Vilnius in 1 or 2 Days: City Break Itinerary and Museum Closed Days

In this guide

This 1- and 2-day itinerary runs through the city’s main sights without backtracking, and works around the museum closing days. The KGB Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The historic rooftops of Vilnius Old Town from Castle Hill. Photo: BigHead, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museum Closed Days at a Glance

Day 1: The Grand Ducal Heart and Bohemian Užupis

09:00 – Cathedral Square and the Grand Ducal Palace

Begin at Cathedral Square (Katedros aikštė):

• Vilnius Cathedral: Step inside the neoclassical basilica (free entry) to see the baroque Chapel of St Casimir, lined with Swedish and Italian marble, which holds the silver sarcophagus of Lithuania’s patron saint beneath frescoes by Michelangelo Palloni.
• Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (Valdovų rūmai): Give it 90 minutes. Buy the ticket for all four routes (€17, half price for students and seniors, from valdovurumai.lt). In Route I you walk among the fourteenth-century stone and brick foundations of the Lower Castle; Route II has the restored state rooms and tapestries.

11:00 – Ascending Castle Hill and Gediminas Tower

Walk to the foot of Castle Hill:

• Reaching the summit: Walk the cobbled spiral path from Cathedral Square in 10 minutes (free) or ride the funicular (€2 one way / €3 return) from the courtyard of the Old Arsenal.
• Gediminas Tower: The red-brick tower (€8 adult / €4 concession) holds a museum of weaponry and a rooftop deck with a 360-degree view of terracotta roofs, church spires, the loops of the Neris River and the high-rises on the northern bank.

Cathedral Square in the heart of Vilnius Old Town. Photo: Scotch Mist, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

12:30 – Pilies Street and Vilnius University Courtyards

Walk south onto Pilies street (Pilies gatvė), a pedestrian street lined with amber jewellery shops, linen shops and cafes:

• Turn into Vilnius University (Universiteto g. 3), founded in 1579 by the Jesuits.
• Pay at the booth to see the thirteen interconnected courtyards, which mix Gothic, Renaissance and baroque arcades. Highlights are the Grand Courtyard, the Astronomical Observatory courtyard and the baroque interior of St John’s Church.

14:00 – Lunch: Traditional Lithuanian Food

Stop for lunch on Pilies street at Etno Dvaras (Pilies g. 16), a tavern certified by the Culinary Heritage Fund. Order hot beetroot soup and pork-filled cepelinai with sour cream and bacon crackling. For lighter fare, go to the courtyard of Senatorių Pasažas (Dominikonų g. 11) for sourdough sandwiches and coffee.

The red-brick ensemble of St Anne’s and Bernardine churches. Photo: FaceMePLS, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

15:30 – St Anne’s and Bernardine

Walk east along Bernardinų street to the Gothic brick complex. St Anne’s opens at 16:30 on weekdays (10:30 on Saturday, 09:00 on Sunday) and is closed on Mondays, so on a weekday start with the Bernardine Church and garden:

• St Anne’s Church: The brick facade uses 33 different moulded brick shapes to form its pinnacles and arches, and has stood almost unaltered since 1500 (free admission).
• Bernardine Church and Monastery: Behind St Anne’s, the Bernardine church has Gothic ribbed vaulting, 16th-century wall paintings and carved wooden altars.
• Bernardine Garden: A park beneath Castle Hill with fountains, along the Vilnia River.

17:00 – The Republic of Užupis

Cross the bridge covered in love padlocks over the Vilnia River into the self-declared Republic of Užupis:

• Look down beneath the bridge for the bronze Užupis Mermaid in an alcove above the water.
• Walk down Paupio street to read the 41-article Užupis Constitution on mirror-polished metal plaques in dozens of languages.
• Go to the central square beneath the gilded Angel of Užupis column, and past the studios and riverside sculptures of the Užupis Art Incubator.

19:30 – Dinner and Craft Farmhouse Beers

Spend your evening in Užupis or the historic Old Town:

• Dine on wild boar stew or venison roast in the medieval cellars of Restoranas Lokys (Stiklių g. 8).
• Or go to Šnekutis (Polocko g. 7) for unpasteurised northern Lithuanian farmhouse ales and a platter of kepta duona (garlic rye bread with warm cheese sauce).

Day 2: Sacred Shrines, Modern Art and 20th-Century History

09:00 – The Gate of Dawn and Halės Market

Begin the second morning at the southern end of the Old Town:

• The Gate of Dawn (Aušros vartai): Walk through the 16th-century gate of the original city wall, then climb the stairs to the chapel with the Renaissance painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, framed by silver votive hearts left by pilgrims (free admission).
• Halės Market (Halės turgus, Pylimo g. 58): Walk five minutes south to the covered market hall of 1906. Stalls sell smoked Lithuanian curd cheese, linden honey and cured meats, and the cafe counters sell coffee and pastries.

11:00 – Contemporary Culture at the MO Museum

Walk northwest along Pylimo street to the MO Museum (Pylimo g. 17):

• It is a private museum of modern and contemporary Lithuanian art in a building by Daniel Libeskind, with revolving exhibitions of post-war and contemporary work.
• Look at the central spiral staircase, the open-air sculpture terrace and the design shop.
• Admission: €11 adult / €6 discounted via mo.lt. (Closed Tuesdays).

13:00 – Gedimino Prospektas and Weekday Lunch

Walk north to Gedimino prospektas, the central avenue:

• Many avenue bistros such as Neringa or La Pergola serve a dienos pietūs (weekday business lunch) at a fixed price.

14:30 – The KGB Museum (Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights)

Located at Gedimino pr. 40 on Lukiškės Square:

• The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights: Housed in the actual building that served as the headquarters of the Tsarist court, the Gestapo, and the Soviet KGB from 1940 to 1991.
• Outside, the stone foundation is inscribed with the names and birth years of executed Lithuanian anti-Soviet partisans.
• The upper floors document the mass Siberian deportations and the armed partisan resistance in the forests (Miško broliai).
• In the basement are the unaltered cellblocks, the punishment cells and the execution room where over 1,000 prisoners were shot.
• Admission: €6 adult / €3 concession via genocid.lt. (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

17:00 – Sunset at the Three Crosses Monument

• Three Crosses Monument (Trys kryžiai): Climb the wooded boardwalks up Bleak Hill from T. Kosciuškos street or Bernardine Garden.
• The three white concrete crosses stand over the Old Town roofs and church towers, and the evening sun lights them. The summit is free and open 24/7.

19:30 – Dinner and Nightlife

• Book an evening tasting menu of modern Baltic cooking at Džiaugsmas (Vilniaus g. 28) or 14Horses at Senatorių Pasažas.
• Finish with cocktails or natural wine along the pedestrian strip of Vilniaus gatvė or Islandijos gatvė.

Guided Orientation Walking Tours

A small-group walking tour on the first morning covers the core history.

Vilnius: Old Town Walking Tour with Local Guide & Chocolate

From €21 · 4.9 stars from 26 reviews · 2.5 hours · local guide and chocolate tasting

Vilnius: Old Town Walking Tour with Local Guide & Chocolatead: a walk through the Old Town led by a local, covering the city’s history, everyday life and hidden corners, with chocolate as part of the tour.

How to Adapt This Itinerary

• On a Monday: The KGB Museum, the Palace of the Grand Dukes (September to May) and St Anne’s are closed. Spend Monday on the Bernardine Church, the university courtyards, Užupis, Gediminas Tower and the Three Crosses.
• On a Tuesday: The KGB Museum and MO Museum are closed. Do Day 1 on the Tuesday and the Day 2 museums on another day.
• With an extra half-day: Take the 33-minute train to Trakai Island Castle on the morning of Day 2 and return for an afternoon museum.
• From the airport: The train (€0.90) or bus 88 (€1.25) reaches the centre in about 20 minutes; see the airport guide.

Common questions

Is 2 days enough for Vilnius?

Yes. The Old Town is compact, so in two days you can see the Palace of the Grand Dukes, Gediminas Tower, the Vilnius University courtyards, the Republic of Užupis and the KGB Museum on foot.

What should you see in Vilnius in 1 day?

Stay in the historic core: start at Cathedral Square, visit the excavated cellars of the Palace of the Grand Dukes, walk or take the funicular up to Gediminas Tower, walk down Pilies street to St Anne's Church, and spend the late afternoon in the Republic of Užupis.

Which museums in Vilnius are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays?

The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (KGB Museum) is closed on both Mondays and Tuesdays. The MO Museum is closed on Tuesdays. The Palace of the Grand Dukes is closed on Mondays from September to May (open daily in June–August). Spend Tuesday on churches, viewpoints and Užupis.

Can you visit Trakai Island Castle on a 2-day trip to Vilnius?

Yes. Trakai is 33 minutes by train from Vilnius Central Station. Spend the morning of Day 2 there and return to Vilnius by 14:00 for an afternoon at the KGB Museum or MO Museum. The castle is closed on Mondays, and on Tuesdays from December to February.

Do you need public transport for a 2-day Vilnius itinerary?

No. The sights in this itinerary are within walking distance of each other. You need public transport or a Bolt rideshare only between the airport and your hotel.

Which viewpoints are worth it on a short trip?

Gediminas Tower roof deck (€8) and the free terrace at the top of Castle Hill are the closest to the centre. For a sunset view over the river and the Old Town spires, walk up to the Three Crosses monument on Bleak Hill.