transport.
Why Vilnius makes the ideal hub
Lithuania’s geography is compact. From Vilnius you can reach Trakai in 30 minutes, Kaunas in 70 minutes, and even the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai in under 3 hours. Using Vilnius as a base means one hotel, one set of luggage, and the convenience of returning to the capital each evening.
Five days is long enough to see Vilnius at a relaxed pace and add three meaningful day trips without feeling rushed. It’s the itinerary length that most people who return to Lithuania say they wish they’d planned on the first visit.
Budget: €60-90/person/day for food, transport, and entry tickets. Accommodation in Vilnius: €18-25 (hostel) to €70-120 (mid-range hotel).
Day 1: Vilnius Old Town
Morning (9:00–12:30)
Begin with the Vilnius Old Town fundamentals: Cathedral Square (Katedros aikštė) and the neoclassical cathedral (free, 7:00–19:00), then Gediminas Tower (€5 entry, funicular €1 or walk) for the city panorama. Allow 45 minutes total on Castle Hill.
Walk down to Vilnius University — the 13-courtyard complex founded in 1579. Combined ticket €6. The bell tower gives the best elevated view in Old Town. Open 9:00–18:00.
Lunch: Etno Dvaras (Pilies g. 16, courtyard) for cepelinai (€7-9) and other Lithuanian classics. Busy but honest pricing.
Afternoon (13:30–18:00)
Walk south to the Gates of Dawn (Aušros Vartų g., free pilgrimage chapel above the medieval gate), then north through the former Jewish ghetto streets. The Jewish Vilnius history deserves a careful walk even if you’re not visiting the museum today.
15:00 — Užupis: Cross into the bohemian self-declared republic. The constitution plaque (43 languages), Angel statue, and gallery district take 60-75 minutes.
16:30 — St Anne’s Church: The Gothic-flamboyant facade in late-afternoon light is one of Vilnius’s most-photographed moments. Free.
Evening: Tores (Užupio g. 40) for Lithuanian food with a river-view terrace (mains €12-15), or Džiaugsmas (Trakų g. 1) for modern Lithuanian at similar prices.
Day 2: Vilnius museums and neighbourhood depth
Morning (9:30): Museum of Occupations
The KGB Museum (Aukų g. 2A, €8, Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00) is non-negotiable on a 5-day Lithuania trip. The former KGB headquarters with intact basement cells is one of the most powerful historical sites in Europe. Allow 2 hours.
After: coffee at Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories (Trakų g. 8), then lunch at Bistro 18 (Šv. Ignoto g. 4, mains €9-12) in Naujamiestis (New Town, 15 min walk).
Afternoon (14:00): Arts and viewpoints
14:00 — Literatų gatvė: The Street of Writers with 220+ ceramic literary tributes. Free, always open.
14:30 — National Museum of Lithuania (Arsenalo g. 1, €5, Tue–Sun): Strong on prehistory and 20th-century history. Good context for the day trips ahead.
16:00 — Three Crosses Hill: Walk to the Trys Kryžiai viewpoint (15 min from Old Town) for the panoramic view over the river bend. Free, always open.
Evening: Nineteen18 (Trakų g. 2) for refined Lithuanian cooking (€15-22 mains), or Sweet Root (Užupio g. 22) if you want the city’s most ambitious tasting menu (€30-45/person, book ahead).
Day 3: Trakai — island castle and Karaim culture
Train from Vilnius at 9:15. Journey: 30 minutes, €2.90 each way. Roughly hourly service.
10:00–14:30 in Trakai: The Trakai Island Castle (€12, open 10:00–19:00 in summer) is the defining Lithuanian landmark — a red-brick 14th-century fortress on a lake island. Allow 90 minutes inside. Kibinai lunch at Senoji Kibininė (Karaimų g. 65, €3-4 per pastry). Optional kayak rental on Lake Galvė (€5-10/hour).
Vilnius: Trakai half day sightseeing tourReturn to Vilnius by 15:00. Afternoon free for the Vilnius craft beer scene (Špunka, Bambalynė) or shopping at Halės turgus market.
Evening: Simple dinner at a neighbourhood restaurant in Old Town or Naujamiestis. A rested evening after Trakai.
Day 4: Kaunas — interwar capital and Ninth Fort
Train from Vilnius at 8:50 (or 9:20). Journey: 1 hour 10 minutes, €6-8. Arrive Kaunas ~10:00.
10:00 — Kaunas Old Town: Rotušės aikštė (Town Hall Square), the Gothic Perkūnas House, and the Kaunas Cathedral. 45 minutes.
11:00 — Laisvės alėja: The 1.7 km pedestrian Freedom Avenue is the spine of the interwar modernist city. Walk its length, note the Bauhaus and functionalist buildings from the 1920s-30s (UNESCO listed). The M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum (Putvinskio g. 55, €5) has work by Lithuania’s most significant painter — Symbolist, visionary, and unlike anything else in the region.
Lunch: Fredas (Savanorių pr. 142, mains €8-12) or Miesto Sodas (Laisvės al. 93, terrace, €9-14).
14:00 — Ninth Fort: Take bus 23 or 35 (€1, 20 min) or taxi (€5) to the Ninth Fort outside the city. The mass execution site used by both Soviet and Nazi regimes — approximately 30,000 killed here, mostly Jewish residents of Kaunas. Essential dark-history context, well-presented museum (€4). Open 10:00–17:00. Allow 1.5 hours.
Vilnius: Kaunas rumsiskes pazaislis full day16:30 — Train back to Vilnius. Back ~17:45.
Evening: After a heavy day, keep dinner simple. Snekutis (Šv. Stepono g. 8) — classic cellar bar, cold cuts, dark bread, cheap local beer, about €8-10/person.
Day 5: Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai
The Hill of Crosses is Lithuania’s most iconic pilgrimage site — a hill covered with hundreds of thousands of crosses, rosaries, and small sculptures accumulated over centuries. It’s 210 km from Vilnius, a 2.5-hour drive or a 2+ hour bus ride. An organised full-day tour from Vilnius is the most practical option.
Vilnius: Hill of crosses siauliai full dayTour option: Full-day tours from Vilnius (€35-55) typically include Hill of Crosses, Šiauliai city, and sometimes Rundale Palace (in Latvia) or the Pakruojis Manor. Depart ~8:00, return ~19:00.
Self-drive option: Rent a car in Vilnius (€40-60/day including insurance), drive the A1 motorway. Hill of Crosses is 2 km north of Joniškis, well-signed. Entry free, open at all hours.
By public bus: Bus from Vilnius to Šiauliai (~2.5 hours, €8-10), then local bus or taxi to the Hill of Crosses (8 km from Šiauliai, taxi €7). Manageable but takes the whole day.
At the site: No entry fee. Walk freely among the crosses — the sight is more affecting in person than in photos, particularly at dawn or dusk. There’s a small Franciscan monastery nearby. The hill is muddy in wet weather; wear walking shoes.
Return to Vilnius: If by tour, you’re back by 18:00-19:00. Final evening free for dinner at any restaurant you haven’t tried yet. The Vilnius food scene has more to offer than 5 evenings can cover.
What to skip if the itinerary is too full
If 5 days feels overpacked, make these cuts first:
- Drop the National Museum on Day 2 (the KGB Museum is the essential museum)
- Combine Kernavė with Trakai if you have a car (45 min from Vilnius, 45 min from Trakai)
- Skip the Three Crosses Hill if you’ve already seen the Gediminas Tower view
- If budget is tight, the Hill of Crosses by bus saves €15-25 over a guided tour but adds 2-3 hours of travel time
Practical notes
Transport summary: Train to Trakai (€2.90 each way), train to Kaunas (€6-8 each way), tour or self-drive to Hill of Crosses. Everything else is on foot or Bolt in Vilnius.
Accommodation: Stay in Vilnius Old Town for all 5 nights. Full accommodation guide.
Museum closures: Most Vilnius museums close Monday. Plan the KGB Museum on Tue–Sun.
Frequently asked questions about 5 days in Vilnius and day trips
Which day trip from Vilnius is best?
For first-time visitors, Trakai is the most visually rewarding and easiest to do independently. Kaunas offers more historical substance. The Hill of Crosses is the most uniquely Lithuanian experience. If you can only do two, combine Trakai and Kaunas.
Can I do the Hill of Crosses without a guided tour?
Yes, by bus to Šiauliai (€8-10, 2.5 hours) then taxi or local bus (8 km, €7 by taxi). The site itself is free. It’s manageable but the journey takes the full day; a guided tour from Vilnius (~€35-55) makes more efficient use of the time and adds context.
Is a car useful for 5 days in Lithuania?
Not for this itinerary — all the main stops are served by trains and buses. A car becomes useful if you want to explore rural Lithuania or visit Kernavė independently. If you’re extending to the Curonian Spit or Druskininkai, consider renting for those specific days.
What are the best day trips from Vilnius by train?
Trakai (30 min, €2.90) and Kaunas (70 min, €6-8) are the best-served by Lithuanian Railways. Paneriai (15 min, €1.20) is also on the train line. The Hill of Crosses is bus-only or car from Vilnius.
How much does 5 days in Lithuania cost?
Realistically €600-900 per person (excluding flights and accommodation). Breakdown: accommodation 5 nights × €60-90 = €300-450; food €200-250 (€40-50/day); transport €80-100 (trains + Bolt + one tour); tickets €60-80. Budget travel can cut this to €400-500.
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