I was not expecting to enjoy Lithuania as much as I did. I think it is another one of those underrated places. I’ll be honest, I originally chose Lithuania because it was a cheap plane ticket to a country that I haven’t been to yet. I didn’t know much about it – Lithuania isn’t a country you tend to read about on most travel blogs. However, this was more of a reason for me to go. I love visiting destinations that aren’t full of tourists. The colorful streets and mix of Old Town and New Town feels made this destination well worth my visit. Lithuania is one of the Baltic states situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, to the east of Sweden and Denmark. It is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and South, Poland to the south, and Kaliningrad to the southwest. The official language is Lithuanian and their currency is the Euro. Vilnius is the capital and largest city with a population of 580,000 as of 2020. Vilnius International Airport The airport is located only 15 minutes (5.9 km) outside of the city center. It is the largest of the four commercial airports in Lithuania by passenger traffic. With one runway and about 4.9 million passengers a year, Vilnius International Airport serves as a base for airBaltic, Ryanair, and Wizz Air. Because it is so small, the arrival and departure procedures were very quick. I was out of the airport within 30 minutes of landing and to my gate within 30 minutes of getting dropped off. Accommodation Artis Centrum Hotels I stayed at Artis Centrum Hotels for 3 nights during my stay in Vilnius. The hotels in Lithuania are very cheap compared to other European cities. This hotel has a restaurant, bar, gym, pool, and spa. One of the main reasons that I selected this hotel is because it has 24-hour front desk service and I needed to check-in in the middle of the night since my flight arrived at 2:35AM. They even arranged an airport shuttle service for me for 20 euros. The driver was waiting on time outside of arrivals and got me to the hotel within 15 minutes. The hotel’s buffet breakfast is very good, with a large selection. The hotel is centrally located in Old Town, with mostly everything being within a 5-15 minute walk away. The bus and train stations are a bit further and are about a 20-minute walk, which still wasn’t a bad walk. Day 1 St. Catherine’s Church This is a magnificent church that boasts Baroque and Rococo-style decorations. It is a venue for a variety of cultural performances. This is the first church that I saw in Vilnius and it instantly reminded me of the cathedrals in Sofia, Bulgaria. I love all of the colors and architect of the cathedrals in Vilnius. Each one is different from the next, but all are beautiful. Vilnius Town Hall Vilnius Town Hall is a historical town hall in the square of the same name in the Old Town of Vilnius. Easter Egg This 300kg heavy, pretty egg sits atop a nest and has become a popular meeting point in the city. Tauras Hill This hill offers a great vantage point of Vilnius. Orthodox Church of the Apparition Our Lady of the Sign Church is an Eastern Orthodox Church in the Zverynas district of Vilnius, built in 1903. The idea of building a new Orthodox Church in Vilnius came from Orthodox Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit, which also organized a collection of funds in the whole Russian Empire. The church, constructed in the popular Neo-Byzantine style, was consecrated in 1903 by the Orthodox archbishop of Vilnius. He also opened a school for poor children and a library which were to be run by the church’s clergy. Unlike many other Orthodox churches in Vilnius, the church was not closed during World War 1, nor during World War 2. The Soviet government agreed to register it as a parish church in 1948. White Bridge Located in the modern part of the city, this footbridge offers beautiful panorama of the old city. The greenery around is also a popular place for locals to chill when it’s warm outside. Vilnius Cathedral The Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania. It is situated in Vilnius Old Town in Cathedral Square. Bell Tower The history of one of the oldest and highest towers in Vilnius Old Town goes back to 13th century. In the 16th century the defensive tower was converted into the Cathedral’s bell tower and acquired its present appearance in the 19th century. The bell tower contains functioning bells and the earliest surviving clock mechanism in Lithuania. You can hear the bells daily at 5PM. The height is 52 m, with the cross at 57 m. The tower offers a panorama view, which only accessible at certain times with a tour that costs 5 Euros. I chose not to do this since you can get views for free at several other spots around the city and I was losing daylight. Gediminas Tower Gediminas’ Tower is the remaining part of the Upper Castle in Vilnius. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The first brick castle was completed in 1409. The three-floor tower was rebuilt in 1933. Some remnants of the old castle have been restored, guided by archeological research. It is possible to climb to the top of the hill on foot or by taking a funicular. The funicular costs 1 Euro one-way or 2 Euros round-trip. I decided to take the funicular up the hill since I was running out of daylight and then I walked down the hill. The tower houses a museum exhibiting archaeological findings from the hill and the surrounding areas. The museum has models of Vilnius castles from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Entry to the museum
Travel San Marino is a perfect destination to visit from Bologna. A lot of people go just for a day trip, but I read that it is nice to be there for sunrise and sunset as well, so I decided to stay one night. I am so glad that I did! One day would have felt super rushed. There is so much beauty in this small country, that I still feel like I didn’t spend enough time there. I booked all of my transportation tickets as I went. I don’t feel like there is much need to book in advance. I took a 9:45AM train from Bologna to Rimini and arrived in Rimini around 11:00AM. This cost 10 euros. I then purchased a bus ticket from the store right across from the train station. This cost 10 euros round trip. I do recommend getting the return ticket in advance because they are not time specific so you can catch any bus back with the same ticket. Rimini The next bus to San Marino wasn’t until 12:15 because they have fewer buses that run on Sundays. Since I had an hour to kill, I decided to walk around the city for a bit. I headed toward the city center and passed the Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini’s most famous church. Then I strolled through the market in the old town square, Piazza Tre Martiri. The square was very lively and would’ve been a great place to stop for a bite to eat since there were so many restaurants and cafes lining the streets. I then headed toward Arco d’Augusto, Rimini’s most iconic monuments. The arch was built in 27 B.C. and is the oldest surviving Roman triumphal archway in existence. The gate’s principal function, aside from functioning as a city gate, was to support the lavish bronze statue of Augustus. It remained one of the city gates until the Fascist period, when the city wall was demolished, and the arch was left as an isolated monument. It is such an important symbol to the city, that it appears on their coat of arms. Luckily, the bus to San Marino makes a stop at the Arco d’Augusto, so I didn’t have to walk back to the train station. However, this was a little risky if the bus had gotten full at the first stop. Thank goodness there were still seats. The bus to San Marino from Rimini took approximately 45 minutes so I arrived in San Marino around 1 PM. Hotel I stayed at Hotel Joli, which was in an amazing location! Featuring panoramic views of San Marino and Montefeltro countryside, this hotel is just 300 meters from the entrance to the historical center. The view from my room was incredible. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They provided me with a city map and let me know about all of the Christmas activities going on. Since I was in town on December 29th, I thought that I was going to miss all of the Christmas festivities. Luckily, they were continuing through January 6th. The hotel is also only 100 meters from the main bus station and a car park where guests receive discounted rates. They also give you a discount card that will get you discounts on the main attractions, as well as in some shops. After dropping off my bags at the hotel, I stopped at a pizzeria right down the street from the hotel for lunch. I then set off to explore San Marino and all its beauty. I started by exploring the towers and then heading down to the lower streets which have plenty of shops, restaurants, churches, and museums. Mount Titano Mount Titano is a mountain of the Apennines and the highest peak in San Marino. It stands at 739 meters above sea level and is located immediately to the east of the capital. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Photos of this mountain is what made San Marino stick out to me. I knew I had to visit and see it for myself! Montale Third Tower The first tower I came to was Montale Tower. It was built at the beginning of the 14thcentury and meant to be used as a prison and surveillance tower. You cannot enter the third tower. Cesta or Fratta Second Tower Museum of Ancient Weapons The tower is located on the highest of Monte Titano’s summits. A museum to honor Saint Marinus, created in 1956, is located in this tower and showcases over 1,500 weapons dating from the medieval era to the modern day. It was constructed in the 13th century on the remains of an older Roman fort. There are various prices for the towers. You can pay for each individually, get a tower pass, or get a pass to enter the towers, as well as some other attractions. Aside from the towers, it got me free entry to the Public Palace, State Museum, National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and St. Francis Church and Art Gallery. I decided to go with this option for 7.50 euros. I thought it was well worth the money even though I didn’t go to each thing that was included. The attractions close around 6PM so I only had time to see the ones I was most interested in. Rocca or Guaita First Tower The Guaita fortress is the oldest of the three towers constructed on Monte Titano, and the most famous. It was built in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison. All three towers are depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms. It was registered as one of the World Heritage Sites in 2008. Basilica of Saint Marinus This church is situated in the Piazzale Domus Plebis and had the majestic Garland of Dreams. It made for a great photo opportunity. Entry to the church is free. Public Palace Kingdom of Dreams The Palazzo Pubblico is the town hall of the city of
On my way back home from the Lake District, I stopped in York for a few hours. York is a city in North Yorkshire, England located at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. Since I had my dog with me, I could only explore outside attractions besides the dog-friendly cafe that I ate at. I started my time in York by walking around the Remains of Saint Mary’s Abbey. These ruins of an old Benedictine monastery, located in the very center of York, are a great place to relax on a sunny day. I then ate at the cafe garden overlooking the Ouse at Circles Cafe, where I sipped on some wine and had a delicious ham and cheese panini. It is very small, but a lovely place with friendly staff. Next, I broke the rules and walked along the city walls with Mila from Mickelgate Bar. I pretended not to see the “No Dogs Allowed” sign and brought my dog along. I was relieved to see other dogs on the walls and no one seemed to mind my dog up there. York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Walls, the Bar Walls, and the Roman Walls. The walls are 13 feet high and 6 feet wide. It does not cost anything to walk on. At the end of the walls, I walked a little ways to York Minster, the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter. The cathedral is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the third-highest office of the Church of England, and is the mother church for the Diocese of York and the Province of York. The combined ticket (minster and tower) costs 15GPB. The cathedral on its own cost 10GBP. After admiring the cathedral and having a photo shoot with my dog, I wandered through the city to Clifford’s Tower. Along the way, I walked on Shambles, an old street with overhanging timber-framed buildings, some dating back as far as the fourteenth century. There are many shops and restaurants in the city, as well as carousels for children and food trucks creating a lovely outdoor environment. Clifford’s Tower was built by William the Conqueror and it’s the last remnant of York Castle. It is believed that it had a variety of uses – from a well-protected treasury to a prison. The tower costs 5.40GBP. Although it was a very quick visit, I had a wonderful time exploring York. I am excited to go back so that I can enjoy what else the city has to offer. Some things I wish to visit in the future include: Heslington Hall, Jorvik Viking Center, and the York Dungeon.
