Europe’s ‘Capital of Christmas’ has some underrated markets and festive cheer and you will not have the massive crowds of different spots
Niamh takes a selfie in entrance of the primary Christmas tree (Picture: Niamh Kirk)
Situated within the south of Lithuania, the second-most-populous metropolis within the Baltic states, the residents of Vilnius critically know how you can have fun Christmas.
It’s a metropolis the place each road and store is adorned with twinkling lights, baubles, presents and some other sort of ornament you may consider. The streets are lined with Christmas bushes, buskers are taking part in songs on their guitars and everyone seems to be sipping scorching wine and getting within the festive spirits.
The town has been named because the ‘Capital of Christmas’ and it’s simple to see why – they don’t maintain again on the subject of their decorations.
I visited the magical metropolis and I used to be in pure festive bliss. The town has a magical feeling about it, the place you may actually really feel the Christmas spirit. As I explored the town, there was a coating of snow falling, the twinkling fairy lights and decorations flowing over the store fronts, which might be so good you must cease and take a look.
Inside a couple of hours after a brief flight from London Metropolis airport (with return fares from £33), I am in a bustling and magical Baltic metropolis that is stuffed with a wealthy historical past and is dwelling to greater than fifty church buildings, as effectively underground spas, a number of museums and an arts quarter. Whereas it is also been used as part of Netflix’s enormous sequence Stranger Issues the place components of sequence 4 was filmed – together with within the now closed 100-year-old jail.
Vilnius is notable for the structure of its Outdated City, and is taken into account certainly one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved outdated cities which noticed it declared a UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 1994. This makes the outdated city the prime spot for its iconic Christmas market too.
The town was named Capital of Christmas by the European Parliament’s Christmas Cities Community largely due to its iconic Christmas bushes, which have turn into internationally famend. The Vilnius Christmas tree was ranked first by European Greatest Locations for 2 consecutive years.
And for me, it was the postcard-worthy Christmas markets which have introduced me right here. The primary Christmas market is situated within the magical Cathedral Sq., within the outdated city, and is known for its lovely and award-winning Christmas tree – an genuine 205-square-metre set up that’s 20 meters excessive. The market options a lot of charming picket stalls principally promoting candy treats, mulled wine and festive crafts.
You’ll be able to decide up a mulled wine for €7 or a scorching chocolate, additionally for €7, however should you return your mug, you’re awarded a €2 refund, making it a fairly low cost festive tipple at €5 (roughly £4.60).
It is an underrated Christmas spot (Picture: Niamh Kirk)
If all of the strolling round will get you within the temper for some conventional Lithuanian delicacies, you may strive among the native delicacies from the stalls together with native “kaladinis” chimney truffles, candy curd donuts and plenty of dessert sort meals corresponding to sweets, gingerbread, donuts, scorching chocolate and naturally scorching wine. The stalls additionally promote numerous handcrafted objects and native merchandise selfmade for Christmas.
With fairy lights sprinkled over the market, and the massive twinkling tree, the primary Christmas market is critically spectacular, however in true Vilnius fashion, one market just isn’t sufficient and the town hosts ten totally different ones over the town. When you will have had sufficient of strolling the stalls, ensure to go to the gorgeous Jewish quarter within the Outdated City district.
Or if you’re in search of someplace for dinner, you may head to Lokys, the oldest family-run restaurant within the metropolis, which serves vivid pink chilly beetroot soup and potatoes, in addition to beaver stew – and actual native delicacies of the town.
The Christmas market opened on twenty ninth November and can keep within the sq. till sixth January, whereas you’ll find the opposite markets within the practice station, Hale Market and a really various market in Lukiškių jail (sure, actually!)
The town loves Christmas a lot, the nationwide financial institution even launched Vilnius’ personal Christmas foreign money, the place you should purchase objects from the Christmas markets with the festive foreign money which was introduced as pink pine cones.
One other festive spotlight within the sq. is the two-storey Christmas carousel which stands 10 meters excessive and has been created by Italian artisans in a conventional fashion, whereas different enjoyable options in Vilnius to look out for embrace the ice rink in City Corridor Sq. and the Christmas practice that transports guests on a 20 minute trip via Vilnius’ glowing Outdated City streets for simply €1.80.
E book the vacation
LOT Polish Airways provides direct flights to Vilnius from London Metropolis airport. Ryanair and Wizz Air additionally supply direct flights from the UK.
Rooms on the Lodge Pacai begin from €176 an evening (roughly £153).
Discover out extra about Vilnius at govilnius.lt.
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