10 top things to do in Kaunas, Lithuania

Set almost in the middle of the country, Lithuania’s second city is 92km from the capital of Vilnius. Two rivers – Neris and Nemunas (Neman) meet close to the Old Town, a compact tangle of streets. Vilnius Street is the most central and beautiful, and filters out to Town Hall Square, a popular spot for public events such as its Christmas Market.

Built from stone in the 14th century, Kaunas Castle sits behind the town hall in Santaka Park, at the confluence of Neris and Nemunas. Once a prison, former inmates allegedly haunt the round tower and bastion which are partly surrounded by the remnants of defensive walls. Today, the grounds host cultural events, festivals and archery and crossbow workshops while inside a museum displays paintings, historical photos and archaeological discoveries such as crossbows, axes and spears.

Pazaislis Monastery is set within extensive grounds that jut out into Kaunas Reservoir. It’s a scenic spot and you could be forgiven for thinking the site was chosen for its beauty – but the 17th century monastery was built long before the reservoir. Topped by a dome, the Baroque monastery is decorated with frescoes and marble pillars inside, while concerts and music festivals take place beneath its arches. The grounds are also home to the Monte Pacis hotel. Its Michelin Guide restaurant serves ingredients grown in the monastery garden and some local dishes, such as grilled cabbage with wild garlic cream and buckthorn gel.

There are two working funiculars in Kaunas. Operating since the 1930s, they both survived WWII and became symbols of resilience to the city. Hop aboard Aleksotas Funicular, which opened in 1935, and you’ll ride from Kaunas Old Town up the slopes of Aleksotas Hill. At the top is an observation deck where you can admire the cityscape from above. A highlight includes spotting the smiling sundial on the façade of one of the city’s university buildings.

Alternatively, Žaliakalnis Funicular with its yellow tram has been operating since 1931, and takes passengers on a speedy 1-minute-40-second ride up to the monumental Roman Catholic Church of Basilica of the Resurrection.

Between 1919 and 1940, Kaunas saw its most transformational era as it stepped up to become Lithuania’s provisional capital between the two world wars. More than 12,000 new buildings were constructed across the city, particularly in Naujamiestis (New Town) and Žaliakalnis (Green Hill). This important phase in Kaunas’ history was recognised by UNESCO in 2023 with its architecture collectively designated as a World Heritage Site. But with so many highlights, it can be difficult to know where to begin. A couple of suggested must-see buildings include: the Central Post Office, which blends national style with modernism; the Bank of Lithuania, an elegant building which you can book tours inside if you plan in advance; and the Kaunas State Musical Theatre, a venue that still puts on performances by a theatrical company established in the 1940s.

Another architectural style developed during the interwar period in Kaunas were its wooden villas. Although many have been lost in recent years, a selection are still well-preserved and highlight another side of the city’s urban history. The Žaliakalnis district is full of wooden properties, and although they are mostly residential, some house restaurants, museums and even overnight accomodation.

A popular example of this architecture is the former home of Lithuanian architect Antanas Jokimas: the beautiful red-tin-roofed villa was constructed in 1925 and decorated in neo-baroque style. Staying in Žaliakalnis, you can also find the Balys and Vanda Sruogos House-Museum, the former home of famous poet Balys Sruoga and historian Vanda Sruogienė and now an extension of the Lithuanian Literature Museum. If you’re after a cool and quirky overnight stay, look no further than the Heritage Boutique “Green Hill”: the emerald property has self-catering apartments that can be booked online.

Keep an eye out for wooden birdboxes hidden in trees around the city which were inspired by this charming interwar architecture.

Kaunas is abundant with street art, from a pink elephant to an interactive portrait of the Mona Lisa inspired by Dadaism. Look out for Star Seeder near Unity Square; Morfai painted a silhouette of a man throwing stars behind an existing sculpture of a man sewing a basket of seeds. The Old Wise Man meanwhile is a 440 sq m sketch of an elderly man smoking a pipe on the wall of an old shoe factory, close to Kaunas Castle. The work is dedicated to George Maciunas, a Lithuanian artist who co-founded the art collective known as Fluxus.

A 25-minute bus ride north of the city takes you to the Ninth Fort, which reveals the city’s dark past. When the fort was built in 1913, it was one of nine – hence the name. But while it was originally built to protect Linkuva Hill, it was transformed into a hard labour prison at the end of the First World War, when a six-metre brick wall and watchtowers were added.

In 1940 when Lithuania was under Soviet rule, people were assembled at the fort before being sent to Gulag camps. The following year, following the Germany invasion, the Nazis murdered Jews and Communists at the fort – on 29 October 1941 alone, they murdered 9,200 Jews, almost a tenth of the victims killed at the site throughout the Second World War.

The site opened as a museum in 1959. Visitors can now take guided tours, explore a park nearby and see a 32-metre monument to the victims.

Kaunas has an exciting food scene, with plenty of local secrets to discover. In the morning, head to Spurgine on bustling Laisvės Avenue, a retro, soviet-era café with a wood panelled walls and barstools to perch on while you tuck into one of their sweet or savoury doughnuts – its marmalade-filled doughnut being a fan favourite. For lunch, traditional dishes, such as šaltibaršciai (cold beetroot soup), can be found served at any of the Bernelių Užeiga restaurants across the city, whose menu focuses on authentic Lithuanian cuisine. For an upmarket feast, Uoksas was previously named one of the best restaurants in the Baltics and listed as a Michelin Guide restaurant. Choose from an à la carte or tasting menu, both of which use modern techniques to reinvent Lithuanian dishes.

Art Deco is one of the major architectural styles that helped shape modernist Kaunas. In the heart of uptown, the Art Deco Museum is set inside a restored 1920s apartment and celebrates this important part of interwar heritage, with its furniture and household utensils transporting visitors back in time to the city’s golden era.

Following on from the Art Deco Museum’s success, the founders opened the Amsterdam School Museum in 2023, set within the only Amsterdam School-style building in Lithuania. Visitors can join an experiential tour inside the restored apartment not only to admire the blending of Art Deco and Art Nouveau elements, but also acknowledge the harrowing stories of the building’s former Jewish residents, many of whom were victims of the Holocaust.

The Devil’s Museum is another of Kaunas’ quirky attractions. What began as the private collection of the local artist Antanas Žmuidzinavičius has morphed into an exhibition of 3,000 exhibits spread over three floors. The collection has been sourced from 70 countries, and as well as clay sculptures and works made from glass and paper, visitors can expect to see wooden masks from Sri Lanka, spells to exorcise evil forces and a tree stump that resembles Satan.

For more information, go to visit.kaunas.lt