Kaunas In Your Pocket
Content
Hotels Restaurants Cafés nightlife sightseeing Events Maps
Kaunas
May 2007 - May 2008
Walkabout
Adventures by foot
all about ...
N°15 - 5Lt www.inyourpocket.com
Birštonas, Druskininkai, Kėdainiai and more
Contents
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
Contents
Arriving in Kaunas
How to go to town once you turn up 6 8 10 12 14 16
The Basics
Essential information, from tipping to toilets
History
Kaunas was the capital once, you kow
Culture & Events
What, where and when
Walkabout
Exploring Kaunas on foot
Where to stay
A bed for every budget
Dining & Nightlife
Where to eat Cheap and cheery? Or classy and costly? Cafés Find a top table anywhere in town Nightlife Wrapping up the wild side 21 26 27
Kaunas was the capital of Lithuania at one stage (those pesky Poles soft of ‘borrowed’ Vilnius for a bit) and it was only fitting that a big glossy churchy thing be constructed in the then-capital. Christ’s Resurrection Church stands on a hill and looms over the central parts of Kaunas. You can’t miss it, but you can find out more about it on page 34. Other Kaunas-was-capital attractions – or, rather, the other Kaunas-was-capital attraction, is the museum in the building that was the President’s palace (page 34). Now it is only attended by statues of Presidents in the garden, and tourists who have run out of more interesting things to do.
Finding stuff
Shopping Directory 41 43 45 46 48 53 60
Sightseeing
What to see ... or grope, in one case. It’s quirky Kaunas 30 38 40
Hill of Crosses
You‘re closer than you think
Rumšiškės
Out of town time travel. Sort of
Getting around
How to get here, there and everywhere
Birštonas
Put up your feet, read and relax
Mail & phones
Keeping in touch, getting online
Druskininkai
The exploding spa and aqua park
Kėdainiai
The centre of Lithuania
Maps
Street index City centre map City map Transport map Country map 62 63 64 66 68 May 2007 - May 2008
Sculptor: Robertas Antinis Snr. Kanklininkas (musician)
Foreword
Kaunas is a bit of an unruly little mite. It doesn’t come up and embrace you with pretty Old Town views, and if you’re after a five-star hotel you’re in the wrong city. Indeed, Kaunas is actually a bit shabby and ugly. But stick with it. Show an interest, give it a chance and it comes up trumps every time. It would not be an understatement to say that Kaunas has the best nightclubs in the country. It’s also home to the best value restaurants – you can get wonderful meals here for prices that will leave you feeling guilty that you didn’t pay more. Not only that, but Kaunas has a wonderful range of oddities and curiosities – old abandoned forts, wacky museums and a nude statue proudly airing its apparatus right next to a church. See the ‘cover story’ box below for more on that one. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Kaunas is the most authentically Lithuanian city. The percentage of native Lithuanians who live in Kaunas is greater than in any other Lithuanian city. That may or may not matter to you, but it’s worth remembering that it’s only in Kaunas that you can claim to have seen the living, beating heart of Lithuania. Enjoy.
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Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
BUCHAREST
April - May 2006
WARSAW
August - September 2006
ST. PETERSBURG
April 2006
PRAGUE
August - September 2006
A New Look
We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover
Blogging Bucharest
Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
Going to the chapel
Easter Greetings
Shopping fever
Tirana’s first malls
Wilanów
Egg breaking & church walking…
Karlštejn’s renovated jewel
Facade art
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Explore the Polish Versailles
Russian in Russia
The best ways to discover the language
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Let’s rock
Visiting the Bohemian Paradise
Painting the city pink
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Out of town
Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów
Culture & Events
Simple Minds, t.A.T.u. & Cosmonaut’s Day
NEW
LOOK
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Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
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Cover story
A view from the foot of the statue of a naked Man. Really, the statue is called Man, and the fact that it’s got its bits exposed caused some consternation in this conservative town. Read about the erection problems on page 35. The Russian Orthodox looking church is Soboras, and it’s actually Catholic. You can read more about it on page 32.
Much has been happening at In Your Pocket since our last issue, not least the launch in February of our new-look website at www.inyourpocket. com, packed with new features and even easier to use than before. We also recently became the first publisher to produce a city guide to the exciting Bulgarian mountain resort of Bansko, while elsewhere research and writing continue ahead of an early-summer launch for guides to Katowice (Poland), Kaliningrad (Russia) and Minsk (Belarus). The full In Your Pocket range is available to buy online, at http://clickandbuy. inyourpocket.com.
KRAKÓW
August - September 2006
TALLINN
April - May 2006
BELFAST
August - September 2006
COLOGNE
June - July 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
River tours
Wine and dine on the Rhine
The Great Outdoors
Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits
Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Tarnów
Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance
Touring Narva
Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border
Leisure
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Getting active in Kraków
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IYP gets a new look
The inside scoop on the new look inside
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Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
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Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
BERLIN
August - September 2006
GDAŃSK
August - November 2006
Including
RIGA
April - May 2006
HAMBURG
June - July 2006
ŁÓDŹ
September - December 2006
SOPOT & GDYNIA
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket Vokiečių 10-15 Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76 fax (+370-5) 212 29 82 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1822-1785 ©UAB “VIYP” Printed by A.Jakšto spaustuvė Published once a year 17,000 copies
Editorial Editor Andrew Quested Layout & Design Vaida Gudynaitė Researcher Urtė Jankauskaitė Cover Photo Andrew Quested Sales & Circulation Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket General Manager Gabija Thomson Accounting Virginija Dobrovolskienė Sales Manager Rasa Jankauskaitė Circulation Manager Darius Pralgauskas tel. +370 624 838 34 Available for 5Lt from bookshops, kiosks, hotels and Tourist Information Centres. We are proud to be the most-stolen item from hotel foyers, cafés and the back pocket of anyone walking slowly.
Copyright notice
Text and photos copyright UAB VIYP 1992-2007; some photos, LATGA-A; maps, cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokiečių 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. +370-5 212 29 76).
Kashubia
Exploring the Polish Alps
Hot spots Museum night
100 museums in one night
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The Baltic’s Beaches
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Hollyłódź
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Poland‘s cinema city
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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ISSN 1896-1169
Floating the boat
Spree river tours
Explore Latvia
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Stars in your eyes
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Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja
From Polanski to Max Factor, read about the famous natives.
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Editor’s note
The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.
SKOPJE
2006 - 2007
FRANKFURT
August - September 2006
SHKODRA
2006 - 2007
PRISTINA
2006 - 2007
KAISERSLAUTERN
June - July 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
Skopje snapshots
The Marubi photo collection
Shkodra snapshots
Feature 2 - max 2 lines
The Marubi photo collection
Short description of the feature. Should be max. 3 lines.
Around town
Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains
Around town Beach bars
Cocktail in hand, toes in sand
Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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Dram tram
Going Palatine
Strolling in the forest
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Sipping ebbelwei on the cider express
Kaunas In Your Pocket
Arriving in KAunAs
Arriving by bus
Kaunas’s bus station is a purely functional affair offering little in the way of modernity or comfort and plenty in the way of concrete, shady looking characters in tracksuits, and rubbish bin fires. Try to arrange to leave before you get there, if you know what we mean. If you’ve been stuck on a bus for hours, well maintained toilets (open 04:30 - 23:00, 0.70Lt) can be found hiding behind the buildings on the southeast side of the station. Getting to town The bus station is a five-minute walk to the centre of town and something more like a twenty-minute stroll away from Old Town. If you’re laden with luggage you might prefer to take a taxi or public transport. To do so, exit the station, walk about 100m to your left, and jump on any trolleybus (they all go via the centre). See the Getting Around section (page 40) for details on using public transport.
Arriving in KAunAs
Airport Fuel Stops
You haven’t really arrived in Lithuania until you’ve eaten cepelinai. These are big, boiled dumplings formed with a gluggy paste of grated potato. Usually there is a lump of ground meat inside about the size of a small guinea pig, not that that should make you in any way suspiscious. Curd versions are also available. While they’re not really traditional Lithuanian food they are tremendously popular here and are often considered to be the centrepiece of Lithuanian ‘cuisine’. Here are a couple of places where you can try cepelinai on your way to, for from, the airport. Others are listed on pages 25-26. Kaunas International Air Shed Getting to town from the train station Taxis can be found to the right of the station on exiting, and the gentlemen behind the wheels suffer from the exact same symptoms as those at the airport – greed. If you pay more than 7Lt for a trip to Old Town, congratulations. You’ve just been ripped off. Make sure the meter is running before the handbrake is released. Trolleybuses 3, 5, 7 and 14 all leave from the first stop on the right-hand (north) side of Vytauto, directly opposite the station. To get there, use the swanky new green underpass, complete with stair-lifts for wheelchairs.
Arriving by train
The train station may have been recently renovated, but the people who use it haven’t. Left luggage (bagažo kasa) can be found at the front of the building (open 07:00 - 11:00, 12:00 - 19:00).
Tourist information
Laisvės 36, tel. 32 34 36, i n f o@k a u n a s t i c. l t , w w w. kaunastic.lt. A swish space for a helpful crowd. If they don’t know it, nobody does. Also at Kaunas Castle, Papilio 17, tel. 32 34 36, fax. 42 36 78, www.kaunopilis. lt. Open (Jun - Aug) 10:00-18:00. Kaunas International Airport (Karmėlava), tel. +370 616 509 91. Q Open (May and Sep) 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. Open (Jun - Aug) 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Open (Oct - Apr) 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Tourism Information Centre Mūsų Odisėja J-5, Čiurlionio 15, tel. 40 84 10, fax 40 84 11, info@ turinfo.lt, www.turinfo.lt. Friendly, and offering the same services as the above-mentioned people. Note that this lot can also arrange car rental. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Kaunas Regional Tourist Information Centre E-2,
Briedžių medžioklė Vilniaus 54, Karmėlava (12km
Arriving by road
Kaunas isn’t the most thoughtfully signposted city in the world. Add to that a rather complicated one-way system in the centre and you have a slight challenge on your hands. Oh – and then there’s those roundabouts that are so big that you don’t realize that they are aroundabouts until you have done three laps. Once you get to where you’re going, you have to park. Parking meters don’t accept coins, and work only on a debit card system. You can buy cards at any kiosk (if you can find one that hasn’t run out of stock) but we’re not sure where you are supposed to park while buying a card. To top it all off, Kaunas drivers are all as mad as cut snakes.
Arriving by plane
The airport is 12km north of Kaunas. It’s small and not too busy, making baggage reclaim and customs formalities fast and efficient. There is an ATM outside, to your left as you exit. A small currency exchange is in the centre of the main hall and has a confusing array of opening times that seem to be scheduled around flight times. Getting to town Greedy taxi drivers sit outside the arrivals hall, and as is usual in Lithuania wish only to make you spend more money than you should. Try to negotiate a fare before setting off, and expect to pay around 20Lt for a trip to the centre. Local minibus number 120 runs regularly into the centre of the city for a mere 1.50Lt. You can also get bus 29 from the bus stop out the front of the airport.
out of town), tel. 39 92 11, briedziumedziokle@ delfi.lt. If you want to have a family or friendly gathering to celebrate your arrival and/or departure from Lithuania, this is the ideal place. It’s a big informal kind of dining hall with a mixture of wooden benches and real furniture, somewhere for the kids to play, a nice terrace for summer, and a menu full of good, simple meals that will keep everyone happy. They also claim to make monster-sized cepelinai, a point they make n on e-to o-sub tl y wi t h t h e roa d sid e fi gure of a 14f t bl on d e A ma zonian woman, bikini s t raining to contain h er comicall y large breasts, holding a plate with a pair of similarly sized dumplings. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. TALGBS
Tigrasa Vilniaus 16, Karmėlava (12km out of town),
tel./fax 54 16 30. A rambling, ramshackle former house looking building that is swarmed upon by ravenous construction workers, taxi drivers, miscellaneous overalled orang-utans and other hungry passers-by. They slop up big, wet cepelinai with abandon and cheap beer flows almost freely. Could be ideal as your first, or last, impression of Lithuania. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. TEGBS
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Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
WARSAW
August - September 2006
PRAGUE
August - September 2006
BERLIN
August - September 2006
TALLINN
April - May 2006
Going to the chapel
Shopping fever
Tirana’s first malls
Karlštejn’s renovated jewel
Wilanów
Facade art
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Explore the Polish Versailles
Let’s rock
Visiting the Bohemian Paradise
Museum night
100 museums in one night
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Touring Narva
Painting the city pink
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ISSN 1641-5264
Out of town
Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border
Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów
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Floating the boat
Spree river tours
N°47 - 35kr www.inyourpocket.com
IYP gets a new look
The inside scoop on the new look inside
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
BUCHAREST
April - May 2006
BELFAST
August - September 2006
RIGA
April - May 2006
COLOGNE
June - July 2006
HAMBURG
June - July 2006
KRAKÓW
August - September 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
River tours A New Look
We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover
Wine and dine on the Rhine
Blogging Bucharest
The Great Outdoors
Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits
Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Tarnów
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
N°41 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com
ISSN 1508-2334
Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance
Explore Latvia
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Leisure
Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja
Getting active in Kraków
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The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
BAsiCs
Alcohol
We don’t want to sound like your mum, but it has to be said: Go easy. Lithuanian beer is all light and bright in terms of taste and texture, but packs a punch. It seduces you like Lolita in a summer dress and then takes you down like a body slam from Jabba the Hut. It can even lead gentlemen to go to bed with one and wake up with the other. All this is because, despite their wispy appearance, local beers tend to have an alcohol content of around five percent, cost comparatively little, are sometimes served in hilariously large vessels (such as a tall bubbling tube that looks like something out of ‘Charlie and the Beer Factory’) and are generally consumed in environments where being sensible or going home are not the most attractive options. The common local brands are Horn, Kalnapilis, Švyturys, Utenos, Ragutis and Tauras, all of which come in a confusing variety of varieties. In most places, however, you can just say ‘beer’ and get whatever is going without being disappointed or ripped off. In Old Town and central areas, expect to pay somewhere in the region of 5 - 10Lt for half a litre. When exploring local spirits, watch out for Žalgiris, named after the greatest battle of medieval Europe. With 75 per cent alcohol content, it has the potential to make you feel that the battle is taking place inside your eyeballs. Lithuanian vodka (degtinė) is worth trying as it stacks up to, if not topples over, many of its Russian and Polish counterparts. Numerous herb and fruit-based liquors will often line the inside of a drinks menu; most work as a pleasant accompaniment to tea. The local variation of champagne, Alita, is a bit more like alcoholic 7-Up than grown-up sparkling white wine.
BAsiCs
Floors
In Lithuania the ground floor is referred to as the first floor.
Climate
30 20 10 0 -10 -20 J F M A M J J A S O N D
Money
The unit of currency in Lithuania is the litas (Lt), which comes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500Lt notes. Coins come in two categories: the significant 1, 2, and 5Lt coins; and the nearly weightless centas/centai/centų coins of which there are 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. The value of the litas is locked to that of the euro (€) at 3.4528Lt to €1. Lithuania was keen to adopt the euro at the start of 2007, but their application was knocked back by the EU because they missed an inflation target by 0.1 per cent. With inflation increasing, it is not clear when Lithuania will be able to adopt the euro. Keep your litas handy. Most places of any note in cities now happily accept credit cards, and ATMs dot the streets ensuring cash for everyone with money in their account and a card attached to the Cirrus or Visa network. Travellers’ cheques can be redeemed for cash in hotels and banks. If you’re heading out of town, cash-up before you go – it can be as hard to find an ATM in Kapčiamiestis or Skaistgirys as it can be to pronounce the name.
Temperature, °C
Rainfall, mm
100 75 50 25 0
Post modernism
Disabled travellers
Despite the Miss Disability contest held in Kaunas recently, Lithuania does have an attitude toward disability that is a bit more mature than ‘just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you’re not sexy.’ In terms of bad taste, Miss Disability was up there with Miss Captivity, the beauty pageant for female prison inmates held in 2002. While things have greatly improved for the disabled over the past few years, Lithuania is still a tough place to get around on anything other than two well functioning legs. Even places that claim to be wheelchair friendly are often flanked by deep kerbs or stairs, or are located on cobbled streets. Outside the capital and the central areas of Kaunas, you’ll be lucky to find any thought given to wheelchair accessibility at all. It is becoming common for good international-standard hotels to be wheelchair friendly, offer hearing loops in conference facilities, and even to offer rooms fitted out for the disabled. See the key in our Where to stay listings (page 16) and call ahead to discuss your specific needs before making any bookings. The new trolleybuses in Kaunas have low entries, spaces for wheelchairs, and hearing loops (so you, along with all the other passengers, can be misinformed about which stop is next when the windows are all fogged up). There are some pedestrian crossings that go ‘beep-beepbeep – tikka-tikka-tikka’ and so on so that blind people know when to cross the road, but in our experience blindness seems to affect drivers more than anyone else, so we would advise extreme caution anyway.
Tipping
Only required to reward good service, or to round-up the bill and save yourself the nuisance of carring around shrapnel in the form of small useless coins. Ten per cent is fair.
Visas
For perhaps the first time in history Lithuania has no apparent adversaries, which means there are plenty of countries with visa-free travel agreements. To date these include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and the US, plus Nordic countries, although you should note that the periods for which citizens are allowed to stay in Lithuania before requiring a visa are different for each country. EU citizens can live and work in Lithuania for as long as they like but must get a resident permit. For more information, take a look at www.urm.lt.
Safety
Exercise common sense. Don’t flaunt your wealth and flash your cash. Don’t walk home from a nightclub along dark alleys while draped in jewellery or blinking technology. Stay cautious, look like you know where you are going (zigzagging won’t help) and you will be fine. Truly heinous crimes are rare here, but theft is becoming common. Don’t leave mobile phones, wallets, purses, or fashion-accessory pooches unattended or out of your direct reach. Especially at street side cafés or in bars. Green-uniformed police are supposed to be keeping the peace in Kaunas, although finding one when you need one is like looking for a cucumber in a haystack.
Customs
Criminal masterminds take note: Lithuanian customs officers have recently demonstrated that one cannot expect to arrive on a plane with a crocodile, skate across a frozen river wearing a snowy white camouflage kimono and hauling a sledge full of cigarettes, hide a late model Mercedes under a pile of onions on the back of a truck, or carry cocaine in your handbag. All such cunning schemes have been foiled at the border. Other than such obvious considerations, those arriving from EU countries have no import restrictions placed upon them – although you will need to make it known if you are arriving with 10,000Lt or more in cold, hard cash. When arriving from non-EU countries, you are entitled to bring in one litre of spirits or two litres of wine or beer and 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. You can bring 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette (that’s just diluted perfume, for those men among you who don’t speak poof). You can’t bring plants, meat, milk or meat and dairy products from outside the EU except under certain circumstances. You can’t arrive with live birds. Dogs require vaccinations and passports (or other proof of vaccination). You can take home as much art as you wish tax-free unless it’s over 50 years old, in which case expect to pay 10-20 per cent duty. Take two photos of the art piece and your passport to the Committee of Cultural Heritage, Šnipiškių 3, tel. +370 5 272 40 05/+370 5 272 41 13 (Vilnius). Many of the better antique shops (page 44) and galleries (page 12) in Kaunas can take care of all the paperwork for you. For more detailed information check www.cust.lt and www.vet.lt.
Basic data
Population
Lithuania 3,445,700 Kaunas 378,943
Smoking
Since the start of 2007, smoking has been banned in pretty much all venues. That includes cafés, bars, restaurants, clubs and any establishment that serves anything alleged to be food. There are exceptions for ‘specially equipped’ cigar and pipe clubs and venues that have closed-door rooms where there are no staff for you to passively poison. As far as we know, the Ex-It nightclub is the only such venue in Kaunas, but Lithuanians love a smoke so more could turn up during the course of the year. Other than that, many venues have set up ashtrays by their doors, so if you want to have a puff, get some not-so-fresh air or poison some passers-by, all you have to do is step outside.
Ethnic composition (Lithuania) Territory
Lithuanians 83.45% Poles 6.74% Russians 6.31% Belarusians 1.23% Ukrainians 0.65% Others 1.62% 65,303km2 Roughly twice the size of Belgium, and the largest of the three Baltic nations. Fertile lowland, peppered with many lakes. North to south, the greatest distance is 276km, east to west is 373km
Electricity
Lithuania has a nuclear power plant of the same questionable design as the one that popped its rivets in Chernobyl. It’s still gently humming away about 200km north-east of Kaunas, but will be closed down as a condition of Lithuania’s EU membership. The first of two reactors was shut down as promised at the end of December 2004, and the second must go offline by the end of 2009. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have agreed to join forces and build a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania which should go online by 2015. Regardless of where the electricity is produced, it pours out of European style two-pin sockets at 220V, 50Hz AC. Travellers from outside Europe, or from that strange little island in Europe that still uses big three-prong monster plugs, should bring an adaptor. The best place to look for adaptors would be the Senukai DIY superstores. There’s one in the Mega shopping centre listed on page 45. Did we mention that you really should bring an adaptor?
Borders
Baltic Sea 99km Belarus 502km Latvia 453km Poland 91km Russia (Kaliningrad) 227km
Speed limits
In town, keep your speedometers hovering around 50km/h unless indicated otherwise, and on country roads stay below 90km/h. On the Vilnius-Kaunas motorway no faster than 100km/h is legal and all other motorways are 110km/h from Oct 1 - Apr 1 and 130km/h for the rest of the year. Don’t follow the example of leadfoot locals.
Longest river Largest lake
Nemunas 937km (475km in Lithuania) Drūkščiai 4,479ha
Highest point Local time
Juozapinė 293.6m Eastern European Time (GMT+2hrs). When it’s 12:00 in Vilnius it’ll be 11:00 in Paris, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York.
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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History
Kaunas, considered the most Lithuanian of all Lithuanian cities, has always played a pivotal role in the country’s history. The city is strategically located in the centre of the country at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers. 12th century Arabic cartographer Al Idrisis marks Kaunas on a geographical map in 1140, as Quaynu, Qanys or Kabnu. A small fort is built on the site of the present Kaunas castle. 13th century Under constant attack from the Teutonic and Livonian knights, the area is slow to develop as a city. Eventually the castle in Kaunas is built in order to defend the city from its contstant onlsaught of invaders. 14th century First mention of Kaunas in a 1361 crusader chronicle: it is described as a famous fortress of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. 15th century Kaunas acquires the Magdeburg charter in 1408 guaranteeing its autonomy as a town. Polish-Lithuanian armies, led by Grand Duke Vytautas, decisively defeat the Teutonic knights at the battle of Žalgiris (Tannenberg-Grünwald) in 1410. Upon his death (1430), the Grand Duchy extends from the Baltic to the Black Sea. By 1441 the Hanseatic league establishes a post in Kaunas because of its location near the Nemunas river that connects the city to the Baltic seacoast. Economic ties with Europe grow. The post remains until 1532. 20th century In 1918, a Lithuanian Council (Taryba) officially proclaims the Republic of Lithuania. On October 9, 1920, Poland breaks the Suwalki agreement and annexes Vilnius. Kaunas becomes the provisional Lithuanian capital. During the inter-war period, Lithuania prospers as an independent republic under Antanas Smetona (1926 - 1940, pictured left). The city becomes a vibrant centre for cabaret singers, writers and architects. Dozens of Art Deco and Bauhaus style buildings are erected. Bridges are built across the Nemunas and Neris rivers, in order to link the suburbs of Aleksotas and Vilijampolė with the centre. Public buses wind their way through the city’s streets by 1924 and by 1928 many of city’s buildings have indoor plumbing. Lithuanian independence ends with the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact (1939) between Hitler and Stalin, who carve up spheres of influence in Eastern Europe. Lithuania is subjected to Soviet and Nazi occupation in turn. Between 1941 and 1944 SS and Gestapo units, assisted by locals, organise the liquidation of Jews. The once vibrant Jewish community is forced into the notorious Kaunas (Kovno) Ghetto and a massive forced labour and extermination campaign is begun. In 1941, tens of thousands of Jews are summarily shot during one two-day period alone. Over 200,000 Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews) and European Jews are murdered. The return of the Red Army and the re-incorporation of Lithuania into the USSR (July 7, 1944) result in the deportation of 250,000 Lithuanians to Siberian settlements and the Gulag. Lithuanian partisans wage guerrilla warfare until 1953. Kaunas then becomes an important centre for technical education, medical research, transportation and manufacturing. For most of the Soviet period, Kaunas is a ‘closed’ city. An important military airfield is built in the Karmėlava suburb. On May 14, 1972, a 19-year-old student Romas Kalanta immolates himself in Kaunas’ public gardens in one of the first open acts of defiance against the Soviet system. His death sparks riots, the first major public protests against Soviet rule. In 1988 with the rising might of the liberation movement working in their favour, the city of Kaunas sets about restoring and revitalizing the city’s architecture, when possible, back to its pre-Soviet glory. In 1991 whilst Soviet troops were storming the Vilnius television tower, some residents of Kaunas defended the Sitkūnai radio and television transmitter should it be attacked. Any sort of nominal control the Soviets had over the country is dismantled by the failed putsch in Moscow in August. 21st century 2001 The Dalai Lama visits Lithuania from June 23-27, and drops in on Kaunas. 2002 The Lithuanian currency, the litas, which was reintroduced in 1993 is pegged to the Euro as opposed to the US dollar. 2004 The independent republic of Lithuania becomes a fully-fledged member of NATO. On May 1, Lithuania becomes a member of the European Union. On July 19, two WWII explosives are found under Aleksotas bridge (A-3). 2005 On September 15 a Russian SU-27 fighter bound for Kaliningrad veers off course and crashes into a field 55km north of Kaunas, prompting much gossip about spying and incompetence and sparking a bit of a tiff between Lithuania and Russia. On October 30, a renovated Aleksotas bridge re-opens to traffic after having spent a decade being classified as ‘avarinis’, which roughly translates to ‘accident waiting to happen’. 2006 May 16 Lithuania becomes the first European Union country to have it’s application to adopt the euro currency turned down, with inflation being cited as the culprit.
History
What’s in a name?
A common temperament among Lithuanians is that of the need to revive their glorious past, which usually leads to some fascinating, if not altogether true, stories. The tale of how Kaunas was founded and named is no exception. Due to the late introduction of Christianity into the area almost all places in the country have sacred pagan areas that can still be pointed out by the locals. According to folk beliefs the city of Kaunas was named for the child of two star-crossed lovers. Milda, like most folk maidens, was stunning and pure of heart – so much so that she tended to the holy fire on the Hills of Aleksotas and rebuked any lad’s advances. That is, until she met Daugerutis, who with the help of his trusty nightingale-like voice was able to woo her successfully. Milda, like most folk maidens, also had a mean stepmother out to ruin her life. The stepmother informed the gods of the couple’s transgression. Daugerutis was sentenced to be burnt in the sacred fire. Milda, in desperation, hid him with the help of the priest Auskaras. Unfortunately Milda in all the panic slacked off on her holy eternal fire duties, causing the flame to be extinguished. As punishment, both young lovers now would be sent to the flames. Once again, Auskaras took pity on the couple and hid them in a cave beneath the fire. There they lived for many years, and bore a son named Kaunas, who would later found the city across the river from the Aleksotas Hills. Another story sprang up during the Renaissance during which time the best way to have won friends and influenced people was to claim a heritage that stretched back to the Roman Empire or Ancient Greece. No easy feat for the noblemen of these Baltic climes, but as it happened an interesting fabrication sprung from this idea by way of the historian Albertas Vijūkas-Kojelavičius History in 1650. According to him, in 908 a papal crisis forced the Pope to re-locate along with 500 of the top Roman families. Among these families, the Palemonas (descendent of noble Trojan family), Julijonas, Prosperas Cezarinas, Ursinas and Hektoras, were believed to have moved to near the river Dubysa, where they founded a city called Roma Nova. (In Lithuanian the settlement was named Ramovė, meaning sanctuary or ‘rami vieta’, a quiet place.) Then around 970 Palemonas’s death led his three sons to move further out into the country. Barkus is believed to have founded the city of Jurbarkas and the Žemaitija area. Son number two, Spera, supposedly lived on Nevėžis shores in the city of Spera. And the last son, Kunas, of course, founded Kaunas. This story also explains the name of Palemonas hill in Kaunas. Later Kunas was able to take away all the lands from his brother’s possession and his son, Kernusius (or Kernius), founded Kernavė, where the Lithuanian capital was transferred from Kaunas. Science and fact, always sort of a kill-joy to most storytelling, maintains that human inhabitants to the region were found here before the time of Christ with more permanent settlements founded in the fifth and sixth centuries. Some linguist believe that the word Kaunas can be traced back to an ancient word meaning ‘deep’, as the city is nestled into a valley. Whatever the case, both stories work as parables: the folk tale, reminiscent of the phoenix rising from the ashes, is apropos considering the city’s history. And the attempt to create a Roman lineage, points to how a small country will vie for its place on the world map .
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Old Town - the historical bit 16th century With the Union of Lublin (1569), Poland and Lithuania form a Commonwealth. The city of Kaunas grows with the introduction of its first school and public hospital. However, the death of the last Lithuanian king of the Jagiellonian line (1572) results in the marginalisation of Lithuanian culture among the nobility who become increasingly Polonised. Lithuania nevertheless retains significant control over its legal and domestic affairs. The Lithuanian language remains spoken by farmers and peasants in the provinces. 17th century Continuous warfare with Russia and Sweden stifles economic development. Tsar Alexis’ armies burn Kaunas to the ground (1655). A plague claims many of the city’s inhabitants in 1657. 18th century Swedish troops seize the city in 1701.Two large fires, one in 1731 and another in 1732, result in many of the city’s buildings being heavily damaged. In 1795 Kaunas comes under Russian Tsarist control as a result of the last partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 19th century Napoleon, having conquered Prussia in 1807, begins his fateful assault on the Russian empire from a hill above Kaunas in 1812. Following his loss, Kaunas becomes the Russian empire’s westernmost point of strategic defence. A large garrison is stationed in the city and a massive ring of fortifications is built around it. Strict censorship and intense Russification under tsarist rule leads to the 1863 national uprising. The rising intelligentsia nurtures a national ideal based on the rebirth of the Lithuanian language and, in the late 1800s, a revival of Lithuanian culture and tradition begins. Kaunas’s economic development, though, is somewhat augmented by Russia’s takeover as the Oginsky canal is built to connect the Nemunas and Dnieper rivers. Moreover the railway connecting Russia and Germany goes through the area.
A lot of bull
In the 1400s one of the first stamps or seals of Kaunas city was made. It featured a white bull in the centre. On May 2, 1935, the Kaunas town council approved an emblem for the city. The design, by J.Burba, was a rectangular-shaped emblem, divided horizontally with the top background as red with a white auroch (an extinct variety of bull once common in the Lithuanian plains) with a gold cross on his head. The bull’s horns and hooves along with the bottom portion of the emblem were golden. Later in 1969 another emblem created by V.Banys was approved. Once again the white auroch, but this time sans cross and facing towards the viewer, was the main focus of the shield-shaped or triangular emblem. Later still in 1993, a presidential decree decided that Mikevičius’s design was to be the city’s symbol. The white auroch prevailed as the symbol of the city. However, the newest design featured a bull far more sinewy, powerful and overtly masculine in appearance. The cross reappeared on its head in an emphatically Catholic way. Today the auroch appears on Kaunas city’s flags. Kaunas, as a city with its own seal, coat-of-arms and flag also, of course, has its own special day. May 20th is Kaunas City Day as that was the date in 1463 when Kazimieras Jogailaitis renewed and expanded the privileges of the city. The original of the documents is kept in an archive in St. Petersburg, but Kaunas city hall managed to retain a copy.
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
12
Culture & events
Building drama Art galleries
The distinction between art gallery and souvenir shop is not always crystal clear in Kaunas so though admission to the following may be cheap, you might end up leaving with a much lighter wallet after you’ve made a few unexpected purchases. After all, the art galleries of Kaunas offer good deals on unique local art and handicrafts. kleismantas.eu, www.dusafyrai.com. Original jewellery. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J Eglės Galerija A-2, Raguvos 9-2, tel. 20 58 72, [email protected], www.emm.lt. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Fujifilm Gallery A-3, Rotušės 1, tel. 32 17 89. Photography. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J Kauno Langas C-2, Valančiaus 5-6, tel. 20 55 38, [email protected], www.klangas.lt. Contemporary, antique and folk art. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Meno Namai B-3, Vilniaus 13, tel. 20 05 07. Also at Vilniaus 22, tel. 42 27 25. Open 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 17:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 10:00 - 15:00. JA Meno Parkas A-3, Rotušės 27, tel. 33 71 67, lds@ kaunas.omnitel.net, www.menoparkas.lt. Ceramics, china, leather, linen, amber items. Gallery staff will take care about all the necessary permissions you need to export a piece of art abroad. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Saulutės Galerija D-3, Daukanto 15, tel. 20 75 20, fax 22 80 37. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. JA Slenkstis D-2/3, Laisvės 57, tel. 20 17 83. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Culture & events
Festivals and fun
For Lithuania’s second-largest city, Kaunas sure knows how to put on a first-rate show. The city is rapidly becoming renowned for cultural events and festivals, and has a magic ability to attract top acts. Even if nightlife is not your scene, it’s interesting to note that Kaunas nightclubs often attract decent international deejays or veejays or whatever they’re called this week. Groovy hipster residents of Vilnius are often forced to flee the capital, attracted by Kaunas’s higher-standard nightlife. Also of musical note is Kaunas Jazz. This international jazz festival has been running in Kaunas for 17 years, and just keeps getting better and better. Earth, Wind and Fire showed up here in 2004. People are still talking about that. Kaunas Jaz z g e n e r a l l y r u n s fo r a week in April and features a couple of Kaunas Jazz Laimis Brundza dozen performances, about half of which are free. Artists are attracted from some 20 countries, and the international appeal of the festival is quite remarkable. The atmosphere during Kaunas Jazz is really something - it attracts a discerning but enthusiastic crowd that becomes quickly imbued with hip-swinging, foot-tapping goodwill and fun. Details are available on www.kaunasjazz.lt. Another musical festival centres around Pažaislis (see page 37), although not all of the events actually take place there. The Pažaislis Music Festival spans most of the summer, from June to September inclusive, with classic music performances taking place not just in the monastery, but also in venues such as the university, art galleries, Raudondvaris Castle (see page 39), churches, the yacht club (pg. 48) and the Town Hall (pg 33). While organisers of the festival do a great job of stringing together a list of great performances, they’re not so good at advance planning or publicity. The schedule of events for summer 2007 was unavailable when we went to print, and in recent years they haven’t even bothered to make details available on their own website (www. pazaislis.lt). Not even God knows who will perform what and where this year.
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Du Safyrai B-3, Kurpių 13, tel. 22 77 80, arunas@
Musical Theatre Subtly hunkering behind Kaunas’s most central green bit, the Kaunas State Musical Theatre is one of the cities most gently grand buildings. The central park before it, which sprouted new children’s play equipment in the last year, is often alive with activity in summer, as families flop about on the grass, young couples explore each other’s tonsils and the limits of public decency, and kids run around shrieking. The musical theatre seems to watch over all this with a demure dignity. The building has quite a history, however. It all but exploded into existence in 1891 – it was built within the space of a year, which is quite remarkable when you think about it. The building boasted a 500-seat hall, two levels of balconies, two foyers and a lovely neo-renaissance style. These days you’d be hard-pressed to knock-up a poorly constructed shopping centre in neo-carpark style in less than a couple of years. The quick-as-a-flash construction, however, would have a price. The theatre opened on January 9, 1892. As there was no theatre group in Kaunas, it was only visiting artists who took to the stage. After only one season, however, the building had to be renovated. Maybe it was the harsh frost, maybe a particularly vociferous soprano, or maybe just one to many door-slamming hissy fits from visiting Italian performers. The building simply wasn’t holding up after the first year and repairs were necessary. Getting it right was a process that lasted until the end of the century. While the original façade was covered up, some of it is still visible inside the theatre. Further reconstruction took place from 1922 till 1925 when the theatre was expanded and given a fresh new Neo-Baroque appearance. An extra 263 seats were added, some of which were on a third balcony. An orchestra pit was also on the new-and-improved list, and the acoustic qualities of the hall were greatly improved. Looking around the theatre now, you can see folk-style motifs (tulips, lilies and daises) in an art-deco kind of style that were a part of this expansion and renovation. Less than a decade later, more construction took place with new features being added to the theatre. One of them was an iron firewall which arrived just in time to prevent the whole place burning down in 1931. The most recent renovations took place from 1980 to 1984, when much of the decoration from the 1930s renovation was re-renovated, so to speak. Further elements of decoration were also added from contemporary Lithuanian artists.
Kaunas Days. At night
Ignas Maldžiūnas
Cinemas
The following show films in the original language with Lithuanian subtitles. Check out show times at www.cinema.lt.
Less musical, but for many a lot more fun, is the Kaunas City Day celebration. While it celebrates one date in the history of the city – May 20 – festivities actually span over a few days. May 20 was the date on which Kaunas was granted renewed and expanded city rights – see ‘A lot of bull’ on page 10 for details. Kaunas City Days are broader in appeal than any of the music festivals. There is generally something for everyone, and celebrations are loosely centred around a theme. ‘Flower path’, for example. Most of the fun takes place outdoors and the city takes on a fun and lively atmosphere. The main points of activity are Laisvės Alėja, the Town Hall Square and the area around the castle. At the time of writing, the programme for events in 2007 included a motorcade of old and otherwise interesting vehicles along Donelaičio street, and children drawing flowers onto the bicycle path along Laisvės (we really hope they don’t get run-over). Also included were performances involving fire taking place around the castle, a Saturday evening concert at the Town Hall and some kind of competition called “Retro Girl”. Various other concerts, events and exhibitions were scattered about the schedule too. It all sounds very jolly. Most of the daytime entertainment is quite family oriented, but things can get a bit rowdy at the Saturday evening concert when the local yoofs realize, slowly, that Black Sabbath won’t be showing up. The official Kaunas Days website - www.kaunodienos.lt - had no information at all when we checked, but might have by the time you read this, so check it out if you’re interested.
Cinamon Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 8 700 70 111, info@
cinamon.lt, www.cinamon.lt. It’s in a shopping centre called Mega, so you know it’s going to offer mainstream movies multiplex style - in this case with five screens. See the website for schedules. Forum Cinemas E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel. 1567, www.forumcinemas.lt. J
Concert halls
Philharmonic (Kauno filharmonija) D-2, Sapiegos 5, tel. 22 25 58, www.kaunofilharmonija.lt. Q Open 14:00
- 18:00 (box office). Closed Sun. VDU Grand Hall E-2, S. Daukanto 28. J
Theatres
Academic Drama Theatre D-2, Laisvės 71, tel. 22
40 64, fax 20 76 93, [email protected], www. dramosteatras.lt. A stunning little building in the heart of the city, putting on all manner of work. Q Box office open 10:30 - 19:00. J Musical Theatre D-2, Laisvės 91, tel. 22 71 13. Q Box office open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. J Pantomime Theatre C-2, Kovo 11-osios 26, tel. 45 44 80. Weekend performances. Q Open 14:00 - 18:00. (box office). Closed Sun, Mon.
Kaunas Jazz
Laimis Brundza
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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KAunAs By Foot
KAunAs By Foot
Oddities
In case you’ve heard that Kaunas is a bit quirky, and you want to get straight to the wacky bits without reading the whole book, here’s a quick list of Kaunas oddities: One – blind faith You can visit the crypts beneath Soboras (more formally known as St. Michael the Archangel church), but you can’t actually see them. The rooms beneath the church have been turned into a sort of fumbling adventure, dubiously called the Museum for the Blind. See page 35. You can also read more about Soboras on page 32. Three – Devil may care In case you would care to wander around looking at effigies of the devil, don’t miss the unquestionably bizarre Devil’s Museum. As far as we know it’s the only museum devoted to the devil in the world. Or this world, anyway. See page 35. Five – Animal wrongs The Kaunas Zoo is a throwback to times before anyone believed that animals had rights, so it’s a bit of a grim reminder of wrongs. They’re trying very hard to rectify things and your entry fee may go some way to fixing things up. See page 38. Slightly less sad, and possibly more interesting in a creepy kind of way, is the Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum, where all manner of former life have been stuffed or pickled for your gawping pleasure. See page 35. Kaunas Castle Green bits The most pleasant park in Kaunas is the Ąžuolynas parkas – the Oak Park (see page 37). You can walk through the park to reach the zoo, which makes a nice outing if you allow plenty of time and don’t mind looking at caged animals. Beware, however, that there’s a steep climb on the way before you actually reach the park itself. The Oak Park is certainly very pleasant, but we must advise against wandering through it at night. Some of the local wildlife can get a bit unruly in hours of darkness. As you enter the park, you might also notice what looks like a big aeroplane wing sticking vertically out of the ground. This is a monument to Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas, two Lithuanian aviators who very nearly completed a trans-Atlantic flight from America to Kaunas in 1933. Their flight came to a mysterious end in Germany. A woman out picking mushrooms discovered the wreck of them and their plane. Now they, and their little plane, can be seen on the 10Lt banknote. The wreckage of the plane is also, not very appropriately, housed in the Military Museum (see page 37). Also of note in the Oak Park is the statue of a bull – see page 10 for details of what that’s all about. Another out of the way adventure can be had if you cross the Bridge of Three Maidens (or virgins, depending on how you choose to translate Trijų mergelių tiltas, M-4 on our map). This leads to a gorgeous and tranquil forest, and you’ll notice that there’s even something approximating a beach over there. Cyclists and in-line skaters, by the way, should note that the path leading eastward from the northern end of the Three Maidens bridge is your best options for unobstructed cycling or skating. Me too
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Laisvės Alėja, aka ‘Freedom Avenue’ or ‘catwalk’ Tour the tip Most of the interesting bits of Kaunas are wedged into the point of land formed where the Nemunas and Neris rivers come to meet. The Old Town is as close to this tip as it is possible to be without being washed away by the flow of the spring thaws, and starting off with a wander around this area is a great way to start your stay in Kaunas. From Kaunas Castle (A-2), follow the path west along the bank of the Neris through the Santakos or ‘confluence’ park. You will eventually reach a bit of a tip (roughly accurate in both senses of the word) and return along the Nemunas. At the point where the bridge crosses the river you can either cross it and enjoy the view from Aleksoto Hill (funicular available for those who don’t want to climb the stairs, see page 40) or turn left and head into the Town Hall Square (Rotušės aikšte - A-3). Be sure to return here on Saturday for wedding wackiness. Kaunas Old Town Kaunas is a small city, and the best way to familiarize yourself with it is to put put in the legwork and explore on foot. We’ve suggested a couple of walks here that will give you a good overview, but don’t be afraid to turn to the map (page 69) and choose your own route. Wherever you wander, however, you should keep in mind that Kaunas is Lithuania’s most Lithuanian city. It has a higher percentage of Lithuanians living in it than in the capital of Vilnius. So, while Vilnius might be the capital of Lithuania, Kaunas is the capital of being Lithuanian. Exploring Kaunas gives you a more raw and gritty taste of what being Lithuanian is all about. It’s tough, hopeful, struggling, a bit left-behind but too proud to pander. You’re a lot less likely to hear Russian and Polish being spoken in Kaunas than you are in Vilnius. You’re also more likely to come across quirky curiosities, enjoy good traditional food and mingle with the locals in cafés, bars and nightclubs. They will happily question you about why you came to Kaunas, and will engage in conversation about basketball and the future of their beloved little city. You may get the impression that the future of Kaunas consists mainly of standing about talking about basketball and the future of Kaunas. Nothing much actually happens here and the pace of development in the city is slothful compared to that of the EU and foreign investment fund-sucking capital. However, it is exactly that lack of change, that retained authenticity, and that refusal or failure to ‘sell out’, that makes Kaunas interesting. If you’re the sort of traveller who is more interested in authentic culture than following a well-trodden tourist route to see a sequence of postcard views, Kaunas can be a very rewarding city to visit. Do the catwalk From the Town Hall Square, walk eastward along Vilniaus. Carry on all the way to the newer part of the city centre lining Laisvės Alėja (Freedom Avenue). This is the longest pedestrian street in Lithuania. It’s where people come to strut their stuff; to see and be seen. Like it or not, it’s hard to spend a day in Kaunas without walking along Laisvės at some point. At the far eastern end is Soboras (see page 32), an imposing great Russian-looking church. Hidden away at various points along the way are some interesting museums and monumetns - see our ‘What to see’ section starting on page 32 for details of possible diversions.
I’m stuffed
They’re stuffed
Valdonė Bručienė
Seven – funny funiculars Kaunas has two odd little funiculars, both of which will drag you up to good vantage points from which you can view the city. One leads up to the Church of the Resurrection (see page 34) while the other affords a great view of Old Town. Nine - time travel Rumšiškės, the park presenting a living snap-shot of traditional village life, is about as close to anyone has got to creating an operational time machine. See page 50. Eleven The Three Stooges’ mum was from Kaunas. So was philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. So you can walk around pondering Totality and Infinity and saying things like “I resemble that remark” and “nyck nyck nyck”.
Weddings in Town Hall Square
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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wHere to stAy
Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05, fax 32
16 32, [email protected], www.danielahotel. lt. Dress up like Barbarella (anti-gravity breasts optional) or someone from Lost In Space (bubble-headed booby optional) and launch yourself into a time warp of bulbous pink cushions, plush puce carpets and stratospheric arched beams. Or, be a bit Captain Sensible and stick to the smart ‘comfort class’ rooms with more contemporary and elegantly restrained decoration. Either way, you’ll find fun aplenty and lashings of comfort and luxury. It’s bright, breezy and tucked away in a very convenient location. Q75 rooms (37 standart rooms 290 - 360Lt, 23 comfort rooms 390Lt, 10 superior rooms 460Lt, 2 deluxe rooms 450 - 520Lt, 4 apartments 550 - 1,120Lt). PTJHARULGKXW hhhh
wHere to stAy
Symbol key
P Air conditioning O Casino T Child friendly F Fitness centre R LAN connection K Restaurant D Sauna I Fireplace X Smoking section on a hill, it has a pleasant outlook and feeling of light and space. There are heated bathroom floors, vast balconies on some rooms, and one even has a telescope. There’s also a conference room and a charming library room for private functions. There’s no thunder, but the rooms have soundproof doors just in case. Q30 rooms (12 singles 288 - 320Lt, 10 doubles 360 - 400Lt, 2 suites 400 - 480Lt, 6 junior suites 380 - 420Lt). PTJHARLGKXW hhhh A Credit cards accepted H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking G Non-smoking rooms J Central location C Swimming pool W Wireless Internet access in it. The rooms themselves are all individually decorated to an unsubtly high standard that will make happy even those who have discovered oil and Lithuania (in that order). The modern sparkling sauna might also help. Located in a quiet area near a park, the hotel is a 15-minute walk to the centre, but you’ll want a taxi or your own personal security sphinx to bring you home at night. Q 1 2 r o o m s ( 4 s u i t e s 3 8 0 - 4 6 0 Lt , 1 a p a r t ment 480 - 540Lt, 7 singles/doubles 280 - 320Lt). PHARLGKDXCW hhhh
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Mid-range
Alanta J-2, Alantos 33, tel. 73 11 42, fax 73 38 71,
[email protected], www.alanta.lt. As cheap as it is ugly. But comfortable. If you don’t mind accidents in aesthetics, chintzy furniture and a feeling like you’re staying in an old persons’ home, you can bunk up here and save your money for something more fun. It’s a couple of kilometres out of the centre, but just 500m away from the main transport route with plenty of buses. Q6 rooms (1 single 180Lt, 4 doubles 180Lt, 1 suite 220Lt). ALGKW hhh
Daugirdas A-3, T. Daugirdo 4, tel. 30 15 61, fax
30 15 62, [email protected], www.daugirdas.lt. A spanking new hotel nestled in Old Town and offering an ingenious blend of historic charm and mod cons. Rooms are nifty-neat with minibar, internet (WiFi or LAN), air conditioning, televisions and a power outlet that doesn’t switch off when you leave so you can charge your gizmos. There’s a somewhat old-fashioned dark wood and ochre theme but with big windows - floor-to-ceiling in some rooms - there is plenty of light. Bathrooms are modern and spacious with heated floors. A lovely atrium and a superb rooftop terrace are the icing on the cake. Q 48 rooms (13 singles €104, 24 doubles €128, 10 delu xe rooms €142, 1 Gothic room €174). PTJHAR6ULGKXW hhhh
Babilonas C-1, Raseinių 25, tel. 20 25 45, fax 20 91
Sf inksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/Kudirkos 19a, tel.
Though Lithuania’s second city has fewer hotels than in the rivalling capital of Vilnius, there is no shortage of reasonably priced and well-situated hotels to be found. While newer buildings are few and far between, Kaunas is a city undergoing much expansion, and its hotels are growing along with it.
Upmarket
Best Western Santaka C-3, Gruodžio 21, tel. 30 27
02, fax 30 27 00, [email protected], www.santaka.lt. What looks like a warehouse on the outside is actually a labyrinth of luxury, and a wonderful place for the well bred (or at least well off) to rest their weary heads. All the rooms have a very humble, welcoming feel and yet lay on the luxury with lashings. Expect timber, leather, stylish furniture and gold coloured bed spreads. One room has a nice little alcove that overlooks St. Gertrude’s church - perfect for pious pondering before splashing into the spa. Even if you opt for a more basic room, you can enjoy the very cosy fireside sitting room downstairs. Of course, there are also the facilities and services one would expect for a high quality hotel, such as satellaite tv, minibars, conference facilities, a top-notch restaurant, and secure parking. Q92 rooms (11 singles 360Lt, 80 doubles 480Lt, 1 apartment 880Lt). PTJHAR6LGKDXCW hhhh
01, [email protected], w w w.hermishotel.lt. The outskirts location (just off the main road to/from Vilnius) might make you think this place is only suited for a hermit, but step inside and you’ll be delighted to find a thoroughly modern hotel with a subtly colourful and contemporary style. Somehow, the place feels lively and friendly. There’s even a 15m pool, spa and gym to keep you buzzing. Really quite a delightful find, although not worth considering unless you have a car. Q13 rooms (1 single 290Lt, 9 doubles 290 - 390Lt, 2 suites 430 - 500Lt, 1 apartment 500 - 600Lt). PTHARFLKDCW hhhh
Hermis Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 00, fax 49 03
30 19 82, fax 30 19 83, [email protected], www. sfinksas.lt. Kaunas has all sorts of pleasing and quirky treasures tucked away in unexpected places, and this hotel is one of them. It’s notable for having a staircase that makes going to your room almost as rewarding as being
56, [email protected], www.babilonas.lt. It’s only a kilometre or so out of town but it’s awkward to get to. The de luxe rooms are spacious and one offers a good view of the town. Like so many hotels in Kaunas, they’ve tried to do nice things with the decoration, but ended up with a mess. This might be okay for business travellers with a taxi budget, but otherwise there’s not much to make this oddly located hotel worthwhile. Q10 rooms (1 single 200Lt, 4 doubles 240 - 280Lt, 3 suites 320 - 390Lt, 2 apartments 400 - 520Lt). PTJHAULGKW hhh
Kaunas D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 50, fax 75 08 51,
[email protected], www.kaunashotel.lt. If you can get a room with a balcony - and there are a few of them - you can enjoy not only the slick and modern comforts of smartly designed rooms, but a people watching position above the world’s longest catwalk. The standard rooms are compact but light and airy, while the apartments and suites are specially designed to… well, make you feel special. All the rooms have all the mod cons you would expect from a four-star hotel, and there’s also a sauna, a small gym and conference facilities - none of which you will use because you’ll be too busy enjoying the view from the balcony. Q85 rooms (1 triple 600Lt, 4 suites 500 - 600Lt, 33 standard singles/doubles 340 - 420Lt, 43 deluxe rooms 420 - 500Lt, 2 connecting rooms 800Lt). PTJHARUFLGKDXCW hhhh
Star spangled banter
This guide uses the star system as defined by the Lithuanian Department of Tourism, in which stars are awarded for amenities offered, and don’t necessarily reflect the quality of those amenities or the standard of service provided.
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax
32 36 78, [email protected], www.perkunonamai.lt. The curiously named ‘thunder home’ has been a family run affair since it opened as the first private hotel in Kaunas - but don’t think that means it’s some overgrown cottage. The combination of homely comforts, the pride of the owners, and appointments and service on par with global hotel chains make this an excellent choice. Located
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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lite television and internet. On your way to the rooms, take note of the walls covered in art throughout the corridors. We should note that it is worth visiting different floors to compare the varying artistic styles. There is also a restaurant and makeshift billiards hall for those that get a craving for some eight ball at eight am. Q29 rooms (28 doubles 220 - 300Lt, 1 suite 300 - 400Lt). JHAR6ULGKX hhh better English than many classy hotel receptionists, and a quiet location. Among other little perks, these nice people will come and pick you up when you arrive in town if you ask them nicely. Q3 rooms (2 singles €30 - 40, 1 double €40 - 50, 1 suite €64). RLG
wHere to stAy
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Namų Viešbutis K-1, Gaižiūnų 80, tel. 33 74 44, fax
Budget
Apple Economy Hotel A-2, Valančiaus 19, tel./fax
32 14 04, [email protected], w w w.applehotel.lt. More bland shoe box than charming apple crate. More Spartan than Granny Smith. The rooms here are simple, clean and tidy if a little charmless and austere. There is almost a hostel feel to the place, with linoleum floors and bare basics throughout. Still, it is perfectly adequate and seems to be staffed by refreshingly happy smiley youngsters, which make a stay rather pleasant. Most importantly, and like any fresh apple, it is simply good, cheap and convenient. Q 14 rooms (€40 - 66). TJHARLG hh
33 74 45, [email protected], www.home.hotel.lt. Friendly, very high standard B&B set in a tough-to-find neighbourhood. Once you find the street, look for the mint green building. Edmundas and Giedrė are your hosts and they take very good care of you. If available, try to land their apartment with direct access from the garage. Far from the centre, but still a very nice place. Q4 rooms (1 single 120Lt, 2 doubles 180Lt, 1 apartment 240Lt). TAR6LGX
Solo B&B L-4, Dysnos 10, tel. +370 687 544 43/+370
615 578 69, [email protected], www.solohotel.lt. Mini apartments with kitchenettes, simple but comfortable furnishings, free internet, cable television, DVD player and lovely little private garden. A quiet and out of the way option - it’s a half-hour stroll to the centre. Q 2 doubles 120 - 170Lt. TRLG
Metropolis D-2, Daukanto 21, tel. 20 80 81/20
Kunigaikščių Menė B-2, Daukšos 28, tel. 32 08 00, fax
32 08 72, [email protected], www.hotelmene.lt. They keep it pretty simple here but it’s spot-on if you want good value in one of the loveliest streets of Old Town. Expect wooden floors, simple yet comfortable furnishings and modern bathrooms. Rooms look south over a quiet courtyard. So you can keep the windows closed to let the sun warm your room, or open them to catch a cool breeze without too much street noise. Simply but very comfortable. Q8 rooms (1 single 180Lt, 6 doubles 250Lt, 1 suite 350Lt). PJHALGKXW hhh
59 92, fax 20 62 69, [email protected], www. greenhillhotel.lt. This is where Uncle Fester and other grismal weirdos used to like to stay. But now they’ve renovated so many of the rooms that finding good old fashioned Soviet-style grime is a bit of an ask. Not impossible, just tricky - there’s still one or two bathrooms with black tiles or green fur on the walls. Now, however, you’re much more likely to end up with a nice sparkly white bathroom and a normal looking bed that won’t tr y to swallow you. What fun is that? Still, it’s a bargain, it’s in a great location, and the grand staircase continues to offer spooky amusement. Q85 rooms (4 singles 90Lt, 70 doubles 120Lt, 1 triple 165Lt, 3 quads 220Lt, 7 suites 172Lt). TJA6GKX hh
Guesthouses
Kaunas Archdiocese Guest House B-2, Rotušės
21, tel. 32 25 97/+370 687 945 24, fax 32 00 90, [email protected], http://kaunas.lcn.lt/sveciunamai. Well, isn’t this lovely? You get a quaint little room with a bed and a chair that could easily set the scene for a painting called, say, Room With Bed and Chair. It’s got a religious simplicity to it which is somehow gloriously humble. But wait! There’s more! You also get somewhere to wash your bits, and an internet. Some rooms even have balconies with heavenly views. Seems like this place is a godsend. So what’s the catch? Well, they might frown upon i t if you tr y to smug gle booze or a knickerless blonde ‘comfort consultant’ into your room, but otherwise this is a great place to stay. Recommended from on high. Q 21 rooms (2 singles 50Lt, 6 doubles 80 - 120Lt, 5 triples 110 - 140Lt, 3 quads 130Lt, 5 suites 160Lt). TJRULG Supermanas was here
Seaside (sort of)
Okay, so Kaunas is landlocked, but thanks to a whopping great hydro-electric dam on the Nemunas, a body of water large enough to be called a sea has formed. It’s a favourite spot for summer fun, and it can also be your temporary home during your stay in Kaunas.
Kaunas Žalgiris Yachtclub Gimbutienės 35, tel.
Bed & Breakfast
Arijaus Namai B-2, M. Daukšos 24, tel. 32 16 12/+370
685 788 83, [email protected], www.arijushouse. uab.info. You’d be hard pressed to find a better location at a better price. Or a bigger hotchpotch of furniture and jumble sale accessories. Wagon wheel chandelier? Check. Random scattering of doilies? Check. Cable television, internet and secure parking? Yes, yes yes. Mildly cooky, but very central, comfortable and affordable. Q (3 apartments 120 - 280Lt.) TJHR6LGX
Nemunas Tour Gėlių 50, Ringaudai, tel. 56 37
Nakties Magija L-3, Skroblų 3, tel. 79 79 23, fax 79
58 32, [email protected], www.naktiesmagija-hotel.lt. Dated cringe-worthy furniture in an otherwise rather nice house diagonally opposite the zoo. We didn’t stick around to discover whether you will be kept awake by screeching monkeys but if you close your eyes, or wish to re-enact a scene from a corny 70s-era adult video, you’ll be very comfortable in the spacious and well equipped rooms. It’s a 20-minute walk through a nice oak park to get to the centre of town, but we wouldn’t advise coming back that way at night. Q10 rooms (4 singles 220Lt, 5 doubles 280Lt, 1 suite 400Lt). PHALGK hhh
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 699
Žaliakalnio Viešbutis D-2, Žemaičių 31/Savanorių 66,
tel. 32 14 12, fax 73 37 69, zaliakalnis@greenhillhotel. lt, www.greenhillhotel.lt. A large affair, with excellent views as it sits high atop one of the city’s greenest hills, located adjacent to the impressive Church of the Resurrection and above the now operational funicular. The many modern conveniences offered in the hotel include a large conference facility and plenty of space within the hotels walls to accommodate attendees. The rooms are spacious and light and come with such nice extras as minibar, satel-
146 90, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. lt. The growing Litinterp chain now have a few apartments in Kaunas and a little black book containing details of over 20 apartments across the city. They can always help you to find somewhere to stay at a reasonable price, and also offer friendly and helpful service. In addition to accommodation, they offer translation services, car rentals and nice smiles. Q9 rooms (2 singles 80 - 120Lt, 4 doubles 140 - 160Lt, 3 family suites 160 - 210Lt). Apartments 180 - 240 Lt. TJAG
66/+370 614 203 39, [email protected], www. nemunastour.com. It is not important that this place is a little way out of the centre because by all accounts it is one of the best guesthouses in the universe. A large green house, complete with six bright rooms, an army of communal facilities from washing machine to sauna, and a charming husband and wife running the whole show. If you want to eat during your stay, the emphasis is on the healthy, and if that isn’t enough they can also organise tours around Lithuania, horse riding, sky diving and a lot lot more. Recommended. Q (6 doubles 100 - 190Lt). TR6LGD
37 04 22, fax 37 04 15, [email protected], www. jachtklubas.lt. A rather peculiar looking place more than made up for by its location on the bank of the Kaunas Lagoon, the fabulous bugdet price tag, and the other things that are on offer, from camping, to boating, to eating,to doing nothing at all. A fabulous throwback to years gone by, check the website for more information, including how on earth to find the place. Q 30 rooms (50 - 200Lt). ARFGKDXC
Romo Uostas Kalantos 199, tel. 45 84 01/+370
Motels
Sandija Jonavos 45, tel. 33 24 87, fax 36 33 92,
[email protected], www.sandija.lt. Little more than a pleasant and efficient motel proximate to the highway, it is a fair bargain for the price. In general, the rooms are dark and more or less what you might expect, but each comes with a wine-opener, a luxury not often found amongst some of the best hotels in the country. Friendly and helpful desk attendants greet you and the hotel has a small restaurant that serves Lithuanian, German and French dishes. Q17 rooms (13 singles 150Lt, 12 doubles 200 - 260Lt, 2 suites 340Lt). THALGKX hh
687 62136, [email protected], www.romouostas. lt. It’s a bit like a stylish crisply ironed shirt adorned with a tie made from 1970’s wallpaper - very smart and businesslike, but let down by splashes of revolting furniture. Still, it’s so close to the water that you’ll wish you’d packed your wetsuit, and even if you don’t take a dip in the so-called sea, you can enjoy a very pleasant and professional set-up, including a sauna and swimming pool. Oh - and a conference centre. The staff can also organise all manner of water activities. Q11 rooms (8 singles 100Lt, 2 suites 150Lt, 1 apartment 250Lt). HALGKDXC
Mažylis K-5, Dysnos 7, tel. 74 38 15, [email protected],
www.kaunas-motel.com. A cool, family-run house not too far from the city centre, featuring a choice of accommodations from completely self-contained to two rooms with shared bathrooms. Nothing too fancy here, but that’s not the point. What you do get is cleanliness, friendly hosts who speak
Book hotels online www.inyourpocket.com
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
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Kaunas for kids
Akropolis E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49, www.
akropolis.lt. Little kids can go bonkers in a huge supervised play area. There is the obligatory ball pit as well as all manner of other colourful plastic diversions. B i g ge r k i d s m i g h t e n j o y i c e - s k a t i n g, a r c a d e ga m e s o r j u s t ex p l o r i n g t h e s h o p p i n g m a u l . QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA No one is going to call Kaunas the cuisine capital of Lithuania, but things have been steadily improving of late, and now at least the city offers a full range of options from the cheap and chewy to lap-of-luxury fine dining. One thing to keep in mind is that things are a bit spread out in Kaunas, and there are some real gems located a short distance from the centre of town. Don’t let that put you off. Kaunas is hardly expensive, so a taxi won’t break the bank.
restAurAnts
Symbol key
P Air conditioning E Live music T Child friendly G Non-smoking areas 6 Animal friendly A Credit cards accepted S Take away U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking W Wireless Internet access
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Asiliuko Sapnas D-2, Laisvės 87a, tel. 22 00 63.
Beer halls
Avilys B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. 20 34 76/20 75 52, fax
22 51 37, [email protected], www.avilys.lt. It’s honey beer heaven. The big gleaming vats of toil and trouble produce a rather fine alcoholic bee-spew, which is then used as a key ingredient in some of the meals. Lovely. People swarm in but the staff are hardly busy-bees, so service can be slow at times. As it is essentially a vaulted red-brick cellar crammed with dark wooden furniture, it is also desparately gloomy. A great place if your date has spots or is an albino. Menu highlights: ‘Sex Chooter’, ‘Beer Soup’ and ‘Champignons pickled in beer and boney sauce’. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. TJAGBS
Tucked away in a cute courtyard next to the puppet theatre, this is a mini-sized restaurant for mini-sized people. With bright decorations and a large list of fun things to do, the ‘Little Donkey’ is a very popular venue for children’s parties. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. G 87a, tel. 22 00 63/22 16 91. A local institution, only slightly creepy, and great for kids who wish to take their grandparents out.QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. BG
International
Amigos E-3, Mickevičiaus 22, tel. 26 10 00, info@
skoniotechnologijos.lt. An overrated dump. The sign outside proudly shows faded photos of the time they welcomed the Dalai Lama and a bunch of monks. His Holiness probably said, yes, it was all very nice. But we don’t have to be polite so we can say it’s really just a half-sunken dumpy bar that slops up mediocre cheap eats and smells like dodgy plumbing. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Mon 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. PTJAGBS
Puppet Theatre (Lėlių Teatras) D-2, Laisvės
Zoo L-3, Radvilėnų 21, tel. 33 25 40, www.zooso-
das.lt. With somewhere in the region of 250 different species to point at (and wonder why they have to be kept behind bars) the little ones will surely love this place. Ideal for rampaging monkeys.Q Open 10:00 - 19:00. Tickets: 4-7Lt.
Chinese
Didžioji Siena B-2, Kumelių 7, tel. 22 05 85, didziojisiena.meniu.lt. It’s all very rich, red, and refined in here. Quite tranquil. You’ll feel immediately relaxed as you peruse the menu and notice a good range of favourites and traditional Chinese dishes, although your taste buds might be getting quite excited. Food is generally very good and certainly always flavoursome, although we have had chicken that was a tad chewy on one occasion. Service is superb - indeed, outstanding by Kaunas standards - and goes a long way to make this place a sanctuary worth seeking out. QOpen 11:30 - 23:00. JAGSW
Antis A-3, Rotušės 1, tel. 32 43 48, [email protected].
Antis can mean ‘duck’, ‘gossip’ or ‘bedpan’. We’re not sure which meaning is intended here, but you’d better duck as you burrow down the steep, low-ceilinged stairway. Once inside you’ll enjoy a space that somehow manages to be romantic and cosy but also quite modern and a bit smooth and groovy. Food is not quite gourmet, but fine for a light meal over a bit of gossip. As for the bedpan, well, erm… the toilets here are interesting. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. JAEGS
Combo G-3, Raudondvario 107 (but actually on the
Apartment rental
Juratės Apartamentai Tel. +370 651 06 50, fax 32
30 73, [email protected], http://juratesapartamentai.home.lt. One rather swish apartments and one ‘other’ apartment slap-bang in the middle of the action. Rather good value. Check the website for pictures. Q 150 Lt/night. J
Fu Long E-3, Gedimino 30, tel. 20 84 92. In a bizarre
reversal of the natural order of things the staff here are more pleasant than the food. Except, that is, for the unseen person in the kitchen who made a phlegmy, throat-clearing, I’m-gonnaspit noise as our meal was prepared. Nothing could taste good after that. The atmosphere is pleasant but unpretentious, the prices are not displeasing, but it’s all more ho-hum than yum-yum. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JAGS
Kaunas Apartments A-2, Laisvės 50-4, tel. +370 687
012 33, [email protected], www.kaunas-apartments.lt. The process could not be any simpler. Go to their website, check out what is available and book it for the short term, or the long term. Each flat is detailed, mapped out, photographed and priced to rent. Even if you don’t find something online, just give them a call or an email and they will come up with just what you’re after. The variety of modern apartments offers something suitable for just about every budget. Recommended. Q (15 apartments 80 - 250Lt/night). J
bend in Brastos), tel. +370 614 400 29/20 94 19, fax 36 11 89, [email protected], www.combo.lt. Ignore the abandoned space station on the first level, head upstairs and join the happy crew in the sparkly glass observation deck. Nestle into red velour anti-gravity seating, order a meal, and enjoy the view of cracked concrete, dirt and tipsy fishermen pulling old boots out of the river. Food is extremely good given the quick-lunch vibe of the place. Bit of a shame that it’s in the outer-reaches of Galaxy Kaunas, but trolley-transport vessels 5, 7 and 10 will get you there in a nano-jiffy. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 02:00. PTALEGS
Ilgoji Upė B-3, Vilniaus 13a, tel. 22 60 71. It’s hidden in
Čarlstonas D-3, Kęstučio 93, tel. 20 29 93, www.carl-
Private Apartments D-3, Maironio 13-2, tel./fax 20 86
01, [email protected], www.emsalonas.lt. Off the main avenue, the private apartments at Private Apartments have everything you need to dig in and stay for a long time. Expect a kitchen, a dining nook and bedroom - all with modern fixtures in a residential apartment building. Q 150 - 180Lt/night. Discounts for longer stays. J
a courtyard, it always looks like it’s closed and has a generally uninviting appearance. It’s even a bit dowdy inside and it appears that the ceiling is sagging. Despite all that, however, it’s worth a visit just for the food, which is reasonably priced and very tasty. There are countless options in the menu and those that we sampled were delicious. A good option if you want to enjoy Kaunas strangeness and great food at the same time. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JLGS
stonas.lt. Roll up here and enjoy a fine medieval-slash-renaissance regal romp without the nuisance of having to defend the realm or deal with the hassles of endless beheadings. Or historical accuracy. Just plonk your derrière on a thronette, order the ever-obliging staff about, and indulge in a feast of ‘mollusc slumgullion’, fowl, deer, or a piece of a cow. Both the meals and the décor are presented with the utmost respect for taste, and it’s no surprise that this is a popular choice for treat-the-staff parties and romantic interludes. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. TJAGS
Fast Food
KFC E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel.
Old Town view from across Aleksoto Tiltas (H-4) 21 44 56, www.fastfoods.lt. Quick! Grab a bucket! It’s the first KFC in the country.Q Open 10:00 - 24:00. JG
Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05, www.dan-
Pizza Hut E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis),
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
tel. 21 44 56, www.fastfoods.lt. The first in the Baltic States. Maybe they came to show Lithuanians how to make pizza? QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. JG
ielahotel.lt. Not as posh as it appears, but not as expensive either. There’s a menu crammed with creative concoctions and that alone makes a visit worthwhile. We passed up the lava stone-grill option to go for something involving bananas wrapped in leek and chicken. While it could have been a bit more skilfully prepared—the chook was a bit tough—it did offer a lovely combination of flavours. Less challenging meals will probably be fine. The setting is sleek and comfortable, the menu is marvellous, service is friendly. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. TJAULGS
May 2007 - May 2008
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restAurAnts
25/20 28 06, [email protected], www.seniejirusiai.lt. If this place was in London or Paris you’d have to book before you were born to get a table. Here in Kaunas, however, you can just turn up and get a table either for a fast cheap lunch or a fine dinner. At any time it’s outstanding, with an airy feeling cellar, frescoes on some walls, quick and quality service and real towels in the bathrooms. The food is also very good and as such, this is one restaurant that it would be a shame to miss. Wonderful. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. PJAEGBSW
restAurAnts
Senieji Rūsiai B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. +370 601 025
2
Sfinksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/ Kudirkos 19a, tel. 30 19
84, www.sfinksas.lt. A lovely hotel restaurant focusing on fine international cuisine, the menu features such delicious treats as veal, salmon, oysters and the fabulous-sounding Žuolynas Grass Snake, which is in fact beef. Lithuanian dishes also available.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. PAULEGBW
Europa C-3, Gruodžio 19, tel. 30 27 10/30 27 11, fax 30
27 00, www.santaka.lt. When you’re not interested in the sort of random culinary adventure that this part of the world seems to so often provide, just nestle into the smart brick cellar, make a selection from the small but pleasing menu, and rest assured that your meal will be simple, satisfying, well prepared and close to perfect. There’s a nice glass atrium and occasional classy jazz, but it’s the food that you will come back for - a simple recipe well executed. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJALEGBSW
Papa Jazz K-3, Savanoriu 178, tel. 73 47 18, fax 40 68
41, www.papajazz.lt. Unmarked and completely hidden in a glass box interior design centre. Press ‘2’ in the carpark lift to find it. And then, after sampling mediocre overpriced meals, wonder why you bothered. The attraction here is that it is an entertainment venue as much as a restaurant, and while it might be fun when a good band is playing, it’s simply not worthwhile or worth the expense at other times. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PAULEGW
Šimtas E-2, Putvinskio g. 53, tel. 20 72 47. Looks
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax 32
Geras Vyno Rūsys D-1, Laisvės 75/Maironio 24, tel.
20 72 33/+370 685 086 62, www.gerasvynorusys.lt. It looks like a husband-and-wife operation with all the nice personal touches and commitment to service and quality of a good family-run business. Take your time making a selection from the impressive menu, trust their wine recommendations, some of which are printed in the menu, and settle into the cosy brick cellar for a very pleasant evening. Another one of Kaunas’s hidden treasures. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. PTJAEGSW
36 78, [email protected], www.perkuno-namai. lt. It’s divergent dining, with a menu that leaps from frogs’ legs to ostriches, covering a few piscatorial pleasures and a Moroccan chicken along the way. The décor is… erm, we forget, but two walls were covered in pride-of-the-owner pics, so it feels like you’re eating in a photo album. The food is award-winningly good (hence the pride), coming up trumps in terms of presentation, flavour and texture. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PTAULEGB
like the place where flash rats, skivvied spivs and those celebrating success in dodgy deals come to dangle their gold chains and Dolche Banana man purses at each other. There are options in the menu to please everyone, and food and service are moderately good. Unfortunately, prices are not high enough to keep the nouveau riche riff-raff away. Q Open 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. 25Lt. PTJAULEGBSW
Italian
Bella Italia E-3, Daukanto 14, tel. 42 66 91, bellaitalia.
meniu.lt. This place is bright, fizzy, ditzy, studenty and very, very orange. Of course, cheap and mediocre pizzas are the main attraction for Lithuanians, but you might also like the pasta and meat dishes. They’re simple, satisfying, reasonably priced and delivered to the wrong table about four hours after you ordered them because the staff are all too busy chatting to friends to actually bother with annoyances such as work, or serving customers. With such rude and brazen disregard for duty, you may as well give your order to the bubble-eyed goldfish. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 02:00. PTJAGBS
Retro Bordo C-2/3, Vilniaus 39, tel. +370 600 217 71.
Master Grill K-2, Savanorių 235, tel. 79 98 99, mas-
[email protected]. Hot rocks! That’s exactly what you get here if you’re brave enough to go for the stone grill option. Cut and sizzle your own steak on your own super-hot stone. For lovers of beef it can hardly get better - you can pop pieces in your mouth while they’re still sizzling in their own juices. There are also traditional cooked-in-the-kitchen dishes for the less adventurous - but really, the stone grilling technique is simply superb and it would be a shame not to try it. Not only is it carnivore heaven, but the staff are friendly and helpful and it’s great value. No English menus when we visited, but they promised they were on the way. It’s a shame it’s a bit out of town, but we still highly recommend it. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. PTALGS
Oh - the temptations! Red caviar, prawn mass, or ‘boneless trotter with horse radish’? Oh, but this is a steak house so we just had to try the steak - not great, but not at all bad, and very reasonably priced. There’s olde worlde knickknacks scattered about such as books, Asian fans and little bottles that may or may not contain a genie. Your cutlery is served in a little sleeping bag, which is cute. But, it’s the steak that matters and while it may not be ahead of the herd, it is certainly great value and won’t disappoint. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JAGS
apart from capsule hotels, big-eyed manga and vending machines offering schoolgirls’ unwashed panties. But is the food authentic? Well, most Kaunas residents wouldn’t have a clue, and so they can, and do, get away with anything here. If you wouldn’t know your sushi from your shoe, you’ll probably just think the meals are a bit small, but for more expert fish aficionados the disappointment will run a little deeper. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. TJALGBS
Pas Paolo D-3, Daukanto 17, tel. 22 01 75. Tucked away
but well worth burrowing into to see if you can get a seat. (Probably not.) It has a fun atmosphere with booths scattered about and a few tables in slightly odd locations. In addition to pizza, there is a small selection of pasta and meat dishes. One of the best options for cheap eats at this end of town. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. TJAGS
Breakfast
From 07:00
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30.
Sausages, eggs, omelettes and deserts. They also boast banana bread. Q Served until 10:30, Sat, Sun until 11:00. AG
Portofino Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 02, fax 49 03 01,
Miesto Sodas D-2, Laisvės 93, tel. 42 44 24, www.
miestosodas.lt. As bright, fresh and airy as a freshly scrubbed Colgate yawn. It combines a modern menu restaurant with a salad bar sprouting with zippy things to do with leaves. The perfect place to sit in a gleaming glass box and watch the world go by, or just gaze across the green patch of a park next door. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00. PTJAUEGBSW
www.portofino.lt. It may be overflowing with rococo ritz and chintzy glitz, but they have a very simple and honest approach to the whole business of dining. The best ingredients well prepared with a touch of flair, and presented at prices that are as affordable as possible without compromising the quality. The same sensible approach is evident in the wine list. Sounds like a good recipe? Well, the only ingredient missing is a convenient location - it’s about a 10Lt taxi ride out of the centre, but worth the journey. It’s cheaper than going to Italy. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PAUILEGSW
Presto D-2, Laisvės 90, tel. 22 10 87, www.
presto.lt.Lots of tea and coffee, a few pancakes and omelettes, and bad service. Q Served until 11:00. PJAGBW
From 08:00
Amigos E-3, Mickevičiaus 22, tel. 26 10 00,
[email protected]. A small, yet more than adequate breakfast menu. Q Served until 11:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 13:00. TJAG
Japanese
Yakata A-2, Valančiaus 14, tel. 20 45 12. Ahoy there!
Where not to eat Shiver me chopsticks! There’s bamboo and boat bits aplenty, and they’ve squeezed in all manner of Japanese clichés - well,
Kavos Baras B-3, Vilniaus 74, tel. 32 23 41/20
www.inyourpocket.com
Kaunas In Your Pocket
18 15. From snacks to an almost-full breakfast, and all in a very pleasant atmosphere. Q Served until 12:00. PJLGB
May 2007 - May 2008
2
restAurAnts
Lithuanian
55° D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 70, www.kaunashotel.
lt. Lithuanian places can feel a bit basic and barn-like, but downstairs here you’ll find all the country charm without the rough edges. In fact, it’s really quite smart. There are even a couple of clever little romantic dining nooks hidden behind curtains. Upstairs the scene couldn’t be more different with bright, light and modern decoration. The balance of rustic and refined is also present in the menu. You can scoff hunks of pigs’ brains if you want, or nibble on dainty salads or delicate fish dishes - all are expertly prepared. They also specialise in moonshine. Whether you prefer things grainy or glossy, you’ll be quite happy here, especially when you notice that it’s actually rather good value. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. PJAULGBSW eating. There’s also hearty meat-and-spuds meals, as well some more authentically traditional Lithuanian meals. As it is not centrally located, and unlike their location in Vilnius, this Forto won’t be besieged by tourists. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:00. PALGS
restAurAnts
Užeiga Prie Akmenų E-3, Laisvės 21, tel. 20 55 84. This place is really nothing special, but it is in an excellent location and you might be tempted to go there. Avoid it if you’re wanting good food, but drop-by if you just want a beer and some snacks. A waste of a good location.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. TJIEGBS
ing and traditional little cottage plonked in a hideous car park and surrounded by traditional concrete architectural disasters. That doesn’t stop hordes of happy diners turning up and enjoying Lithuanian meals on the veranda or in the cosy interior. The food is top-notch and would even keep the most patriotic granny grinning. Pretend the squealing car alarms are gleefully singing birds and you can enjoy a lovely village meal here. Head through the archway at Laisvės 36 to find it. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. JAILEGBS
25
Katpėdėlė D-2, Maironio 28, tel./fax 22 49 67, kat-
[email protected], www.katpedele.lt. Simple village food (potatoes, something that died in the barn, more potatoes, and some grass and carrots and potatoes) churned out in a feed-emfast, formulaic franchise. There are better options for authenticity and atmosphere, but for a quick fill with a Lithuanian leaning this is hard to beat. The name, by the way, means something like ‘pussy’s foot’. Also at Savanorių 214a, tel. 31 30 04, [email protected]. Krėvės 57, tel. 73 06 40, [email protected]. Vilkų 20, tel. 74 93 26. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. TJAGSW
Žalias Ratas E-2, Laisvės 36b, tel. 20 00 71. A charm-
Bajorkiemis Vilnius-Kaunas highway, tel. 44 07 70,
fax 37 53 42, www.berneliuuzeiga.lt. A rambling great village of huts and a big barn style place that has become something of a traditional stop on the route between Kaunas and Vilnius. (It’s 12km out of Kaunas on the A1.) There are distractions for the kiddies and tourists alike, including some barn animals, playthings and souvenir-slash-snack shops. In summer, outdoor seating mushrooms all over the place. Food is fair but the jolly almost festival-like atmosphere is worth dropping in on even if you’re not hungry. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Mon 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 01:00. PTAULGBS
Medžiotojų Užeiga A-3, Rotušės 10, tel. 32 09 56,
www.medziotojai.lt. The gamey gimmicks in the ‘Hunters Tavern’ include horny handles on the doors, fury pelt plastered walls, heads and antlers all over the place and even a stuffed mongoose (or something) dangling in a cage above one of the tables. It’s a mounted menagerie. The menu is crawling with critters such as boar, elk and beaver, but you can also opt for less adventurous fish or chicken if you wish - all beautifully prepared and presented, but not hunter-hearty. If your date is an animal rights type, you can still come here - just tell him or her that it’s dolphin friendly. Maybe. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PJAIGBSW
Mediterranean
Pompėja E-2, Putvinskio 38, tel. 42 20 55, www.
pompeja.lt. Even if you don’t enjoy the lovely atrium in summer you will enjoy the food at any time. The prices in the menu may appear high but once you taste the dishes and notice that they don’t skimp on size you’ll appreciate that you’re getting fair value. In the evenings you can even enjoy the entertainment, such as the ‘Pompeii giddy vortex mind-blowing erotic dance’, whatever that is. A pleasant and quite classy place, with just the right hint of the bizarre. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PTJAIEGBSW
Pancakes. Probably dumps in the family. It’s lovely and bright, fast, fresh, clean and fair value. Grab a window-side seat for people-watching perfection. There’s a new drive-through option at Ateities 50b for those who like the idea of driving and dining. Also at Baršausko 66a, tel. 35 01 12. Ateities 50b, tel. 47 33 59, Savanorių 346, tel. 31 34 70. Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 37 44 34. Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis). QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PTJAULGBSW
Bernelių Užeiga A-2, Valančiaus 9, tel. 20 09 13, www.
berneliuuzeiga.lt. The three blokes pictured on the menu look like the sort of good old fashioned lads who spend their days chopping wood, scrumping spuds, ploughing maidens and nailing the feet of old women to the kitchen floor to ensure an endless supply hearty tucker. No mucking around with village cliché nonsense here - just large quantities of decent Lithuanian food that will leave you slumping and groaning with delight until you’re ready for your next bout of barnyard boisterousness or laddish lechery. Also at K. Donelaičio 11, tel. 20 88 02. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 01:00. PTJAIEGBS
Metų Laikai E-2, Mickevičiaus 40b, tel. 22 32 53, laiko.
[email protected]. It’s a hidey-hole where girly adornments take the battered edge off the otherwise worn out look of the place. It’s both gloomy and frilly inside - like eating in Grandma’s underwear drawer - while in summer there is seating in the courtyard so you can take a break from people watching and look at parked cars and crumbling walls instead. The Lithuanian food is practical and modern, not the sort of traditional food that no one bothers to make at home anymore. With hearty, sloppy, meaty dishes, it’s like visiting a local at home - except that you won’t be force fed by their mum or have to look at 1001 family photos. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. JALGBS
Pizza Jazz D-2, Laisvės 68, tel. 20 43 35, www.pizzajazz.lt. Two separate entrances guide you into two different pizza worlds. They finesse every pizza cliché in the book, while offering a sordid variety of pizza pies. The second, more elegant area is distinguishable by the Lavazza coffee branding and is a uniquely designed medley of brick, floral wallpaper, pinstriped tapestries and black and white photos. A few other dishes are also available. The location at the Zoo Museum offers huge glass windows and a great place to watch the human traffic. Also at Laisvės 106 (Zoologijos muziejus), tel. 22 15 92. Šarkuvos 1a (Maxima), tel. 37 76 35. Taikos 141, tel. 47 39 41. Gričiupio 9, tel. 40 00 09. Savanorių 349, tel. 31 34 70. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:30 - 23:00. PTJAUGBSW It’s completely hidden in a big imposing building, but when you push open the tall, heavy door you’ll discover a cheap pizza joint in what looks like the dining hall of the Kaunas Army Officers’ Club. Bizarre - but great. The food is as good as the situation is weird, and the service is military standard. All up, a spiffing spot to feed the troops, or just sit alone and have one of those ‘where am I’ moments. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 02:30. JAGS
Middle Eastern
Ramzis II B-2, Daukšos 29, tel. 32 43 01, www.ramzis.
lt. A diamond in the rough. This small but impressive creation is easily discovered by reading the Egyptian carvings on the underpass wall. The collections of beads, jewels, tea sets and hookah pipes, as well as the carvings on the bar give the setting a hint of authenticity. We recommend ducking into the more discreet back rooms for discretion or revelry. The menu, while fairly typical seemed robust enough to satisfy. Ladies of the harem, if you are looking to get a rise out of your sheik, order the Viagra soup. Though it’s a bit pricey at 10.40Lt, it promises to spice up your love life. If a real Egyptian king were to dine here, he would most certainly have the chef mummified for putting mayo on the hummus. Also at Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel. 21 44 11. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PABJLGW
Čili Kaimas Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 23 90 55, info@
cili.lt, www.cili.lt. It’s a bit quirky, top quality, not too costly, quintessentially Lithuanian and unfortunately stuck in a big boring shopping bland on the outskirts of town. Shame, really. The timber-trimmed village-themed chain churns out the calories and fun with aplomb, and it would be simply terrific if they could find a more central location. As it is, all we can say is that it’s a great place to tuck in should you find yourself stuck in the Mega shopping centre. Also at Karaliaus Mindaugo (Akropolis) but the restaurant there is all bleached wood and doesn’t have a nice village feeling at all. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. PTALGSW
Šaulys F-2, Nepriklausomybės 5, tel. 42 26 55. There’s a
half-hearted hunters’ theme in here, with antler-shaped coat stands and a few pelts crawling up the walls, but it’s actually all a bit nondescript and bland. Food isn’t terribly cheap by local standards, and while meals are big they will only please those for whom size matters more than taste or texture. Or hunting dogs. Not great.QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. TJAIGBSW
Pizzeria Milano E-3, Mickevičiaus 19, tel. 20 63 82.
Pizza
Arena Piz za D-2/3, Laisvės 57, tel. 20 25 96,
[email protected], www.arenapizza.lt. Another place stafed by MTV morons who are too busy chattin’ ‘n’ textin’ and chillin’ to pay any attention to customers. There’s a galaxy of pizzas, plenty of pasta and meat dishes, some interesting salads and soups and even traditional Lithuanian food. And it’s all awful, and awfully cheap. But none of that matters because you’re not going to get served until you’re dead anyway. They do home delivery if you call 42 42 42. If you must come to the restaurant itself, we suggest you call that number and get them to deliver something to your table. Also at Savanorių 363. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PTJABUGSW
Tado Blindos Smuklė D-3, Kęstučio 93, tel. 20 29
Delano K-2, Savanorių 255, tel. 30 74 42, delano.
[email protected], www.delano.lt. You can’t possibly miss the giant windmill aside the Hyper Maxima. Inside you get the best of the buffet. It’s a Latvian-born chain that has been pleasantly serving peasant food in Lithuania for a few years. Another good place to bring the kids. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. TAULGBS
Forto Dvaras M-4, Baršausko 66a (Molas), tel. 76 51
93, [email protected]. A dark wooden shack with chunky furniture and embroidered cotton tablecloths that make it look like a team of sun-shy little old ladies have been very busy. (Peek under the tablecloths and you can find some strange designs on some of the tables themselves.) It’s all very timber and twee. There are plenty of meaty and traditional Lithuanian dishes as well as some nice soups and stews - all homely, hearty and good value. While both the atmosphere and the food lack lightness, this place is roughly great.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PTJAGSW
Russian
Legenda Šiaurės 5a, tel. 40 84 56, www.restoranaslegenda.lt. Gather your weapons (knife, fork, spoon, toothpick, etc) and barge into this big wooden fortress to battle your way through a deeply satisfying array of Russian dishes. Start off with the traditional Russian soup, which is a meal in itself, and just try to keep going as long as you can. You’ll come away beaten, but very full and happy. A particularly wonderful retreat in winter, but worthwhile at any time. It’s a bit of an appetite-building hike to get there: take bus 43 from the Kęstučio stop on Vytauto (F-3) and hop off at the 15th stop, Šiaurinė. By car, head out on Savanorių, and turn left at the last intersection before the A1 highway. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. TALEGBS
01, [email protected], www.fortas.eu. Of the fastpaced, cheap and cheerful Lithuanian restaurant chains, this is probably the best. They offer more regional variations of cepelinai than you could ever want to eat or be capable of
Kaunas challenge: Can you find a restaurant without a television?
Čili Pica D-2, Laisvės 76, tel. 42 51 34, www.cili.lt.
The chain store that wheels out pizza with aplomb. Their centrally located restaurant here in Kaunas is one of their best - or at least it’s not as grotty as some of the more diabolical
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
CAFÉs
A café and a bar are often the same thing in Lithuania, so if you’re looking for a place to take a break during the day you should also check the bars listed in the Nightlife section starting on the opposite page.
nigHtliFe
Kavos Kerai C-3, Vilniaus 60. Zesty orange furniture
amid dark brown fittings create a nice atmosphere, but the big attraction is the smell. The aroma of freshly ground coffee sneaks out the door as people come and go and almost physically hauls you inside. Also at Daukšos g. 35. Open 09:00-19:00, Sat, Sun 10:00-17:00. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. PJUGB Kaunas tends toward bigger clubs, swelling with students but all bets are off in the summer when things shift outdoors to the countless beer tents. Just remember - less is more. Actually less costs more. Beer, the beverage of choice round these parts, should almost always be ordered in large portions. For unlike every other commodity in this country, the cost is higher per yield when pouring less. Kaunas nightlife is sometimes as charged as a heavyweight-boxing match, and very often one breaks out. Not every place is dangerous, but not every place is safe, and drunken foreigners make an easy mark. Watch out for overly friendly people, men walking in packs and all of your belongings. The pubs and clubs can be a lot of fun, but common sense is warranted here.
2
Arbatos Klubas (Tea Club) B-3, Vilniaus 41, tel. 22 41
91. The idea of a place dedicated to tea aficionados is great. Why should bean grinders get all the fun? Unfortunately, this place is a bit of a dump and won’t please aficionados of anything. Sure, there’s tea available from around the world, but the atmosphere is bland. Cheap and cheery, but nothing special. The only notable thing about the place is that it’s a good toilet option for wheelchair users. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Fri 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 10:00 - 22:00. JAUGSW
Kavos Klubas A-2, Valančiaus 19, tel. 22 96 69. The
Barracuda B-3, Vilniaus 14, tel. 20 55 35. A newer
style place conveniently located in Old Town and with a very old-fashioned get-stuffed attitude. The service isn’t bad - it’s just rude. (What do they think this is? France?) Bring a sense of humour, and you can not only play ‘get the troll to serve us’ games but also enjoy some surprisingly good quality meals. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. PTJAGBSW
best thing about this place is that they stay open quite late, although we have noticed that most of the temptations listed in the menu are simply not available in the evening. If you turn up after dark you can enjoy little more than coffee and frustration. There is a cosy little room at the back which is ideal for those who wish to have an intimate chat or climb out the window and leave without paying.QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sat 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. JAGBS
Bars
Avilys B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. 20 34 76/20 75 52, fax 22
51 37, [email protected], www.avilys.lt. Three dark cellar rooms dedicated to the celebration of home-made beer, the alus in question being some of the best in Lithuania. How they’re brewed is described in English on the menus, so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and although this isn`t the best place to come and eat, readers may like to know that the Dalai Lama thought it game enough, and as such was spotted here in the summer of 2001 tucking into a large plate of chicken and rice. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. JAGB
Konrado Užeiga E-3, Laisvės 49a, tel. 20 87 33. While
Dviese B-3, Vilniaus 8, tel. 20 36 38. While it doesn’t
look very inviting and often looks to be closed when it’s not, it’s worth pushing through the unwelcoming door to discover a modern and fresh café with a great range of cheap eats and - refreshingly for Kaunas - enthusiastic, pleasant and friendly service. During the week, they do decent lunches for a pittance. It’s not going to be a culinary highlight, but it could easily become a regular haunt if you’re staying more than a day or two. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. PTJGB
this place isn’t exactly hacked out of a forest of clichés, it’s still a bit woody and rustic. There are touches of tackiness, but mostly you just get good value food (almost up to the standard of a proper restaurant) in a simple and pleasant environment. There’s outdoor seating in summer, but no view. It’s a place where locals love to come for a fast feed or a quick drink. It attracts both rowdy lads and gossipy groups of little old ladies, which is either a sign of universal appeal or something strange and dodgey that we don’t understand. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. TJALGBS
Excuse me, Sir, but your hair is on fire
Džam’pub D-2, Laisvės 59 - 5th floor, tel. +370 657 450
Mažoji Svaja C-2/3, Linkuvos 58, tel. 36 37 55. The
Eleda B-3, Vilniaus 48, tel. 32 41 90. It’s an inside out
cottage, with what look like the exterior walls of someplace in some village somewhere facing inwards and providing a comfortable and cosy, albeit somewhat clichéd, environment. Light snacks are available, as are some interesting herbal teas. While it’s not worth going out of your way for, the location makes it a pleasant place to drop by as you walk between Old Town and Laisvės Aleja. Also at Studentų 16, tel. 43 84 03. Open 10:00-22:00, Fri 10:00-23:00, Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-21:00. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. TJGBS
‘little dream’ consists of a room full of jostling glass jars filled with all manner of beans, dried spices, leaves and other things for unimaginable infusions. Next to that is a neat little café where people jostle for seats so they can indulge in any of the cakes, bickies or buns that tempt from the glass display cabinet. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JLGB
Presto D-2, Laisvės 90, tel. 22 10 87, www.presto.lt.
A not very good café with not very good service and not very good food in a good location. Oodles of varieties of tea and coffee, as well as simple snacks. The waitresses don’t seem to have worked out that ‘Presto’ means quick. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. PJAGBSW
lt. The name is supposed to stand for Blue Orange, not for armpit stink. But it could also mean ‘best option’ for a night of drinking, chatting, playing chess with interesting scruffy types, scratching your initials in the table when no one is looking, meeting new people, drinking more, chatting more, laughing, forgetting what day it isn’t or which table you started at and when or what your phone number is or who you gave it to or how to walk or punctuate or when was the last time you had so much uncomplicated fun probably or what. QOpen 09:30 - 02:00, Fri 09:30 - 03:00, Sat 15:00 - 03:00, Sun 15:00 - 02:00. JAEGW
B.O. B-3, Muitinės 9-1, tel. 20 65 42, blueorange@one.
03, [email protected]. Promising jazz, rock, blues and good views - both because it’s on the 5th floor with a balcony, and because it hopes to attract students. It’s a mildly rough and jumble kind of place but very worthwhile for easy-going good times. A great venue if you come with a group. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 03:00, Sat 14:00 - 03:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. PJUGB
Fortas (Whatever they call it this week) D-2,
Bumerangas B-3, Mutinės 9-6/Naugardo 6, tel. +370
Retro Aveniu E-2, Laisvės 15, tel. 22 62 36. This place
Jums D-2, Laisvės 61, tel. 20 37 05. It’s as cute and as
sweet as a puppy frolicking in icing sugar. This is the place where people with something called ‘natural style’ come to sit in big wicker egg cups. (The menu actually offers ‘baskets with nuts’. Sounds more like a description of the clientele than a dish on offer.) While there’s a fascinating range of interesting culinary creations on offer, most will simply give in to the sugar-hit temptation of the cakes and deserts. Notable for milkshakes, ‘home’ made ice cream, decent tea and coffee, and grass growing upside-down from the ceiling. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. TJAGBSW
provides a pleasant retreat and a nice tucked-away feeling without being too far away from the main drag. The clever retro photo album menu provides some interesting and inexpensive meals, and the waitresses occasionally provide amusement by tipping them into the laps of unsuspecting diners.QOpen 07:30 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 19:00. JAGBS
Seklyčia B-3, Vilniaus 7, tel. 44 11 23. A terrible little café
hiding inside a lovely building. (More often the reverse is true in Kaunas.) Looks like someone has chucked all the pots and paintings from a nice gallery space and replaced them with crappy pine furniture. There’s a range of simple meat dishes but, given the service with a frown, we didn’t bother trying any of them. Little old ladies who come here bring their own food in Tupperware and just order tea. We think that speaks volumes. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. TJAGBS
621 391 95, [email protected], www.bumerangas. puslapiai.lt. They mean ‘boomerang’, of course, not something to do with an arboreal ape’s bottom. Despite the rectal naming mishap, or perhaps because of it, the boomerang doesn’t seem to have taken off. It’s about as populated as the outback, and about as aboriginal as Dame Edna Everage. There ain’t no blokes called Bruce, hardly any sheilas, and no weird egg laying marsupials. (Although you might find a lyrebird or a cockatoo.) Really just a local drinking hole to which people seem to be not going back in a hurry. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. JG
Donelaičio 65, tel. 20 11 42. This place has changed names and themes more often than some of its customers change underwear. It’s been an Irish Pub, went through a Latino and then a pirate phase, and last time we checked was called ‘Big Bil’ with a motorcycle theme and a poster suggesting that we ought to do something beginning with ‘f’ to the world. The only common element seems to be an abundance of 44-gallon drums and the fact that the locals know it simply as Fortas. Rough-and-tumble, charmless fun. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. JA
Ketvirtoji Valdžia E-2, Putvinskio 48, tel. 42 25 77. A
billiards hall and bar, intended to celebrate the life and times of Kaunas journalism. A bit dingy at times, but the beer price is right and you get to meet some of the more eclectic people in town. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. JAGE
Medžiotojų Užeiga A-3, Rotušės 10, tel. 32 09 56,
Crazy House B-3, Vilniaus 16, tel. 22 11 82, uzeiga@
Kavos Baras C-2, Vilniaus 74, tel. 32 23 41/20 18 15.
Simple meals, cakes, a few kinds of teas and about a zillion bean-themed concoctions. The inside is rather stylish with coffee-and-cream decor and exciting angles. They have also thoughtfully provided little sit-alone spots by the windows which are ideal for people with no friends. Or travel writers. No English menu, but there are pictures of all the different coffees that you can point at, and a staff consisting of spotty young people who speak English probably goodly very almost. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00. PJLGBS
Supremo Kavos Namai E-2, Daukanto 23, tel. +370
652 18788. A simple and modern affair with cakes, crossiants and all manner of brews. There are also plenty of glossy magazines so if you don’t get a seat by the window you can look at the pictures. The view is much the same. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. G
crazyhouse.lt, www.crazyhouse.lt. The name says it all - it really is completely bonkers in here with ghost-train antics such as clumsily rotating robots dressed up as ghouls who will grope you with a rubber hand. Hydraulic high jinks include a table that randomly moves up and down. It’s a bit concerning if you’re sniffing your soup, but otherwise fine as the seats are adjustable. There’s also a camouflage net which suddenly drops over diners and has the amusing potential of making people jump out of their skin. While you can eat while sitting on a toilet, complete with occasional flush and comedy fart noises, the nonsense doesn’t extend to the food, which is simple, satisfying and good value. Not to be taken seriously, and not to be missed. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. JAGBW
www.medziotojai.lt. The animal skins dangling from the walls do little to deter the after work beer guzzlers. At any time of day, it is a good place for steak and ale and an even better place to meet and hang out. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PJAIGBW
Rambynas D-2, Laisvės 86, tel. 40 74 19. A bit kooky
and fun, with a mildly Soviet theme somehow shoved into an otherwise modern interior. Most appealing, however, is the food, which is successfully inventive. We had, for example, something involving bananas and beer which was just irresistibly yummy and a bargain for the price. Shame that it took approximately forever to arrive, but it was worth the wait. There is also a decent range of beer snacks and quaffable goodies, making this a top spot to meet friends and start off the evening.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. AJG
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
nigHtliFe
All Hours
Kebabai C-2, Vilniaus 45. Other than rummaging
about in bins, this is your only option for 24-hour food in Kaunas. It is unmissable and conveniently located within staggering distance of most of the central bars and nightclubs. Even drunk people can find it. Clean, well-lit, reliable and reported to sell edible food. Q 24 hrs. JPTGB
nigHtliFe
Clubs
98, [email protected], www.america.lt. This place has been around for donkey’s years, and a few of them turn up to celebrate. Somehow it’s long in the tooth but still full of short skirts and simple fun. There are two areas, one with techno and one with pop music. Occasional live shows—people taking their clothes off when we were there—punctuate the earlier parts of some evenings. As it’s a bit dated and shabby, this place is very dependant on the crowd that turns up, and that tends to be unreliably good. Worth a try. QOpen Mon, Tue 11:00 - 17:00, Wed, Thu 11:00 - 02:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 14:00 - 04:00, Sun 20:00 - 02:00. PJAULEGBW
2
Los Patrankos F-1, Savanorių 124, tel. 33 82 28, fax
Amerika Pirtyje F-3, Vytauto 71, tel. 20 14 89/20 54
Randevu A-2, Valančiaus 27, tel. +370 618 638 81/20
33 82 31, [email protected], www.lospatrankos.lt. One of the big guns on the Kaunas nightclub scene. Literally. Essentially it’s a modern themed galley style setup with a rectangular dance floor flanked by various raised platforms and places for sitting, drinking and gazing across the sea of waving arms and writhing bodies. The music and entertainment can vary, but the quality is consistently high without being too niche-this or alternative-that. A no-brainer choice for students and generally always popular and pulsating. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00, Fri, Sat 21:00 - 06:00, Sun 13:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. PJAUEOG 88/22 53 08, [email protected], www.metelica. lt. It’s pronounced ‘meh-teh-litz-ah’ and has nothing to do with heavy metal or Metallica. It’s the place to go to if you want to bounce along to ditzy Russian pop, get a beer glass dropped on your head from the balcony, or for getting threatening ‘I think you’re a foreigner and I wanna kick your head in’ looks from the tracksuit wearing thugs. The music is fun, but otherwise the place is foul. QOpen 21:00 - 06:00, Thu 21:00 - 03:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJALG
Žemyn Upe B-2, Valančiaus 24, tel. 42 45 49, info@
zemynupe.lt, www.zemynupe.lt. Small and made entirely of wood. So it’s ideal for termites. Despite the dismal bus depot surroundings a young and easy-going crowd fills the place easily and froths up a good atmosphere. Blokes sit on the wiggly wooden balcony overlooking the dancefloor, where girls wiggle their bits to the thumping sound system. Avoid horrible Lithuanian barnyard music by turning up after 23:00. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu 11:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00. PJAULEGBW
38 95, [email protected], www.randevu.lt. A seedy café decorated to look like the inside of a diseased lung. Not surprisingly it enjoys most success at night when the little troll in a waistcoat is run off its feet keeping cheap beer flowing. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Wed, Thu 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. JAGB
Metelica E-2/3, Laisvės 46a, tel. +370 655 099
Poker king
Ever heard of Tony G? For professional poker players the name would inspire some combination of fear, disgust and respect. Tony is a bit of a hot shot on the world poker scene, has set up his own online poker site, and hails from Kaunas. Being very good at playing poker isn’t what has made Tony so famous. It’s more his style. He has a way of psychologically toying with his opponents at the table – taunting, teasing, challenging and harassing. Look him up on YouTube and you’ll be able to see, and hear, what we mean. Tony grew up in Kaunas, but moved to Melbourne, Australia, at the age of 11 and started playing poker soon after. Of course Kaunas kids are all pretty tough, but adding a bit of Aussie rough-and-tumble irreverence (or sheer bloody minded rudeness and uncouthness, if you prefer) seems to have proved quite potent. Australians can leisurely exhale bolshie insults in a manner that makes Hells Angels, gansta-rappers and U.S.Marines look like little girls. Refined and genteel European poker players tend to be a bit put off-guard when Tony starts going at them like a belligerent galah. Now Tony hauls in large sums of money, frequently appears on poker cable television programmes and is no less inclined to give opponents a good verbal spray. Although we hear that he’s really rather nice when he’s not trying to win money off you.
Combo G-3, Raudondvario 107, tel. +370 614 400
Senamiesčio vyninė B-2/3, Daukšos 23, tel. 22 76 56,
[email protected], www.senamiesciovynine. lt. This hidden treasure gleams with a richly and smartly decorated interior (bright golden-yellow paint and warm, dark wood fittings, at least) but doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a lovely laid-back and welcoming atmosphere. It’s as close as Kaunas comes to a wine bar as the well considered wine list is splashed with options from around the globe. Food is amazingly cheap, and if you can get the semi-circular couch by the window you could easily settle in for a well-spent while. There’s also hot wines, making this a perfect winter retreat. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri 10:00 - 24:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. JAUEGBW
29/20 94 19, [email protected], www.combo.lt. Not even the gleaming new facilities, great layout and water views can save this club from mediocrity. It’s just too awkward to get to, stuck as it is in a riverside wasteland. Tends to attract an older and more conservative crowd than the more centrally located clubs. Everything is well thought-out and professional, but there just isn’t much of a fun factor. Only worth coming to if you have good local company and there is good entertainment scheduled. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Sun 11:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 06:00. PALG
Papa Jazz K-3, Savanorių 178, tel. 73 47 18, fax 40
Europa C-3, Gruodžio 19, tel. 30 27 11/30 27 10, fax
Skliautas A-3, Rotušės 26, tel. 20 68 43, info@skliau-
tas.com, www.skliautas.com. Inside this humble brick vault you can find shabby wooden furniture (and locals), a pair of birds in a cage, old pictures on the walls and … actually, none of that matters. This is one of those places where the jovial atmosphere makes it, with laughter and good times being the main attraction. In summer, outdoor tables half fill the otherwise quiet little alley. Meals are generally pretty good, but really, this is a spot for fun times and drinks with friends. (If you don’t have any friends, you might even make some here.) QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 01:00. JALEGBW
30 27 00, www.santaka.lt. There’s actually not much of a nightclub here - more just a restaurant with jazz, cabaret style crooning and dancing from time to time. It’s all a bit like a rehearsal for the retirement home lifestyle, but without the nurse standing by. If you’re up for a gentle and refined evening, and a mature change from the student crowds in other evening venues, we suggest you pop in for dinner and ask about the programme. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJALEGBW
68 41, www.papajazz.lt. A bit kind of cabaret style, and given that the food consists of badly mangled versions of ambitiously classy dishes, the quality of the evening will depend on the entertainment. Come along if Robbie Williams is playing. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. PAULEGW
Siena C/D-2, Laisvės 93, tel. 42 44 24, info@siena.
Ex-it D-2, Maironio 19, tel. 20 28 13, [email protected], www.
Sporto Baras J-1, Jonavos 260, tel. 76 50 00, info@
sportobaras.lt, www.sportobaras.lt. The name says it all, although we should add that this is a bright and fizzy kind of place. There’s lots of yellow and orange, and the place could have been decorated by a failed sportshoe designer. Screens dangle from everywhere, like in an airport. They serve simple Chinese and Italian meals, including the obligatory pizza. They also have VIP and child-minding areas (much the same thing in Lithuania) and take group bookings - so if there’s a game you insist on seeing, it might be worth the off-the-map nuisance of getting there. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PALG
exit.lt. Modern, slick, trendy and, like most of their patrons, fresh out of a growth spurt. They’ve more than doubled in size in the past year, adding a big new main hall and a new smoking room. The lighting and sound gear is bang up to date and capable of dazzling you while vibrating your internal organs into different arrangements. The smaller hip-hop room has some funky furniture and fine opportunities to mingle and yell at people who you can’t hear and probably aren’t saying anything sensible anyway. (Tip: the smoking room is the place to meet people.) The only downside is that the recent expansion didn’t extend to the toilets, and this is now the only place where gentlemen have to queue-up to take a leak or ‘powder their nose’ in the toilets. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun. PJAG
lt, www.siena.lt. You could do a lot worse than hitting ‘the wall’ (which is what siena means) for a great night out. The neat little network of brick cellars have been divided into two sections. One offers a large dance floor and more hard-core music, making it ideal for those who came to dance in a trance. The other is a brighter chipper night-café kind of space with plenty of booth style seating surrounding a smaller dance floor, and is more the scene for mingling. Given that you can flit from one to the other, it’s a great spot and not surprisingly popular with locals and visitors alike. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJALGW
Casinos
Los Casino F-1, Savanorių 124, tel. 33 82 28, fax
33 82 31, [email protected], www.lospatrankos. lt. In the basement of the oversized Los Patrankos night, if you are not having any luck twisting on the dance floor you can quickly take a spin at their roulette wheel. This is a renovated casino and no more than just slots. Q 24hrs. PJG
Sin Baltų 16, tel. 23 99 93, [email protected], www.
Latino Baras B-3, Vilniaus 22, tel. +370 685 281 17.
sinclub.lt. Renamed, redecorated in a dark raunchcy style and reopened on Friday the 13th. Sounds scary. Apparently, the idea for this place, which looks like a sex shop in an amphitheatre, came to the owner in a dream. You know... that sort of dream. There are lots of shiny black surfaces and soft pink bits. Whether people turn up tends to depend on the enter tainment. Q Open 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Closed in summer, open in autumn. PULEGBW
Meksikos Casino J-3, Savanorių 170, tel. 73 25 62, www.olympic-casino.lt. Q 24hrs. PG
Bowling & Billiards
Straikas Draugystės 6a, tel. 40 90 00, info@straikas.
lt, www.straikas.lt. Both a bar and ball games (bowling and billiards) are to be found here and it`s tough to decide on which dominates. What is for sure is that it’s a good place to come if in the area (find it slightly east of Draugystės Park). Serious bowlers passing through may like to know that this is where their fellow Lithuanian counterparts come to do their thing. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri 12:00 - 02:00, Sat 11:00 - 02:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PALGW
Simply sensational. There – the review’s done – can we go back there now? What it lacks in space it makes up for in warmth, intimacy and a magic ability to be magnetic to Kaunas’ style-savvy smoothies (all both of them) and their enthusiastic apprentices. Three separate areas bustle with suave mingling while one hall is always lively with dancing. There’s a good Latino-pop music policy and frequent short dancing lessons and demonstrations. Gentlemen whose underpants dictated that they must come to Kaunas will want to know that this place swarms with some of the most beautiful girls you’re likely to see. Really - this place is simply sensational. Oh, we said that already... but really, it is. Go there.QOpen Fri, Sat 20:00 - 04:00. JG
Zepelinus Kovo 11-osios 22, tel. +370 600 227 22,
[email protected]. Huge, modern, sleek, fun and annoyingly nowhere near the centre of town. Expect to pay 10-15 litas in a taxi to get there or back, or drive off the M-2 edge of our map and look for the big blimp on the roof of a shopping centre. When you do arrive you can dance to technocum-pop among pretty girls and an all-ages bagful of blokes with less brains than are required to be considerate to others. They thoughtlessly bump, shove and blunder about like demented cattle, making even moderately civilised foreigners look wonderful by comparison. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 05:00, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. Closed Sun. PALGW
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
wHAt to see
A day in Kaunas is not really enough to do the city justice, especially for serious tourists who like to check-off a list of museums and galleries. Here are a few highlights for those who are on a tight touring schedule. After you’ve had enough culture, religion and food for thought, be sure to have a stroll along Laisves Alėja and Old Town for shopping and sustenance. Kaunas may seem small at first glance but you will likely be pleasantly surprised by how much there is to take in. Entry costs into all museums and sights are subject to change according to season but are generally a real bargain at less than 10Lt.
wHAt to see
Churches
Mosque F-3, Totorių 3/ Ramybės park. Built in 1930
by the local Tatar association, on the site of an old wooden church, this beautiful little building remains an active focal point for the city’s dwindling Tartar community. The structure belongs to the Kaunas Tartar Cultural Renaissance Association. It was completely renovated in the early 1970s, and really does have to be seen to be believed. J
1
St. Gertrude’s C-2/3,
Orthodox Cathedral F-3, Vytauto 38, tel. 20 95 63.
The many shades of Soboras
S t . M i c h a e l t h e A r c h a n ge l F -2/3,
Nepriklausomybės aikštė 14, tel. 22 66 76. No trip to Kaunas is complete without wandering up and down Laisvės Alėja (Freedom Avenue) a b ou t a d ozen t y times and taking in the gently imposing sight of the St. Michael the Archangel church - otherwise known as Soboras - at its eastern end on half of them.The avenue runs almost exactly east-west, which means that in the early morning or late evening you can enjoy a spectacularly lit promenade as you walk in one direction, or be blinded by the low-slung sun as you stumble along in the other direction bumping into everyone and everything. The view of the church itself is especially splendid as the sun sets at the western end of the avenue. The metallic domes on the roof seem to glisten against a coloured sunset sky. It seems that every time you look at it, Soboras is putting on a show, with the metallic domes on the roof shining and reflecting different hues. (If you don’t have time to hang around waiting for the light to change, you can jus stab yourself in the eyes with your fingers a few times and then look at the church - the effect is similar.) None of this, however explains why the church is referred to as Sobras. Or why it looks like it was made with a giant ice cream scoop. The answer is simple: Russian architects.Because this blue building has a striking similarity to most Russian Orthodox cathedrals, rather than a Catholic church, it is referred to as soboras, or a Lithuanization of the Russian word sobor or cathedral. The neo-Byzantine, symmetrical building, built towards the end of the 19th century by Russian architects, can be found at the eastern end of Laisvės alėja. Come here on Saturdays, where it forms a wonderful backdrop for a never-ending parade of weddings. Q Services 12:00, Sat 10:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00. J
Kaunas’ two Orthodox cathedrals can be found adjacent to each other in Ramybės park, next to the exquisite white mosque. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. J
St. Francis Church & Jesuit Monastery A-3, Rotušės
Aikštė 7, tel. 42 30 98. Built in 1666, burned in 1732, consecrated in 1759. And that was just the start of a bumpy ride that turned into a religious rollercoaster that makes The Da Vinci Code look dull and sleepy. (Actually, reading the small print on the back of car rental agreements makes The Da Vinci Code look dull by comparison, but that’s another matter.) A monastery and college were built in 17611768 – just five years before the Pope decided to abolish Jesuit Order altogether. The sneaky monks, however, hung around until 1787 and when they finally scarpered, turned the church and monastery over to the Franciscans. Then some alters were altered (read: torn down) and big screens were put up to hide those that couldn’t be easily demolished. The church became Orthodox, re-branded as Alexander of Neva Cathedral in 1843. After the First World War, Jesuits returned to Lithuania from Germany and reclaimed the church. The monastery became a high school. During the Soviet period, the monastery buildings were a technical college, the interior of the church was used as a sports hall, the crypts were used as a sauna and the church attic housed a shooting gallery. The church was returned to the Jesuits in 1990, and re-consecrated in 1992. Q Services 17:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00, 17:00. J
Sat), Sun 09:00, 11:00. J
Laisvės 101a, tel. 22 99 65. This tidy little tuckedaway treat of a church is worth seeking out if you’re wandering up and down Laisvės. It was built in the latter half of the 15th century and rates highly on the small-and-cute scale. Be sure to sneak around the back where you may find a sunken room full of candles hidden down some teeny stairs behind a low door. Q Services 18:00 (except
Swan song
Town Hall A-3, Rotušės aikštė. It’s been used as
an ammo dump and prison (although not at the same time, of course), a ritzy palace, a Russian theatre, a church, a club of unspecified repute, a h an g- ou t for shag ged-out firemen and a we d d i n g p a l ace. N ow i t’s the Old (meaning not used for t h a t p u rp os e anymore) Town Hall. And a pottery museum. The telescopiclooking tower is 53 metres high and forms a bit of a centre-point in the Old Town, thrusting as it does above the main square. The building itself has been there since 1542. Originally it housed a few shops on the ground floor, while municipal functions and fumblings took place on the floor above. Prisoners were locked up in the basement. The place got a bit of a visual pep-up in 1780 under the direction of architect Jan Mattekier. Among other things, statues of Lithuania’s Grand Dukes were added, but they somehow managed to go AWOL before the place was turned into a church in 1824. Not long after that, and with seemingly little sense of irony, the place was filled with ammunition. In 1837 the Russians decided to change the building into a sort of road house for the Tsar to stop by on his way to somewhere more interesting. By Tsar standards it may have been little more than a Little Chef, but that still would have meant filling the building with lavish furniture, things gilded with gold, beautiful artworks, sparkly and dripping chandeliers and hordes of scurrying servants. Somehow, all that finery simply vanished. In the short period from 1862 to 1869, the building went on a sort of multi-purpose personality disorder rampage. One minute you’d look and there was some kind of a City Club humming away inside. Then you’d blink and suddenly it was full of fire fighters coming together to compare old flames, shoot the soot and pop each others’ blisters (or whatever else it is that firemen do in their spare time). Then there was a dramatic change as a Russian theatre turned up and started performing in there (not that there would have been much difference, really) and then … oh, it seems everyone’s lost track. From 1869 until the Second World War, the building was once again used as municipal offices. After the war its lovely accommodation was offered to a bunch of dusty old documents as it was used as an archive. In the 50s it was the construction faculty of Kaunas Polytechnic (now Kaunas University of Technology). In 1969 the building got another facelift (architect: Žibarto Simanavičiaus), and in 1973 was returned to the municipality. Now it is a wedding hall, and showing up on a Saturday to see the parade of brides, balloons and fancy cars is well worthwhile. Q J
Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral A-3, Vilniaus 1, tel. 32 40
93. Built in 1408, the main point of interest of this cathedral is that it is the only Gothic church (normall y wi th a cross-shaped floor-plan) with a basilica floor-plan in the entire country. In 1921 in order to mark the importance of the cathedral it was designated a basilica. Today the cathedral boasts nine separate altars with the high-Baroque main altar being the central focus. The cathedral/basilica is also the final resting place of two politically active, religious writers. Along the south wall one can find the tomb of Maironis (1862-1932), a priest and poet, who some consider one of the main founders of what became Lithuanian modern poetry. Also within the crypt find the remains of Bishop Motiejus Valančius (1801-1875), best known for his contributions to the then-illegal printing and distribution of books in Lithuanian. The light Renaissance and baroque touches are the result of renovations from 1655-1660. Q Services 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 18:00, Sun 08:00, 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 18:00. J
St. George Church and Bernardine Monastery A-
Vytautas Church H-5, Aleksoto 3, tel. 20 38 54. Like
Kaunas In Your Pocket ... we’re here to tell you where to go
Kaunas In Your Pocket
2, Papilio 9, tel. 22 46 59. You can’t really appreciate this sad and somewhat spooky looking building without taking into account its history. It’s had a bit of a rough trot since beginnings in 1487. It has been ruined by fire three times, copped the wrath of the Moscow army during the war of 1656-1659 and then had a bit of a rest during the 18th century before Napoleon came along and decided to turn it into a warehouse. During Soviet times, the church, somewhat ironically, was used to store drugs. It was returned to the Friars in 1993 in a pretty shabby condition, and restoration is slow. In terms of significance and damage, this place tops the lists. Q Services Mon - Fri 18:00, Sun 10:30. J
most churches in the country, Vytautas Church is a condensed history lesson. The Gothic structure was built by Franciscan monks in the beginning of the 15th century with the tower added later that century. Invaders took advantage of the central location - the building was used as ammunitions storage by the Napoleonic army (who set the building ablaze in farewell) and later as an Orthodox cathedral from 1845-1853. The church was returned to the Catholics in 1990. Juozas TumasVaižgantas (1869-1933), a famous Lithuanian political activist and writer, is buried here. The English-speaking, friendly priests may show you around the church. Q Services Tue, Wed, Thu 18:00, Sat, 10:00, 18:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00, 18:00.
May 2007 - May 2008
2
wHAt to see
An idea that lasted a century Museums
The hours listed below are generally summer hours unless otherwise indicated so bear in mind that during winter most museums shorten their working hours slightly. Entrance fees usually hover around 5Lt (but these too can vary according to season) making a stop worthwhile.
wHAt to see
Wacky Kaunas
Devil Museum D-2, Putvinskio 64, tel. 22 15 87.
This museum owes itself to the eccentric Antanas Žmuidzinavičius (1876-1966) who collected over 2,000 depictions of devils from all over the world. There are also wood carvings, soft toys and loads of references to music and alcohol. Of particular interest are the Hitler and Stalin devils, doing the dance of death over a helpless Lithuania. Dating from Soviet times, Stalin wasn’t in fact depicted as a devil, he just happens to look that way. Essential visiting this one, especially should you get the chance to see one of the handful of people who believe in asking for the devil’s help whilst at the museum. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Aviation Museum Veiverių 132, tel. 39 03 57, fax 29
55 47, [email protected], www.lam.lt. A modest collection of memorabilia and some actual aircraft, including a home-built helicopter and a Soviet-built flight simulator. The emphasis is on fun and education, and if you can, take a guided tour (regrettably in Lithuanian only) for just 10Lt. Outside, as well as a rather grotesque memorial to 21 Lithuanian aviators, find a collection of rusting jets and propeller-driven beasts, including a rather sexy MIG21PF Considering this airfield was . where Darius and Girėnas were due to land, it’s a real shame that the remains of their plane and other effects are kept at the Military Museum of Vytautas The Great. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Christ’s Resurrection Church E-1, Žemaičių 31.
What looks a bit like a comic book power station is in fact a church, although the story behind it is certainly worthy of any wacko-retro comic. The idea to erect a church on this hill overlooking Kaunas was first conceived by a group of devout Christians in 1922 as a bit of a ‘thank you’ to God for the independence that was won in 1918. Kaunas was the temporary capital of Lithuania at the time, so it was only appropriate that such a monument be raised here. It took some 10 years of wrangling and wrestling with red tape, and a design competition, before construction was started in 1933. The design chosen, and that you can now see realized, was that of Engineer Karolis Reisonas, who clearly had a penchant for thinking big. The height of the main tower above the entrance is 70m, and there’s enough room for some 5,000 pious patrons, provided that a couple of thousand of them don’t mind standing on the roof. The cornerstone for the church came from Olive Mountain in Jerusalem. Grand plans, indeed - but they were not to be realised. Construction was halted at the end of the 1930s when Lithuania fell victim to Soviets, then Nazis, then Soviets again. What had been constructed was confiscated and turned into a Nazi paper warehouse, and then a Soviet radio factory. The radio factory, Banga (which means ‘wave’ in Lithuanian, incidently), meddled with the building to suit their needs, basically filling up the lofty interior with floors and making it, well, like a factory. They resisted the temptation to use the crosses as big radio antennae, choosing to simply remove them instead. When Lithuania again regained independence, Banga were told to return the building to the church in the same condition in which they found it. Fat chance. They returned it, or rather just abandoned it, without any effort to restore it to anything like a church. Reconstruction since than has been happening in fits and starts as funds, the majority of which are from public donations, became available. The church was finally consecrated on December 26, 2004, making the entire construction phase span some 70 years. Now it’s nearly finished and well worth a visit. You can take an elevator to the roof (5Lt), take in a vista of Kaunas, say ‘Oh gosh, what a mess’ a few times, have a cup of coffee at the roof-top café, fill your camera with photos that won’t do the grand structure justice, and then go home. A visit is also made more fun by the fact that you can use one of Kaunas’s two funicular railways to reach the church from the centre - see the Getting Around section for details. J
Ceramics Museum A-3, Rotušės 15, tel. 20 35 72. Not
for the claustrophobic or the portly as the steps leading down to this museum in the basement of the Town Hall (Rotušė) are nothing short of challenging. Still, if you’re brave enough to try it, it’s well worth the trip. It’s not large by anyone’s standards, but it does house a wide range of ceramics from pottery found during archaeological digs dating back to the 16th century to some exquisite hand-painted tiles to the very latest in what today’s artisans are getting up to with a bag of clay and an unfettered imagination. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Herd mentality
Valdonė Bručienė
Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum C-2,
Communications History Museum (Ryšių istorijos muziejus) A-3, Rotušės 19, tel. 42 49 20. Come into
this diminutive museum to learn about the history of Lithuanian communications. The collection extends from letters penned by Grand Duke Gediminas on the founding of Vilnius to the (somewhat) latest in satellite communication. A great deal focuses on the postal system with the first stamp and examples of horse-drawn mail carriages on display. Old-style wind-up phones remind one of how simple it now is to keep in touch. All written explanations are only in Lithuanian. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Fri. J
Devil Museum of Hair Salon – we can‘t remember which
Laisvės 106, tel./fax 22 96 75. A staggering display of former life. Dead things are pickled, stuffed, pinned or otherwise preserved and presented for your ogling pleasure. It starts off with blobby, sucky, spongey, slithery things in jars and proceeds to tableaux of wildebeest mingling with giraffes while penguins look on from across the room. The museum also offer taxidermy services, in case you have an old friend who you would like to get stuffed.QOpen 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. J
Man E-3, Outside the Mykolas Žilinskas Art Museum,
Nepriklausomybės aikštė 12. The work of sculptor Petras Mazūras, and installed in 1991, this naked figure so outraged the crane driver helping with its, ahem, erection, that he walked off the job. Find it to the right as you reach the square walking from the direction of Old Town. Q J
Inside the Museum for the Blind
Museum For The Blind E-3, Nepriklausomybės
Communications History Museum
Historical Presidential Palace C-2, Vilniaus 33, tel.
32 05 89, [email protected], www.istorineprezidentura.lt. Mostly flags, documents, coins, stamps, and personal effects of Lithuania’s Presidents during the inter-war period, when Kaunas was the capital. It’s not as boring as it sounds, and recent exhibitions have included a display of potential designs for Lithuania’s Euro coins. In the garden, there are three statues of Lithuania’s inter-war Presidents: Kazius Grinius (sculptor Stasys Žirgulis), Aleksandras Stulginskis (sculptor Vytautas Narutis) and Antanas Smetona (sculptor Alfonsas Vaura). QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Kaunas‘s most startling erection
aikštė 14, tel. 22 66 76. Despite the name, this isn’t a museum for blind people with touchy-feely or talking exhibits, scale models of famous buildings or essays in Braille. In fact it’s not really a museum at all. It’s more like an opportunity for sighted people to experience blindness and grope around in absolute darkness in the catacombs beneath the St. Michael the Archangel church. We won’t tell you exactly what’s in there as that would spoil it, but clearly the designers have had some experience with padded walls and stockings. This is one of the strangest things you’ll never see in Kaunas. Open whenever the church is open, but the entrance is at the back. QOpen , Wed 11:00 - 15:30, Sat 11:00 - 13:30. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun. J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
wHAt to see
Jewish Kaunas
Cemetery L- 3, Between Basanavičiaus and
Baranausko. Wrecked by Nazis and still in a state of haunting disrepair.
wHAt to see
Kaunas Picture Gallery F-2, Donelaičio 16, tel. 22 17
89. A part of the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum, displaying the works of local artists and émigrés from the mid-20th century. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
5
Lithuanian Sports Museum A-3, Muziejaus 7, tel. 22
Jewish Community Centre E-3, Gedimino 26b, tel. 20 37 17. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Fri 08:00 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kovno Ghetto H-3, Vilijampolė district, Ariogalos
06 91. A small collection of some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements in a musty attic, including such rarities as Soviet table tennis balls to one of the torches used at the opening ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. J
and Kriščiukaičio. A memorial stands here to those Jews who perished under the Nazis.
Medicine and Pharmacy Museum A-3, Rotušės
Ninth Fort Žemaičių Plentas 73, tel. 37 77 15.
This late 19th century fort was the ninth in a series constructed by the Russians to defend the western border of their empire. Under Nazi occupation Jews were imprisoned here before execution in the killing fields behind. It wasn’t just Lithuanian Jews who perished here. “We are 500 Frenchmen”, Abraham Wechsler of Limoges carved into the wall before his death. During the Soviet years a typically bland concrete museum commemorating the genocide of the ‘Soviet people’ was built here. Jews were never specifically mentioned. It’s now the site of a museum, focusing on both the extermination of Jews as well as the deportations of Lithuanians by the Soviets. Buses leave from the bus station every 10-30 minutes. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Tue.
Sugihara House & Foundation K-4, Vaižganto
30, tel. 33 28 81, fax 42 32 77, [email protected], www.geocities.jp/lithuaniasugiharahouse. Chiune Sugihara was the Japanese consul to Lithuania for a brief period between 1939 and 1940. Together with a Dutch colleague, Jan Zwartendijk, he saved thousands of Polish Jews by issuing visas to get them out of the country and away to safety. Many later settled in Israel or the United States and have since championed his cause. This is the house where the Japanese consulate was located, and Sugihara lived with his family. There is a small museum inside. Q Open Oct - Apr 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. May - Sep 10:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 16:00.
28, tel. 20 15 69, [email protected]. Apparently, dissolved hair from Venus (the goddess of love, not the planet) is an excellent elixir to keep ladies looking young and lovely. And they’ve got some h ere. Th ey’ve also got the ground up heads of dead people which, apparen tl y, takes th e edge of epilepsy. Not onl y can you see bottles and jars of such strange concoctions, but the bizarre contraptions with which they and other mind-blowing vapours were produced. Housed in a 16th century building, there’s a sense of furtive fascination to this place, and it offers a bizarre glimpse into a world of medical madness and what can really only be described as witchcraft. (Although the staff are not witch-like at all). QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
Museum of Folk Music & Instruments B-3, Zamenhofo 12, tel. 42 22 95. Housed in a couple of buildings that one really should see even if they were empty, this charming little museum features a substantial collection of Lithuanian folk instruments, including the usual pipes and kanklės, to one or two more surreal exhibits, such as the ‘table bass’, a standard pine kitchen table with four large strings running over the top, supported by an inflated pig’s bladder no less. There’s even a small selection of tiny reed instruments fashioned from the quills of feathers. The second space focuses on instruments from abroad that have been incorporated into traditional Lithuanian folk music over the years, including a lovely selection of harmoniums, and one or two rare examples of a seven-string guitar. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Sun. J Mykolas Žilinskas Art Museum E-3, Nepriklausomybės
aikštė 12, tel. 22 28 53. The derriere of the Man statue lets you know you’re in the right place. The museum’s large collection of European paintings holds examples of almost every major art movement in the last hundred years. The museum is usually noted as being the home of the only Rubens in Lithuania, but some believe it is the home of just some superior copies of Rubens. Take your loupe and come up with your own theory. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Botanical Gardens (Botanikos sodas) Žilibero 6,
tel. 29 53 00. A highly recommended summertime outing, find exotic plants from all over the world in beautiful surroundings. To get there, take bus N°35 from the Castle. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00.
Places of interest
Aukštieji Šančiai Cemetery K-5, Ašmenos 1. A small
military cemetery, and final resting place of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas.
Kaunas Castle A-2, Papilio. The city’s 13th century
Parks & Gardens
Ąžuolynas K/L-4, Between Vydūno and Radvilėnų. This
park is named after the tall oak trees for which it is famous. The trees, considered sacred to ancient pagans, now make the area a lovely spot for strolling. Definitely one of the most popular parks in the city. The south-east corner (L-4) was a favourite hide-away and lookout point for the famous Lithuanian-Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. There’s a rock there that, legend has it, was carved by the writer himself. It shows hands holding a quill and his initials.
Military Museum D-2, Donelaičio 64, tel. 32 09 39/32
08 74. An eye-opening if somewhat horrific look at the history of Lithuanian bloodshed. Also of note is that the wreck of the Lituanica and the horrific, sewn-back-together suits that the two pilots were wearing when their plane met its untimely demise can be found here. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
castle, probably built by Kęstutis to defend a road to Trakai, was the country’s first defensive bastion and the only doublewalled castle in Lithuania. The surrounding walls were ini tiall y over two metres wide and 13m high. Unlike most other castles of the time this one was made of stone, not wood. However, in 1362, after a siege, crusaders (possibly encouraged by three little pigs) managed to destroy it. Legend has it that the castle was not destroyed and that 36 survivors remained. These sur vi vors along wi th the knights allegedly are still burning in an eternal fire which can only be extinguished by an innocent person entering the castle via a secret cave. However, history books dictate that the castle was destroyed and its replacement, some of which can be viewed at this site today, was built by 1368. Now the castle has been modernized with sleek glass windows enclosing the top, and is sometimes home to art exhibitions. It was full of weird glowing neon sculptures, ultraviolet lights and pictures of keys last time we popped in. What would the crusaders have thought of that? Q J
Pažaislis Convent/Monastery Masiulio 31, tel.
Synagogue C-2, Ožeškienės 17. Dating back to
M. K. Čiurlionis State Art Museum D-2, Putvinskio
55, tel. 22 94 75. Painter, composer, mystic and depressive, are some of the adjectives that have been used to describe the nation’s artistic hero. During his short lifetime, Čiurlionis (1875-1911) churned out the first Lithuanian symphony (In The Forest), painted prolifically and even found time to get married and have a daughter. Many claim that Čiurlionis was the inventor of abstract art instead of Russia’s Kandinsky as the history books dictate. What is clear is that the man was a genius. Come here and find out for yourself. See page 60 for more on Čiurlionis.QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
1871, this building claims to have one of the most beautiful altars in the entire Jewish world. A memorial to the estimated 1,700 children murdered at the Ninth Fort can be found at the rear of the building. The crumbling remains of two other synagogues are located at Zamenhofo 7 and 9. Q Open 09:00 - 17:00. J
Sightseeing tours
Kauno Saitas Travel Agency E-2, Donelaičio
26-1, tel. 32 31 51, fax 20 72 36, [email protected], www.saitas.lt. English and German-language walking and bus tours of the best sights in Kaunas. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J
45 64 85 A 17th century Baroque church and monastery originally built for the curious water-sipping, bread-nibbling, closet-dwelling Camaldoese monks. It has since been rampaged by Napoleon’s soldiers, closed by tsarist officials, used as a military hospital by Germans, turned into an old persons’ home and a psycho-neurological hospital (lobotomy, anyone?) and has also served as a tourist centre. In 1992 it was handed over to the St. Casimir nuns who have been looking after it ever since. QOpen 10:00 - 16:30. Closed Mon.
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370
685 853 75, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp.lt. Can help arrange tours. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Museum of Exiles & Political Prisoners F-3, Vytauto
Ninth Fort Memorial
46, tel. 32 31 79. A fascinating little museum dedicated to telling the story of the Lithuanian freedom fighters, who waged a constant nine-year war against the Soviet occupiers from 1945 until 1953, as well as a look into life in Stalin’s gulags. Find a huge collection of photographs, trinkets, improvised tools, bullets and other paraphernalia. Unfortunately, not much is in English, but a small booklet is available complete with some information in English. Note that the admission price is voluntary, and pay attention to the fact that many of the photographs on display are not suitable for children. Closed for renovatioin when we were preparing this guide (April 2007) but should be open for the summer. QOpen 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
Tourism Information Centre Mūsų Odisėja J-5,
Čiurlionio 15, tel. 40 84 10, fax 40 84 11, info@ turinfo.lt, www.turinfo.lt. Sightseeing tours in Lithuanian, English, German, Japan, French, Russian. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
clickandbuy.inyourpocket.com
Pažaislis: former centre of monkish business
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
wHAt to see
Perkūnas House A-3, Aleksoto 6. Built in a similar style
to St. Anne’s church in Vilnius, this is one of the most original examples of late Gothic architecture in Lithuania. Built during the final days of the 15th century, the rich architecture symbolised the economic power of the Hanseatic League and German expansion. Today, it plays host to regular art classes. Q J osios, Riomerio, Kalantos and Pramonės. When Lithuania was a part of the Soviet Union, Stalin’s tank stood here to commemorate ‘freedom from the fascists’. When Lithuania regained its independence in 1991, the tank was removed, and crosses began to appear in its place. And they just keep coming. tre of economic life, the foundation stone was laid on July 28, 1542. The large square now serves as a popular meeting and greeting place during the hot summer months. Q J
wHAt to see
Castle cruising
If you have a car in Kaunas, and a day to spare, we’d like to suggest a pleasant drive along route 141. Within 80km you’ll find three castles, amazing river valley views and some children who don’t know how lucky they are. The road follows the Nemunas river to a place called Jurbarkas, and the castles along it were originally built by invading Teutonic knights as a part of a defensive system. Now, the ‘castles’ are really only good for scenery. Raudondvaris Castle It’s not really a castle at all, rather a big house with a castle-like bit stuck on one end. The round pointy tower was presumably built to look pretty, as it certainly wouldn’t have been much good at defending against anything more aggressive than, say, boredom. The not-really-a-castle was completed in 1615 wh en Renaissance was all the range and Gothic was, like, so not cool anymore. This is reflected in the style of the building – neat a n d p rop o r ti o n e d, and without pointed arches or bristly bits. The castle and the other buildings around it have been neglected, burned, abandoned, and reconstructed with the renaissance features somewhat enhanced. The main building is now home to a museum dedicated to composer Juozas Naujalis (1869-1934) who… erm… we don’t have space to write about here. (Although we will mention that there is a statue of him near the village church that shows you what he would have looked like if he had been encased inside a toothpaste tube. We have sculptor L.Žuklys to thank for that). QMuseum open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Tel. 44 96 01, +370 612 533 14. Vilkija Next you’ll come across Vilkija town – worth visiting unless you’re driving a manual transmission and are rubbish at clutch control. The whole place is formed of steep streets. The first attraction here is the Antanas and Jonas Juskos Ethnic Culture Museum (Kauno mažoji 2, tel. 55 64 00). These brothers spent their spare time doing things like writing dictionaries and inventing new letters, like Č and Ž, to be used to write the Lithuanian language. They enabled people to be able to write words like čežėti (to scuffle), čiuožti (to skate) and čežėčiuožoujame (which means ‘we skate and scuffle at the same time’ and which we just made up). The museum is very hands-on and features a whole host of fragments of Lithuanian history and folklore. It’s open 08:00 - 15:00 with an hour break for lunch at 12:00, Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive. From December 1 to April 1, they stay open until 17:00 for some reason. Further up the hill you can turn left at the wooden sculpture of Saint Florinan (Šv. Florijono) who is supposed to protect the city from fire – and was doing a fine job when we visited, as it was raining – and come across the Church of St. George which boasts a wonderful view of the river valley. Raudone Castle This is another not-quite-a-castle, but it looks very castlelike with a 35m tower and toothy rooflines. We’re not sure whether a real castle ever stood here but the area was used for a royal manor in the 16th century. At the end of that time Krispin Kirschenstein – a wealthy merchant, not a crunchy sugar-coated breakfast treat – built the current ‘castle’. It was a measured and sensible renaissance structure at the time, and while that is still evident in the main courtyard, Kirschenstein’s descendants decided to add the gothicrevival castle-like bits. You can visit the tower if you turn up between 10:00 and 17:00 and call the number on the sign near the door. (The sign is only in Lithuanian, but just says you can visit the tower if you call the number). One interesting thing you’ll notice about this building is that the windows are full o f pa p e r fl o we r s and you’ll o ften hear laughter or find yourself swarmed by small backpack-wearing people. The building is home to a primary school. Imagine that – going to school in a castle. We really don’t think those children realize how lucky they are. Panemunė Castle While it’s in rather a poor state (a crumbling, neglected, dilapidated wreck) this is possibly the most impressive castle you will come across. It is nestled among lakes in a small forest and just has something about its appearance that seems to suggest it is from another time and place. The original owner was indeed from another time and place – the late 16th century, and Hungary. The castle was built between 1604-1610 to a design by Dutch architect Peter Nonhaardt, who was serving at the Royal Palace in Vilnius. The ‘lakes’ around the castle were actually a part of a defence system. In 1753, the castle was sold to Baron Leo Ingelstrom, who later (1759) sold it to the Gelgaudas noble family. They set about changing it to suit their tastes, adding a few classical features, and making the interior all very lavish. What a nice home it would have been, but despite the temptation of lounging about in it and doing nothing much, Anthony Gelgaudas decided to lead a rebellion a ga i n s t t h e Ts a r (1831). The rebellion was not successful, Gelgaudas fled to P r u s s i a, a n d t h e castle fell into the hands of the Tsar. Next, Rev. Antanas Petraitis bought the partially ruined castle and, on his deathbed, expressed his wish that it be used for religious purposes. Now, the castle belongs to the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, and it not used for anything at all. It is, however, very pretty, and with all those little hills and lakes surrounding it, a lovely spot to stop for a picnic before packing up and heading home, or continuing on route 141 to Klaipėda.
Sixth Fort M-3, Intersection of Baršausko, Kovo 11-
Town Square (Rotušės aikštė) A-3. Originally the cen-
Zoo L-3, Radvilėnų 21, tel. 33 25 40, [email protected],
www.zoosodas.lt. With about 250 species of animals that call this place home, the Kaunas zoo also has the distinction of being the only zoo (save the aquatic one in Klaipėda) in the entire country. The grounds can be downright depressing at points, as unlike the rest of the countr y full-scale renovations haven’t taken place here yet. However small children, missing the inherent injustice in keeping the animals caged for their edi fication and amusement, may enjoy the place. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Adults 7Lt, children 5Lt (Nov 1 - Apr 31). Adults 9Lt, children 7Lt (May 1 - Oct 31).
Freedom Monument, sculpture by J. Zikaras
Darius & Girėnas K-4, Sporto and Perkūno. Bumbling
barnstormers or ace aviators? The case remains open. What is clear is that these two chaps remain two of Lithuania’s best-loved souls. The 25m-high, three tonne bronze structure, finally built 60 years after their deaths according to the original (shelved) 1937 plans, is awesome in its simplicity. cepted symbol of Lithuanian statehood first appeared in 1928 but was destroyed by the by the Stalinist regime. In 1989 it was rebuilt, and figures in a collection of statues leading to one of the few remaining eternal flames in the region. Q J
Freedom Monument D-2, Vienybės aikštė. The ac-
Statues
According to municipality records there are over 30 statues in Kaunas. A select few of which have been hidden since August 1990. However, by the recent decision of the Ministry of Culture Lenin and his bronze pals came out from their secret vault to live in the Grūtas park with the rest of their friends from other Lithuanian towns in a Museum of Soviet Sculpture. Below we list the best of those still considered worthy of standing in Kaunas.
Maironis A-3, Rotušės aikštė 13. A radical story, Mai-
ronis was a priest and poet, and as such was considered highly dangerous by the Soviets. To get around this slight problem, nobody told them whom they were erecting, and the statue is notable in that there is no cross as is usual in such structures. His arm is in such a position so as to hide his dog collar. Q J
Romas Kalanta D-3, Miesto Sodas (City Garden). The
memorial to the 19-year-old student who, on May 14, 1972, set himself on fire on this spot to protest against the Soviet system. Called Sacrifice Field, it was officially unveiled 30 years to the day after the tragic event, and is composed of cast irons sheets representing the burnt pages of history, and 19 stones representing the years of Kalantas’ life. May 14 incidentally has been officially declared the National Day of Civil Resistance. Q J Parkas), between Vytauto and Trakų. Notable for the graves of the unknown soldiers who gave their lives in the struggle for Lithuanian independence between 1919 and 1922. Q J
Unknown Soldier F-3/4, Old City Cemetery (Ramybės
Vytautas the Great D-2, Laisvės 96/98. Vytautas,
Vytautas the Great, sculpture by V. Grybas
the ‘Creator of Lithuanian Power’, stands over four defeated soldiers, namely a Pole, Tartar, crushed German crusader and a Russian who just so happens to bear a rather uncanny resemblance to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Q J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
getting Around
Public transport
Bus & Trolleybus Kaunas boasts 7 trolleybus routes and 33 bus routes. Services operate from around 05:00 until 22:00 and beyond. Tickets cost 0.90Lt, and can be bought from any kiosk. Alternatively, for an extra 0.10Lt, buy one directly from the driver. It’s up to you to punch your ticket once inside the vehicle, but if you are caught riding illegally (ticket inspection is a regular occurrence, being carried out by plain clothes controllers) you’re liable to a 20Lt on-the-spot fine. Monthly passes are available from 35Lt. Tickets for buses are valid on trolleybuses and vice-versa. Minibus The city can also claim a large fleet of private minibuses, often sporting the same numbers and ploughing the same routes as the above-mentioned machines. Stop one anywhere in the street, pay 1.50Lt, and ask to be dropped off wherever you need to be along the route.
getting Around
Funiculars
Being sunk into a valley, Kaunas is accordingly surrounded by hills. This makes for some good places to view the city from, two of which being at the top of small funicular lines. The 140m Žaliakalnis (Green Hill) funicular is the nearest of the two to the city centre, and is notable in being extremely rare due to its peculiar mechanism. Consisting of two cars connected to the same cable, when one is going up the hill, the other is, you’ve guessed it, on its way down. Find the bottom station just two minutes from the centre between Putvinskio and Aušros. Ticket costs 0.50Lt., 08:00-20:00, Sat, Sun 08:00-20:30. The other funicular (Aleksoto) at Veiverių and Skriaudžių also boasts a fine view of the city. Opened in 1935, the original fare was a mere 0.10Lt for adults, and, 70 years on, the price remains a bargain at just 0.50Lt., 07:0012:00, 13:00-16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. The view of the city from the top is wonderful and well worth the treck.
Local bus schedule
From Kaunas Dep. Arr. 03:35 05:15 04:251,6 06:25 09:30 11:05 10:00 11:35 11:00 12:35 11:45 13:20 13:30 15:10 15:40 17:20 1-4,6,7 16:10 17:45 16:30 18:10 17:00 18:40 17:105,6,7 18:45 17:20 19:05 17:40 19:20 17:50 19:25 18:00 19:40 18:30 20:10 19:00 20:40 19:30 21:05 20:05 21:45 20:40 22:20 21:30 23:00 06:25 09:10 09:30 12:05 10:30 13:15 11:30 15:25 14:50 17:35 5,7 18:30 21:05 City VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA To Kaunas Dep. 05:40 06:20 06:35 06:45 07:00 07:40 07:556,7 08:10 09:00 09:30 09:45 09:55 10:45 13:20 13:45 14:00 15:40 15:50 17:10 17:10 19:20 22:45 08:20 11:50 15:35 16:20 17:25 19:255,7 Arr. 07:20 07:50 08:15 08:20 08:40 09:20 09:35 09:50 10:35 11:10 11:20 11:40 12:25 14:55 15:25 15:35 17:15 17:30 18:50 18:55 21:00 00:30 12:15 14:35 18:20 18:55 20:10 22:00
International bus schedule
From Kaunas To Kaunas Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. 5 7 08:20 12:15 PRAGUE 13:30 08:20 4 6 08:55 19:00 ROME 07:30 19:40 5 22:40 14:40 PESCARA1 12:00 07:10 00:35 10:15 GDANSK 20:20 07:45 3,5 5,7 01:00 23:30 HANNOVER 05:30 05:00 3,5 5,7 01:00 19:00 BERLIN 10:00 05:00 03:35 09:40 MINSK 18:10 00:30 15:05 20:35 KALININGRAD 22:40 04:05 08:20 09:55 1COPENGAHEN3 17:40 19:50 5 7 19:20 08:10 LVOV 18:10 09:00 Numbers represent the days of the week, 1 is Monday and 7 is Sunday. on the right. Budget travellers should head for the bus stop at the bottom of Savanorių and catch minibus N°120, which goes all the way for a mere 1.50Lt. Ryanair Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 75 01 95/75 01 96, fax 75 80 08, tix.kun@litcargus. lt, www.ryanair.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Stockholmsplanet Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 75 01 95/75 01 96, fax 75 80 08, tix.kun@ litcargus.lt, www.stockholmsplanet.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
Trains
Train Station K-5, Čiurlionio 16, tel. 27 29 55, fax 27
28 33, [email protected], www.litrail.lt. Agents stop selling tickets five minutes before departure.
Europcar Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport),
Buses
Bus Station F-4, Vytauto 24/26, tel. 40 90 60. The
most popular form of public transport in Lithuania, although you wouldn’t think it by looking at the bus station. Q Open 05:45 - 20:45 (ticket office). J Eurolines F-3/4, Vytauto 38, tel. 20 20 20, kaunas@ eurolines.lt, www.eurolines.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Kautra Bus Lines Juozapavičiaus 84, tel. 34 24 40, fax 34 18 88, [email protected], www.kautra.lt. QOpen 07:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun.
Car rental
AAA Autobanga Rent A Car Kaunas Airport - Arrival
Terminal (Kaunas office), tel. +370 676 341 44, info@ autobanga.lt, www.autobanga.lt. New cars: sedan, minivan, convertable, SUV rental. Drivers available, from €20/day, including free km. and full insurance. Mini lease (1-36 months) available. QOpen 24 hrs. Autorenta Rodūnios 8-102 (Vilnius), tel. +370 687 772 58, [email protected], www.carrent.lt. A choice of vehicles with or without a driver at very reasonable prices. Cheap one way rentals.Q Open 24hrs. Avis Rodūnios 2 (Vilnius Airport), tel./fax +370 523 293 16, [email protected], www.avis.lt. New cars with or without driver. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 16:00. Budget F-3, Savanorių 443a, tel. 49 04 40, [email protected], www.budget.lt. Central reservations tel. (8-5) 230 67 08 (Vilnius). QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
tel. 39 92 95, fax 39 92 25, [email protected], www. europcar.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Hertz Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 39 91 56, fax 40 69 46, [email protected], www.hertz.lt. 24 hours help line +370 687 909 85. Fortuna Rent A Car S.Daukanto 19 (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 20 19 28/+370 600 209 39, fax +370 685 279 39, [email protected], www.rentacar. lt. Cars, Vans and minibus rental. Attractive prices and full service. QOpen 24 hrs. Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 685 853 75, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. com. Car and minibus rental. Self-drives from 149Lt/day. Discounts for long term rentals, special weekend rates, free mileage. Chauffeur available. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J Sixt V. Krėvės 26a, tel. +370 650 450 25, rent@ sixt.lt, www.sixt.lt. Short-term rentals of new cars, minibuses and buses; minilease (1-12 months). Self-drives and chauffeur-drives, full package of insurances, unlimited mileage, 24h technical support and replacement car services available through Baltic States. Headquarters: Vilnius, Geležinio Vilko 18a, tel. +370 521 096 30, fax +370 521 096 21. Q 24 hrs.
Travel agencies
Baltic Clipper D-2, Laisvės 61-1, tel. 32 03 00, fax 22
34 71, [email protected], www.baltic-clipper.lt. Plane tickets, accommodation and tours. The lot! QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Delta D-2, Laisvės 88, tel. 42 42 11/42 42 12, fax 42 32 11, [email protected], www.delta-interservis. lt. Local and international travel. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Lithuanian Student & Youth Travel D-2, Ožeškienės 27, tel./fax 40 71 40, [email protected], www.jaunimas.lt. Cheap travel for students and the under 26. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Saitas E-2, Donelaičio 26-1, tel. 32 31 51, fax 20 72 36, [email protected], www.saitas.lt. A full-service travel agency. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Zip Travel D-3, Kęstučio 57-1, tel. 22 05 52, fax 75 01 97, [email protected], www.ziptravel.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Numbers represent the days of the week, 1 is Monday and 7 is Sunday.
Airport & Airlines
Air taxi Jasinskio 16B, Vilnius, tel. 252 65 88/+370 655
481 21, [email protected], www.orotaksi.lt. The ultimate travel indulgence. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. DOT LT Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 39 90 71, fax +370 619 906 62, [email protected], www.dot.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 14:30. Closed Sat, Sun.
Kaunas International Airport (Kauno Oro Uostas)
Karmėlava, tel. 39 93 96, fax 39 94 34, info@kaunasair. lt, www.kaunasair.lt. The former military airport 12km north of the city is best reached by car or taxi. To get there take the Jonava highway to Karmėlava and keep an eye out for the huge sign and the wide road with yellow street lamps
Train schedule
From Kaunas Dep. Arr. 06:001 07:12 06:05 07:48 06:501 08:08 08:00 09:40 10:47 12:27 12:23 13:59 15:00 16:27 16:47 18:32 17:271 18:38 18:40 20:26 19:47 21:19 20:301 21:42 13:01 21:30 1 Mon-Fri. City VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS WARSAW To Kaunas Dep. Arr. 05:481 07:28 06:33 07:45 07:46 09:22 09:55 11:15 14:06 15:46 15:10 16:28 16:301 17:38 16:35 18:16 17:501 19:07 18:40 19:58 19:27 21:02 20:201 21:57 07:20 16:28
Flight schedule
From Kaunas Days Dep. –2–4–6– 1–3–––– ––––5–– 1–3–5–7 1234567 –2–4–6– –––––6– –2–4––– 1–3–5–7 1–––––– –––4––– 21:25 21:25 21:30 22:00 12:00 22:20 21:50 22:30 14:40 12:35 13:25 Arr. 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:30 12:40 23:00 22:50 23:30 14:55 14:15 15:05 Destination To Kaunas Days Dep. Arr. DUBLIN (FR) –2–4–6– 15:55 21:00 DUBLIN (FR) May 7 - Oct 7 1–3–––– 15:55 21:00 DUBLIN (FR) ––––5–– 16:00 21:05 1–3–5–7 18:30 21:45 FRANKFURT/MAIN - Hahn (FR) LONDON - Stansted (FR) 1234567 07:00 11:35 LONDON - Stansted (FR) –2–4–6– 17:20 21:55 LIVERPOOL (FR) –––––6– 16:25 21:25 LIVERPOOL (FR) –2–4––– 17:06 22:05 STOCKHOLM - Skavsta (FR) until May 21 1–3–5–7 12:05 14:15 VÄXJÖ (2Q) VÄXJÖ (2Q) except May 17 and except June 29 - Sep 19 1––4––– 10:30 12:10 VÄXJÖ (2Q) except May 17, June 24, June 29 - Aug 19 Airline codes: FR - Ryanair, 2Q - Stockholmsplanet. For details check at www.kaunasair.lt. Valid until Oct 28, 2007, unless indicated.
Tickets
Once the crowd has pushed you into a corner you are then required to punch your ticket in one of the boxes located within the state-owned bus or trolleybus in which you are travelling. Ticket inspectors can be anyone from uniformed official-looking types to dowdy middle-aged women with a man-purse. No matter their appearance any excuse for an un-validated ticket or, worse yet, no ticket at all will not be accepted. Get ready to pay the 20Lt fine.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
MAil & PHones
Postal rates
Letters Abroad (airmail) Within Lithuania 1.70Lt 1Lt Postcards 1.20Lt 0.80Lt
sHoPPing
Laptop login
Getting online with your own computer is digital doddle in Kaunas. If you’re Wi-Fi enabled, you’re probably already online. There are many cafés, restaurants, hotels and public spaces in Kaunas that are a part of a network of free wireless internet hotspots. To use Teo LT or ‘Zebra’ hotspots, just turn your Wi-Fi on, and choose the appropriate network. We have, however, noticed that in Kaunas, the ‘Zebra’ Wi-Fi network is patchy and unreliable at the best of times, so check if you can get a connection before you order your coffee. Just about everything you never needed can be found in shops along Laisvės and Vilniaus, and in the big tinpot tin-shed Akropolis shopping centre nearby. Souvenirs scatter stands along the pavement on Vilniaus, and during the summer a large collection of stall traders on Laisvės, selling everything from sunglasses to second-hand books.
1
Monton E-3, Laisvės 45, tel. 40 75 62, www.montonfashion.com.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun
Antiques
Antikvariatas E-3, Mickevičiaus 17, tel. +370 618 766 74. QOpen 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Antikvaro Kolekcija A-3, Rotušės 29, tel. 22 94 89. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. J Antiquarius C-2, Šv. Gertrūdos 56, tel. 20 56 85, [email protected], www.vabolis.com. QOpen 11:00
- 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Express mail
DHL Pievų 1, Karmėlava, tel. 39 94 65, fax 39 94 87, [email protected], www.dhl.lt. Q Open 08:30 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. EMS C-2, Laisvės 102, tel. 40 13 78, www.post.lt. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 07:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J TNT Pievų 1, Karmėlava, tel. 75 82 00/8 800 25 222, fax 75 82 01, www.tnt.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. UPS Chemijos 5a, tel. 35 05 05, fax 35 05 00, ups@ ups.lt, www.ups.com. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
11:00 - 16:00. JA Sirena E-3, Mickevičiaus 17, tel. 32 14 03/+370 685 631 04, www.sirena.lt. Handbags, accessories, gifts and sexy outfits for your mobile phone. Stylish, fun, and just the place to shop if you want to impress Wonder Woman. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Step Top E-2, Laisvės 38, tel. 32 40 05, [email protected]. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00. JA
Post
Central Post Office C-2, Laisvės 102, tel. 40 13 68,
[email protected], www.post.lt. A large hall selling all the usual things one would expect, plus pre-paid top-up cards for mobile phones. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 07:30 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J
Food & Drink
Šilas B-2, Daukšos 45/37, tel. 42 39 82. The perfect
corner shop for the Old Town-bound self-catering community. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. JA Domus Solida C-2, Vilniaus 29, tel. 20 78 88/+370 656 238 03, [email protected]. Teas, spices, coffee. QOpen 08:30 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J Geri Gėrimai D-2, Laisvės 80, tel. 40 71 87. Not only do they stock more booze than you can shake an alcoholic at, this shop also has a currency exchange kiosk inside. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. JA IKI B-2, Jonavos 3, tel. 20 03 78, www.iki.lt. Westernstyle supermarket in Lithuania, these superstars stock absolutely everything imaginable to eat. Also at Kovo 11osios 22, tel. 45 19 44. Lukšio 60, tel. 31 34 53. Varnių 38a, tel. 36 17 38. Veiverių 150, tel. 39 16 28. Šiaurės 91 (Eiguliai district), tel. 31 34 53. Žemaičių plentas 23, tel. 37 70 35. Savanorių 111, tel. 20 07 31. Raudondvario 166, tel. 38 50 70. Kuršių 44, tel. 37 77 90, Vilniaus 56, tel. 20 73 97. Didžioji 98, tel. 32 86 80. Baltų 81, tel. 75 08 98. Jotvingių 15, V. Krėvės 57. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Maxima E-2, Laisvės 60, tel. 20 34 91, www.maxima. lt. Also at Pramonės 16, tel. 35 15 52. Savanorių 255, tel. 30 74 30. Baltijos 20a, tel. 32 81 17. Demokratų 50, tel. 36 29 01. Juozapavičiaus 68, tel. 34 23 82. Kęstučio/Daukanto 5/55, tel. 22 83 32. Savanorių 375, tel. 41 01 75. Studentų 16, tel. 73 07 86. Stulginskio 63, tel. 36 32 61. Vytauto 32, tel. 20 63
Books
tel. 21 44 16. Head upstairs for Lithuanian-English dictionaries, and other books to help you learn the somewhat challenging local lingo. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA Centrinis Knygynas D-2, Laisvės 81, tel. 22 95 72. Not too many books in English, although they do stock a great range of postcards and maps, and as well as the weekly English language Baltic Times. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Humanitas B-3, Vilniaus 11, tel. 20 95 81, zaneta@ humanitas.lt, www.humanitas.lt. A big selection of books in many languages. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Knygų Alėja E-3, Laisvės 29, tel. 22 29 86, [email protected], www.pegasas.eu. A cool bookshop on two floors. Find the English material at the top of the stairs. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Pegasas D-2, Laisvės 75, tel. 42 84 69, fax 42 84 70, [email protected], www.pegasas.eu. A new, modern bookshop with friendly staff and a small selection of English books. Also at Vilniaus 43, tel. 32 85 38. Open 10:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-18:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. JA
Baltų Lankų Knygynas E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49,
ISPs
Bitė E-2, Laisvės 12, tel. +370 699 232 30, www.bite. lt. Also at Laisvės 80. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00
- 15:00. Closed Sun. J Omnitel E-3, Laisvės 43, tel. 117/1533, info@omnitel. net, www.omnitel.lt. Also at Laisvės 86. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Mobile phones
Bitė E-2, Laisvės 12, tel. +370 699 232 30, www.bite.
lt. Pick up a pre-paid Labas SIM card here. Also at Laisvės 80. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J Mikro Visata D-2, Laisvės 86, tel. 20 56 71. A small independent shop in the centre of the city, selling a host of phones and gadets at reasonable prices. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J Omnitel E-3, Laisvės 43, tel. 117/1533, info@omnitel. net, www.omnitel.lt. Likewise, this is the place to get your Extra pre-paid SIM card. Also at Laisvės 86. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J TELE 2 D-3, Kęstučio 37, tel. 22 74 57, tele2@tele2. lt, www.tele2.lt. Also at Laisvės 27, tel. 32 01 01, A. Mickevičiaus 13-20, tel. 20 70 17, open 09:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-16:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Making the call
As if transfixed by the power of the eight Pagan Sabbaths, or one of those stupid Magic 8 balls that comes up with answers like ‘Reply hazy, try again’, Lithuania has decided to chuck an 8 in front of every phone number – except if you’re dialling within a city to a fixed line, or if you’re dialling from outside the country. It’s like an area code for the whole country. Got it? No, of course not – because it’s stupid and it doesn’t make sense. Let’s try to break it down: Calling from a mobile If you’ve got the full number, use the international format: +370 123 412 34. If you’ve been given a local mobile number, just throw away the 8 and replace it with a +370. So 8123 412 34 becomes +370 123 412 34. If you’ve been given an eight-digit mobile number that doesn’t start with 8, just put the +370 in front of it. Calling a fixed line gets a little more complicated because you need to know in which city the number is located. Then it’s +370 – City Code – number. If you are given a number starting with 8, it must also contain a city code, so you can just drop the 8 and replace it with +370. Calling from a fixed line To call an international format number in Lithuania, such as +370 123 412 34, replace the +370 with an 8. If you’ve been given what looks like a shortish number – five or six digits – you’ll need to know the city code, and then dial 8 – City Code – number. To call an international number, dial 00 – Country Code – number.
Public internet access
Kavinė Internetas B-3, Vilniaus 24, tel. 40 74 27, info@
cafenet.ot.lt, www.cafenet.ot.lt. The biggest and friendliest one in town, and not only that, this is real café too. So whilst one is keeping in touch with the folks back home one can also eat dainty cakes and imbibe beers and other light refreshments. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 21:00. J
Clothes & Accessories
man.lt, www.baltman.eu. It is not surprising that more and more of these shops are opening in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The locally-designed and elegant clothes here are geared towards both men and women. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Benetton E-3, Laisvės 67, tel. 32 23 95, fax 32 40 90. The United Colours of Kaunas. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA City Sport D-2, Laisvės 72, tel. 32 32 48. Clothing and footwear for the sporty clubbing community. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA City Woman E-3, Laisvės 58, tel. 20 91 36, salonas. [email protected]. A large, elegant clothing shop where you can find both casual and evening wear for a price. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Danija E-2, Laisvės 37, tel. 20 53 71, www.danija.lt. Also at Laisvės 59, tel. 20 03 27. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. JA
Baltman E-3, Laisvės 49, tel. 75 00 42, kaunas@balt-
Flowers & Plants
Flowers can be bought at most supermarkets (even the tiny ones that aren’t really super at all) as well as a few specialist stores dotted around town. The Flower Market, however, is probably your best bet for a bright bunch and a spot of haggling or arguing with linguistically incompetent sellers.Flowers should be given in odd numbers. Bunches of even numbers of flowers, especially lilies and chrysanthemums, signify death. (Yours, if you’re not careful.)Don’t give yellow flowers to old ladies, as they symbolise jealously. (The flowers, not the ladies... although... oh, never mind.) Red carnations are symbols of communism, and should also be avoided.
Telephone codes
Alytus Anykščiai Birštonas Biržai Druskininkai Elektrėnai Ignalina Jonava Kaunas Kėdainiai 315 381 319 319 313 528 386 349 37 347 Klaipėda Kretinga Marijampolė Molėtai Neringa/ Nida Palanga Panevėžys Pasvalys Plungė Šiauliai 46 445 343 383 469 460 45 451 448 41 Šilalė Šilutė Švenčionys Tauragė Telšiai Trakai Ukmergė Utena Vilnius Visaginas 449 441 387 446 444 528 340 389 5 386
Flowers E-2, Laisvės 32b, tel. 32 35 37. A good
selection of potted plants of all varieties, plus fresh flowers daily. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
2
sHoPPing
58. J. Baršausko 66, tel. 75 92 00. V. Krėvės 14b, tel. 33 14 52. Šarkuvos 1a, tel. 37 77 73. Pramonės 29, tel. 40 51 11. Veiverių 150b, tel. 32 86 04. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Rimi E-2, Donelaičio 44, tel. 20 44 83, www.rimi.lt. Also at Partizanų 134, tel. 49 01 41. Prancūzų 81, tel. 75 42 03. V. krėvės 43a, tel. 40 97 60. Lukšio 70, tel. 30 84 20. Taikos 81, tel. 49 01 30. Islandijos 32, tel. 30 84 46. Savanorių 346, tel. 30 15 31. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Absolutely everything you ever thought you might need to know about the city on the river. From accountants to key cutters. You do the math and we unlock the doors.
direCtory
tel. 75 27 60, fax 75 27 59, [email protected], www.blc.lt. Four modern rooms up to 160. Q PJ Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05/+370 614 969 09, fax 32 16 32, konferencija@danielahotel. lt, www.danielahotel.lt. Conference facilities for up to 160. Q PJ Daugirdas A-3, T. Daugirdo 4, tel. 46 54 54, manager@ daugirdas.lt, www.daugirdas.lt. Conference facilities for up to 110 persons. Q PJ Hermis Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 00, fax 49 03 01, [email protected], www.hermis.net. Two conference halls seating up to 40. Q P Kaunas D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 70, fax 75 08 51, [email protected], www.kaunashotel.lt. All modern facilities and equipment for succesful meeting up to 200. Q PJ Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax 32 36 78, [email protected], www.perkuno-namai.lt. Two conference halls seating up to 50. Sfinksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/Kudirkos 19a, tel. 30 19 82, fax 30 19 83, [email protected], www.sfinksas. lt. Conference hall with 60 places. Q P
Business Leaders Centre E-2, Donelaičio 62/53,
Accountants
KPMG Lietuva Vytauto 12 (Vilnius), tel. +370 521 026 00, fax 210 26 59, [email protected], www.kpmg.com. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 08:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Scandinavian Accounting & Consulting D-2, Ožeškienės 18, tel. 32 08 06, fax 75 00 84, [email protected], www.sac.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Gifts & Souvenirs
Kauno Langas B-3, Valančiaus 5, tel. 20 55 38,
[email protected], w w w.klangas.lt. Gifts and souvenirs galore, including art and ceramics. QOpen 10:00 - 18:30, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. JA Mažoji Indija (Little India) B-3, Vilniaus 56, tel. 20 18 11. A large cellar stuffed with exotic goods from the developing world, including furniture, sculptures, clothes, jewellery and batiks. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Suvenyrai B-3, Vilniaus 32, tel. 22 51 26, [email protected], www.amberhouse.lt. Amber, linen, wooden souvenirs and other cute souvenirs. QOpen 10:00 - 18:30, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. JA
Banks
- 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. DNB Nord B-2, Jonavos 3, www.dnbnord.lt. Also at Laisvės 86, open 08:00-18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J Hansabank B-3, Vilniaus 13, tel. 1884, [email protected], www.hansa.lt. American Express and Thomas Cook travellers’ cheques accepted. Western Union money transfers are also available. Also at Laisvės 79. Open 08:00-19:00, Sat 09:00-15:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J SEB Vilniaus Bankas D-2, Laisvės 82/17, tel. 30 70 70, fax 30 71 11, www.seb.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Ūkio Bankas D-2, Maironio 25, tel. 30 13 01/30 14 70, fax 32 31 88, [email protected], www.ub.lt. QOpen 08:00
Shades of fashion
Urmo bazė Pramonės 16, tel. 35 06 62, fax 45 27 24,
Household goods
Plaza Taikos 141, tel./fax 40 78 60, [email protected], www.plaza.lt. Furniture. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed
Sat, Sun.
Senukai Draugystės 8k, tel. 30 49 94, www.senukai.lt.
Also at Jonavos 62, tel. 20 87 15. Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 30 40 50. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 17:00. A Tomasella Jonavos 262, tel. 33 27 36, dzereta@ kaunas.omnitel.net, www.tomasella.it. The best way to spruce up your newly purchased apartment or rental property. Get everything you need from the kitchen to the bedroom. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
[email protected], www.urmas.net. This place is more a market than a shopping centre, and therefore still a bit wacky. Walk around with a big fish flopping out of your backpack, fill a famous fashion label plastic bag with clowns’ trousers, and you’ll fit right in. Like an old-fashioned market, it’s a social kaleidoscope, but like a modern shopping centre, it’s clean and convenient. You don’t have to spend money to enjoy a visit here, but you probably will anyway. From the LaisvėsSavanorių intersection (C-2), take trolleybus 15 eastward and get off at Dainavos Poliklinika (the 11th stop). QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 16:00.
Health
Bendroji Medicinos Praktika M-1, Savanorių 423, tel.
31 36 65/31 27 68, [email protected], www.daktaras. lt. Surgical, dental, gynaecological, and general medicine services. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. A Vis Vitalis (Dentists) D-2, Laisvės 76-10, tel. 74 74 74, [email protected], www.visvitalis.lt. All your dental needs and more, including a one-year warranty to all work undertaken. Also at Savanorių 241, tel. 79 88 11, fax. 79 88 88. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Barbers & Salons
Closed Sun. JA Primadona D-3, Daukanto 17, tel. 22 61 62, info@ primadona.lt, www.primadona.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. J Salon+ Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 23 90 99, mega@ salonplus.lt, www.salonplus.lt. Bright zesty salons that can clip, frizz, colour or style, and leave you feeling all shiny and new.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. A Sarma Style C-3, Gruodžio 31, tel. 32 44 41, edita. [email protected], www.sarmastyle.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA
Fama D-2, Ožeškienės 29, tel. 20 88 25, fama_nova@ yahoo.com. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00.
Water words
Hello – Laba diena Good morning (until about 10:00) – Labas rytas Good evening – Labas vakaras Good bye – Viso gero Hi – Labas Please – Prašome Thank you – Ačiū Excuse me / sorry – Atsiprašau Yes – Taip No – Ne Cheers! – Į sveikatą! Monday – Pirmadienis Tuesday – Antradienis Wednesday –Trečiadienis Thursday – Ketvirtadienis Friday – Penktadienis Saturday – Šeštadienis Sunday – Sekmadienis
Insurance
Lietuvos Draudimas D-2, Donelaičio 62, tel. 22 13 08,
fax 40 78 24, www.ldr.lt. Also at Savanorių 443a, tel. 39 51 40. Savanorių 172, tel. 73 22 84. Krėvės 43, tel. 71 29 18. Kuršių 1, tel. 32 86 15. Vytauto 32, tel. 42 83 95.QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J PZU Lietuva F-3, Vytauto 87, tel. 22 29 84, www.pzu.lt. Also at Savanorių 363a, tel. 41 27 91. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 15:45, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J
Music
Midiaudio E-2, Laisvės 26, tel. 22 32 88, [email protected], www.midiaudio.com. Musical instruments old and new, plus a small stock of spares from guitar strings to clarinet pads. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. JA Muzikos Bomba D-2, Sapiegos 3, tel. 32 14 47. Recorded music. If they don`t have it in stock they`ll happily order it for you. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA
Business connections
Baltoskandija K-3, Basanavičiaus 5, tel. +370 686
333 88, fax 20 91 64, [email protected], www. baltoscandia.lt.
Interpreters
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 685
311 14, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. com. Interpreters and translators. Reliable, quick service. Legal documents, notarisation upon request. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 08:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Shopping centres
Akropolis E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49, www.akropolis.
lt. Opened a few days before we went to print, when it was swarming with people despite the fact that it wasn’t quite finished. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA Mega Islandijos 32, tel. 23 90 00/23 90 11, info@ mega.lt, www.mega.lt. Notable for an enormous aquarium which is about the only thing you can’t buy in this big centre. If you want to go to the shopping maul, hop on bus 38 heading north on Vytauto, or flag down any of the microbuses that have a ‘Mega’ sign in the window. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Molas M-4, Baršausko 66a, tel. 45 14 41, fax 40 95 38, [email protected], www.pcmolas.lt. Shops, a couple of restaurants and a bowling alley. Big enough to ensure you can get what you want, probably, but small enough to ensure you don’t get lost while getting it. Q Open 10:00 - 21:00 with some exceptions.
Business Advisory Centre (Verslo Konsultacinis Centras) C-2, Savanorių 1, tel. 22 47 16/32 21 34, fax 32 24 81, [email protected]. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. J
- 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 15:45. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts F-2, Donelaičio 8, tel. 22 92 12, fax 20 83 30, [email protected], www.chamber.lt. QOpen 08:00
Lawyers
Abišala & Partners C-2, Mickevičiaus 29-4, tel. 40 99
00, fax 40 99 01, [email protected], www.abisala. com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Advokato Pūko Kontora D-2, Donelaičio 71-2, tel. 20 56 66, fax 32 19 19, [email protected]. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Kauno Advokatų Kontora C-3, Gruodžio 16, tel. 22 51 38, fax 22 57 97. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Urbonienės Juridinė Kontora C-3, Kanto 24-13, tel./ fax 22 47 93, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Conference facilities
Žaliakalnio viešbutis D-2, Savanorių 66, tel. 32 14
12, fax 73 37 69, [email protected], www. greenhillhotel.lt. Three halls for 10-60 persons. J Best Western Santaka C-3, Gruodžio 21, tel. 30 27 22/30 27 02, fax 30 27 00, [email protected], www.santaka.lt. Three modern rooms for between 16 and 200. J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
direCtory
Media
Kauno Diena J-5, Vytauto 27, tel. 30 22 50, fax 42 34
04, [email protected], www.kaunodiena.lt. Daily newspaper, except Sunday. Lietuvos Rytas Gedimino 12a (Vilnius), tel. +370 527 436 00, [email protected], www.lrytas.lt. The most popular daily newspaper in Lithuania (but not in Kaunas, where Kauno Diena is the one) with comprehensive entertainment listings and classifieds. Noriu E-3, Kęstučio 23a, tel. 20 08 98, fax 32 10 48, [email protected], www.noriu.lt. Three times a week you can flip through `I Want` to find what you are looking for be it an apartment or a maid. Also publish Noriu Auto (I Want a Car) Monday, Wednesday and Friday, print run about 10,000. J The Baltic Times Raugyklos 15-302 (Vilnius), tel./ fax +370 521 215 45, [email protected], www. baltictimes.com. The Baltic’s only true English language newspaper is published every Thursday. 00, fax 39 15 53, [email protected], www.aerokaunas. lt. Located in the small Dariaus ir Girėno airport, learn to fly a glider or light aircarft. Pleasure trips are also available. This is also the place to come to parachute. Unfortunately, all the necessary information on their website is in Lithuanian. Kaunas Parachuting Club Veiverių 132, tel. +370 698 105 10, [email protected], www.skydive.lt. Q Open Sat, Sun from 10:00 Ledo Arena (Ice arena) F-1, Aušros 42c, tel. 33 06 20, fax 33 06 75, [email protected], www.ledoarena. lt. A bit out of the centre and nothing fancy, but good fun all the same. QOpen Closed Mon. Opening hours erratic. Closed during summer. J Lokės Pėda Lokėnėliai village, Jonava region, tel. +370 699 211 44, [email protected], www.lokespeda.lt. An outdoor adventure with a series of dangly, wobbly obstacles strung between tree tops. Test your courage, balance and strength as you work your way between high platforms. You’ll start wearing a safety harness, and end up wearing a big grin. Highlights are the zip-wire ‘flights’ (one being 220m across a river valley) and the beautiful forest setting. At 40Lt for three hours - more than enough unless you’re Spiderman - it’s a bargain. To get there take the A6 toward Ukmerge and look for the sign about 5km past Jonava. You can also get a bus to Jonava and a taxi from there.
Hill oF Crosses
Kaunas Acrobatic Flying Club Veiverių 132, tel. 39 14
5
Getting there
The Hill of Crosses (Kryžių Kalnas) is 12km out of Šiauliai toward Riga on the A12. To get there, first of all get yourself to Šiauliai. From there, take a bus toward Joniškis from the bus station (there are eight or nine busses each day from 8am to 5pm). Get off at the large sign marked Kryžių Kalnas (the Domantai stop) and walk a further two kilometres up the side road. The last bus to take you back to town will be at 5:30pm. If you have a car, hop in and drive north on the A12 (Tilžės). A huge sign marks the point where you need to turn right and drive down the side road, laughing at all the bus passengers who have to walk this stretch. A taxi from Šiauliai costs about 20Lt, and most drivers will be happy to wait while you look around so they can also pick up the return fare. From Kaunas To Kaunas Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. TRAINS 5,6 5,6 06:11 18:30 ŠIAULIAI 18:50 21:11 BUSES 1 1 05:20 08:15 ŠIAULIAI 04:00 06:50 06:001 08:55 ŠIAULIAI 07:55 10:40 06:40 09:35 ŠIAULIAI 12:05 15:00 07:25 10:20 ŠIAULIAI 13:10 16:05 08:35 11:30 ŠIAULIAI 14:10 17:05 10:00 12:55 ŠIAULIAI 15:00 17:55 11:053 14:00 ŠIAULIAI 15:303 18:25 13:152 15:50 ŠIAULIAI 15:50 18:45 16:00 18:45 ŠIAULIAI 17:00 19:55 16:40 19:35 ŠIAULIAI 17:45 20:40 17:50 20:45 ŠIAULIAI 18:352 21:10 1 2 3 5 6 Mon-Fri, Sat, Fri, Sat, Sun, Sun, Fri, Sat.
Officials
Kaunas Municipality D-2, Laisvės 96, tel. 42 26 08,
fax 42 54 52, [email protected], www.kaunas. lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Photocopying
Fotocentras D-2, Laisvės 51, tel. 22 15 12, www.
fotocentras.lt. Also at Laisvės 110, tel. 32 40 94. Open 09:00-20:00, Sun 11:00-18:00. Laisvės 51, tel. 22 45 95. Open 09:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-15:00. Laisvės 86, tel. 20 84 96. Open 09:00-18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 15:00. J
Useful addresses
Švaros Centras (Dry cleaners) M-2, Taikos 60a, tel. 79 75 32. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00.
Closed Sun.
Avalynės Taisykla (Shoe repair) B-3, Vilniaus 17, tel. 22 03 25. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00, Sat 09:30 - 15:00.
Closed Sun. J
Count the crosses Kaunas is pretty close (120km as the crow flies) to Šiauliai, a town that has become somewhat famous for the nearby Hill Of Crosses. This mound festooned with countless crosses is actually smaller than many guidebooks suggest, but more impressive in its detail than any words could convey. You actually have to go there to experience the feeling of getting in among all those crosses. Sure, they’re impressive to look at from afar, but once you start meandering along the little paths that weave all over the hill you become lost in a strange multi-layered depth. There are, of course, many big crosses. These, however, are crowded and often crawling with smaller crosses. These again are dripping with tiny crosses and rosaries. There are probably monotheistic microbes that have planted invisibly small crosses here. It’s crosses upon crosses upon crosses. On a hill. Those who are inclined to pay attention to detail will notice there are names, dates and often messages on most of the crosses – sometimes carefully crafted, sometimes simply hand written. Some crosses offer gratitude or hope. Others convey wishes for world peace, the health of grandchildren, shorter queues at the bank and, presumably, God knows what else. Each cross has a story to tell, and there is something about being in among all those stories, all those hopes and dreams, and all that clutter of compassion and concern, that is both bewildering and moving. No one owns or runs the Hill of Crosses. There are no tickets to buy or opening hours and the ‘gift shop’ consists of people who sell things, including crosses that you can buy and then instantly deposit on the hill yourself, from temporary market type stalls. It is just kind of there, and has been for a very long time. There are claims that the first crosses were planted in the Middle Ages, but the first written record is from 1850, and
Real estate
Ober-Haus D-3, Kęstučio 56, tel. 33 71 01, fax 32 32 44,
[email protected], www.ober-haus.com. Simply the best. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Fri 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kaunas Sea (sort of)
Among all its other remarkable oddoties, Kaunas has a hydro-electric power plant, built when the Nemunas river was dammed in 1960. A couple of villages were drowned as a result but it wasn’t all good news. Turns out that the hydro plant struggles to provide a mere two percent of the nation’s electricity. The most noticable benefit of the hydro dam, however, is that it created the Kaunas Sea (Kauno Marios). Take trolleybus 9 to the end of the line to get there. Of course it’s not really a sea at all. More a big lake. But it’s big enough to host all sorts of sea-like fun. You can wander around the area surrounding the Kaunas Yacht Club, watch people falling off windsurfers or taking sailing lessons, and stop for a bite (if you ever get served) at the waterside café. To get more involved get in touch with the nice people below for various forms of boaty fun. You can rent a yacht or catamaran, or throw your leg over a PWC (jet-powered water craft) that can zoom along at up to 100km/h, carry three people and even tow a skiier.
Sports
Ąžuolynas (Sports club) K-4, Sporto 3, tel. 30 10 10, [email protected], www.assc.lt. QOpen 06:30 - 22:00,
Sat 08:00 - 19:00, Sun 08:00 - 20:00. AD Amazon Gym D-2, Laisvės 51a, tel. 32 35 87, fax 32 34 87, [email protected], www.amazongym.lt. A very centrally-located place, where the seriously health-conscious can design their own personal fitness plans if they wish, and even get some nutritional advice along the way. QOpen 07:15 - 21:30, Fri 07:15 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 14:30. JD Conan Gym D-2, Laisvės 30a, tel. 32 11 77, fax 32 11 44, [email protected], www.conangym.lt. As well as offering the Lithuanian standard that is aerobics, come for use of the gym, sauna and/or swimming pool. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 17:00. J Elnias Golf Club Didžiosios Lapės (15km from Kaunas). The only golf course in Kaunas is a nine-hole one, and those who’ve played a round on it say that it’s quite a challenge. A 19th hole (or in this case a 10th hole) can also be found here. Impuls Baltų 16, tel. 75 50 12/75 50 13, oaze@impuls. lt, www.impuls.lt. The machines glimmer with newness while the bodies shine with sweat. A wonderful new gym for weights, aerobics, fitness and water sports - jacuzzi, Turkish and Finnish saunas, aromatherapy, ice cabin, pool with cascades, massages, solarium, martial arts room, VIP sauna and lounge with a nicest possible staff. After refreshing your body guests can enjoy bars and bowling alleys in their night club. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. ADC
may refer to crosses planted in memory of victims of the 1831 rebellion against the Russians, whose burial places were unknown by loved ones. The number of crosses swelled after another rebellion in 1863. In the early 1900s, when we next have a record to refer to, there were about 150 crosses. Numbers dropped a bit after the First World War (we don’t know why – cross casualty?) but were up to around 400 by the late 1930s. Then things really took off. B y 19 61, wh en th e Soviet government of the time decided that religious sentiment had gone a bit too far, they had over 5,000 crosses to contend with. This they did with the aid of a bulldozer. In an attempt to stop crosses reappearing, the area was guarded by the KGB, rumoured to be infected with various ‘epidemics’, and there were even discussions about flooding it. But the crosses kept reappearing. Despite all the restrictions, the bulldozers had another 1,200 crosses to crush in 1975. Thus the Hill of Crosses now is not just a site of religious significance, but a bristling testament to Lithuanian defiance and independence.
Arum Gimbutienė s 35, tel. +370 617 66 4
55, [email protected], w w w.baracuda.lt. PWC rental: 1 hr-425Lt, 2hrs-685Lt, 6 hrs-944Lt. Catamaran (for up to 12 people) rental: 1st hour - 180Lt, 112Lt/h thereafter. Excursion in Kaunas Sea - 180 Lt, boat trip to Rumšiškės - 280Lt, to Birštonas - 740Lt.
Naktigonėlė Naktigonės 3, tel. +370 687 426 05,
[email protected]. Cruise around on a lovely yacht and pretend you’re in the Bahamas. 100Lt per hour.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
ruMšišKes
ruMšišKes
Fully funcional yurt – huddle inside the hill, the wooden structure one finds is a mushroom-drying facility. Further along is the Dzūkija village with its collection of homes. Make sure to check out the bathhouse with its stone stove. This style of stove once replaced by clay led to the cooking area being separated from the living quarters rather than heating them. Back on the main road, to the right in a forest glade there is an eight-metre high oak sculpture, commemorating the deportees of 1941 who perished on their way to the Laptev Sea, a section of the Arctic Ocean. Adjacent find a fully functional yurt, a collapsible shelter similar to those used by deportees to afford at least a little protection from wind and cold. St. Florian – making sure the place doesn’t burn down The open-air museum of Lithuania, known as Rumšiškės, is a collection of traditional old homes and buildings salvaged from around the country. The museum, covering nearly 175 hectares (435 acres), hopes to give locals and foreigners alike a glimpse of what life and work was like in Lithuania nearly a century ago. History really comes to life when the museum hosts festivals. There are horseploughing competitions, craft markets and all manner of other time foolery. Summer and autumn are the best times to visit. Highlights are Shrove Tuesday (June 23 in 2007), Assumption Day (August 15) and the craft days (September 28-29). Craftsmen and artisans, often dressed in traditional costume, can be seen at work throughout the park during these holiday weekends. The park itself is divided, like Lithuania, into four distinct regions. Before descending down onto the footbridge, check out the man-made Kaunas Sea (Kauno marios) to your left along which one can see the Žemaitija area of the park. To the left is the Dzūkija, Aukštaitija, and Suvalkija areas. Each of these areas not only boasts buildings from each region, but the flora surrounding the buildings is indigenous to each specific area. At the other end of the footbridge find the map of the park and an oak obelisk. The little bird on top is there to point you in the right direction of the tour, so follow the beak and turn right. Dzūkija The first of the homesteads depicts the area of Dzūkija. On your way there keep an eye out for the stone along the river with a large hollowed-out centre. These ‘plates’ were used in pagan times and most ethnographers believe sacrifices to deities were placed inside of them. The Dzūkija area, in agricultural terms, is known mostly for its poor soil. Luckily the surrounding forests often provided for the people living there. The first house on the tour is typical of where a poor farmer would have lived about a century ago. To the right, find a barn where plays and concerts are often held. As you continue up Aukštaitija The next area of the park consists of a 19th-century homestead typical of the Aukštaičiai region. Inside the homestead, besides the living areas, you can look at equipment for brewing beer, a cowshed and two barns. Up on the hill, note the working full-size windmill. The handful of houses that make up the rest of the village all have small details of note. However, the do-not-miss parts are the large manor house, decorated throughout with wood-carvings and the adjacent barn with straw-woven walls. The gravel road
Well worth a visit in winter leading out of the village leads to Račkiškė Chapel, built in 1775, which is surrounded by roadside shrines (Koplytstulpis and Rūpintojėlis) and crosses which museum officials were able to rescue from every corner of the country. The monument in the churchyard is dedicated to Lithuanians deported to Kolyma, Russia. One of the most charming parts of the museum is up ahead in the forested region where a few wooden bee-keeping structures (complete with anti-beartheft devices) are in place. Suvalkija As you continue on through the park, the red-tiled roofs hail the beginning of the Suvalkija region. Here you will find a 20th-century middle-class peasants’ farm consisting of five buildings. The homestead is actually more reminiscent of the 19th century, but the home entertainment system is cetainly a bit more up to date. In 1935-1939, some peasants could afford such luxury. Suvalkija was the first region in Lithuania where serfdom was abolished, and as the area also has good soil, locals soon found themselves in posession of independant wealth, radios and gramaphones. Inside the barns the large round wooden machinery is called a ruzvelkis, which used to be driven by horses and connected to a thresher so as to break the flax. Also of note in this area are the numerous flowerbeds surrounding each of the homesteads, which add a colorful touch. Outside of the village there is another windmill and a building where linseed oil is pressed. Žemaitija Next on the agenda is the region of Žemaitija where the homesteads are by far the biggest in the park. Numerous granaries and barns accompany the homes, which for the most part have stoves with chimneys connected in the centre of the building. The houses here tend to have less flourishes to them, but to be of a sturdy construction. Inside the Gintališkės homestead toward the end of the area one can find a clog maker’s workshop. Also of note is at the end of the village stands a numas, a house believed to have been used during the Middle Ages. The ceiling consists of twigs and clay and the interior is dominated by an open hearth. It is the only one of its kind left in the country. The last part of the tour ends with a re-creation of a small Lithuanian town. The town is still being developed as it were, but at press time had its own square complete with a statue of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, a schoolhouse, an inn and a few more buildings under re-construction. Make sure to duck inside the inn to find a truly unique collection of buggies and carriages. At the weekend (and sometimes during the week) you can usually find an artisan hard at work in one of the few completed buildings.
Suvalkija – Lithuanian luxury Open Air Museum of Lithuania (Lietuvos Liaudies Buities Muziejus Rumšiškėse) 25km east of Kaunas just off the A1 highway, tel. +370 346 473 92. QNote that while the park itself is open 10:00 - 18:00 every day except Mondays, the many museums, exhibitions, shops, cafés and other attractions inside the park can only be relied upon to maintain the same opening hours from May to September inclusive. Getting There By car Take the A1 towards Vilnius. About 25km east of Kaunas is the turn-off for Rumšiškės. Follow the signs to the park. By public transport Buses leave from Kaunas bus station, some going straight to the museum. Alternatively take any Vilnius-bound bus, get off at the Rumšiškės stop, and walk the final 2km.
Aukštaitija – step inside
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
BirštonAs
If Birštonas was any more relaxing they’d have to put it in a jar and sell it under the counter. You’d have to have a prescription to go there. And, while it’s certainly therapeutic, it does maintain enough of a pulse to leave you fresh and tingly and well enough to drive home slowly, safely and serenely while more stressed-out people flip their lids behind you trying to get past. Basically, the little town is nestled in an elbow of the Nemunas, and hence affords plenty of river views and lovely riverside walks. It’s the sort of place where you can suck in lungfuls of clean air and feel all zippedy and healthy even if you smoke a pack a day and had a hard night. Of course with such beautiful natural surroundings, and some magical local mud to boot, it’s not surprising that a bit of a SPA resort has developed in this gorgeous little town. So in addition to all the outdoorsy stuff that you’ll read about in these pages, you can get bathed, massaged, buried in mud, irrigated, exfoliated, elongated (probably) and otherwise de-exasperated. What’s more, in the past couple of years, some rather fine hotels and restaurants have popped up, making Birštonas an ideal destination for a romantic weekend. You can also often see lots of wedding parties queueing for photos at the top of the hill that overlooks the town. The beaus and brides there may act as either encouragement or contraceptive during a naughty weekend, but they’re certainly pretty. Then there’s the option of winter sports. Skiing, snowboarding falling over and so on – it’s all do-able and delightful here in Birštonas. So, whatever the season,
BirštonAs
The Birštonas telephone code is +370 319
this little nook of a town has plenty of options and is well worth a day trip or a weekend break – especially when you consider that it’s so close to Kaunas.
Getting there
If you’re a fish, finding your way to Birštonas is a doddle. Just swim along the Nemunas until it goes all wiggly and you get dizzy, and you’re there. If you’re a person, it’s a bit more tricky. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on your point of view – someone seems to have decided to hide this delightful little town. There is only about one road sign that points to Birštonas, and it’s pretty much in Birštonas. Still, try as they might, hiding Birštonas won’t do any good because we’re going to tell you how to get there. From Kaunas By car Pretend you’ve gone completely mad and want to go to Warsaw. You’ll drive out on the A5, heading toward a place called Marijampolė. As you haven’t gone completely mad, however, you’ll turn off onto route 130 pretty quickly and follow signs to Prienai. Once you pass through that town, take the A16 toward Vilnius. Now you’re getting pretty close to Birštonas and – lo and behold! – you’ll see a sign. By bus If that all sounds too complicated, you’ll be pleased to know that buses depart from Kaunas every 30 minutes on the hour and half-hour from 06:00 to 20:00. Couldn’t be simpler. As you drive into town, don’t be put off by the rambling great monstrosity of a building on the left that looks like a crashed space station. Just carry on. The bus station is not much more than a car park. It serves its purpose and nothing more. On the opposite side of the road and a little way to your right is the Tourist Informaiton Centre. If you just want to explore the town on foot, turn left and explore away. angels leaning on their forearms and other romantic blah. Not just the newest hotel in town, but also the ultimate naughty nest in this region. We hope the doors are soundproof. 14 rooms (13 doubles 230Lt, 1 apar tmen t 360Lt). ARULGKDC
Tourist information
Tourist Information Centre B-2,
J a u n i m o 3 , t e l . /f a x + 3 7 0 3 1 9 6 57 4 0, t u r i z m a s@ B i r š t o n a s . l t . QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.
Sonata A-2, Algirdo 34, tel./fax +370 319 658 25,
[email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. The middle of a forest might be the last place you’d expect to find deep, plush carpets, chiffon curtains and a gleaming spa bath. But that’s exactly what you’ll find here. The rooms offer a modest and elegant style that belies the forest hide-away location. You can ponder that while you’re lying on the bed looking out the window at the trees or, from some rooms, river glimpses. A very quiet, classy and complete retreat.Q22 rooms (18 doubles 160 - 240Lt, 2 sui tes 180 - 260Lt, 2 apar tmen ts 380 - 430Lt). PTHA6LGKW hhh
Tulpės C-2, Sruogos 4, tel. +370 319 655 20, santulpe@
Where to stay
Audenis B-1, Lelijų 3, tel. +370 319 613 00, fax +370
319 613 01, [email protected], www.audenis.lt. It relies a bit on that spartan style that comes from flat-packed furniture, but it is affordable, comfortable, and the best option for those who are not in the mood for cultural or nocturnal adventure. All rooms have a television, minibar, a private bathroom, and even an internet connection. This hotel is also home to a nice restaurant which will come as a great relief after a day of outdoorsy adventure. Q9 rooms (1 single 120Lt, 6 doubles 170 - 190Lt, 2 suites 190 - 230Lt, 1 apartment 250 - 270Lt). THAULGKW hhhh
mail.lt, www.tulpe.lt. A health resort that extols, demonstrates and offers the healing effects of the regional spring water and mud. Accommodation is healthcare-bland - which may be fine for those who are recovering from something, but otherwise unspectacular other than the fact that all rooms have balconies and the location is unbeatable. Service is pleasant with a hint of matronly-firm. Their packages that include accommodation and ‘wellness’ services are worth considering. Q71 rooms (12 singles 30 - 54Lt, 50 doubles 60 - 96Lt, 3 triples 90 - 144Lt, 6 suites 45 - 110Lt). HUFGKD
Where to eat
Audenis B-1, Lelijų 3, tel. +370 319 613 00, www.
audenis.lt. Not surprisingly, as it is in a four-star hotel, this restaurant maintains high standards of style, cuisine and service. The menu is, broadly speaking, European, and has some interesting options. The fireplace can add a very cosy atmosphere to the otherwise sleekly-modern interior in winter. It’s also a good spot for ‘business’ meetings, which are a surprisingly frequent occurance in Birštonas. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. AIGB
Birštono Nemuno Vingis C-3, Turistų 20, tel. +370
698 020 17/+370 611 230 16, [email protected], www. kortas.lt. It’s over the river from the main town and there’s no bridge. (Just something to be aware of.) Accommodation is pretty basic, but the all-in-one nature of the place (pool, restaurant, lodgings), not to mention the beautiful natural surroundings, are the main attractions. Oh - and the four-wheel motorbikes help too. Q Rooms for three to five people 15 - 30 Lt/night.
Birštono Seklytėlė C-1, Prienų 10, tel. +370 319 658
Sofijos rezidencija B-1, Jaunimo 6, tel. +370 319
452 00, fax +370 319 452 01, info@sofijosrezidencija. lt, www.sofijosrezidencija.lt. Not in the best location, but so crammed full of over-the-top oppulence that you’ll probably never want to leave anyway. Lots of gilding, flowing fabrics, rococo furniture, plush cushions with images of
25, [email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. A hilltop location right beside the river offers the best views in town, and attracts a stream of special occasion visitors - weddings, parties, anniversaries or just those wanting a special treat. You might have to fight for space in the car park with limousines, but it’s worth it. A high timber A-frame ceiling and stone fireplace combine with big windows and plenty of light and space to create a bit of a Scandinavian
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ski cabin feeling. Oh - and the food is appropriately good, too. Come on a Saturday night and chances are you’ll be able to enjoy somebody else’s celebratory fireworks. To get there: Drive out of Birštonas and turn right on the A16. Take the first U-turn, and then the first turn on your right. It’s not too far to walk from the town centre. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. AGB
Sofijos rezidencija A-2, Jaunimo 6, tel. +370 319 452
00, fax +370 319 452 01, [email protected], www. sofijosrezidencija.lt. If the food is subject to as much care and attention as the furniture it ought to be divine. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. TAULGS
Sonata A-2, Algirdo 34, tel. +370 319 657 33, sek-
[email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. Whether on the deck in summer, or just by the floor-to-ceiling windows in winter, you’ll feel like you’re dining right in the forest. Except you won’t be eating raw mushrooms or munching on a wild mink. Rather, you will enjoy any of a pleasing range of meals, carefully prepared and presented in a setting where refinement and nature happily meet. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 24:00. AGB
Cheap & Cheery
Pizza Fun C-2, Birutės 3, tel. +370 659 002 50. The
favourite place for locals out for casual fun and a decent feed, probably because it doesn’t disappoint on either count. Design your own pizza and order a few beers, or just drop in for coffee and a chat. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. TGBS
It’s all downhill from here
Vacys Valužis
What to see
Boat About
Ferry B-3. Departing from a pontoon behind the Tulpės
sanatorium is a dinky little boat that ferries passengers to the other side of the river and back. A sign on the pontoon will list departure times (May 1 - Nov 1).
Winter Fun
Birštonas is lovely in spring and summer, and even rather fetching in autumn. But what about winter? Well, it’s seems this pretty little town can even turn on the attraction in the chillier months. Not only is it all very pretty when dressed with snow, and with the rumbling backdrop of the ice-covered river, but Birštonas also attracts skiiers. The town has a 40m-high ski slope. It may not sound like much, but there are two downhill runs to keep both novices and moderatley experiences skiiers happy. Anyone with a real hunger for adventure will have to head to some other country with proper ski slopes, but if you’re after some simple outdoorsy fun, Birštonas will keep you at least mildly amused. There’s a pommel-style ski lift, a snow machine which can be fired-up when the weather is not cooperating, and lights that keep the whole thing going well into the evening. Further information on the ski slope is available on +370 319 657 70 or +370 698 430 56. If you’re a bit more sedate, you might like to try a winter sleigh ride. A horse-drawn sleigh is availalbe to drag you around Birštonas’s pretty landscape, warm the cockles of your heart and leave you with fairy-tale romantic memories. For information or bookings, call +370 682 560 63.
Vytenis A-2, Crumbly dock at the end of Pušyno, tel.
+370 319 658 25, [email protected], www. sonatahotel.lt. While you can jump on board for an hour-long cruise at 15:00 on Sundays (adults 20Lt, kiddies 10Lt), this floating play pen really screams out for private bookings. It’s ideal for weddings, parties or just a weekend away with a group of friends. The are six cabins that sleep two, and a big glassed-in room with a padded floor where half a dozen people can get very friendly, play body Tetris and enjoy great views. See the website for a map of where to climb aboard.
Churches
Saint Anthony from Padova C-2, Birutės 14. The current church was completed in 1909 and features a very pretty floor formed from stone tiles decorated with mosaics. It’s almost a shame to walk on it, but you’ll have to do so to visit the three naves. A church was believe to have been built on this spot by 1529, when Birštonas became a recognised town. The church was rebuilt in 1674, probably after a fire. Don’t miss the wooden carved crosses in the yard toward the pond.
Museums
Museum of Birštonas B-2, Vytauto 9, tel. +370 319
656 05. What, you may wonder, is an old log doing lying in the corner of a museum. And why has someone hollowed it out? Well, the answer is that it is not a log, but an early wooden pipe through which the mineral water of Birštonas flowed. The history of the spa town is thoughtfully laid out here with many artefacts and documents coming together to give you glimpses of the history of the town at various stages of its development. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
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Sacral Art Museum C-2, Birutės 10, tel. +370 319 656
99, smuziejus@Birštonas.lt, www.muziejai.lt/Birštonas. Not surprisingly, this place is full of religious bibs and bobs and while we’re sure it’s the best Birštonas has to offer of such material, it can be a bit staid, austere and … well, boring, to be honest. The museum is located in a pretty little wooden building near the church, so it might be worth popping in on your way there. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
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Statues & Monuments
Bust of Balys Sruoga A writer, poet and intellectual, Balys
Sruoga (1896-1947) was considered dangerous to Nazis and hence found himself in a concentration camp. Luckily, he survived the experience and in 1945 settled down in Birštonas to write about his experiences. The resulting book, Forest of Gods (Dievu miskas), has become famous and was recently turned into a film. Sculpture by Giedrius Plechavičius.
Vytautas the Great B-2. Near the base of Vytautas
Promenade
Hill (which you can’t miss, because it’s the only hill) is a big statue (which you can’t miss because it’s the only big statue) of Vytautas the Great atop his trusty s te e d. Vy tau tas was Grand Duke from 14011430 and one of the most respected characters in Lithuania’s history as he was instrumental in leading the combined Lithuanian and Polish forces to victory over some troublesome Teutonic knights in what was the biggest battle of medieval Europe. See page 10 for history, and 38 if you’re looking for Vy tautas’ statue in Kaunas. Pink granite sculpture by Gediminas Jokūbonis erected in 1998.
Walk About
Memorial path B-3. On the other side of the river to the
town, and around the bend a bit, is a path on the steep river bank. Here there are various wooden sculptures carved by folk artists in memory of those who suffered under Stalin, and their relatives. To get there, take the road to Birštono Nemuno Vingis (listed under ‘Where to stay’) and keep going past the hotel.
Promenade By the side of the river is a long, flat and
View across lake Druskonis
paved path for strollers and cyclists. At the south end (to your right as you face the river) is the Vytautas Hill, while if you continue in the other direction you will eventually come across a forest suitable for a more challenging, but also more rewarding, hike.
Where to stay
Druskininkai is experiencing explosive growth. New hotels, restaurants and resorts are opening up with alarming frequency, while many old dumps are being renovated. The town now offers plenty of options for all tastes and budgets, from straightforward hotels, to all-inclusive deals including therapies at one of the town’s many sanatoriums. A few cheap and cheerful self-catering packages are also on offer, and you can even camp if you feel so inclined. 59195/+370 697 080 00, [email protected]. This hotel, located within the sparkly new Aqua Park, is equally sparkly and new but overpriced. You see, they just opened in a prime location and they’re up-themselves already. The rooms are more functional than comfortable, and really a little bit too basic given the prices. Good views are available from some rooms but until they get a bit more realistic with the prices this should be a last resort.Q92 rooms (7 singles 150 - 180Lt, 78 doubles 230 - 280Lt, 5 suites 360 - 440Lt, 2 apartments 599 - 699Lt). PHALGW hhh
Druskininkai B-2, Kudirkos 43, tel. +370 313 525 66,
Vytautas Hill (Birštonas Hill) D-3. It is believed that
Wooden sculptures B-3. In a yard beside the church find
a small but impressive collection of wooden sculptures that were created during an international wood carving symposium held in Birštonas in 1998.
in the 14th century a wooden castle once stood on this hill. Now you can stand on it too, and you’ll notice that it offers some breathtaking views of the winding river and the town of Birštonas itself. Try not to think too much about the fact that, supposedly, a woman was hanged from a tree up there by a priest with whom she had fallen in love. Now it is often used as a vantage point from which to take wedding photos. Steps lead up the hill on both the north and south sides.
Aqua Medūna A-2, Vilniaus 13-1, tel. +370 313
fax +370 313 513 45, [email protected], www.hotel-druskininkai.lt. A smart and gleaming glass box that screams out ‘business types, come hither!’ Big beds, a quaint spa and service that goes beyond the call of duty are the highlights here. Excellent breakfasts and high speed internet stations in the lobby. Don’t miss the rooftop garden in summer and the spa facilities at any time. Q 50 rooms (singles 200Lt, doubles 290Lt, junior suites 340360Lt, suites 420-500Lt, presidential apartments 800Lt). PTHARULEGKDW hhhh
Europa Royale B-2, Vilniaus 7, tel. +370 313 422 21,
On yer bike
Birštonas is ideally suited to two-wheeled exploration. Near the heart of the town, along the river, is a long paved path that is ideal for a leisurely and picturesque ride. It’s also very flat, which is great if you’re lazy. In addition to that, you can pedal into the forests and enjoy the scent of pines, the calls of birds, and no chance of being run over by crazy Lithuanian drivers. Keep in mind that you can not only explore the forest near the town itself, but head a bit further afield and make a real day of it. With a picnic lunch, a pair of wheels and a gentle spirit of adventure, you can enjoy the best of Birštonas by bicycle.
Dalija B-2, Vasario 16-osios 1, tel. +370 313 518 14,
[email protected]. You won’t do better in terms of location and price unless you sleep on a bench. The charming late-1800s building hints at the mildly dowdy and dated but throroughly comfortable innards of this little family-run guesthouse. The rooms are like mini-apartments, with their own kitchenette and private bathrooms. Staying here is not just a bargain, but a pleasant experience. Cheap and charming. Q11 rooms (5 doubles 80 - 100Lt, 3 triples 100 - 120Lt, 3 suites 150Lt). TG
[email protected], www.europaroyale. com. It’s a mansion. Actually, it was an 18th century mansion, and now it is a swish and sparkly new hotel that offers the utmost in comfort and luxury. All rooms have heated floors, minibar, safes, air conditioning and a telephone in the toilet so you can lord it over the staff - serenely friendly types, we might add - from the comfort of your throne. There’s even twice-daily housekeeping. You’ll be tempted to stay until you run out of money. Q65 rooms (2 singles 200 - 320Lt, 52 doubles 200 - 270Lt, 6 suites 340 - 450Lt, 5 apartments 500 - 760Lt). PHAULGKDW hhhh
Galia B-1, Maironio 3, tel. +370 313 605 11/+370
313 605 15, fax +370 313 605 12, [email protected], www.galia.lt. So that’s where all the used furniture from the Star Trek set went. The hotel is actually located in three buildings, one of which looks a bit mock-medieval. Yes, it’s totally wacky, and may be the perfect place for those who love Lithuanian strangeness, as well as a green bubbling pool with twinkling ‘stars’ in the ceiling above. Q46 rooms (2 singles 80 - 100Lt, 41 doubles 120 - 150Lt, 3 quads 200 - 240Lt, 6 suites 160 - 200Lt). TARLGK hhh
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“I think I see a woodpecker”
The Druskininkai telephone code is +370 313
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Tourist information
Tourism Information Centre C-2, Gardino 3, tel.
+370 313 608 00, [email protected], www.druskininkai.lt. The main office near the bus station is closed on weekends, but there’s a second location on Čiurlionio that you can try. Also at Čiurlionio 65, Open 10:00 - 18:45, Sun 10:00 - 17:00, tel +370 313 517 77 QOpen 08:30 - 17:15. Closed Sat, Sun. you will enjoy satellite television, minibar and internet access. Q66 rooms (11 singles 140Lt, 48 doubles 170Lt, 7 suites 250Lt). PTHARUGKXSW hhh
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Vilnius Spa C-3, Dineikos 1, tel. +370 313 538 11/+370 313 591 60, fax +370 313 590 59, info@ spa-vilnius.lt, www.spa-vilnius.com. The all-in-one modern hotel and sparkly spa package with a generous mineral water swimming pool and modern gym packed with blinking, whirring exercise machines. Mud and mineral baths are also available. Spa open: 08:00 - 22:00. Q187 rooms (24 singles 149Lt, 114 doubles 250Lt, 41 suites 300 - 350Lt, 8 apartments 420 - 439Lt). PTHARUFLEGKDXCW hhhh
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Soviet Park
Camping
Dainava A-2, Maironio 22, tel. +370 313 591 00, [email protected], www.centrasdainava.lt. This is part of a training centre for civil servants, but don’t let that worry you. There’s spaces for vans and tents with electricity, water, showers and toilets. And you don’t even have to take a number and wait in a queue to use them. Yet.
Regina A/B-2, Kosciuškos 3, tel. +370 313 590
60, fax +370 313 590 61, [email protected], www.regina.lt. A stylish hotel without the extra frills, but with some great offers to entice guests - romantic weekends, family breaks and healthy holiday packages are all available. A peachy plum place for a weekend away. Q 40 rooms (8 singles 150 - 190Lt, 29 doubles 220 - 280Lt, 3 suites 320 - 400Lt). THAREGKX hhh +370 313 606 02, [email protected], www.violeta.lt. Offering as spectacular a riverside landscape as is possible. Rooms are gorgeous, but as there is a wonderful dining terrace for summer and a cafe/restaurant with a fireplace for winter, you may not stay in them too much. There’s also a sprinkling of small pools, massage and fitness services, and secure underground parking. Q20 rooms (2 singles 200 - 250Lt, 13 doubles 300 - 340Lt, 4 suites 380 - 420Lt, 1 apartment 600 - 900Lt). THARUFLGKDC hhhh
Grūtas Park Grūtas, 130km southwest of Vilnius,
Kempingas C-2, Gardino 3, tel. +370 313 608 00, camp-
Violeta B-3, Kurorto 4, tel. +370 313 606 00, fax
[email protected]. Clean, tidy, family friendly and the ideal place to park your caravan or pitch your tent. Ideally located a short way out of the centre, so you get nearby forests and lakes while being just a few hundred metres stroll from the centre. Enough room for 45 caravans or tents. Q Tents 30Lt, vans 50Lt and little cabins 100Lt per night for two people.
Where to eat
Cafés
Saulė Grąža B-2, Vilniaus 22, tel. +370 313 523 18.
The no-nonsense pub-shack-dump kind of place that is ideal for beer, pizza and basic grilled meat kinds of meals. Very ordinary, but hits the spot when you’re having a slobbing around in the tracksuit kind of day and are feeling unfussy. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. TAGBS
Wander to the river
Jerevan M.K.Čiurlionio 128, tel. +370 313 555
54/+370 650 350 79, [email protected], www.jerevan.lt. Out of town, and out of the question unless you like the idea of a technicolor yawn before bedtime. Rooms are colour-themed and totally tasteless. The pink room, in particular, is hideous - pink curtains, shimmering pink bedspread, heart-shaped lamps. Small girls might like it, but for everyone else, staying here is a headache waiting to happen. Q9 rooms (2 singles 60Lt, 4 doubles 150Lt, 1 suite 280Lt, 2 mini suite 200Lt). TARLGBKS hhh
Spas
Draugystės Sanatorija B-3, Krėvės 7, tel. +370 313 531 32, [email protected], www.draugyste.lt. The name means ‘friendship’ and if you want a friendly massage, mud bath or mineral bath they will be happy to oblige. Accommodation is available in pretty little villas located on the sprawling grounds where two rivers meet. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. ADC Druskininkų Gydykla A-2, Vilniaus 11, tel. +370 313
605 08, www.gydykla.lt. A bright and modern sanatorium offering mud, mineral, bubble, carbonic, turpentine, herbal, vapor, vertical and underwater massage baths - and a nice room to sit down in and look out across the park and river afterwards. No accommodation.
Sicilia I & II B-2, Taikos 9, tel. +370 313 518 65, www.
Medūna B-2, Liepų 2, tel. +370 313 580 33, fax +370
313 580 34, [email protected], www.meduna.lt. The gleaming glass and ochre exterior hints at the modernity and warmth inside, but does nothing to prepare you for the chintzy and somewhat over-the-top rooms, possibly decorated by Flash Gordon’s mum. Still, it’s nothing a quick respite in the rough brick and lumpen leather wine cellar won’t fix. Q (15 doubles 80 - 300Lt). PTARLGK hhh
sicilia.lt. There are two locations, so once you’ve worked out that this is the best option for cheap and cheerful dining you can alternate between them without feeling like you’re becoming a part of the furniture. The pizzas, according to one local pizza lover, are better than those offered by the chain stores, and other meals hit a pleasing balance of value and quality. The only problem is that you’ll often have to wait for a table. Also at Čiurlionio 56. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. PTAGBS
tel. +370 313 555 11, [email protected], www. grutoparkas.lt. Several Stalins and loads of Lenins litter this bizarre, mildly controversial sculpture park near the spa town of Druskininkai. The brainchild of local mushroom millionaire Viliumas Malinauskas, come and gaze upon row after row of retired communist sculptures, collected en mass from their former positions of importance throughout Lithuania. A small zoo is thoughtfully provided so the wild boar in the cages can bite off the little children’s fingers, and if you’re hungry there’s a restaurant too. To get there by car from Druskininkai, just drive toward Vilnius and look for the sign on your right. You can also go by bus. Bus 1 departs from the bus stop by the little blue Russian Orthodox church (B-2) while bus 2 departs from the bus station (C-2). Both buses run so frequently that we don’t have spece to list the full schedule, but you can see the times at departure points. The park is clearly signposted from the A4 for the final 1km hike to the park itself. It’s also a pleasant ride on a bicycle, but keep in mind that there’s a bit of walking to be done once you’re in the park, so you might want to save some energy. Open winter time 09:00 - 17:00, summer time 09:00 - 16:30. Q Admission, adults 10Lt, children 3Lt, photo and filming fee 5-10Lt.
Restaurants & Clubs
Dangaus Skliautas B-3, Kurorto 8, tel. +370 313
518 19. If Elvis was an Arab, he might have come up with something like this. It’s mildly over the top, and replete with little booths tucked away behind tasselled frames and glitzy curtains that look like little Bedouin tents. With a table in the middle. It’s also great joint for pop-star food, and they crank out a good blend of music that brings the place to life in the evenings. Sometimes. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. PAIEGBS
Nemunas B-2, Kosciuškios 6, tel. +370 313 516 60,
[email protected], www.druskonis.lt/sanatorija/ nemunas. A decrepit and disgusting box that should only be considered as a last resort by cheapskates, scumbags and those with a hankering to relive a miserable Soviet past. The novelty of bright red velour furniture, crinkly carpets, dodgy blinking lights and sod all heating in winter can’t make up for the hideous skin-crawling state of the bathrooms. Vile. Stay away. Q (Rooms single/double 35 - 63 Lt, triple - 94,50 Lt, suite 50 - 144 Lt.). THRUFLNGK h
Eglės Sanatorija A-5, Eglės 1, tel. +370 313 602 20,
fax +370 313 602 38, [email protected], www.sanatorija.lt. The building is a bit dated on the outside and the accommodation is a bit simple on the inside, but they offer full treatment and therapy services. A bit more hospital-like and less hotel-like than its competitors. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. THRUFLEGKDC
Europa Royale B-2, Vilniaus 7, tel. +370 313 422 21,
Pušynas B-2, Vilniaus 3, tel. +370 313 566 66, info@
Lietuvos Sanatorija B-2, Kudirkos 45, tel. +370 313
pusynas.lt, www.pusynas.lt. You can’t miss it. It looks like a birthday cake designed by Gaudi. Or maybe a termite mound. Anyway, while the outside may appear a bit startling the interior is simple, subtle, smart and suave. If you can resist the temptation of your weird bikini-shaped balcony for a while,
528 33, fax +370 313 554 90, info@sanatorijalietuva. lt, www.sanatorijalietuva.lt. Not one of the most modern places - it might remind you of an old James Bond movie - but it is certainly professional and comfortable and there’s no chance that you will be drowned in your mud bath by a SPECTRE operative. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. HAGK
[email protected], www.europaroyale. com. When we went to print, this place was still so new and gleaming that it looked like they might only serve toothpaste to angels. If it starts to look a bit lived-in it wouldn’t be a bad thing, because they serve things like soups, salads and a small selection of exquisite meat dishes - duck, beef, venison, salmon and so on - to mortals with money. A bright summer house with lush furnishings, lovely views, and very tempting meals. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. PAULGBS
Marija Melnikaitė, sculpture by J. Mikėnas
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Kolonada B-2, Kudirkos 22, tel. +370 313 512
22/+370 612 110 88, [email protected], www.kolonada. lt. A music club as much as a restaurant, and reviving a prewar history of intelectual types sitting around being... erm, intelectual. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights enjoy jazz, blues and rock ‘n’ roll, and classical music respectively. On other evenings, be entertained by a DVD player. Despite the opening hours printed here, they keep going until the last person leaves. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. PAUIEGBS The restaurant has doubled in size, making it the biggest in town. Plenty of interesting options to choose from in a fairly romantic environment. Q Open 08:00 - 23:00. TAEGBS made in the right direction (the museum is actually part of the Jewish National Museum), it is possible to gain entrance. Q Open Jun - Sep.
Museum of Resistance & Relics Of Deportations (Rezistencijos ir Tremties Muziejus) B-2, Vilniaus
Regina A-2, Kosciuškos 3, tel. +370 313 590 60.
24, tel. +370 656 083 73. It’s just what the name says, focusing on the resistance movement of 1944-1953 and the Dainava region partisans and deportees. Mostly photographs and press clippings. Open Wed, Sun 13:00-17:00. For visits at other time call in advance.
Places of interest
Echo of the Forest C-5, Čiurlionio 116, tel. +370 313
539 01. This quite extraordinary construction has been built to give the illusion of floating in the air, and it almost works. Inside you’ll find a ‘living evocation’ of the forest it sits in, complete with all manner of flora and fauna, animals and bugs. An oak tree grows through the centre of the building, making the whole place quite the most bizarre and uplifting adventure. Those looking for pure nature can step out the back and go for a walk along the specially arranged trail. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
What to see
For reasons known only to the chosen few Party favourites at the time, it was extremely popular during the Soviet years to fill health resorts and spa towns with the kind of architecture usually reserved for the pages of science fiction novels. Druskininkai was no exception, and among the handful of eye-catching modern buildings in the town was the former physiotherapy treatment centre. It has now been turned into an aqua park (see pages 64-65) but, in addition to some shiny new glass, retains some weird swirly concrete bits around the entrance. It would have to be one of the most original buildings to have ever left the confines of a drawing board. Twice. Do yourself a favour and have a good look around the outside if you’re in town. Absolutely incredible.
Jewish Cemetery Find the tiny cemetery/memorial hidden
in the woods, a few hundred metres directly southwest of the derelict train station at Gardino 3. A chilly combination of silence, Hebrew script and deep forest, this is not a place for the timid.
Čiurlionis
Čiurlionis Memorial Museum B-2, Čiurlionio 35,
tel. +370 313 511 31. Lithuania’s greatest artist and musician was Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (18751911). Born in the nearby town of Varėna, he spent his childhood in Druskininkai and the town remains his spiritual home. An immensely prolific artist, Čiurlionis wrote extensively for the piano, composed string quartets, and also penned the country’s first symphony, In The Forest. His musical style shifted between the pastoral and romantic to occasional dabblings in serialism. A busy painter too, Čiurlionis was one of the primary organizers of the country’s first exhibition of Lithuanian art in Vilnius in 1907. He served as a conductor, was involved in the Lithuanian independence movement, married the writer Sofija Kymantaitė, and also found time to design some beautiful stained glass. Such a frenetic life for such a shy man was bound to take its toll, and a bout of depression resulted in him first coming home to Druskininkai for recuperation, and then to a nursing home near Warsaw where he died of pneumonia at the tragically young age of 35. Čiurlionis left a daughter, whom although almost a year old when he died, he never met. Much has been written on the subject of his art (some claim he was the founder of abstract art), music, and general mental condition, most of it being pithy academic nonsense. What is clear is that Čiurlionis was a huge talent, coming at the right time to coincide with the rebirth of the Lithuanian psyche. As well as the statue at the northern end of Kudirkos, a museum can be found at the site of his childhood home in the street that now bears his name. They also sell a range of postcards, posters and CDs of his work. In the summer the museum also boasts strange weekend piano concerts, during which a pianist plays through an open window to an audience sat outside in the garden. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon.
Churches
Holy Virgin Mary Scapular Church B-2, Fonbergo 15,
tel. +370 313 552 28. A pretty neo-Gothic church that was rebuilt as you see it now from 1912-1931.
Russian Orthodox Church B-2, Laisvės square. Of-
ficial name: Joy of All Who Sorrow. Dating from 1865 this diminutive blue wooden building is delightful both inside and out, and seemingly rather out of place. When you’ve finally finished gaping in wonder at the exterior take some time and go through the main door to be astonished at the sheer splendour of the array of icons and religious paintings scattered throughout.
Museums
Druskininkai Museum B-2, Čiurlionio 59, tel. +370
313 510 24, [email protected]. Housed in a grand villa, this museum doesn’t just offer a glimpse of town history and a peek into the work of a few honorary citizens, but also hosts occasional concerts and events. Worth a visit for the building and lakeside location alone. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.
Jacques Lipchitz Museum B-2, Šv. Jokūbo 17, tel.
+370 313 560 77. Druskininkai’s most famous Jew was undoubtedly the Cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz (18911973). This small museum dedicated to him is closed between September and May, but if enough noises are
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Kaunas In Your Pocket
5
AquA PArK
AquA PArK
The biggest problems with the Druskininkai Aqua Park are the confusing entry prices and the shambles of changing and showers. It’s nothing to spend 15 minutes looking at the big board of prices, scratching your head, and wondering what you want and for how long. (We suggest three hours minimum. Four if you want to explore the saunas.) You can also easily spend 15 minutes of your paid-for time walking around in circles and working your way through the changing and showering rigmarole. Other niggles are that there are no mirrors in the changing room. Ladies won’t like that. (There are mirrors and hair dryers, but they are situated in such a way that you have to use them before changing, which may not always be ideal.) Aside from such niggles, however, the aqua park is a triumph. It is clean, modern, well-run and just oodles of fun. Combined with a visit to Grūtas Parkas (see page 61) it makes a day out in Druskininkai well worth considering for any visitors to Kaunas.
5
Druskininkai Aqua Park A-2, Vilniaus 13, tel.
© Druskininkų vandens parkas We went straight for the ‘extreme’ waterslide because that was the one that had injured people and, in the interests of keeping our readers alive, we had to test it. It lived up to its name. It starts off with you gently sliding through a tube like a Thunderbird on his way to save the world. Then it gets a bit faster, and you feel like you’re James Bond zipping through some unguarded irrigation duct in the secret headquarters of Doctor Splash (and his pet catfish) on your way to save the world and find a girl in a bikini. Then, rather suddenly we recall, it all starts to get a bit twisty-turny and you can’t think or feel much at all because there are G-forces trying to suck your brain out through your ear. Then everything goes black, there’s a big whoosh and an almighty splash, and suddenly you’re in a warm pool in a big open space. This is what it must feel like to be a sperm. In addition to frolicking in pools and under waterfalls and being shot through a tube, you can enjoy saunas. There are basic saunas included in the basic price, but if you pay a bit extra you can go into saunaland where there are different varieties of saunas and baths from all over the world. (Although we did notice the absence of the Australian sauna, also known as the outback dunny.) +370 313 523 38, [email protected], www.akvapark. lt. QOpen Mon - Thu, Sun 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:00. AGULK
© Druskininkų vandens parkas Lithuania seems to be in the midst of an aquatic frenzy. Not only has the capital of Vilnius splashed out on a new aqua park but another one opened just last year in Druskininkai. Of course we had to head down there to check it out, and it is with wrinkly fingers and great pleasure that we can report that it is a great venue. Mostly. The park has been built in what would have to be one of Druskininkai’s strangest buildings. And that’s saying something. You see, Druskininkai was once a playground and spa resort for the Soviet elite. Not only did it attract a lot of money, but it seems that it attracted architects who never passed a mental age of 12. So they created buildings that looked like space ships, insects and copulating aliens. Many of their more garish creations have since succumbed to common sense and bulldozers, but the most startling formed the basis for the aqua park. The effect is profound, with wacky concrete creations forming a skeleton for modern whiz-bang gleaming glass and curves. It would not be too much to say that this is one of the most unique buildings in Lithuania. It’s certainly unconventional. The wacky design and layout continues inside. Indeed, actually getting into the aqua park—passing through the entry and changing rooms—is like getting into a space station. At one point you find yourself in a round room surrounded by doors. The doors have lights above them, red or green. The feeling of ‘what do I do?’ and ‘where do I go?’ is disconcerting. There is no sign that says ‘men, this way; women, that way’. So you just go into one of the doors and suddenly you’re in your own little changing cubicle. But there’s no locker. So you have to change, re-pack your bag, and then carry on, exiting into what turns out to be a vast unisex locker room. Choose a locker, stash your bag and the adventure continues. You have to shower before you can swim, so the next stage of the operation is to pass through the shower area. The problem here is that the men’s and women’s showers are not physically separated, and while there are little boys and girls signs to direct the traffic, they are ignored by perverts, morons (and there are no shortage of either) and anyone distracted by something in a swimsuit. Our Editor saw old ladies wobbling around in the men’s showers. Likewise, the ladies saw men traipsing through the women’s showers. That’s just not right, especially when there is nakedness involved, and sometimes there is. (The same showers are used both before and after swimming.) Once you pass through that ordeal you can emerge into the vast landscape of pools. We tried to count how many different pools there are but ran out of fingers. There are quite a few, and they are embellished with waterfalls, spas, flowing rivers and a wave pool. To just get around and see everything takes a good hour. On top of all that, or sort of on the side and on top, are the water slides. There was a bit of hullabaloo about the water slides on the day the aqua park opened because some of the people who tried them ended up going home in an ambulance. No such excitement was available when we visited, however, as whatever problems had existed had been rectified and everything was safe and operating without injuring people. As was the case with the pools, we failed to count how many water slides there actually are, but did notice that there are quite a few. Some of them are designed for passengers on inflatable whatchamacallits, while others require you to travel unsupported.
© Druskininkų vandens parkas
Water words
These phrases may help you survive encounters with local mermaids, sea monkeys and octupii. Don’t pee in the pool – Nesišlapinkite į vandenį You’ve gone all wrinkly – Tu visas susiraukšlėjęs What a beautiful mermaid – Kokia graži undinėlė Help! I’m drowning – Ugh-blub-mphflop... etc No fishing – Žvejoti draudžiama Look out! – Atsargiai! I’m sure you’re very beautiful with clothes on – Aš tikras, kad jūs atrodote gražiai su rūbais Phwoar! – Vau! It’s too deep here – Čia per gilu I’ve lost my children – Aš nerandu savo vaikų How old are you? – Kiek tau metų? Fancy a drink? – Ar norėtum išgerti?
© Druskininkų vandens parkas
Get your hands off me! – Patrauk rankas nuo manęs!
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
KedAiniAi
The Kėdainiai telephone code is +370 347
The little town of Kėdainiai, some 45km north of Kaunas, was first mentioned in 1372 in Herman Wartberge’s Livonian Chronicle, and has over the years suffered the full effects both good and bad of being a reasonably important Lithuanian conurbation. Home to the wealthy and influential protestant Radvila family, the town just 300 years ago boasted a 50 per cent Scottish population as well as being a refuge for other Lithuanian protestant communities. Known for its tolerance, Kėdainiai has played host to Arian, Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Jewish communities, and at one time became dangerously close to becoming a part of Sweden thanks to a document that was almost signed there in 1655. Prior to the genocide of the Jewish population of Lithuania, the Jews ran the entire Kėdainiai fire brigade as well as sporting their own football team, and traces of their lives still exist in the city. Unfairly labelled as the modern cucumber capital of Lithuania, modern Kėdainiai is a charming destination for a day or two, claiming one of the best-preserved old towns in Lithuania, interesting museums and out-of-town attractions.
KedAiniAi
Useful information
Municipality Basanavičiaus 36, tel. +370 347
695 00, fax +370 347 611 25, turizmas@kedainia. lt, www.visitkedainiai.lt. Police Mickevičiaus 22, tel. +370 347 542 13. Hospital Budrio 5, tel. +370 347 515 73 . Train station Dariaus ir Girėno 3, tel. +370 347 523 33. QOpen 08:30 - 10:30, 12:30 - 20:10 (box office). Bus station Basanavičiaus 93, tel. +370 347 603 33. QOpen 05:00 - 22:00.
1
Jewish Kėdainiai
Although a Jewish population existed in Kėdainiai in the 15th century, no record of their activities at this time exists, and the fact that they were there at all is evident in the historical fact that in 1495 Archduke Alexander banished all Jews living in the town. They reappeared around the middle of the 16th century (the banishment was repealed in 1503). The early Jewish settlers were granted the right to produce beer and spirits in 1652, making them the main inn owners and food providers. Not much survived WWII in the way of Jewish culture with the exception of the two synagogues at Senoji Rinka in the heart of the Old Town.
Raganė Sirutiškis village, Kėdainiai district, tel. +370
Getting there
By bus The best option is to catch any of the many buses running to Kėdainiai from the Kaunas bus station. By car Taking the A1 toward Klaipėda, you’ll see that Kėdainiai is well signposted from Kaunas. If you stay within the national speed limits, the journey time is about half an hour.
347 415 35. If you don’t mind being a little way out of the centre, this will feel like a home away from home. Rooms are crisp and clean, with simple furniture and modern bathrooms. One room even has a fireplace, and a balcony overlooking a fascinating collection of rusting junk, including an artificial reindeer, in the neighbour’s backyard. Beds in the single rooms are actually quite wide, and could accommodate couples. There’s a lovely communal kitchen downstairs, and an even lovelier hostess who encourages you to use it, giving the place a big happy-family kind of feel. The only disadvantage is the location. There’s a shop downstairs for supplies, but you’ll need a car or a bike to actually go anywhere interesting. Q12 rooms (1 single 60 - 80Lt, 6 doubles 100 - 120Lt, 4 quads 200Lt). TR6ULGX hhh
Museums & Churches
Po Šiaudiniu Stogu Jazminų 1, tel. +370 347 615
72/+370 685 116 93. A thatched wooden cabin in a housing estate may not be to everybody’s taste, but this is a great place to eat and drink. Inside, not even the creepy stuffed animals’ heads can crush the welcoming and cosy atmosphere. Outside are covered tables and benches for wasting sunny afternoons, and swings and a see-saw to keep the kiddies, or tipsy adults, amused. The menu (printed in such a way as to imitate a newspaper, although not in English) features a whole host of traditional Lithuanian salads, soups, main dishes and deserts. Complete with after dinner Lavazza coffee and friendly staff, no stay in Kėdainiai is complete without a visit here. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. TAIEGBS
Kėdainiai Regional Museum Didžioji 19, tel. +370
347 536 85, [email protected]. Housed in the 18th century Carmelite convent building, this particular museum has been in existence since 1921, and houses some 30,000 exhibits dealing with ‘the spiritual and material life of the Kėdainiai region’. Notable among the collection are some of the possessions of the town’s most famous resident, Duke Jonušas Radvila (1612-1655), a pair of ‘vyžos’ (peasant boots made from linden tree bark), and some hideous English furniture fashioned from antlers. Although a feast for the eyes, the accompanying descriptions have the briefest of English translations - they literally call a spade ‘A spade’. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Savas Kampas Didžioji 39, tel. +370 347 576 36. A
Guesthouses
Sandra & Co Guesthouse Šėtos 112, tel. +370 347
683 48, fax +370 347 575 75. The ground floor of this crumbling concrete eyesore hosts a range of accommodation from single rooms to humble apartments. Often used by workers from the local fertiliser factory, and with a communal kitchen, it smells a bit, and feels like a Soviet style dormitory. The bathrooms are time capsules, the furniture is nondescript and probably pleasing to old people, and everything is spotlessly clean and functional. Be warned that this is in a bit of a rough area. The only sign in English promises that your car will be stolen, but you can cram as many people as you want into a room for the set price, so there might be safety, and savings, in numbers. To find it, take Šėtos street away from the town centre, cross the railway line and it’s the second monstrosity on the right. Q 15 rooms (doubles 100 Lt, quad 100Lt, dormitory for 6 victims 150 Lt). GX
Where to stay
Hotels
Aroma Rex Hotel Didžioji 52, tel./fax +370 347 555
55, [email protected], www.aroma.lt. Cosy, clean, comfortable, and with the exception of the 70’s style gold and bronze bed covers, unspectacular. All the rooms are modestly sized except room five, which is enormous (ask for it when you book), and have a writing desk, cable TV with dodgy reception, two single beds, and glistening modern bathrooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Q 5 rooms (100 - 250 Lt). PTARLG hhhh
popular hangout for colourful local characters, but don’t let that put you off. Brave the slightly wonky and tightly spiralled staircase and head upstairs for meals that are pleasing to your pocket as they are to your palette - or at least your stomach. There’s traditional Lithuanian (basically, cepelinai), meat and fish dishes, and 20 kinds of pizza. Savas Kampas is lively, yet cosy and unpretentious - they don’t try hard to be anything other than great value. English is hidden on the crowded page of the menu with all the small type. It’s also worth noting that this is the first place to open in the mornings, and your only option for a morning brew. Head straight there if you arrive on the morning train. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 23:00. TAUIG
St Joseph’s Church Radvilų 10. The 18th century St.
Joseph’s church is a cute wooden masterpiece, complete with two box-shaped towers and a freestanding bell tower. Inside, find a host of folk symbols and other signs of rustic influence.
The Mausoleum of the Radvila Dukes (Evangelical Reformed Church) Senoji 1. The final resting place of
the illustrious Radvila family, tucked away for eternity in the basement of the 17th century church. A grand total of six family members lie in exquisite coffins – the most significant noble grave in Lithuania. Contact the Tourist Information Centre for an appointment.
By Night
Activity zone Tilto 2, tel. +370 686 500 30, www.
activityzone.lt. They’ve splashed a lot of colourful paint about, giving this place a bit of a tropical feel. There’s also a half-decent lighting and sound set-up which seems to stir up a fun, easy-going atmosphere. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. LG
Places of interest
Minaret A strange structure hidden across the tracks from
the train station at Dariaus ir Girėno 93, this tall white Turkish-style spike was constructed between 1880 and 1887 by a Russian military hero by the unlikely name of Count Von Totleben. Now in a state of serious disrepair, it’s still worth a visit, not least to its charming location in a wooded park among the remnants of an old manor. You can go up inside and enjoy the view from the top, but you’ll return filthy.
Grėjaus Namas Didžioji 36, tel. +370 347 515
00/+370 347 671 53, fax +370 347 671 54, hotel@ grejausnamas.lt, www.grejausnamas.lt. It’s razzamadrab! Furniture is new and comfortable but tends to be either cheezy-glitzy or a bit bland. Still, it’s about as stylish as things get in this town, and all the mod cons are there: safe, minibar, free internet, satellite television. The new best hotel in town. Q18 rooms (3 singles 120Lt, 13 doubles 180 - 200Lt, 2 suites 290Lt). PTJALGKW hhh
Where to eat
Grėjaus Namas Didžioji str. 36, tel. +370 347 515
00/+370 347 671 53, fax +370 347 671 54, www. grejausnamas.lt. Probably the swankiest place in town. The cellar dining rooms really are hidden gems. Meals have a touch of flair without being the sort of baffling highfalutin nonsense that will scare the locals away. There are ostrich dishes, for example, as well as design-your-own pizza. Maybe you should try an ostrich pizza? Q Open 11:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. 20Lt. TJAULGW
Vikonda Basanavičiaus 22, tel. +370 347 672 92,
Tourist information
Tourist Information Centre Didžioji 1, tel. +370
347 603 63, [email protected], www.visitkedainiai.lt. The English speaking staff are not only very friendly and knowledgeable, but extremely attentive and helpful. There’s plenty of information available including maps, suggested driving tours, and literature on things to see and do in the entire region. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.
Grūdynė Ariogalos 3 (Josvainiai), tel. +370 699 200 51.
This place is not actually in Kėdainiai. It’s in the cute little town of Josvainiai which you will pass through on the way betwen Kėdainiai and Kaunas, and it comes highly recommended as a top spot to stop for fresh and tasty food in a pleasant atmosphere. You could also wander around the town, but don’t talk to the priest at the church... he’s a bit... erm... strange. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. GBS
www.vikondosklubas.lt. Stepping off the streets of Kėdainiai and stepping into this place is like entering another galaxy, complete with a milky way of little twinkling lights in the dark ceiling, and a mirror ball the size of a small planet. Not only is there a gloriously large dance floor surrounded by a range of seating on two levels, but you’ll also find billiard tables, poker machines, video games, a three-lane bowling alley and, in case it’s all a bit too much (which it is), a very groovy chill-out room with bean bags and bizarre organic looking furniture. Combine all that with the restaurant (mentioned above), and you’ve got a venue that would be at home in a city much bigger than Kėdainiai. No wonder people come from all around Lithuania just to visit this place. It’s a bit dead on weeknights, but a must on weekends. QOpen 12:00 - 04:00, Wed, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon, Tue. PALG
Paberžė If you must bore your friends with ‘Look where I’ve
been’ photos, stop by the geographical centre of Lithuania. It’s just 2km from Kėdainiai, and just a bunch of rocks in a field. Much more interesting is Paberžė, where you’ll see the exquisite wooden Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in 1787. The church and surrounding buildings were home to eccentric monk and national hero Father Stanislovas (who sadly passed away in June 2005) , and his famous quirky collections - a mind-boggling array of treasures and junk, such as exquisite religious robes, carved wooden crosses and, well, old keys and pots. Equally eccentric is Kęstutis Kaltenis, who has taken it upon himself to stock Skinderiškių Park with an amazing array of plants from around the northern hemisphere and create a stunning natural environment and some of the best views in Lithuania.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
street register
All of the venues in this guidebook marked with an Old Town symbol () are featured as such because even if they’re not in Old Town per se, they are at least on the map opposite which we call Old Town. Confused? Don’t be. Aguonų F-2 Aleksoto A-3 Amerikos Lietuvių A/B-4 Antakalnio B-4 Astronomijos E-1 Aukštaičių E/F-1 Aukštoji B-4 Aušros E/F-1 Aušros takas E-2/1 Aviečių D-1 Balninkų F-1 Bažnyčios F-4 Benediktinių B/C-2 Bernardinų skg. A-3 Betygalos A-1 Birštono B-3 Brastos A-1 Braškių D-1 Čepinskio A-4 Dainavos E-1/F-2 Damijonaičio B-4 Daugirdo A-3 Daukanto D/E-3/E-2 Daukšos B-3/2 Dobkevičiaus B-4 Dobužinskio E-2 Donelaičio D/F-2 Druskininkų B/C-3 Dzūkų F-1 Dzūkų laiptai E/F-2 Gedimino E-4 /F-2 Šv. Gertrūdos B/C-2 Giedraičių F-1 Gimnazijos B-3/2 Griunvaldo E/F-4 Gruodžio C-3 Hariso B/C-4 Jablonskio B-3/2 Jakšto A-3/2 Jonavos A-2/C-1 Jurbarko A/B-1 Kalpoko C/E-1 Kanklių E-1 Kanto C-3/2 Karaliaus Mindaugo A-3/E-4 Karo Ligoninės F-4 Kauko alėja F-2/1 Kauko laiptai F-2 Kaunakiemio E/F-4 Kęstučio C/F-3 Krėvos F-3 Kriaušių C-2 Kumelių B-2 Kupiškio C/D-1 Kurpių B-3 Kuzmos A/B-3 Laisvės alėja C-2 /F-3 Lietuvių E-1/F-2 “Limos” takas C-1 “Limos“ vyšnių C-1 Liškiavos C-1 Lydos F-2 Mackevičiaus B-2/D-1 Mackevičiaus laiptai D-1/2 Maironio D-3/2 Mapu B-2 Mickevičiaus E-4/2 Minkovskių B/C-4 Miško E/F-3 Muitinės A/B-3 Muziejaus A-3 Naugardo B-3 Nemuno B/C-3 Obuolių C/D-1 Ožeškienės C/D-2 Pakopų t. B-2 Palangos B-3 Paminklų C-2 Papilio A-2 Parodos F-2 Pilies A-2 Poškos C-3 Prieplaukos krantinė A-3 Puodžių B/C-3 Putinų E-1 Putvinskio D/F-2 Radastų F-2 Raseinių C/D-1 Santakos A-3 Sapiegos D-2 Sasnausko F-1 Savanorių pr. C-2/F-4 Serbentų D-1 Slyvų E-1 Smalininkų C-3 Spaustuvininkų E-3 Šatrijos C/D-1 Šauklių B-2 Šermukšnių E-1 Šilutės C-3 Telšių D-1 Totorių F-3 Trimito C-3 Trumpoji B-2 Turžėnų C-1/2 Vaidilutės F-3 Vaisių D/E-1 Vaistinės skg. E-1 Valančiaus A-2 Varėnos C-1 Vasario 16-osios D-2 Vašuoklių D-1 Veiverių A-3/B-4 Vidukalnio B/C-4 Vileišio F-1 Vilniaus A-4/C-2 Višinskio E/F-1 Vytauto pr. F-4/ F-2 Zamenhofo B-3 Zikaro C-2 Žalioji C-2/D-1 Žemaičių D-1/F-2 Žemaičių laiptai F-2 Žemaitės E-1
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
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Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
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Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Tarnów
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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Leisure
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Getting active in Kraków
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Kaunas In Your Pocket
Public transport scheme www.kaunas.lt/transportas
Abbrevations
Bus line Trolleybus line Bus station Train station Airport
Kaunas
May 2007 - May 2008
Walkabout
Adventures by foot
all about ...
N°15 - 5Lt www.inyourpocket.com
Birštonas, Druskininkai, Kėdainiai and more
Contents
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
Contents
Arriving in Kaunas
How to go to town once you turn up 6 8 10 12 14 16
The Basics
Essential information, from tipping to toilets
History
Kaunas was the capital once, you kow
Culture & Events
What, where and when
Walkabout
Exploring Kaunas on foot
Where to stay
A bed for every budget
Dining & Nightlife
Where to eat Cheap and cheery? Or classy and costly? Cafés Find a top table anywhere in town Nightlife Wrapping up the wild side 21 26 27
Kaunas was the capital of Lithuania at one stage (those pesky Poles soft of ‘borrowed’ Vilnius for a bit) and it was only fitting that a big glossy churchy thing be constructed in the then-capital. Christ’s Resurrection Church stands on a hill and looms over the central parts of Kaunas. You can’t miss it, but you can find out more about it on page 34. Other Kaunas-was-capital attractions – or, rather, the other Kaunas-was-capital attraction, is the museum in the building that was the President’s palace (page 34). Now it is only attended by statues of Presidents in the garden, and tourists who have run out of more interesting things to do.
Finding stuff
Shopping Directory 41 43 45 46 48 53 60
Sightseeing
What to see ... or grope, in one case. It’s quirky Kaunas 30 38 40
Hill of Crosses
You‘re closer than you think
Rumšiškės
Out of town time travel. Sort of
Getting around
How to get here, there and everywhere
Birštonas
Put up your feet, read and relax
Mail & phones
Keeping in touch, getting online
Druskininkai
The exploding spa and aqua park
Kėdainiai
The centre of Lithuania
Maps
Street index City centre map City map Transport map Country map 62 63 64 66 68 May 2007 - May 2008
Sculptor: Robertas Antinis Snr. Kanklininkas (musician)
Foreword
Kaunas is a bit of an unruly little mite. It doesn’t come up and embrace you with pretty Old Town views, and if you’re after a five-star hotel you’re in the wrong city. Indeed, Kaunas is actually a bit shabby and ugly. But stick with it. Show an interest, give it a chance and it comes up trumps every time. It would not be an understatement to say that Kaunas has the best nightclubs in the country. It’s also home to the best value restaurants – you can get wonderful meals here for prices that will leave you feeling guilty that you didn’t pay more. Not only that, but Kaunas has a wonderful range of oddities and curiosities – old abandoned forts, wacky museums and a nude statue proudly airing its apparatus right next to a church. See the ‘cover story’ box below for more on that one. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Kaunas is the most authentically Lithuanian city. The percentage of native Lithuanians who live in Kaunas is greater than in any other Lithuanian city. That may or may not matter to you, but it’s worth remembering that it’s only in Kaunas that you can claim to have seen the living, beating heart of Lithuania. Enjoy.
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
BUCHAREST
April - May 2006
WARSAW
August - September 2006
ST. PETERSBURG
April 2006
PRAGUE
August - September 2006
A New Look
We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover
Blogging Bucharest
Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
Going to the chapel
Easter Greetings
Shopping fever
Tirana’s first malls
Wilanów
Egg breaking & church walking…
Karlštejn’s renovated jewel
Facade art
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Explore the Polish Versailles
Russian in Russia
The best ways to discover the language
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Let’s rock
Visiting the Bohemian Paradise
Painting the city pink
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Out of town
Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów
Culture & Events
Simple Minds, t.A.T.u. & Cosmonaut’s Day
NEW
LOOK
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Cover story
A view from the foot of the statue of a naked Man. Really, the statue is called Man, and the fact that it’s got its bits exposed caused some consternation in this conservative town. Read about the erection problems on page 35. The Russian Orthodox looking church is Soboras, and it’s actually Catholic. You can read more about it on page 32.
Much has been happening at In Your Pocket since our last issue, not least the launch in February of our new-look website at www.inyourpocket. com, packed with new features and even easier to use than before. We also recently became the first publisher to produce a city guide to the exciting Bulgarian mountain resort of Bansko, while elsewhere research and writing continue ahead of an early-summer launch for guides to Katowice (Poland), Kaliningrad (Russia) and Minsk (Belarus). The full In Your Pocket range is available to buy online, at http://clickandbuy. inyourpocket.com.
KRAKÓW
August - September 2006
TALLINN
April - May 2006
BELFAST
August - September 2006
COLOGNE
June - July 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
River tours
Wine and dine on the Rhine
The Great Outdoors
Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits
Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Tarnów
Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance
Touring Narva
Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border
Leisure
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ISSN 1508-2334
Getting active in Kraków
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IYP gets a new look
The inside scoop on the new look inside
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BERLIN
August - September 2006
GDAŃSK
August - November 2006
Including
RIGA
April - May 2006
HAMBURG
June - July 2006
ŁÓDŹ
September - December 2006
SOPOT & GDYNIA
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket Vokiečių 10-15 Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76 fax (+370-5) 212 29 82 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1822-1785 ©UAB “VIYP” Printed by A.Jakšto spaustuvė Published once a year 17,000 copies
Editorial Editor Andrew Quested Layout & Design Vaida Gudynaitė Researcher Urtė Jankauskaitė Cover Photo Andrew Quested Sales & Circulation Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket General Manager Gabija Thomson Accounting Virginija Dobrovolskienė Sales Manager Rasa Jankauskaitė Circulation Manager Darius Pralgauskas tel. +370 624 838 34 Available for 5Lt from bookshops, kiosks, hotels and Tourist Information Centres. We are proud to be the most-stolen item from hotel foyers, cafés and the back pocket of anyone walking slowly.
Copyright notice
Text and photos copyright UAB VIYP 1992-2007; some photos, LATGA-A; maps, cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokiečių 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. +370-5 212 29 76).
Kashubia
Exploring the Polish Alps
Hot spots Museum night
100 museums in one night
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The Baltic’s Beaches
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Hollyłódź
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Poland‘s cinema city
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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ISSN 1896-1169
Floating the boat
Spree river tours
Explore Latvia
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Stars in your eyes
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From Polanski to Max Factor, read about the famous natives.
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Editor’s note
The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.
SKOPJE
2006 - 2007
FRANKFURT
August - September 2006
SHKODRA
2006 - 2007
PRISTINA
2006 - 2007
KAISERSLAUTERN
June - July 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
Skopje snapshots
The Marubi photo collection
Shkodra snapshots
Feature 2 - max 2 lines
The Marubi photo collection
Short description of the feature. Should be max. 3 lines.
Around town
Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains
Around town Beach bars
Cocktail in hand, toes in sand
Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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Dram tram
Going Palatine
Strolling in the forest
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Sipping ebbelwei on the cider express
Kaunas In Your Pocket
Arriving in KAunAs
Arriving by bus
Kaunas’s bus station is a purely functional affair offering little in the way of modernity or comfort and plenty in the way of concrete, shady looking characters in tracksuits, and rubbish bin fires. Try to arrange to leave before you get there, if you know what we mean. If you’ve been stuck on a bus for hours, well maintained toilets (open 04:30 - 23:00, 0.70Lt) can be found hiding behind the buildings on the southeast side of the station. Getting to town The bus station is a five-minute walk to the centre of town and something more like a twenty-minute stroll away from Old Town. If you’re laden with luggage you might prefer to take a taxi or public transport. To do so, exit the station, walk about 100m to your left, and jump on any trolleybus (they all go via the centre). See the Getting Around section (page 40) for details on using public transport.
Arriving in KAunAs
Airport Fuel Stops
You haven’t really arrived in Lithuania until you’ve eaten cepelinai. These are big, boiled dumplings formed with a gluggy paste of grated potato. Usually there is a lump of ground meat inside about the size of a small guinea pig, not that that should make you in any way suspiscious. Curd versions are also available. While they’re not really traditional Lithuanian food they are tremendously popular here and are often considered to be the centrepiece of Lithuanian ‘cuisine’. Here are a couple of places where you can try cepelinai on your way to, for from, the airport. Others are listed on pages 25-26. Kaunas International Air Shed Getting to town from the train station Taxis can be found to the right of the station on exiting, and the gentlemen behind the wheels suffer from the exact same symptoms as those at the airport – greed. If you pay more than 7Lt for a trip to Old Town, congratulations. You’ve just been ripped off. Make sure the meter is running before the handbrake is released. Trolleybuses 3, 5, 7 and 14 all leave from the first stop on the right-hand (north) side of Vytauto, directly opposite the station. To get there, use the swanky new green underpass, complete with stair-lifts for wheelchairs.
Arriving by train
The train station may have been recently renovated, but the people who use it haven’t. Left luggage (bagažo kasa) can be found at the front of the building (open 07:00 - 11:00, 12:00 - 19:00).
Tourist information
Laisvės 36, tel. 32 34 36, i n f o@k a u n a s t i c. l t , w w w. kaunastic.lt. A swish space for a helpful crowd. If they don’t know it, nobody does. Also at Kaunas Castle, Papilio 17, tel. 32 34 36, fax. 42 36 78, www.kaunopilis. lt. Open (Jun - Aug) 10:00-18:00. Kaunas International Airport (Karmėlava), tel. +370 616 509 91. Q Open (May and Sep) 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. Open (Jun - Aug) 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Open (Oct - Apr) 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Tourism Information Centre Mūsų Odisėja J-5, Čiurlionio 15, tel. 40 84 10, fax 40 84 11, info@ turinfo.lt, www.turinfo.lt. Friendly, and offering the same services as the above-mentioned people. Note that this lot can also arrange car rental. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Kaunas Regional Tourist Information Centre E-2,
Briedžių medžioklė Vilniaus 54, Karmėlava (12km
Arriving by road
Kaunas isn’t the most thoughtfully signposted city in the world. Add to that a rather complicated one-way system in the centre and you have a slight challenge on your hands. Oh – and then there’s those roundabouts that are so big that you don’t realize that they are aroundabouts until you have done three laps. Once you get to where you’re going, you have to park. Parking meters don’t accept coins, and work only on a debit card system. You can buy cards at any kiosk (if you can find one that hasn’t run out of stock) but we’re not sure where you are supposed to park while buying a card. To top it all off, Kaunas drivers are all as mad as cut snakes.
Arriving by plane
The airport is 12km north of Kaunas. It’s small and not too busy, making baggage reclaim and customs formalities fast and efficient. There is an ATM outside, to your left as you exit. A small currency exchange is in the centre of the main hall and has a confusing array of opening times that seem to be scheduled around flight times. Getting to town Greedy taxi drivers sit outside the arrivals hall, and as is usual in Lithuania wish only to make you spend more money than you should. Try to negotiate a fare before setting off, and expect to pay around 20Lt for a trip to the centre. Local minibus number 120 runs regularly into the centre of the city for a mere 1.50Lt. You can also get bus 29 from the bus stop out the front of the airport.
out of town), tel. 39 92 11, briedziumedziokle@ delfi.lt. If you want to have a family or friendly gathering to celebrate your arrival and/or departure from Lithuania, this is the ideal place. It’s a big informal kind of dining hall with a mixture of wooden benches and real furniture, somewhere for the kids to play, a nice terrace for summer, and a menu full of good, simple meals that will keep everyone happy. They also claim to make monster-sized cepelinai, a point they make n on e-to o-sub tl y wi t h t h e roa d sid e fi gure of a 14f t bl on d e A ma zonian woman, bikini s t raining to contain h er comicall y large breasts, holding a plate with a pair of similarly sized dumplings. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. TALGBS
Tigrasa Vilniaus 16, Karmėlava (12km out of town),
tel./fax 54 16 30. A rambling, ramshackle former house looking building that is swarmed upon by ravenous construction workers, taxi drivers, miscellaneous overalled orang-utans and other hungry passers-by. They slop up big, wet cepelinai with abandon and cheap beer flows almost freely. Could be ideal as your first, or last, impression of Lithuania. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. TEGBS
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
WARSAW
August - September 2006
PRAGUE
August - September 2006
BERLIN
August - September 2006
TALLINN
April - May 2006
Going to the chapel
Shopping fever
Tirana’s first malls
Karlštejn’s renovated jewel
Wilanów
Facade art
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Explore the Polish Versailles
Let’s rock
Visiting the Bohemian Paradise
Museum night
100 museums in one night
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Touring Narva
Painting the city pink
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Out of town
Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border
Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów
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Floating the boat
Spree river tours
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IYP gets a new look
The inside scoop on the new look inside
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BUCHAREST
April - May 2006
BELFAST
August - September 2006
RIGA
April - May 2006
COLOGNE
June - July 2006
HAMBURG
June - July 2006
KRAKÓW
August - September 2006
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
River tours A New Look
We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover
Wine and dine on the Rhine
Blogging Bucharest
The Great Outdoors
Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits
Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Tarnów
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
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ISSN 1508-2334
Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance
Explore Latvia
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Leisure
Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja
Getting active in Kraków
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The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
BAsiCs
Alcohol
We don’t want to sound like your mum, but it has to be said: Go easy. Lithuanian beer is all light and bright in terms of taste and texture, but packs a punch. It seduces you like Lolita in a summer dress and then takes you down like a body slam from Jabba the Hut. It can even lead gentlemen to go to bed with one and wake up with the other. All this is because, despite their wispy appearance, local beers tend to have an alcohol content of around five percent, cost comparatively little, are sometimes served in hilariously large vessels (such as a tall bubbling tube that looks like something out of ‘Charlie and the Beer Factory’) and are generally consumed in environments where being sensible or going home are not the most attractive options. The common local brands are Horn, Kalnapilis, Švyturys, Utenos, Ragutis and Tauras, all of which come in a confusing variety of varieties. In most places, however, you can just say ‘beer’ and get whatever is going without being disappointed or ripped off. In Old Town and central areas, expect to pay somewhere in the region of 5 - 10Lt for half a litre. When exploring local spirits, watch out for Žalgiris, named after the greatest battle of medieval Europe. With 75 per cent alcohol content, it has the potential to make you feel that the battle is taking place inside your eyeballs. Lithuanian vodka (degtinė) is worth trying as it stacks up to, if not topples over, many of its Russian and Polish counterparts. Numerous herb and fruit-based liquors will often line the inside of a drinks menu; most work as a pleasant accompaniment to tea. The local variation of champagne, Alita, is a bit more like alcoholic 7-Up than grown-up sparkling white wine.
BAsiCs
Floors
In Lithuania the ground floor is referred to as the first floor.
Climate
30 20 10 0 -10 -20 J F M A M J J A S O N D
Money
The unit of currency in Lithuania is the litas (Lt), which comes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500Lt notes. Coins come in two categories: the significant 1, 2, and 5Lt coins; and the nearly weightless centas/centai/centų coins of which there are 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. The value of the litas is locked to that of the euro (€) at 3.4528Lt to €1. Lithuania was keen to adopt the euro at the start of 2007, but their application was knocked back by the EU because they missed an inflation target by 0.1 per cent. With inflation increasing, it is not clear when Lithuania will be able to adopt the euro. Keep your litas handy. Most places of any note in cities now happily accept credit cards, and ATMs dot the streets ensuring cash for everyone with money in their account and a card attached to the Cirrus or Visa network. Travellers’ cheques can be redeemed for cash in hotels and banks. If you’re heading out of town, cash-up before you go – it can be as hard to find an ATM in Kapčiamiestis or Skaistgirys as it can be to pronounce the name.
Temperature, °C
Rainfall, mm
100 75 50 25 0
Post modernism
Disabled travellers
Despite the Miss Disability contest held in Kaunas recently, Lithuania does have an attitude toward disability that is a bit more mature than ‘just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you’re not sexy.’ In terms of bad taste, Miss Disability was up there with Miss Captivity, the beauty pageant for female prison inmates held in 2002. While things have greatly improved for the disabled over the past few years, Lithuania is still a tough place to get around on anything other than two well functioning legs. Even places that claim to be wheelchair friendly are often flanked by deep kerbs or stairs, or are located on cobbled streets. Outside the capital and the central areas of Kaunas, you’ll be lucky to find any thought given to wheelchair accessibility at all. It is becoming common for good international-standard hotels to be wheelchair friendly, offer hearing loops in conference facilities, and even to offer rooms fitted out for the disabled. See the key in our Where to stay listings (page 16) and call ahead to discuss your specific needs before making any bookings. The new trolleybuses in Kaunas have low entries, spaces for wheelchairs, and hearing loops (so you, along with all the other passengers, can be misinformed about which stop is next when the windows are all fogged up). There are some pedestrian crossings that go ‘beep-beepbeep – tikka-tikka-tikka’ and so on so that blind people know when to cross the road, but in our experience blindness seems to affect drivers more than anyone else, so we would advise extreme caution anyway.
Tipping
Only required to reward good service, or to round-up the bill and save yourself the nuisance of carring around shrapnel in the form of small useless coins. Ten per cent is fair.
Visas
For perhaps the first time in history Lithuania has no apparent adversaries, which means there are plenty of countries with visa-free travel agreements. To date these include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and the US, plus Nordic countries, although you should note that the periods for which citizens are allowed to stay in Lithuania before requiring a visa are different for each country. EU citizens can live and work in Lithuania for as long as they like but must get a resident permit. For more information, take a look at www.urm.lt.
Safety
Exercise common sense. Don’t flaunt your wealth and flash your cash. Don’t walk home from a nightclub along dark alleys while draped in jewellery or blinking technology. Stay cautious, look like you know where you are going (zigzagging won’t help) and you will be fine. Truly heinous crimes are rare here, but theft is becoming common. Don’t leave mobile phones, wallets, purses, or fashion-accessory pooches unattended or out of your direct reach. Especially at street side cafés or in bars. Green-uniformed police are supposed to be keeping the peace in Kaunas, although finding one when you need one is like looking for a cucumber in a haystack.
Customs
Criminal masterminds take note: Lithuanian customs officers have recently demonstrated that one cannot expect to arrive on a plane with a crocodile, skate across a frozen river wearing a snowy white camouflage kimono and hauling a sledge full of cigarettes, hide a late model Mercedes under a pile of onions on the back of a truck, or carry cocaine in your handbag. All such cunning schemes have been foiled at the border. Other than such obvious considerations, those arriving from EU countries have no import restrictions placed upon them – although you will need to make it known if you are arriving with 10,000Lt or more in cold, hard cash. When arriving from non-EU countries, you are entitled to bring in one litre of spirits or two litres of wine or beer and 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. You can bring 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette (that’s just diluted perfume, for those men among you who don’t speak poof). You can’t bring plants, meat, milk or meat and dairy products from outside the EU except under certain circumstances. You can’t arrive with live birds. Dogs require vaccinations and passports (or other proof of vaccination). You can take home as much art as you wish tax-free unless it’s over 50 years old, in which case expect to pay 10-20 per cent duty. Take two photos of the art piece and your passport to the Committee of Cultural Heritage, Šnipiškių 3, tel. +370 5 272 40 05/+370 5 272 41 13 (Vilnius). Many of the better antique shops (page 44) and galleries (page 12) in Kaunas can take care of all the paperwork for you. For more detailed information check www.cust.lt and www.vet.lt.
Basic data
Population
Lithuania 3,445,700 Kaunas 378,943
Smoking
Since the start of 2007, smoking has been banned in pretty much all venues. That includes cafés, bars, restaurants, clubs and any establishment that serves anything alleged to be food. There are exceptions for ‘specially equipped’ cigar and pipe clubs and venues that have closed-door rooms where there are no staff for you to passively poison. As far as we know, the Ex-It nightclub is the only such venue in Kaunas, but Lithuanians love a smoke so more could turn up during the course of the year. Other than that, many venues have set up ashtrays by their doors, so if you want to have a puff, get some not-so-fresh air or poison some passers-by, all you have to do is step outside.
Ethnic composition (Lithuania) Territory
Lithuanians 83.45% Poles 6.74% Russians 6.31% Belarusians 1.23% Ukrainians 0.65% Others 1.62% 65,303km2 Roughly twice the size of Belgium, and the largest of the three Baltic nations. Fertile lowland, peppered with many lakes. North to south, the greatest distance is 276km, east to west is 373km
Electricity
Lithuania has a nuclear power plant of the same questionable design as the one that popped its rivets in Chernobyl. It’s still gently humming away about 200km north-east of Kaunas, but will be closed down as a condition of Lithuania’s EU membership. The first of two reactors was shut down as promised at the end of December 2004, and the second must go offline by the end of 2009. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have agreed to join forces and build a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania which should go online by 2015. Regardless of where the electricity is produced, it pours out of European style two-pin sockets at 220V, 50Hz AC. Travellers from outside Europe, or from that strange little island in Europe that still uses big three-prong monster plugs, should bring an adaptor. The best place to look for adaptors would be the Senukai DIY superstores. There’s one in the Mega shopping centre listed on page 45. Did we mention that you really should bring an adaptor?
Borders
Baltic Sea 99km Belarus 502km Latvia 453km Poland 91km Russia (Kaliningrad) 227km
Speed limits
In town, keep your speedometers hovering around 50km/h unless indicated otherwise, and on country roads stay below 90km/h. On the Vilnius-Kaunas motorway no faster than 100km/h is legal and all other motorways are 110km/h from Oct 1 - Apr 1 and 130km/h for the rest of the year. Don’t follow the example of leadfoot locals.
Longest river Largest lake
Nemunas 937km (475km in Lithuania) Drūkščiai 4,479ha
Highest point Local time
Juozapinė 293.6m Eastern European Time (GMT+2hrs). When it’s 12:00 in Vilnius it’ll be 11:00 in Paris, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York.
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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History
Kaunas, considered the most Lithuanian of all Lithuanian cities, has always played a pivotal role in the country’s history. The city is strategically located in the centre of the country at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers. 12th century Arabic cartographer Al Idrisis marks Kaunas on a geographical map in 1140, as Quaynu, Qanys or Kabnu. A small fort is built on the site of the present Kaunas castle. 13th century Under constant attack from the Teutonic and Livonian knights, the area is slow to develop as a city. Eventually the castle in Kaunas is built in order to defend the city from its contstant onlsaught of invaders. 14th century First mention of Kaunas in a 1361 crusader chronicle: it is described as a famous fortress of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. 15th century Kaunas acquires the Magdeburg charter in 1408 guaranteeing its autonomy as a town. Polish-Lithuanian armies, led by Grand Duke Vytautas, decisively defeat the Teutonic knights at the battle of Žalgiris (Tannenberg-Grünwald) in 1410. Upon his death (1430), the Grand Duchy extends from the Baltic to the Black Sea. By 1441 the Hanseatic league establishes a post in Kaunas because of its location near the Nemunas river that connects the city to the Baltic seacoast. Economic ties with Europe grow. The post remains until 1532. 20th century In 1918, a Lithuanian Council (Taryba) officially proclaims the Republic of Lithuania. On October 9, 1920, Poland breaks the Suwalki agreement and annexes Vilnius. Kaunas becomes the provisional Lithuanian capital. During the inter-war period, Lithuania prospers as an independent republic under Antanas Smetona (1926 - 1940, pictured left). The city becomes a vibrant centre for cabaret singers, writers and architects. Dozens of Art Deco and Bauhaus style buildings are erected. Bridges are built across the Nemunas and Neris rivers, in order to link the suburbs of Aleksotas and Vilijampolė with the centre. Public buses wind their way through the city’s streets by 1924 and by 1928 many of city’s buildings have indoor plumbing. Lithuanian independence ends with the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact (1939) between Hitler and Stalin, who carve up spheres of influence in Eastern Europe. Lithuania is subjected to Soviet and Nazi occupation in turn. Between 1941 and 1944 SS and Gestapo units, assisted by locals, organise the liquidation of Jews. The once vibrant Jewish community is forced into the notorious Kaunas (Kovno) Ghetto and a massive forced labour and extermination campaign is begun. In 1941, tens of thousands of Jews are summarily shot during one two-day period alone. Over 200,000 Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews) and European Jews are murdered. The return of the Red Army and the re-incorporation of Lithuania into the USSR (July 7, 1944) result in the deportation of 250,000 Lithuanians to Siberian settlements and the Gulag. Lithuanian partisans wage guerrilla warfare until 1953. Kaunas then becomes an important centre for technical education, medical research, transportation and manufacturing. For most of the Soviet period, Kaunas is a ‘closed’ city. An important military airfield is built in the Karmėlava suburb. On May 14, 1972, a 19-year-old student Romas Kalanta immolates himself in Kaunas’ public gardens in one of the first open acts of defiance against the Soviet system. His death sparks riots, the first major public protests against Soviet rule. In 1988 with the rising might of the liberation movement working in their favour, the city of Kaunas sets about restoring and revitalizing the city’s architecture, when possible, back to its pre-Soviet glory. In 1991 whilst Soviet troops were storming the Vilnius television tower, some residents of Kaunas defended the Sitkūnai radio and television transmitter should it be attacked. Any sort of nominal control the Soviets had over the country is dismantled by the failed putsch in Moscow in August. 21st century 2001 The Dalai Lama visits Lithuania from June 23-27, and drops in on Kaunas. 2002 The Lithuanian currency, the litas, which was reintroduced in 1993 is pegged to the Euro as opposed to the US dollar. 2004 The independent republic of Lithuania becomes a fully-fledged member of NATO. On May 1, Lithuania becomes a member of the European Union. On July 19, two WWII explosives are found under Aleksotas bridge (A-3). 2005 On September 15 a Russian SU-27 fighter bound for Kaliningrad veers off course and crashes into a field 55km north of Kaunas, prompting much gossip about spying and incompetence and sparking a bit of a tiff between Lithuania and Russia. On October 30, a renovated Aleksotas bridge re-opens to traffic after having spent a decade being classified as ‘avarinis’, which roughly translates to ‘accident waiting to happen’. 2006 May 16 Lithuania becomes the first European Union country to have it’s application to adopt the euro currency turned down, with inflation being cited as the culprit.
History
What’s in a name?
A common temperament among Lithuanians is that of the need to revive their glorious past, which usually leads to some fascinating, if not altogether true, stories. The tale of how Kaunas was founded and named is no exception. Due to the late introduction of Christianity into the area almost all places in the country have sacred pagan areas that can still be pointed out by the locals. According to folk beliefs the city of Kaunas was named for the child of two star-crossed lovers. Milda, like most folk maidens, was stunning and pure of heart – so much so that she tended to the holy fire on the Hills of Aleksotas and rebuked any lad’s advances. That is, until she met Daugerutis, who with the help of his trusty nightingale-like voice was able to woo her successfully. Milda, like most folk maidens, also had a mean stepmother out to ruin her life. The stepmother informed the gods of the couple’s transgression. Daugerutis was sentenced to be burnt in the sacred fire. Milda, in desperation, hid him with the help of the priest Auskaras. Unfortunately Milda in all the panic slacked off on her holy eternal fire duties, causing the flame to be extinguished. As punishment, both young lovers now would be sent to the flames. Once again, Auskaras took pity on the couple and hid them in a cave beneath the fire. There they lived for many years, and bore a son named Kaunas, who would later found the city across the river from the Aleksotas Hills. Another story sprang up during the Renaissance during which time the best way to have won friends and influenced people was to claim a heritage that stretched back to the Roman Empire or Ancient Greece. No easy feat for the noblemen of these Baltic climes, but as it happened an interesting fabrication sprung from this idea by way of the historian Albertas Vijūkas-Kojelavičius History in 1650. According to him, in 908 a papal crisis forced the Pope to re-locate along with 500 of the top Roman families. Among these families, the Palemonas (descendent of noble Trojan family), Julijonas, Prosperas Cezarinas, Ursinas and Hektoras, were believed to have moved to near the river Dubysa, where they founded a city called Roma Nova. (In Lithuanian the settlement was named Ramovė, meaning sanctuary or ‘rami vieta’, a quiet place.) Then around 970 Palemonas’s death led his three sons to move further out into the country. Barkus is believed to have founded the city of Jurbarkas and the Žemaitija area. Son number two, Spera, supposedly lived on Nevėžis shores in the city of Spera. And the last son, Kunas, of course, founded Kaunas. This story also explains the name of Palemonas hill in Kaunas. Later Kunas was able to take away all the lands from his brother’s possession and his son, Kernusius (or Kernius), founded Kernavė, where the Lithuanian capital was transferred from Kaunas. Science and fact, always sort of a kill-joy to most storytelling, maintains that human inhabitants to the region were found here before the time of Christ with more permanent settlements founded in the fifth and sixth centuries. Some linguist believe that the word Kaunas can be traced back to an ancient word meaning ‘deep’, as the city is nestled into a valley. Whatever the case, both stories work as parables: the folk tale, reminiscent of the phoenix rising from the ashes, is apropos considering the city’s history. And the attempt to create a Roman lineage, points to how a small country will vie for its place on the world map .
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Old Town - the historical bit 16th century With the Union of Lublin (1569), Poland and Lithuania form a Commonwealth. The city of Kaunas grows with the introduction of its first school and public hospital. However, the death of the last Lithuanian king of the Jagiellonian line (1572) results in the marginalisation of Lithuanian culture among the nobility who become increasingly Polonised. Lithuania nevertheless retains significant control over its legal and domestic affairs. The Lithuanian language remains spoken by farmers and peasants in the provinces. 17th century Continuous warfare with Russia and Sweden stifles economic development. Tsar Alexis’ armies burn Kaunas to the ground (1655). A plague claims many of the city’s inhabitants in 1657. 18th century Swedish troops seize the city in 1701.Two large fires, one in 1731 and another in 1732, result in many of the city’s buildings being heavily damaged. In 1795 Kaunas comes under Russian Tsarist control as a result of the last partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 19th century Napoleon, having conquered Prussia in 1807, begins his fateful assault on the Russian empire from a hill above Kaunas in 1812. Following his loss, Kaunas becomes the Russian empire’s westernmost point of strategic defence. A large garrison is stationed in the city and a massive ring of fortifications is built around it. Strict censorship and intense Russification under tsarist rule leads to the 1863 national uprising. The rising intelligentsia nurtures a national ideal based on the rebirth of the Lithuanian language and, in the late 1800s, a revival of Lithuanian culture and tradition begins. Kaunas’s economic development, though, is somewhat augmented by Russia’s takeover as the Oginsky canal is built to connect the Nemunas and Dnieper rivers. Moreover the railway connecting Russia and Germany goes through the area.
A lot of bull
In the 1400s one of the first stamps or seals of Kaunas city was made. It featured a white bull in the centre. On May 2, 1935, the Kaunas town council approved an emblem for the city. The design, by J.Burba, was a rectangular-shaped emblem, divided horizontally with the top background as red with a white auroch (an extinct variety of bull once common in the Lithuanian plains) with a gold cross on his head. The bull’s horns and hooves along with the bottom portion of the emblem were golden. Later in 1969 another emblem created by V.Banys was approved. Once again the white auroch, but this time sans cross and facing towards the viewer, was the main focus of the shield-shaped or triangular emblem. Later still in 1993, a presidential decree decided that Mikevičius’s design was to be the city’s symbol. The white auroch prevailed as the symbol of the city. However, the newest design featured a bull far more sinewy, powerful and overtly masculine in appearance. The cross reappeared on its head in an emphatically Catholic way. Today the auroch appears on Kaunas city’s flags. Kaunas, as a city with its own seal, coat-of-arms and flag also, of course, has its own special day. May 20th is Kaunas City Day as that was the date in 1463 when Kazimieras Jogailaitis renewed and expanded the privileges of the city. The original of the documents is kept in an archive in St. Petersburg, but Kaunas city hall managed to retain a copy.
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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Culture & events
Building drama Art galleries
The distinction between art gallery and souvenir shop is not always crystal clear in Kaunas so though admission to the following may be cheap, you might end up leaving with a much lighter wallet after you’ve made a few unexpected purchases. After all, the art galleries of Kaunas offer good deals on unique local art and handicrafts. kleismantas.eu, www.dusafyrai.com. Original jewellery. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J Eglės Galerija A-2, Raguvos 9-2, tel. 20 58 72, [email protected], www.emm.lt. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Fujifilm Gallery A-3, Rotušės 1, tel. 32 17 89. Photography. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J Kauno Langas C-2, Valančiaus 5-6, tel. 20 55 38, [email protected], www.klangas.lt. Contemporary, antique and folk art. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Meno Namai B-3, Vilniaus 13, tel. 20 05 07. Also at Vilniaus 22, tel. 42 27 25. Open 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 17:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 10:00 - 15:00. JA Meno Parkas A-3, Rotušės 27, tel. 33 71 67, lds@ kaunas.omnitel.net, www.menoparkas.lt. Ceramics, china, leather, linen, amber items. Gallery staff will take care about all the necessary permissions you need to export a piece of art abroad. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. AJ Saulutės Galerija D-3, Daukanto 15, tel. 20 75 20, fax 22 80 37. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. JA Slenkstis D-2/3, Laisvės 57, tel. 20 17 83. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Culture & events
Festivals and fun
For Lithuania’s second-largest city, Kaunas sure knows how to put on a first-rate show. The city is rapidly becoming renowned for cultural events and festivals, and has a magic ability to attract top acts. Even if nightlife is not your scene, it’s interesting to note that Kaunas nightclubs often attract decent international deejays or veejays or whatever they’re called this week. Groovy hipster residents of Vilnius are often forced to flee the capital, attracted by Kaunas’s higher-standard nightlife. Also of musical note is Kaunas Jazz. This international jazz festival has been running in Kaunas for 17 years, and just keeps getting better and better. Earth, Wind and Fire showed up here in 2004. People are still talking about that. Kaunas Jaz z g e n e r a l l y r u n s fo r a week in April and features a couple of Kaunas Jazz Laimis Brundza dozen performances, about half of which are free. Artists are attracted from some 20 countries, and the international appeal of the festival is quite remarkable. The atmosphere during Kaunas Jazz is really something - it attracts a discerning but enthusiastic crowd that becomes quickly imbued with hip-swinging, foot-tapping goodwill and fun. Details are available on www.kaunasjazz.lt. Another musical festival centres around Pažaislis (see page 37), although not all of the events actually take place there. The Pažaislis Music Festival spans most of the summer, from June to September inclusive, with classic music performances taking place not just in the monastery, but also in venues such as the university, art galleries, Raudondvaris Castle (see page 39), churches, the yacht club (pg. 48) and the Town Hall (pg 33). While organisers of the festival do a great job of stringing together a list of great performances, they’re not so good at advance planning or publicity. The schedule of events for summer 2007 was unavailable when we went to print, and in recent years they haven’t even bothered to make details available on their own website (www. pazaislis.lt). Not even God knows who will perform what and where this year.
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Du Safyrai B-3, Kurpių 13, tel. 22 77 80, arunas@
Musical Theatre Subtly hunkering behind Kaunas’s most central green bit, the Kaunas State Musical Theatre is one of the cities most gently grand buildings. The central park before it, which sprouted new children’s play equipment in the last year, is often alive with activity in summer, as families flop about on the grass, young couples explore each other’s tonsils and the limits of public decency, and kids run around shrieking. The musical theatre seems to watch over all this with a demure dignity. The building has quite a history, however. It all but exploded into existence in 1891 – it was built within the space of a year, which is quite remarkable when you think about it. The building boasted a 500-seat hall, two levels of balconies, two foyers and a lovely neo-renaissance style. These days you’d be hard-pressed to knock-up a poorly constructed shopping centre in neo-carpark style in less than a couple of years. The quick-as-a-flash construction, however, would have a price. The theatre opened on January 9, 1892. As there was no theatre group in Kaunas, it was only visiting artists who took to the stage. After only one season, however, the building had to be renovated. Maybe it was the harsh frost, maybe a particularly vociferous soprano, or maybe just one to many door-slamming hissy fits from visiting Italian performers. The building simply wasn’t holding up after the first year and repairs were necessary. Getting it right was a process that lasted until the end of the century. While the original façade was covered up, some of it is still visible inside the theatre. Further reconstruction took place from 1922 till 1925 when the theatre was expanded and given a fresh new Neo-Baroque appearance. An extra 263 seats were added, some of which were on a third balcony. An orchestra pit was also on the new-and-improved list, and the acoustic qualities of the hall were greatly improved. Looking around the theatre now, you can see folk-style motifs (tulips, lilies and daises) in an art-deco kind of style that were a part of this expansion and renovation. Less than a decade later, more construction took place with new features being added to the theatre. One of them was an iron firewall which arrived just in time to prevent the whole place burning down in 1931. The most recent renovations took place from 1980 to 1984, when much of the decoration from the 1930s renovation was re-renovated, so to speak. Further elements of decoration were also added from contemporary Lithuanian artists.
Kaunas Days. At night
Ignas Maldžiūnas
Cinemas
The following show films in the original language with Lithuanian subtitles. Check out show times at www.cinema.lt.
Less musical, but for many a lot more fun, is the Kaunas City Day celebration. While it celebrates one date in the history of the city – May 20 – festivities actually span over a few days. May 20 was the date on which Kaunas was granted renewed and expanded city rights – see ‘A lot of bull’ on page 10 for details. Kaunas City Days are broader in appeal than any of the music festivals. There is generally something for everyone, and celebrations are loosely centred around a theme. ‘Flower path’, for example. Most of the fun takes place outdoors and the city takes on a fun and lively atmosphere. The main points of activity are Laisvės Alėja, the Town Hall Square and the area around the castle. At the time of writing, the programme for events in 2007 included a motorcade of old and otherwise interesting vehicles along Donelaičio street, and children drawing flowers onto the bicycle path along Laisvės (we really hope they don’t get run-over). Also included were performances involving fire taking place around the castle, a Saturday evening concert at the Town Hall and some kind of competition called “Retro Girl”. Various other concerts, events and exhibitions were scattered about the schedule too. It all sounds very jolly. Most of the daytime entertainment is quite family oriented, but things can get a bit rowdy at the Saturday evening concert when the local yoofs realize, slowly, that Black Sabbath won’t be showing up. The official Kaunas Days website - www.kaunodienos.lt - had no information at all when we checked, but might have by the time you read this, so check it out if you’re interested.
Cinamon Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 8 700 70 111, info@
cinamon.lt, www.cinamon.lt. It’s in a shopping centre called Mega, so you know it’s going to offer mainstream movies multiplex style - in this case with five screens. See the website for schedules. Forum Cinemas E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel. 1567, www.forumcinemas.lt. J
Concert halls
Philharmonic (Kauno filharmonija) D-2, Sapiegos 5, tel. 22 25 58, www.kaunofilharmonija.lt. Q Open 14:00
- 18:00 (box office). Closed Sun. VDU Grand Hall E-2, S. Daukanto 28. J
Theatres
Academic Drama Theatre D-2, Laisvės 71, tel. 22
40 64, fax 20 76 93, [email protected], www. dramosteatras.lt. A stunning little building in the heart of the city, putting on all manner of work. Q Box office open 10:30 - 19:00. J Musical Theatre D-2, Laisvės 91, tel. 22 71 13. Q Box office open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. J Pantomime Theatre C-2, Kovo 11-osios 26, tel. 45 44 80. Weekend performances. Q Open 14:00 - 18:00. (box office). Closed Sun, Mon.
Kaunas Jazz
Laimis Brundza
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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KAunAs By Foot
KAunAs By Foot
Oddities
In case you’ve heard that Kaunas is a bit quirky, and you want to get straight to the wacky bits without reading the whole book, here’s a quick list of Kaunas oddities: One – blind faith You can visit the crypts beneath Soboras (more formally known as St. Michael the Archangel church), but you can’t actually see them. The rooms beneath the church have been turned into a sort of fumbling adventure, dubiously called the Museum for the Blind. See page 35. You can also read more about Soboras on page 32. Three – Devil may care In case you would care to wander around looking at effigies of the devil, don’t miss the unquestionably bizarre Devil’s Museum. As far as we know it’s the only museum devoted to the devil in the world. Or this world, anyway. See page 35. Five – Animal wrongs The Kaunas Zoo is a throwback to times before anyone believed that animals had rights, so it’s a bit of a grim reminder of wrongs. They’re trying very hard to rectify things and your entry fee may go some way to fixing things up. See page 38. Slightly less sad, and possibly more interesting in a creepy kind of way, is the Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum, where all manner of former life have been stuffed or pickled for your gawping pleasure. See page 35. Kaunas Castle Green bits The most pleasant park in Kaunas is the Ąžuolynas parkas – the Oak Park (see page 37). You can walk through the park to reach the zoo, which makes a nice outing if you allow plenty of time and don’t mind looking at caged animals. Beware, however, that there’s a steep climb on the way before you actually reach the park itself. The Oak Park is certainly very pleasant, but we must advise against wandering through it at night. Some of the local wildlife can get a bit unruly in hours of darkness. As you enter the park, you might also notice what looks like a big aeroplane wing sticking vertically out of the ground. This is a monument to Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas, two Lithuanian aviators who very nearly completed a trans-Atlantic flight from America to Kaunas in 1933. Their flight came to a mysterious end in Germany. A woman out picking mushrooms discovered the wreck of them and their plane. Now they, and their little plane, can be seen on the 10Lt banknote. The wreckage of the plane is also, not very appropriately, housed in the Military Museum (see page 37). Also of note in the Oak Park is the statue of a bull – see page 10 for details of what that’s all about. Another out of the way adventure can be had if you cross the Bridge of Three Maidens (or virgins, depending on how you choose to translate Trijų mergelių tiltas, M-4 on our map). This leads to a gorgeous and tranquil forest, and you’ll notice that there’s even something approximating a beach over there. Cyclists and in-line skaters, by the way, should note that the path leading eastward from the northern end of the Three Maidens bridge is your best options for unobstructed cycling or skating. Me too
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Laisvės Alėja, aka ‘Freedom Avenue’ or ‘catwalk’ Tour the tip Most of the interesting bits of Kaunas are wedged into the point of land formed where the Nemunas and Neris rivers come to meet. The Old Town is as close to this tip as it is possible to be without being washed away by the flow of the spring thaws, and starting off with a wander around this area is a great way to start your stay in Kaunas. From Kaunas Castle (A-2), follow the path west along the bank of the Neris through the Santakos or ‘confluence’ park. You will eventually reach a bit of a tip (roughly accurate in both senses of the word) and return along the Nemunas. At the point where the bridge crosses the river you can either cross it and enjoy the view from Aleksoto Hill (funicular available for those who don’t want to climb the stairs, see page 40) or turn left and head into the Town Hall Square (Rotušės aikšte - A-3). Be sure to return here on Saturday for wedding wackiness. Kaunas Old Town Kaunas is a small city, and the best way to familiarize yourself with it is to put put in the legwork and explore on foot. We’ve suggested a couple of walks here that will give you a good overview, but don’t be afraid to turn to the map (page 69) and choose your own route. Wherever you wander, however, you should keep in mind that Kaunas is Lithuania’s most Lithuanian city. It has a higher percentage of Lithuanians living in it than in the capital of Vilnius. So, while Vilnius might be the capital of Lithuania, Kaunas is the capital of being Lithuanian. Exploring Kaunas gives you a more raw and gritty taste of what being Lithuanian is all about. It’s tough, hopeful, struggling, a bit left-behind but too proud to pander. You’re a lot less likely to hear Russian and Polish being spoken in Kaunas than you are in Vilnius. You’re also more likely to come across quirky curiosities, enjoy good traditional food and mingle with the locals in cafés, bars and nightclubs. They will happily question you about why you came to Kaunas, and will engage in conversation about basketball and the future of their beloved little city. You may get the impression that the future of Kaunas consists mainly of standing about talking about basketball and the future of Kaunas. Nothing much actually happens here and the pace of development in the city is slothful compared to that of the EU and foreign investment fund-sucking capital. However, it is exactly that lack of change, that retained authenticity, and that refusal or failure to ‘sell out’, that makes Kaunas interesting. If you’re the sort of traveller who is more interested in authentic culture than following a well-trodden tourist route to see a sequence of postcard views, Kaunas can be a very rewarding city to visit. Do the catwalk From the Town Hall Square, walk eastward along Vilniaus. Carry on all the way to the newer part of the city centre lining Laisvės Alėja (Freedom Avenue). This is the longest pedestrian street in Lithuania. It’s where people come to strut their stuff; to see and be seen. Like it or not, it’s hard to spend a day in Kaunas without walking along Laisvės at some point. At the far eastern end is Soboras (see page 32), an imposing great Russian-looking church. Hidden away at various points along the way are some interesting museums and monumetns - see our ‘What to see’ section starting on page 32 for details of possible diversions.
I’m stuffed
They’re stuffed
Valdonė Bručienė
Seven – funny funiculars Kaunas has two odd little funiculars, both of which will drag you up to good vantage points from which you can view the city. One leads up to the Church of the Resurrection (see page 34) while the other affords a great view of Old Town. Nine - time travel Rumšiškės, the park presenting a living snap-shot of traditional village life, is about as close to anyone has got to creating an operational time machine. See page 50. Eleven The Three Stooges’ mum was from Kaunas. So was philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. So you can walk around pondering Totality and Infinity and saying things like “I resemble that remark” and “nyck nyck nyck”.
Weddings in Town Hall Square
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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wHere to stAy
Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05, fax 32
16 32, [email protected], www.danielahotel. lt. Dress up like Barbarella (anti-gravity breasts optional) or someone from Lost In Space (bubble-headed booby optional) and launch yourself into a time warp of bulbous pink cushions, plush puce carpets and stratospheric arched beams. Or, be a bit Captain Sensible and stick to the smart ‘comfort class’ rooms with more contemporary and elegantly restrained decoration. Either way, you’ll find fun aplenty and lashings of comfort and luxury. It’s bright, breezy and tucked away in a very convenient location. Q75 rooms (37 standart rooms 290 - 360Lt, 23 comfort rooms 390Lt, 10 superior rooms 460Lt, 2 deluxe rooms 450 - 520Lt, 4 apartments 550 - 1,120Lt). PTJHARULGKXW hhhh
wHere to stAy
Symbol key
P Air conditioning O Casino T Child friendly F Fitness centre R LAN connection K Restaurant D Sauna I Fireplace X Smoking section on a hill, it has a pleasant outlook and feeling of light and space. There are heated bathroom floors, vast balconies on some rooms, and one even has a telescope. There’s also a conference room and a charming library room for private functions. There’s no thunder, but the rooms have soundproof doors just in case. Q30 rooms (12 singles 288 - 320Lt, 10 doubles 360 - 400Lt, 2 suites 400 - 480Lt, 6 junior suites 380 - 420Lt). PTJHARLGKXW hhhh A Credit cards accepted H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking G Non-smoking rooms J Central location C Swimming pool W Wireless Internet access in it. The rooms themselves are all individually decorated to an unsubtly high standard that will make happy even those who have discovered oil and Lithuania (in that order). The modern sparkling sauna might also help. Located in a quiet area near a park, the hotel is a 15-minute walk to the centre, but you’ll want a taxi or your own personal security sphinx to bring you home at night. Q 1 2 r o o m s ( 4 s u i t e s 3 8 0 - 4 6 0 Lt , 1 a p a r t ment 480 - 540Lt, 7 singles/doubles 280 - 320Lt). PHARLGKDXCW hhhh
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Mid-range
Alanta J-2, Alantos 33, tel. 73 11 42, fax 73 38 71,
[email protected], www.alanta.lt. As cheap as it is ugly. But comfortable. If you don’t mind accidents in aesthetics, chintzy furniture and a feeling like you’re staying in an old persons’ home, you can bunk up here and save your money for something more fun. It’s a couple of kilometres out of the centre, but just 500m away from the main transport route with plenty of buses. Q6 rooms (1 single 180Lt, 4 doubles 180Lt, 1 suite 220Lt). ALGKW hhh
Daugirdas A-3, T. Daugirdo 4, tel. 30 15 61, fax
30 15 62, [email protected], www.daugirdas.lt. A spanking new hotel nestled in Old Town and offering an ingenious blend of historic charm and mod cons. Rooms are nifty-neat with minibar, internet (WiFi or LAN), air conditioning, televisions and a power outlet that doesn’t switch off when you leave so you can charge your gizmos. There’s a somewhat old-fashioned dark wood and ochre theme but with big windows - floor-to-ceiling in some rooms - there is plenty of light. Bathrooms are modern and spacious with heated floors. A lovely atrium and a superb rooftop terrace are the icing on the cake. Q 48 rooms (13 singles €104, 24 doubles €128, 10 delu xe rooms €142, 1 Gothic room €174). PTJHAR6ULGKXW hhhh
Babilonas C-1, Raseinių 25, tel. 20 25 45, fax 20 91
Sf inksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/Kudirkos 19a, tel.
Though Lithuania’s second city has fewer hotels than in the rivalling capital of Vilnius, there is no shortage of reasonably priced and well-situated hotels to be found. While newer buildings are few and far between, Kaunas is a city undergoing much expansion, and its hotels are growing along with it.
Upmarket
Best Western Santaka C-3, Gruodžio 21, tel. 30 27
02, fax 30 27 00, [email protected], www.santaka.lt. What looks like a warehouse on the outside is actually a labyrinth of luxury, and a wonderful place for the well bred (or at least well off) to rest their weary heads. All the rooms have a very humble, welcoming feel and yet lay on the luxury with lashings. Expect timber, leather, stylish furniture and gold coloured bed spreads. One room has a nice little alcove that overlooks St. Gertrude’s church - perfect for pious pondering before splashing into the spa. Even if you opt for a more basic room, you can enjoy the very cosy fireside sitting room downstairs. Of course, there are also the facilities and services one would expect for a high quality hotel, such as satellaite tv, minibars, conference facilities, a top-notch restaurant, and secure parking. Q92 rooms (11 singles 360Lt, 80 doubles 480Lt, 1 apartment 880Lt). PTJHAR6LGKDXCW hhhh
01, [email protected], w w w.hermishotel.lt. The outskirts location (just off the main road to/from Vilnius) might make you think this place is only suited for a hermit, but step inside and you’ll be delighted to find a thoroughly modern hotel with a subtly colourful and contemporary style. Somehow, the place feels lively and friendly. There’s even a 15m pool, spa and gym to keep you buzzing. Really quite a delightful find, although not worth considering unless you have a car. Q13 rooms (1 single 290Lt, 9 doubles 290 - 390Lt, 2 suites 430 - 500Lt, 1 apartment 500 - 600Lt). PTHARFLKDCW hhhh
Hermis Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 00, fax 49 03
30 19 82, fax 30 19 83, [email protected], www. sfinksas.lt. Kaunas has all sorts of pleasing and quirky treasures tucked away in unexpected places, and this hotel is one of them. It’s notable for having a staircase that makes going to your room almost as rewarding as being
56, [email protected], www.babilonas.lt. It’s only a kilometre or so out of town but it’s awkward to get to. The de luxe rooms are spacious and one offers a good view of the town. Like so many hotels in Kaunas, they’ve tried to do nice things with the decoration, but ended up with a mess. This might be okay for business travellers with a taxi budget, but otherwise there’s not much to make this oddly located hotel worthwhile. Q10 rooms (1 single 200Lt, 4 doubles 240 - 280Lt, 3 suites 320 - 390Lt, 2 apartments 400 - 520Lt). PTJHAULGKW hhh
Kaunas D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 50, fax 75 08 51,
[email protected], www.kaunashotel.lt. If you can get a room with a balcony - and there are a few of them - you can enjoy not only the slick and modern comforts of smartly designed rooms, but a people watching position above the world’s longest catwalk. The standard rooms are compact but light and airy, while the apartments and suites are specially designed to… well, make you feel special. All the rooms have all the mod cons you would expect from a four-star hotel, and there’s also a sauna, a small gym and conference facilities - none of which you will use because you’ll be too busy enjoying the view from the balcony. Q85 rooms (1 triple 600Lt, 4 suites 500 - 600Lt, 33 standard singles/doubles 340 - 420Lt, 43 deluxe rooms 420 - 500Lt, 2 connecting rooms 800Lt). PTJHARUFLGKDXCW hhhh
Star spangled banter
This guide uses the star system as defined by the Lithuanian Department of Tourism, in which stars are awarded for amenities offered, and don’t necessarily reflect the quality of those amenities or the standard of service provided.
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax
32 36 78, [email protected], www.perkunonamai.lt. The curiously named ‘thunder home’ has been a family run affair since it opened as the first private hotel in Kaunas - but don’t think that means it’s some overgrown cottage. The combination of homely comforts, the pride of the owners, and appointments and service on par with global hotel chains make this an excellent choice. Located
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
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lite television and internet. On your way to the rooms, take note of the walls covered in art throughout the corridors. We should note that it is worth visiting different floors to compare the varying artistic styles. There is also a restaurant and makeshift billiards hall for those that get a craving for some eight ball at eight am. Q29 rooms (28 doubles 220 - 300Lt, 1 suite 300 - 400Lt). JHAR6ULGKX hhh better English than many classy hotel receptionists, and a quiet location. Among other little perks, these nice people will come and pick you up when you arrive in town if you ask them nicely. Q3 rooms (2 singles €30 - 40, 1 double €40 - 50, 1 suite €64). RLG
wHere to stAy
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Namų Viešbutis K-1, Gaižiūnų 80, tel. 33 74 44, fax
Budget
Apple Economy Hotel A-2, Valančiaus 19, tel./fax
32 14 04, [email protected], w w w.applehotel.lt. More bland shoe box than charming apple crate. More Spartan than Granny Smith. The rooms here are simple, clean and tidy if a little charmless and austere. There is almost a hostel feel to the place, with linoleum floors and bare basics throughout. Still, it is perfectly adequate and seems to be staffed by refreshingly happy smiley youngsters, which make a stay rather pleasant. Most importantly, and like any fresh apple, it is simply good, cheap and convenient. Q 14 rooms (€40 - 66). TJHARLG hh
33 74 45, [email protected], www.home.hotel.lt. Friendly, very high standard B&B set in a tough-to-find neighbourhood. Once you find the street, look for the mint green building. Edmundas and Giedrė are your hosts and they take very good care of you. If available, try to land their apartment with direct access from the garage. Far from the centre, but still a very nice place. Q4 rooms (1 single 120Lt, 2 doubles 180Lt, 1 apartment 240Lt). TAR6LGX
Solo B&B L-4, Dysnos 10, tel. +370 687 544 43/+370
615 578 69, [email protected], www.solohotel.lt. Mini apartments with kitchenettes, simple but comfortable furnishings, free internet, cable television, DVD player and lovely little private garden. A quiet and out of the way option - it’s a half-hour stroll to the centre. Q 2 doubles 120 - 170Lt. TRLG
Metropolis D-2, Daukanto 21, tel. 20 80 81/20
Kunigaikščių Menė B-2, Daukšos 28, tel. 32 08 00, fax
32 08 72, [email protected], www.hotelmene.lt. They keep it pretty simple here but it’s spot-on if you want good value in one of the loveliest streets of Old Town. Expect wooden floors, simple yet comfortable furnishings and modern bathrooms. Rooms look south over a quiet courtyard. So you can keep the windows closed to let the sun warm your room, or open them to catch a cool breeze without too much street noise. Simply but very comfortable. Q8 rooms (1 single 180Lt, 6 doubles 250Lt, 1 suite 350Lt). PJHALGKXW hhh
59 92, fax 20 62 69, [email protected], www. greenhillhotel.lt. This is where Uncle Fester and other grismal weirdos used to like to stay. But now they’ve renovated so many of the rooms that finding good old fashioned Soviet-style grime is a bit of an ask. Not impossible, just tricky - there’s still one or two bathrooms with black tiles or green fur on the walls. Now, however, you’re much more likely to end up with a nice sparkly white bathroom and a normal looking bed that won’t tr y to swallow you. What fun is that? Still, it’s a bargain, it’s in a great location, and the grand staircase continues to offer spooky amusement. Q85 rooms (4 singles 90Lt, 70 doubles 120Lt, 1 triple 165Lt, 3 quads 220Lt, 7 suites 172Lt). TJA6GKX hh
Guesthouses
Kaunas Archdiocese Guest House B-2, Rotušės
21, tel. 32 25 97/+370 687 945 24, fax 32 00 90, [email protected], http://kaunas.lcn.lt/sveciunamai. Well, isn’t this lovely? You get a quaint little room with a bed and a chair that could easily set the scene for a painting called, say, Room With Bed and Chair. It’s got a religious simplicity to it which is somehow gloriously humble. But wait! There’s more! You also get somewhere to wash your bits, and an internet. Some rooms even have balconies with heavenly views. Seems like this place is a godsend. So what’s the catch? Well, they might frown upon i t if you tr y to smug gle booze or a knickerless blonde ‘comfort consultant’ into your room, but otherwise this is a great place to stay. Recommended from on high. Q 21 rooms (2 singles 50Lt, 6 doubles 80 - 120Lt, 5 triples 110 - 140Lt, 3 quads 130Lt, 5 suites 160Lt). TJRULG Supermanas was here
Seaside (sort of)
Okay, so Kaunas is landlocked, but thanks to a whopping great hydro-electric dam on the Nemunas, a body of water large enough to be called a sea has formed. It’s a favourite spot for summer fun, and it can also be your temporary home during your stay in Kaunas.
Kaunas Žalgiris Yachtclub Gimbutienės 35, tel.
Bed & Breakfast
Arijaus Namai B-2, M. Daukšos 24, tel. 32 16 12/+370
685 788 83, [email protected], www.arijushouse. uab.info. You’d be hard pressed to find a better location at a better price. Or a bigger hotchpotch of furniture and jumble sale accessories. Wagon wheel chandelier? Check. Random scattering of doilies? Check. Cable television, internet and secure parking? Yes, yes yes. Mildly cooky, but very central, comfortable and affordable. Q (3 apartments 120 - 280Lt.) TJHR6LGX
Nemunas Tour Gėlių 50, Ringaudai, tel. 56 37
Nakties Magija L-3, Skroblų 3, tel. 79 79 23, fax 79
58 32, [email protected], www.naktiesmagija-hotel.lt. Dated cringe-worthy furniture in an otherwise rather nice house diagonally opposite the zoo. We didn’t stick around to discover whether you will be kept awake by screeching monkeys but if you close your eyes, or wish to re-enact a scene from a corny 70s-era adult video, you’ll be very comfortable in the spacious and well equipped rooms. It’s a 20-minute walk through a nice oak park to get to the centre of town, but we wouldn’t advise coming back that way at night. Q10 rooms (4 singles 220Lt, 5 doubles 280Lt, 1 suite 400Lt). PHALGK hhh
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 699
Žaliakalnio Viešbutis D-2, Žemaičių 31/Savanorių 66,
tel. 32 14 12, fax 73 37 69, zaliakalnis@greenhillhotel. lt, www.greenhillhotel.lt. A large affair, with excellent views as it sits high atop one of the city’s greenest hills, located adjacent to the impressive Church of the Resurrection and above the now operational funicular. The many modern conveniences offered in the hotel include a large conference facility and plenty of space within the hotels walls to accommodate attendees. The rooms are spacious and light and come with such nice extras as minibar, satel-
146 90, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. lt. The growing Litinterp chain now have a few apartments in Kaunas and a little black book containing details of over 20 apartments across the city. They can always help you to find somewhere to stay at a reasonable price, and also offer friendly and helpful service. In addition to accommodation, they offer translation services, car rentals and nice smiles. Q9 rooms (2 singles 80 - 120Lt, 4 doubles 140 - 160Lt, 3 family suites 160 - 210Lt). Apartments 180 - 240 Lt. TJAG
66/+370 614 203 39, [email protected], www. nemunastour.com. It is not important that this place is a little way out of the centre because by all accounts it is one of the best guesthouses in the universe. A large green house, complete with six bright rooms, an army of communal facilities from washing machine to sauna, and a charming husband and wife running the whole show. If you want to eat during your stay, the emphasis is on the healthy, and if that isn’t enough they can also organise tours around Lithuania, horse riding, sky diving and a lot lot more. Recommended. Q (6 doubles 100 - 190Lt). TR6LGD
37 04 22, fax 37 04 15, [email protected], www. jachtklubas.lt. A rather peculiar looking place more than made up for by its location on the bank of the Kaunas Lagoon, the fabulous bugdet price tag, and the other things that are on offer, from camping, to boating, to eating,to doing nothing at all. A fabulous throwback to years gone by, check the website for more information, including how on earth to find the place. Q 30 rooms (50 - 200Lt). ARFGKDXC
Romo Uostas Kalantos 199, tel. 45 84 01/+370
Motels
Sandija Jonavos 45, tel. 33 24 87, fax 36 33 92,
[email protected], www.sandija.lt. Little more than a pleasant and efficient motel proximate to the highway, it is a fair bargain for the price. In general, the rooms are dark and more or less what you might expect, but each comes with a wine-opener, a luxury not often found amongst some of the best hotels in the country. Friendly and helpful desk attendants greet you and the hotel has a small restaurant that serves Lithuanian, German and French dishes. Q17 rooms (13 singles 150Lt, 12 doubles 200 - 260Lt, 2 suites 340Lt). THALGKX hh
687 62136, [email protected], www.romouostas. lt. It’s a bit like a stylish crisply ironed shirt adorned with a tie made from 1970’s wallpaper - very smart and businesslike, but let down by splashes of revolting furniture. Still, it’s so close to the water that you’ll wish you’d packed your wetsuit, and even if you don’t take a dip in the so-called sea, you can enjoy a very pleasant and professional set-up, including a sauna and swimming pool. Oh - and a conference centre. The staff can also organise all manner of water activities. Q11 rooms (8 singles 100Lt, 2 suites 150Lt, 1 apartment 250Lt). HALGKDXC
Mažylis K-5, Dysnos 7, tel. 74 38 15, [email protected],
www.kaunas-motel.com. A cool, family-run house not too far from the city centre, featuring a choice of accommodations from completely self-contained to two rooms with shared bathrooms. Nothing too fancy here, but that’s not the point. What you do get is cleanliness, friendly hosts who speak
Book hotels online www.inyourpocket.com
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
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Kaunas for kids
Akropolis E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49, www.
akropolis.lt. Little kids can go bonkers in a huge supervised play area. There is the obligatory ball pit as well as all manner of other colourful plastic diversions. B i g ge r k i d s m i g h t e n j o y i c e - s k a t i n g, a r c a d e ga m e s o r j u s t ex p l o r i n g t h e s h o p p i n g m a u l . QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA No one is going to call Kaunas the cuisine capital of Lithuania, but things have been steadily improving of late, and now at least the city offers a full range of options from the cheap and chewy to lap-of-luxury fine dining. One thing to keep in mind is that things are a bit spread out in Kaunas, and there are some real gems located a short distance from the centre of town. Don’t let that put you off. Kaunas is hardly expensive, so a taxi won’t break the bank.
restAurAnts
Symbol key
P Air conditioning E Live music T Child friendly G Non-smoking areas 6 Animal friendly A Credit cards accepted S Take away U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking W Wireless Internet access
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Asiliuko Sapnas D-2, Laisvės 87a, tel. 22 00 63.
Beer halls
Avilys B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. 20 34 76/20 75 52, fax
22 51 37, [email protected], www.avilys.lt. It’s honey beer heaven. The big gleaming vats of toil and trouble produce a rather fine alcoholic bee-spew, which is then used as a key ingredient in some of the meals. Lovely. People swarm in but the staff are hardly busy-bees, so service can be slow at times. As it is essentially a vaulted red-brick cellar crammed with dark wooden furniture, it is also desparately gloomy. A great place if your date has spots or is an albino. Menu highlights: ‘Sex Chooter’, ‘Beer Soup’ and ‘Champignons pickled in beer and boney sauce’. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. TJAGBS
Tucked away in a cute courtyard next to the puppet theatre, this is a mini-sized restaurant for mini-sized people. With bright decorations and a large list of fun things to do, the ‘Little Donkey’ is a very popular venue for children’s parties. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. G 87a, tel. 22 00 63/22 16 91. A local institution, only slightly creepy, and great for kids who wish to take their grandparents out.QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. BG
International
Amigos E-3, Mickevičiaus 22, tel. 26 10 00, info@
skoniotechnologijos.lt. An overrated dump. The sign outside proudly shows faded photos of the time they welcomed the Dalai Lama and a bunch of monks. His Holiness probably said, yes, it was all very nice. But we don’t have to be polite so we can say it’s really just a half-sunken dumpy bar that slops up mediocre cheap eats and smells like dodgy plumbing. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Mon 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. PTJAGBS
Puppet Theatre (Lėlių Teatras) D-2, Laisvės
Zoo L-3, Radvilėnų 21, tel. 33 25 40, www.zooso-
das.lt. With somewhere in the region of 250 different species to point at (and wonder why they have to be kept behind bars) the little ones will surely love this place. Ideal for rampaging monkeys.Q Open 10:00 - 19:00. Tickets: 4-7Lt.
Chinese
Didžioji Siena B-2, Kumelių 7, tel. 22 05 85, didziojisiena.meniu.lt. It’s all very rich, red, and refined in here. Quite tranquil. You’ll feel immediately relaxed as you peruse the menu and notice a good range of favourites and traditional Chinese dishes, although your taste buds might be getting quite excited. Food is generally very good and certainly always flavoursome, although we have had chicken that was a tad chewy on one occasion. Service is superb - indeed, outstanding by Kaunas standards - and goes a long way to make this place a sanctuary worth seeking out. QOpen 11:30 - 23:00. JAGSW
Antis A-3, Rotušės 1, tel. 32 43 48, [email protected].
Antis can mean ‘duck’, ‘gossip’ or ‘bedpan’. We’re not sure which meaning is intended here, but you’d better duck as you burrow down the steep, low-ceilinged stairway. Once inside you’ll enjoy a space that somehow manages to be romantic and cosy but also quite modern and a bit smooth and groovy. Food is not quite gourmet, but fine for a light meal over a bit of gossip. As for the bedpan, well, erm… the toilets here are interesting. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. JAEGS
Combo G-3, Raudondvario 107 (but actually on the
Apartment rental
Juratės Apartamentai Tel. +370 651 06 50, fax 32
30 73, [email protected], http://juratesapartamentai.home.lt. One rather swish apartments and one ‘other’ apartment slap-bang in the middle of the action. Rather good value. Check the website for pictures. Q 150 Lt/night. J
Fu Long E-3, Gedimino 30, tel. 20 84 92. In a bizarre
reversal of the natural order of things the staff here are more pleasant than the food. Except, that is, for the unseen person in the kitchen who made a phlegmy, throat-clearing, I’m-gonnaspit noise as our meal was prepared. Nothing could taste good after that. The atmosphere is pleasant but unpretentious, the prices are not displeasing, but it’s all more ho-hum than yum-yum. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JAGS
Kaunas Apartments A-2, Laisvės 50-4, tel. +370 687
012 33, [email protected], www.kaunas-apartments.lt. The process could not be any simpler. Go to their website, check out what is available and book it for the short term, or the long term. Each flat is detailed, mapped out, photographed and priced to rent. Even if you don’t find something online, just give them a call or an email and they will come up with just what you’re after. The variety of modern apartments offers something suitable for just about every budget. Recommended. Q (15 apartments 80 - 250Lt/night). J
bend in Brastos), tel. +370 614 400 29/20 94 19, fax 36 11 89, [email protected], www.combo.lt. Ignore the abandoned space station on the first level, head upstairs and join the happy crew in the sparkly glass observation deck. Nestle into red velour anti-gravity seating, order a meal, and enjoy the view of cracked concrete, dirt and tipsy fishermen pulling old boots out of the river. Food is extremely good given the quick-lunch vibe of the place. Bit of a shame that it’s in the outer-reaches of Galaxy Kaunas, but trolley-transport vessels 5, 7 and 10 will get you there in a nano-jiffy. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 02:00. PTALEGS
Ilgoji Upė B-3, Vilniaus 13a, tel. 22 60 71. It’s hidden in
Čarlstonas D-3, Kęstučio 93, tel. 20 29 93, www.carl-
Private Apartments D-3, Maironio 13-2, tel./fax 20 86
01, [email protected], www.emsalonas.lt. Off the main avenue, the private apartments at Private Apartments have everything you need to dig in and stay for a long time. Expect a kitchen, a dining nook and bedroom - all with modern fixtures in a residential apartment building. Q 150 - 180Lt/night. Discounts for longer stays. J
a courtyard, it always looks like it’s closed and has a generally uninviting appearance. It’s even a bit dowdy inside and it appears that the ceiling is sagging. Despite all that, however, it’s worth a visit just for the food, which is reasonably priced and very tasty. There are countless options in the menu and those that we sampled were delicious. A good option if you want to enjoy Kaunas strangeness and great food at the same time. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JLGS
stonas.lt. Roll up here and enjoy a fine medieval-slash-renaissance regal romp without the nuisance of having to defend the realm or deal with the hassles of endless beheadings. Or historical accuracy. Just plonk your derrière on a thronette, order the ever-obliging staff about, and indulge in a feast of ‘mollusc slumgullion’, fowl, deer, or a piece of a cow. Both the meals and the décor are presented with the utmost respect for taste, and it’s no surprise that this is a popular choice for treat-the-staff parties and romantic interludes. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. TJAGS
Fast Food
KFC E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel.
Old Town view from across Aleksoto Tiltas (H-4) 21 44 56, www.fastfoods.lt. Quick! Grab a bucket! It’s the first KFC in the country.Q Open 10:00 - 24:00. JG
Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05, www.dan-
Pizza Hut E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis),
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
Kaunas In Your Pocket
tel. 21 44 56, www.fastfoods.lt. The first in the Baltic States. Maybe they came to show Lithuanians how to make pizza? QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. JG
ielahotel.lt. Not as posh as it appears, but not as expensive either. There’s a menu crammed with creative concoctions and that alone makes a visit worthwhile. We passed up the lava stone-grill option to go for something involving bananas wrapped in leek and chicken. While it could have been a bit more skilfully prepared—the chook was a bit tough—it did offer a lovely combination of flavours. Less challenging meals will probably be fine. The setting is sleek and comfortable, the menu is marvellous, service is friendly. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. TJAULGS
May 2007 - May 2008
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restAurAnts
25/20 28 06, [email protected], www.seniejirusiai.lt. If this place was in London or Paris you’d have to book before you were born to get a table. Here in Kaunas, however, you can just turn up and get a table either for a fast cheap lunch or a fine dinner. At any time it’s outstanding, with an airy feeling cellar, frescoes on some walls, quick and quality service and real towels in the bathrooms. The food is also very good and as such, this is one restaurant that it would be a shame to miss. Wonderful. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. PJAEGBSW
restAurAnts
Senieji Rūsiai B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. +370 601 025
2
Sfinksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/ Kudirkos 19a, tel. 30 19
84, www.sfinksas.lt. A lovely hotel restaurant focusing on fine international cuisine, the menu features such delicious treats as veal, salmon, oysters and the fabulous-sounding Žuolynas Grass Snake, which is in fact beef. Lithuanian dishes also available.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. PAULEGBW
Europa C-3, Gruodžio 19, tel. 30 27 10/30 27 11, fax 30
27 00, www.santaka.lt. When you’re not interested in the sort of random culinary adventure that this part of the world seems to so often provide, just nestle into the smart brick cellar, make a selection from the small but pleasing menu, and rest assured that your meal will be simple, satisfying, well prepared and close to perfect. There’s a nice glass atrium and occasional classy jazz, but it’s the food that you will come back for - a simple recipe well executed. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJALEGBSW
Papa Jazz K-3, Savanoriu 178, tel. 73 47 18, fax 40 68
41, www.papajazz.lt. Unmarked and completely hidden in a glass box interior design centre. Press ‘2’ in the carpark lift to find it. And then, after sampling mediocre overpriced meals, wonder why you bothered. The attraction here is that it is an entertainment venue as much as a restaurant, and while it might be fun when a good band is playing, it’s simply not worthwhile or worth the expense at other times. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PAULEGW
Šimtas E-2, Putvinskio g. 53, tel. 20 72 47. Looks
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax 32
Geras Vyno Rūsys D-1, Laisvės 75/Maironio 24, tel.
20 72 33/+370 685 086 62, www.gerasvynorusys.lt. It looks like a husband-and-wife operation with all the nice personal touches and commitment to service and quality of a good family-run business. Take your time making a selection from the impressive menu, trust their wine recommendations, some of which are printed in the menu, and settle into the cosy brick cellar for a very pleasant evening. Another one of Kaunas’s hidden treasures. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. PTJAEGSW
36 78, [email protected], www.perkuno-namai. lt. It’s divergent dining, with a menu that leaps from frogs’ legs to ostriches, covering a few piscatorial pleasures and a Moroccan chicken along the way. The décor is… erm, we forget, but two walls were covered in pride-of-the-owner pics, so it feels like you’re eating in a photo album. The food is award-winningly good (hence the pride), coming up trumps in terms of presentation, flavour and texture. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PTAULEGB
like the place where flash rats, skivvied spivs and those celebrating success in dodgy deals come to dangle their gold chains and Dolche Banana man purses at each other. There are options in the menu to please everyone, and food and service are moderately good. Unfortunately, prices are not high enough to keep the nouveau riche riff-raff away. Q Open 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. 25Lt. PTJAULEGBSW
Italian
Bella Italia E-3, Daukanto 14, tel. 42 66 91, bellaitalia.
meniu.lt. This place is bright, fizzy, ditzy, studenty and very, very orange. Of course, cheap and mediocre pizzas are the main attraction for Lithuanians, but you might also like the pasta and meat dishes. They’re simple, satisfying, reasonably priced and delivered to the wrong table about four hours after you ordered them because the staff are all too busy chatting to friends to actually bother with annoyances such as work, or serving customers. With such rude and brazen disregard for duty, you may as well give your order to the bubble-eyed goldfish. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 02:00. PTJAGBS
Retro Bordo C-2/3, Vilniaus 39, tel. +370 600 217 71.
Master Grill K-2, Savanorių 235, tel. 79 98 99, mas-
[email protected]. Hot rocks! That’s exactly what you get here if you’re brave enough to go for the stone grill option. Cut and sizzle your own steak on your own super-hot stone. For lovers of beef it can hardly get better - you can pop pieces in your mouth while they’re still sizzling in their own juices. There are also traditional cooked-in-the-kitchen dishes for the less adventurous - but really, the stone grilling technique is simply superb and it would be a shame not to try it. Not only is it carnivore heaven, but the staff are friendly and helpful and it’s great value. No English menus when we visited, but they promised they were on the way. It’s a shame it’s a bit out of town, but we still highly recommend it. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. PTALGS
Oh - the temptations! Red caviar, prawn mass, or ‘boneless trotter with horse radish’? Oh, but this is a steak house so we just had to try the steak - not great, but not at all bad, and very reasonably priced. There’s olde worlde knickknacks scattered about such as books, Asian fans and little bottles that may or may not contain a genie. Your cutlery is served in a little sleeping bag, which is cute. But, it’s the steak that matters and while it may not be ahead of the herd, it is certainly great value and won’t disappoint. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JAGS
apart from capsule hotels, big-eyed manga and vending machines offering schoolgirls’ unwashed panties. But is the food authentic? Well, most Kaunas residents wouldn’t have a clue, and so they can, and do, get away with anything here. If you wouldn’t know your sushi from your shoe, you’ll probably just think the meals are a bit small, but for more expert fish aficionados the disappointment will run a little deeper. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. TJALGBS
Pas Paolo D-3, Daukanto 17, tel. 22 01 75. Tucked away
but well worth burrowing into to see if you can get a seat. (Probably not.) It has a fun atmosphere with booths scattered about and a few tables in slightly odd locations. In addition to pizza, there is a small selection of pasta and meat dishes. One of the best options for cheap eats at this end of town. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. TJAGS
Breakfast
From 07:00
Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30.
Sausages, eggs, omelettes and deserts. They also boast banana bread. Q Served until 10:30, Sat, Sun until 11:00. AG
Portofino Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 02, fax 49 03 01,
Miesto Sodas D-2, Laisvės 93, tel. 42 44 24, www.
miestosodas.lt. As bright, fresh and airy as a freshly scrubbed Colgate yawn. It combines a modern menu restaurant with a salad bar sprouting with zippy things to do with leaves. The perfect place to sit in a gleaming glass box and watch the world go by, or just gaze across the green patch of a park next door. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00. PTJAUEGBSW
www.portofino.lt. It may be overflowing with rococo ritz and chintzy glitz, but they have a very simple and honest approach to the whole business of dining. The best ingredients well prepared with a touch of flair, and presented at prices that are as affordable as possible without compromising the quality. The same sensible approach is evident in the wine list. Sounds like a good recipe? Well, the only ingredient missing is a convenient location - it’s about a 10Lt taxi ride out of the centre, but worth the journey. It’s cheaper than going to Italy. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PAUILEGSW
Presto D-2, Laisvės 90, tel. 22 10 87, www.
presto.lt.Lots of tea and coffee, a few pancakes and omelettes, and bad service. Q Served until 11:00. PJAGBW
From 08:00
Amigos E-3, Mickevičiaus 22, tel. 26 10 00,
[email protected]. A small, yet more than adequate breakfast menu. Q Served until 11:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 13:00. TJAG
Japanese
Yakata A-2, Valančiaus 14, tel. 20 45 12. Ahoy there!
Where not to eat Shiver me chopsticks! There’s bamboo and boat bits aplenty, and they’ve squeezed in all manner of Japanese clichés - well,
Kavos Baras B-3, Vilniaus 74, tel. 32 23 41/20
www.inyourpocket.com
Kaunas In Your Pocket
18 15. From snacks to an almost-full breakfast, and all in a very pleasant atmosphere. Q Served until 12:00. PJLGB
May 2007 - May 2008
2
restAurAnts
Lithuanian
55° D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 70, www.kaunashotel.
lt. Lithuanian places can feel a bit basic and barn-like, but downstairs here you’ll find all the country charm without the rough edges. In fact, it’s really quite smart. There are even a couple of clever little romantic dining nooks hidden behind curtains. Upstairs the scene couldn’t be more different with bright, light and modern decoration. The balance of rustic and refined is also present in the menu. You can scoff hunks of pigs’ brains if you want, or nibble on dainty salads or delicate fish dishes - all are expertly prepared. They also specialise in moonshine. Whether you prefer things grainy or glossy, you’ll be quite happy here, especially when you notice that it’s actually rather good value. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. PJAULGBSW eating. There’s also hearty meat-and-spuds meals, as well some more authentically traditional Lithuanian meals. As it is not centrally located, and unlike their location in Vilnius, this Forto won’t be besieged by tourists. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:00. PALGS
restAurAnts
Užeiga Prie Akmenų E-3, Laisvės 21, tel. 20 55 84. This place is really nothing special, but it is in an excellent location and you might be tempted to go there. Avoid it if you’re wanting good food, but drop-by if you just want a beer and some snacks. A waste of a good location.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. TJIEGBS
ing and traditional little cottage plonked in a hideous car park and surrounded by traditional concrete architectural disasters. That doesn’t stop hordes of happy diners turning up and enjoying Lithuanian meals on the veranda or in the cosy interior. The food is top-notch and would even keep the most patriotic granny grinning. Pretend the squealing car alarms are gleefully singing birds and you can enjoy a lovely village meal here. Head through the archway at Laisvės 36 to find it. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. JAILEGBS
25
Katpėdėlė D-2, Maironio 28, tel./fax 22 49 67, kat-
[email protected], www.katpedele.lt. Simple village food (potatoes, something that died in the barn, more potatoes, and some grass and carrots and potatoes) churned out in a feed-emfast, formulaic franchise. There are better options for authenticity and atmosphere, but for a quick fill with a Lithuanian leaning this is hard to beat. The name, by the way, means something like ‘pussy’s foot’. Also at Savanorių 214a, tel. 31 30 04, [email protected]. Krėvės 57, tel. 73 06 40, [email protected]. Vilkų 20, tel. 74 93 26. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. TJAGSW
Žalias Ratas E-2, Laisvės 36b, tel. 20 00 71. A charm-
Bajorkiemis Vilnius-Kaunas highway, tel. 44 07 70,
fax 37 53 42, www.berneliuuzeiga.lt. A rambling great village of huts and a big barn style place that has become something of a traditional stop on the route between Kaunas and Vilnius. (It’s 12km out of Kaunas on the A1.) There are distractions for the kiddies and tourists alike, including some barn animals, playthings and souvenir-slash-snack shops. In summer, outdoor seating mushrooms all over the place. Food is fair but the jolly almost festival-like atmosphere is worth dropping in on even if you’re not hungry. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Mon 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 01:00. PTAULGBS
Medžiotojų Užeiga A-3, Rotušės 10, tel. 32 09 56,
www.medziotojai.lt. The gamey gimmicks in the ‘Hunters Tavern’ include horny handles on the doors, fury pelt plastered walls, heads and antlers all over the place and even a stuffed mongoose (or something) dangling in a cage above one of the tables. It’s a mounted menagerie. The menu is crawling with critters such as boar, elk and beaver, but you can also opt for less adventurous fish or chicken if you wish - all beautifully prepared and presented, but not hunter-hearty. If your date is an animal rights type, you can still come here - just tell him or her that it’s dolphin friendly. Maybe. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PJAIGBSW
Mediterranean
Pompėja E-2, Putvinskio 38, tel. 42 20 55, www.
pompeja.lt. Even if you don’t enjoy the lovely atrium in summer you will enjoy the food at any time. The prices in the menu may appear high but once you taste the dishes and notice that they don’t skimp on size you’ll appreciate that you’re getting fair value. In the evenings you can even enjoy the entertainment, such as the ‘Pompeii giddy vortex mind-blowing erotic dance’, whatever that is. A pleasant and quite classy place, with just the right hint of the bizarre. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PTJAIEGBSW
Pancakes. Probably dumps in the family. It’s lovely and bright, fast, fresh, clean and fair value. Grab a window-side seat for people-watching perfection. There’s a new drive-through option at Ateities 50b for those who like the idea of driving and dining. Also at Baršausko 66a, tel. 35 01 12. Ateities 50b, tel. 47 33 59, Savanorių 346, tel. 31 34 70. Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 37 44 34. Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis). QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PTJAULGBSW
Bernelių Užeiga A-2, Valančiaus 9, tel. 20 09 13, www.
berneliuuzeiga.lt. The three blokes pictured on the menu look like the sort of good old fashioned lads who spend their days chopping wood, scrumping spuds, ploughing maidens and nailing the feet of old women to the kitchen floor to ensure an endless supply hearty tucker. No mucking around with village cliché nonsense here - just large quantities of decent Lithuanian food that will leave you slumping and groaning with delight until you’re ready for your next bout of barnyard boisterousness or laddish lechery. Also at K. Donelaičio 11, tel. 20 88 02. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 01:00. PTJAIEGBS
Metų Laikai E-2, Mickevičiaus 40b, tel. 22 32 53, laiko.
[email protected]. It’s a hidey-hole where girly adornments take the battered edge off the otherwise worn out look of the place. It’s both gloomy and frilly inside - like eating in Grandma’s underwear drawer - while in summer there is seating in the courtyard so you can take a break from people watching and look at parked cars and crumbling walls instead. The Lithuanian food is practical and modern, not the sort of traditional food that no one bothers to make at home anymore. With hearty, sloppy, meaty dishes, it’s like visiting a local at home - except that you won’t be force fed by their mum or have to look at 1001 family photos. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. JALGBS
Pizza Jazz D-2, Laisvės 68, tel. 20 43 35, www.pizzajazz.lt. Two separate entrances guide you into two different pizza worlds. They finesse every pizza cliché in the book, while offering a sordid variety of pizza pies. The second, more elegant area is distinguishable by the Lavazza coffee branding and is a uniquely designed medley of brick, floral wallpaper, pinstriped tapestries and black and white photos. A few other dishes are also available. The location at the Zoo Museum offers huge glass windows and a great place to watch the human traffic. Also at Laisvės 106 (Zoologijos muziejus), tel. 22 15 92. Šarkuvos 1a (Maxima), tel. 37 76 35. Taikos 141, tel. 47 39 41. Gričiupio 9, tel. 40 00 09. Savanorių 349, tel. 31 34 70. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:30 - 23:00. PTJAUGBSW It’s completely hidden in a big imposing building, but when you push open the tall, heavy door you’ll discover a cheap pizza joint in what looks like the dining hall of the Kaunas Army Officers’ Club. Bizarre - but great. The food is as good as the situation is weird, and the service is military standard. All up, a spiffing spot to feed the troops, or just sit alone and have one of those ‘where am I’ moments. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 02:30. JAGS
Middle Eastern
Ramzis II B-2, Daukšos 29, tel. 32 43 01, www.ramzis.
lt. A diamond in the rough. This small but impressive creation is easily discovered by reading the Egyptian carvings on the underpass wall. The collections of beads, jewels, tea sets and hookah pipes, as well as the carvings on the bar give the setting a hint of authenticity. We recommend ducking into the more discreet back rooms for discretion or revelry. The menu, while fairly typical seemed robust enough to satisfy. Ladies of the harem, if you are looking to get a rise out of your sheik, order the Viagra soup. Though it’s a bit pricey at 10.40Lt, it promises to spice up your love life. If a real Egyptian king were to dine here, he would most certainly have the chef mummified for putting mayo on the hummus. Also at Karaliaus Mindaugo 49 (Akropolis), tel. 21 44 11. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PABJLGW
Čili Kaimas Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 23 90 55, info@
cili.lt, www.cili.lt. It’s a bit quirky, top quality, not too costly, quintessentially Lithuanian and unfortunately stuck in a big boring shopping bland on the outskirts of town. Shame, really. The timber-trimmed village-themed chain churns out the calories and fun with aplomb, and it would be simply terrific if they could find a more central location. As it is, all we can say is that it’s a great place to tuck in should you find yourself stuck in the Mega shopping centre. Also at Karaliaus Mindaugo (Akropolis) but the restaurant there is all bleached wood and doesn’t have a nice village feeling at all. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. PTALGSW
Šaulys F-2, Nepriklausomybės 5, tel. 42 26 55. There’s a
half-hearted hunters’ theme in here, with antler-shaped coat stands and a few pelts crawling up the walls, but it’s actually all a bit nondescript and bland. Food isn’t terribly cheap by local standards, and while meals are big they will only please those for whom size matters more than taste or texture. Or hunting dogs. Not great.QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. TJAIGBSW
Pizzeria Milano E-3, Mickevičiaus 19, tel. 20 63 82.
Pizza
Arena Piz za D-2/3, Laisvės 57, tel. 20 25 96,
[email protected], www.arenapizza.lt. Another place stafed by MTV morons who are too busy chattin’ ‘n’ textin’ and chillin’ to pay any attention to customers. There’s a galaxy of pizzas, plenty of pasta and meat dishes, some interesting salads and soups and even traditional Lithuanian food. And it’s all awful, and awfully cheap. But none of that matters because you’re not going to get served until you’re dead anyway. They do home delivery if you call 42 42 42. If you must come to the restaurant itself, we suggest you call that number and get them to deliver something to your table. Also at Savanorių 363. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PTJABUGSW
Tado Blindos Smuklė D-3, Kęstučio 93, tel. 20 29
Delano K-2, Savanorių 255, tel. 30 74 42, delano.
[email protected], www.delano.lt. You can’t possibly miss the giant windmill aside the Hyper Maxima. Inside you get the best of the buffet. It’s a Latvian-born chain that has been pleasantly serving peasant food in Lithuania for a few years. Another good place to bring the kids. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. TAULGBS
Forto Dvaras M-4, Baršausko 66a (Molas), tel. 76 51
93, [email protected]. A dark wooden shack with chunky furniture and embroidered cotton tablecloths that make it look like a team of sun-shy little old ladies have been very busy. (Peek under the tablecloths and you can find some strange designs on some of the tables themselves.) It’s all very timber and twee. There are plenty of meaty and traditional Lithuanian dishes as well as some nice soups and stews - all homely, hearty and good value. While both the atmosphere and the food lack lightness, this place is roughly great.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PTJAGSW
Russian
Legenda Šiaurės 5a, tel. 40 84 56, www.restoranaslegenda.lt. Gather your weapons (knife, fork, spoon, toothpick, etc) and barge into this big wooden fortress to battle your way through a deeply satisfying array of Russian dishes. Start off with the traditional Russian soup, which is a meal in itself, and just try to keep going as long as you can. You’ll come away beaten, but very full and happy. A particularly wonderful retreat in winter, but worthwhile at any time. It’s a bit of an appetite-building hike to get there: take bus 43 from the Kęstučio stop on Vytauto (F-3) and hop off at the 15th stop, Šiaurinė. By car, head out on Savanorių, and turn left at the last intersection before the A1 highway. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. TALEGBS
01, [email protected], www.fortas.eu. Of the fastpaced, cheap and cheerful Lithuanian restaurant chains, this is probably the best. They offer more regional variations of cepelinai than you could ever want to eat or be capable of
Kaunas challenge: Can you find a restaurant without a television?
Čili Pica D-2, Laisvės 76, tel. 42 51 34, www.cili.lt.
The chain store that wheels out pizza with aplomb. Their centrally located restaurant here in Kaunas is one of their best - or at least it’s not as grotty as some of the more diabolical
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
CAFÉs
A café and a bar are often the same thing in Lithuania, so if you’re looking for a place to take a break during the day you should also check the bars listed in the Nightlife section starting on the opposite page.
nigHtliFe
Kavos Kerai C-3, Vilniaus 60. Zesty orange furniture
amid dark brown fittings create a nice atmosphere, but the big attraction is the smell. The aroma of freshly ground coffee sneaks out the door as people come and go and almost physically hauls you inside. Also at Daukšos g. 35. Open 09:00-19:00, Sat, Sun 10:00-17:00. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. PJUGB Kaunas tends toward bigger clubs, swelling with students but all bets are off in the summer when things shift outdoors to the countless beer tents. Just remember - less is more. Actually less costs more. Beer, the beverage of choice round these parts, should almost always be ordered in large portions. For unlike every other commodity in this country, the cost is higher per yield when pouring less. Kaunas nightlife is sometimes as charged as a heavyweight-boxing match, and very often one breaks out. Not every place is dangerous, but not every place is safe, and drunken foreigners make an easy mark. Watch out for overly friendly people, men walking in packs and all of your belongings. The pubs and clubs can be a lot of fun, but common sense is warranted here.
2
Arbatos Klubas (Tea Club) B-3, Vilniaus 41, tel. 22 41
91. The idea of a place dedicated to tea aficionados is great. Why should bean grinders get all the fun? Unfortunately, this place is a bit of a dump and won’t please aficionados of anything. Sure, there’s tea available from around the world, but the atmosphere is bland. Cheap and cheery, but nothing special. The only notable thing about the place is that it’s a good toilet option for wheelchair users. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Fri 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 10:00 - 22:00. JAUGSW
Kavos Klubas A-2, Valančiaus 19, tel. 22 96 69. The
Barracuda B-3, Vilniaus 14, tel. 20 55 35. A newer
style place conveniently located in Old Town and with a very old-fashioned get-stuffed attitude. The service isn’t bad - it’s just rude. (What do they think this is? France?) Bring a sense of humour, and you can not only play ‘get the troll to serve us’ games but also enjoy some surprisingly good quality meals. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. PTJAGBSW
best thing about this place is that they stay open quite late, although we have noticed that most of the temptations listed in the menu are simply not available in the evening. If you turn up after dark you can enjoy little more than coffee and frustration. There is a cosy little room at the back which is ideal for those who wish to have an intimate chat or climb out the window and leave without paying.QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sat 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. JAGBS
Bars
Avilys B-3, Vilniaus 34, tel. 20 34 76/20 75 52, fax 22
51 37, [email protected], www.avilys.lt. Three dark cellar rooms dedicated to the celebration of home-made beer, the alus in question being some of the best in Lithuania. How they’re brewed is described in English on the menus, so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and although this isn`t the best place to come and eat, readers may like to know that the Dalai Lama thought it game enough, and as such was spotted here in the summer of 2001 tucking into a large plate of chicken and rice. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. JAGB
Konrado Užeiga E-3, Laisvės 49a, tel. 20 87 33. While
Dviese B-3, Vilniaus 8, tel. 20 36 38. While it doesn’t
look very inviting and often looks to be closed when it’s not, it’s worth pushing through the unwelcoming door to discover a modern and fresh café with a great range of cheap eats and - refreshingly for Kaunas - enthusiastic, pleasant and friendly service. During the week, they do decent lunches for a pittance. It’s not going to be a culinary highlight, but it could easily become a regular haunt if you’re staying more than a day or two. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. PTJGB
this place isn’t exactly hacked out of a forest of clichés, it’s still a bit woody and rustic. There are touches of tackiness, but mostly you just get good value food (almost up to the standard of a proper restaurant) in a simple and pleasant environment. There’s outdoor seating in summer, but no view. It’s a place where locals love to come for a fast feed or a quick drink. It attracts both rowdy lads and gossipy groups of little old ladies, which is either a sign of universal appeal or something strange and dodgey that we don’t understand. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. TJALGBS
Excuse me, Sir, but your hair is on fire
Džam’pub D-2, Laisvės 59 - 5th floor, tel. +370 657 450
Mažoji Svaja C-2/3, Linkuvos 58, tel. 36 37 55. The
Eleda B-3, Vilniaus 48, tel. 32 41 90. It’s an inside out
cottage, with what look like the exterior walls of someplace in some village somewhere facing inwards and providing a comfortable and cosy, albeit somewhat clichéd, environment. Light snacks are available, as are some interesting herbal teas. While it’s not worth going out of your way for, the location makes it a pleasant place to drop by as you walk between Old Town and Laisvės Aleja. Also at Studentų 16, tel. 43 84 03. Open 10:00-22:00, Fri 10:00-23:00, Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-21:00. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. TJGBS
‘little dream’ consists of a room full of jostling glass jars filled with all manner of beans, dried spices, leaves and other things for unimaginable infusions. Next to that is a neat little café where people jostle for seats so they can indulge in any of the cakes, bickies or buns that tempt from the glass display cabinet. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JLGB
Presto D-2, Laisvės 90, tel. 22 10 87, www.presto.lt.
A not very good café with not very good service and not very good food in a good location. Oodles of varieties of tea and coffee, as well as simple snacks. The waitresses don’t seem to have worked out that ‘Presto’ means quick. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. PJAGBSW
lt. The name is supposed to stand for Blue Orange, not for armpit stink. But it could also mean ‘best option’ for a night of drinking, chatting, playing chess with interesting scruffy types, scratching your initials in the table when no one is looking, meeting new people, drinking more, chatting more, laughing, forgetting what day it isn’t or which table you started at and when or what your phone number is or who you gave it to or how to walk or punctuate or when was the last time you had so much uncomplicated fun probably or what. QOpen 09:30 - 02:00, Fri 09:30 - 03:00, Sat 15:00 - 03:00, Sun 15:00 - 02:00. JAEGW
B.O. B-3, Muitinės 9-1, tel. 20 65 42, blueorange@one.
03, [email protected]. Promising jazz, rock, blues and good views - both because it’s on the 5th floor with a balcony, and because it hopes to attract students. It’s a mildly rough and jumble kind of place but very worthwhile for easy-going good times. A great venue if you come with a group. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 03:00, Sat 14:00 - 03:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. PJUGB
Fortas (Whatever they call it this week) D-2,
Bumerangas B-3, Mutinės 9-6/Naugardo 6, tel. +370
Retro Aveniu E-2, Laisvės 15, tel. 22 62 36. This place
Jums D-2, Laisvės 61, tel. 20 37 05. It’s as cute and as
sweet as a puppy frolicking in icing sugar. This is the place where people with something called ‘natural style’ come to sit in big wicker egg cups. (The menu actually offers ‘baskets with nuts’. Sounds more like a description of the clientele than a dish on offer.) While there’s a fascinating range of interesting culinary creations on offer, most will simply give in to the sugar-hit temptation of the cakes and deserts. Notable for milkshakes, ‘home’ made ice cream, decent tea and coffee, and grass growing upside-down from the ceiling. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. TJAGBSW
provides a pleasant retreat and a nice tucked-away feeling without being too far away from the main drag. The clever retro photo album menu provides some interesting and inexpensive meals, and the waitresses occasionally provide amusement by tipping them into the laps of unsuspecting diners.QOpen 07:30 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 19:00. JAGBS
Seklyčia B-3, Vilniaus 7, tel. 44 11 23. A terrible little café
hiding inside a lovely building. (More often the reverse is true in Kaunas.) Looks like someone has chucked all the pots and paintings from a nice gallery space and replaced them with crappy pine furniture. There’s a range of simple meat dishes but, given the service with a frown, we didn’t bother trying any of them. Little old ladies who come here bring their own food in Tupperware and just order tea. We think that speaks volumes. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. TJAGBS
621 391 95, [email protected], www.bumerangas. puslapiai.lt. They mean ‘boomerang’, of course, not something to do with an arboreal ape’s bottom. Despite the rectal naming mishap, or perhaps because of it, the boomerang doesn’t seem to have taken off. It’s about as populated as the outback, and about as aboriginal as Dame Edna Everage. There ain’t no blokes called Bruce, hardly any sheilas, and no weird egg laying marsupials. (Although you might find a lyrebird or a cockatoo.) Really just a local drinking hole to which people seem to be not going back in a hurry. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. JG
Donelaičio 65, tel. 20 11 42. This place has changed names and themes more often than some of its customers change underwear. It’s been an Irish Pub, went through a Latino and then a pirate phase, and last time we checked was called ‘Big Bil’ with a motorcycle theme and a poster suggesting that we ought to do something beginning with ‘f’ to the world. The only common element seems to be an abundance of 44-gallon drums and the fact that the locals know it simply as Fortas. Rough-and-tumble, charmless fun. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. JA
Ketvirtoji Valdžia E-2, Putvinskio 48, tel. 42 25 77. A
billiards hall and bar, intended to celebrate the life and times of Kaunas journalism. A bit dingy at times, but the beer price is right and you get to meet some of the more eclectic people in town. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. JAGE
Medžiotojų Užeiga A-3, Rotušės 10, tel. 32 09 56,
Crazy House B-3, Vilniaus 16, tel. 22 11 82, uzeiga@
Kavos Baras C-2, Vilniaus 74, tel. 32 23 41/20 18 15.
Simple meals, cakes, a few kinds of teas and about a zillion bean-themed concoctions. The inside is rather stylish with coffee-and-cream decor and exciting angles. They have also thoughtfully provided little sit-alone spots by the windows which are ideal for people with no friends. Or travel writers. No English menu, but there are pictures of all the different coffees that you can point at, and a staff consisting of spotty young people who speak English probably goodly very almost. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00. PJLGBS
Supremo Kavos Namai E-2, Daukanto 23, tel. +370
652 18788. A simple and modern affair with cakes, crossiants and all manner of brews. There are also plenty of glossy magazines so if you don’t get a seat by the window you can look at the pictures. The view is much the same. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. G
crazyhouse.lt, www.crazyhouse.lt. The name says it all - it really is completely bonkers in here with ghost-train antics such as clumsily rotating robots dressed up as ghouls who will grope you with a rubber hand. Hydraulic high jinks include a table that randomly moves up and down. It’s a bit concerning if you’re sniffing your soup, but otherwise fine as the seats are adjustable. There’s also a camouflage net which suddenly drops over diners and has the amusing potential of making people jump out of their skin. While you can eat while sitting on a toilet, complete with occasional flush and comedy fart noises, the nonsense doesn’t extend to the food, which is simple, satisfying and good value. Not to be taken seriously, and not to be missed. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. JAGBW
www.medziotojai.lt. The animal skins dangling from the walls do little to deter the after work beer guzzlers. At any time of day, it is a good place for steak and ale and an even better place to meet and hang out. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PJAIGBW
Rambynas D-2, Laisvės 86, tel. 40 74 19. A bit kooky
and fun, with a mildly Soviet theme somehow shoved into an otherwise modern interior. Most appealing, however, is the food, which is successfully inventive. We had, for example, something involving bananas and beer which was just irresistibly yummy and a bargain for the price. Shame that it took approximately forever to arrive, but it was worth the wait. There is also a decent range of beer snacks and quaffable goodies, making this a top spot to meet friends and start off the evening.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. AJG
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
nigHtliFe
All Hours
Kebabai C-2, Vilniaus 45. Other than rummaging
about in bins, this is your only option for 24-hour food in Kaunas. It is unmissable and conveniently located within staggering distance of most of the central bars and nightclubs. Even drunk people can find it. Clean, well-lit, reliable and reported to sell edible food. Q 24 hrs. JPTGB
nigHtliFe
Clubs
98, [email protected], www.america.lt. This place has been around for donkey’s years, and a few of them turn up to celebrate. Somehow it’s long in the tooth but still full of short skirts and simple fun. There are two areas, one with techno and one with pop music. Occasional live shows—people taking their clothes off when we were there—punctuate the earlier parts of some evenings. As it’s a bit dated and shabby, this place is very dependant on the crowd that turns up, and that tends to be unreliably good. Worth a try. QOpen Mon, Tue 11:00 - 17:00, Wed, Thu 11:00 - 02:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 14:00 - 04:00, Sun 20:00 - 02:00. PJAULEGBW
2
Los Patrankos F-1, Savanorių 124, tel. 33 82 28, fax
Amerika Pirtyje F-3, Vytauto 71, tel. 20 14 89/20 54
Randevu A-2, Valančiaus 27, tel. +370 618 638 81/20
33 82 31, [email protected], www.lospatrankos.lt. One of the big guns on the Kaunas nightclub scene. Literally. Essentially it’s a modern themed galley style setup with a rectangular dance floor flanked by various raised platforms and places for sitting, drinking and gazing across the sea of waving arms and writhing bodies. The music and entertainment can vary, but the quality is consistently high without being too niche-this or alternative-that. A no-brainer choice for students and generally always popular and pulsating. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00, Fri, Sat 21:00 - 06:00, Sun 13:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. PJAUEOG 88/22 53 08, [email protected], www.metelica. lt. It’s pronounced ‘meh-teh-litz-ah’ and has nothing to do with heavy metal or Metallica. It’s the place to go to if you want to bounce along to ditzy Russian pop, get a beer glass dropped on your head from the balcony, or for getting threatening ‘I think you’re a foreigner and I wanna kick your head in’ looks from the tracksuit wearing thugs. The music is fun, but otherwise the place is foul. QOpen 21:00 - 06:00, Thu 21:00 - 03:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJALG
Žemyn Upe B-2, Valančiaus 24, tel. 42 45 49, info@
zemynupe.lt, www.zemynupe.lt. Small and made entirely of wood. So it’s ideal for termites. Despite the dismal bus depot surroundings a young and easy-going crowd fills the place easily and froths up a good atmosphere. Blokes sit on the wiggly wooden balcony overlooking the dancefloor, where girls wiggle their bits to the thumping sound system. Avoid horrible Lithuanian barnyard music by turning up after 23:00. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu 11:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00. PJAULEGBW
38 95, [email protected], www.randevu.lt. A seedy café decorated to look like the inside of a diseased lung. Not surprisingly it enjoys most success at night when the little troll in a waistcoat is run off its feet keeping cheap beer flowing. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Wed, Thu 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. JAGB
Metelica E-2/3, Laisvės 46a, tel. +370 655 099
Poker king
Ever heard of Tony G? For professional poker players the name would inspire some combination of fear, disgust and respect. Tony is a bit of a hot shot on the world poker scene, has set up his own online poker site, and hails from Kaunas. Being very good at playing poker isn’t what has made Tony so famous. It’s more his style. He has a way of psychologically toying with his opponents at the table – taunting, teasing, challenging and harassing. Look him up on YouTube and you’ll be able to see, and hear, what we mean. Tony grew up in Kaunas, but moved to Melbourne, Australia, at the age of 11 and started playing poker soon after. Of course Kaunas kids are all pretty tough, but adding a bit of Aussie rough-and-tumble irreverence (or sheer bloody minded rudeness and uncouthness, if you prefer) seems to have proved quite potent. Australians can leisurely exhale bolshie insults in a manner that makes Hells Angels, gansta-rappers and U.S.Marines look like little girls. Refined and genteel European poker players tend to be a bit put off-guard when Tony starts going at them like a belligerent galah. Now Tony hauls in large sums of money, frequently appears on poker cable television programmes and is no less inclined to give opponents a good verbal spray. Although we hear that he’s really rather nice when he’s not trying to win money off you.
Combo G-3, Raudondvario 107, tel. +370 614 400
Senamiesčio vyninė B-2/3, Daukšos 23, tel. 22 76 56,
[email protected], www.senamiesciovynine. lt. This hidden treasure gleams with a richly and smartly decorated interior (bright golden-yellow paint and warm, dark wood fittings, at least) but doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a lovely laid-back and welcoming atmosphere. It’s as close as Kaunas comes to a wine bar as the well considered wine list is splashed with options from around the globe. Food is amazingly cheap, and if you can get the semi-circular couch by the window you could easily settle in for a well-spent while. There’s also hot wines, making this a perfect winter retreat. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri 10:00 - 24:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. JAUEGBW
29/20 94 19, [email protected], www.combo.lt. Not even the gleaming new facilities, great layout and water views can save this club from mediocrity. It’s just too awkward to get to, stuck as it is in a riverside wasteland. Tends to attract an older and more conservative crowd than the more centrally located clubs. Everything is well thought-out and professional, but there just isn’t much of a fun factor. Only worth coming to if you have good local company and there is good entertainment scheduled. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Sun 11:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 06:00. PALG
Papa Jazz K-3, Savanorių 178, tel. 73 47 18, fax 40
Europa C-3, Gruodžio 19, tel. 30 27 11/30 27 10, fax
Skliautas A-3, Rotušės 26, tel. 20 68 43, info@skliau-
tas.com, www.skliautas.com. Inside this humble brick vault you can find shabby wooden furniture (and locals), a pair of birds in a cage, old pictures on the walls and … actually, none of that matters. This is one of those places where the jovial atmosphere makes it, with laughter and good times being the main attraction. In summer, outdoor tables half fill the otherwise quiet little alley. Meals are generally pretty good, but really, this is a spot for fun times and drinks with friends. (If you don’t have any friends, you might even make some here.) QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 01:00. JALEGBW
30 27 00, www.santaka.lt. There’s actually not much of a nightclub here - more just a restaurant with jazz, cabaret style crooning and dancing from time to time. It’s all a bit like a rehearsal for the retirement home lifestyle, but without the nurse standing by. If you’re up for a gentle and refined evening, and a mature change from the student crowds in other evening venues, we suggest you pop in for dinner and ask about the programme. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJALEGBW
68 41, www.papajazz.lt. A bit kind of cabaret style, and given that the food consists of badly mangled versions of ambitiously classy dishes, the quality of the evening will depend on the entertainment. Come along if Robbie Williams is playing. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. PAULEGW
Siena C/D-2, Laisvės 93, tel. 42 44 24, info@siena.
Ex-it D-2, Maironio 19, tel. 20 28 13, [email protected], www.
Sporto Baras J-1, Jonavos 260, tel. 76 50 00, info@
sportobaras.lt, www.sportobaras.lt. The name says it all, although we should add that this is a bright and fizzy kind of place. There’s lots of yellow and orange, and the place could have been decorated by a failed sportshoe designer. Screens dangle from everywhere, like in an airport. They serve simple Chinese and Italian meals, including the obligatory pizza. They also have VIP and child-minding areas (much the same thing in Lithuania) and take group bookings - so if there’s a game you insist on seeing, it might be worth the off-the-map nuisance of getting there. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PALG
exit.lt. Modern, slick, trendy and, like most of their patrons, fresh out of a growth spurt. They’ve more than doubled in size in the past year, adding a big new main hall and a new smoking room. The lighting and sound gear is bang up to date and capable of dazzling you while vibrating your internal organs into different arrangements. The smaller hip-hop room has some funky furniture and fine opportunities to mingle and yell at people who you can’t hear and probably aren’t saying anything sensible anyway. (Tip: the smoking room is the place to meet people.) The only downside is that the recent expansion didn’t extend to the toilets, and this is now the only place where gentlemen have to queue-up to take a leak or ‘powder their nose’ in the toilets. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun. PJAG
lt, www.siena.lt. You could do a lot worse than hitting ‘the wall’ (which is what siena means) for a great night out. The neat little network of brick cellars have been divided into two sections. One offers a large dance floor and more hard-core music, making it ideal for those who came to dance in a trance. The other is a brighter chipper night-café kind of space with plenty of booth style seating surrounding a smaller dance floor, and is more the scene for mingling. Given that you can flit from one to the other, it’s a great spot and not surprisingly popular with locals and visitors alike. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJALGW
Casinos
Los Casino F-1, Savanorių 124, tel. 33 82 28, fax
33 82 31, [email protected], www.lospatrankos. lt. In the basement of the oversized Los Patrankos night, if you are not having any luck twisting on the dance floor you can quickly take a spin at their roulette wheel. This is a renovated casino and no more than just slots. Q 24hrs. PJG
Sin Baltų 16, tel. 23 99 93, [email protected], www.
Latino Baras B-3, Vilniaus 22, tel. +370 685 281 17.
sinclub.lt. Renamed, redecorated in a dark raunchcy style and reopened on Friday the 13th. Sounds scary. Apparently, the idea for this place, which looks like a sex shop in an amphitheatre, came to the owner in a dream. You know... that sort of dream. There are lots of shiny black surfaces and soft pink bits. Whether people turn up tends to depend on the enter tainment. Q Open 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Closed in summer, open in autumn. PULEGBW
Meksikos Casino J-3, Savanorių 170, tel. 73 25 62, www.olympic-casino.lt. Q 24hrs. PG
Bowling & Billiards
Straikas Draugystės 6a, tel. 40 90 00, info@straikas.
lt, www.straikas.lt. Both a bar and ball games (bowling and billiards) are to be found here and it`s tough to decide on which dominates. What is for sure is that it’s a good place to come if in the area (find it slightly east of Draugystės Park). Serious bowlers passing through may like to know that this is where their fellow Lithuanian counterparts come to do their thing. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri 12:00 - 02:00, Sat 11:00 - 02:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PALGW
Simply sensational. There – the review’s done – can we go back there now? What it lacks in space it makes up for in warmth, intimacy and a magic ability to be magnetic to Kaunas’ style-savvy smoothies (all both of them) and their enthusiastic apprentices. Three separate areas bustle with suave mingling while one hall is always lively with dancing. There’s a good Latino-pop music policy and frequent short dancing lessons and demonstrations. Gentlemen whose underpants dictated that they must come to Kaunas will want to know that this place swarms with some of the most beautiful girls you’re likely to see. Really - this place is simply sensational. Oh, we said that already... but really, it is. Go there.QOpen Fri, Sat 20:00 - 04:00. JG
Zepelinus Kovo 11-osios 22, tel. +370 600 227 22,
[email protected]. Huge, modern, sleek, fun and annoyingly nowhere near the centre of town. Expect to pay 10-15 litas in a taxi to get there or back, or drive off the M-2 edge of our map and look for the big blimp on the roof of a shopping centre. When you do arrive you can dance to technocum-pop among pretty girls and an all-ages bagful of blokes with less brains than are required to be considerate to others. They thoughtlessly bump, shove and blunder about like demented cattle, making even moderately civilised foreigners look wonderful by comparison. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00, Mon 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 05:00, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. Closed Sun. PALGW
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
wHAt to see
A day in Kaunas is not really enough to do the city justice, especially for serious tourists who like to check-off a list of museums and galleries. Here are a few highlights for those who are on a tight touring schedule. After you’ve had enough culture, religion and food for thought, be sure to have a stroll along Laisves Alėja and Old Town for shopping and sustenance. Kaunas may seem small at first glance but you will likely be pleasantly surprised by how much there is to take in. Entry costs into all museums and sights are subject to change according to season but are generally a real bargain at less than 10Lt.
wHAt to see
Churches
Mosque F-3, Totorių 3/ Ramybės park. Built in 1930
by the local Tatar association, on the site of an old wooden church, this beautiful little building remains an active focal point for the city’s dwindling Tartar community. The structure belongs to the Kaunas Tartar Cultural Renaissance Association. It was completely renovated in the early 1970s, and really does have to be seen to be believed. J
1
St. Gertrude’s C-2/3,
Orthodox Cathedral F-3, Vytauto 38, tel. 20 95 63.
The many shades of Soboras
S t . M i c h a e l t h e A r c h a n ge l F -2/3,
Nepriklausomybės aikštė 14, tel. 22 66 76. No trip to Kaunas is complete without wandering up and down Laisvės Alėja (Freedom Avenue) a b ou t a d ozen t y times and taking in the gently imposing sight of the St. Michael the Archangel church - otherwise known as Soboras - at its eastern end on half of them.The avenue runs almost exactly east-west, which means that in the early morning or late evening you can enjoy a spectacularly lit promenade as you walk in one direction, or be blinded by the low-slung sun as you stumble along in the other direction bumping into everyone and everything. The view of the church itself is especially splendid as the sun sets at the western end of the avenue. The metallic domes on the roof seem to glisten against a coloured sunset sky. It seems that every time you look at it, Soboras is putting on a show, with the metallic domes on the roof shining and reflecting different hues. (If you don’t have time to hang around waiting for the light to change, you can jus stab yourself in the eyes with your fingers a few times and then look at the church - the effect is similar.) None of this, however explains why the church is referred to as Sobras. Or why it looks like it was made with a giant ice cream scoop. The answer is simple: Russian architects.Because this blue building has a striking similarity to most Russian Orthodox cathedrals, rather than a Catholic church, it is referred to as soboras, or a Lithuanization of the Russian word sobor or cathedral. The neo-Byzantine, symmetrical building, built towards the end of the 19th century by Russian architects, can be found at the eastern end of Laisvės alėja. Come here on Saturdays, where it forms a wonderful backdrop for a never-ending parade of weddings. Q Services 12:00, Sat 10:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00. J
Kaunas’ two Orthodox cathedrals can be found adjacent to each other in Ramybės park, next to the exquisite white mosque. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. J
St. Francis Church & Jesuit Monastery A-3, Rotušės
Aikštė 7, tel. 42 30 98. Built in 1666, burned in 1732, consecrated in 1759. And that was just the start of a bumpy ride that turned into a religious rollercoaster that makes The Da Vinci Code look dull and sleepy. (Actually, reading the small print on the back of car rental agreements makes The Da Vinci Code look dull by comparison, but that’s another matter.) A monastery and college were built in 17611768 – just five years before the Pope decided to abolish Jesuit Order altogether. The sneaky monks, however, hung around until 1787 and when they finally scarpered, turned the church and monastery over to the Franciscans. Then some alters were altered (read: torn down) and big screens were put up to hide those that couldn’t be easily demolished. The church became Orthodox, re-branded as Alexander of Neva Cathedral in 1843. After the First World War, Jesuits returned to Lithuania from Germany and reclaimed the church. The monastery became a high school. During the Soviet period, the monastery buildings were a technical college, the interior of the church was used as a sports hall, the crypts were used as a sauna and the church attic housed a shooting gallery. The church was returned to the Jesuits in 1990, and re-consecrated in 1992. Q Services 17:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00, 17:00. J
Sat), Sun 09:00, 11:00. J
Laisvės 101a, tel. 22 99 65. This tidy little tuckedaway treat of a church is worth seeking out if you’re wandering up and down Laisvės. It was built in the latter half of the 15th century and rates highly on the small-and-cute scale. Be sure to sneak around the back where you may find a sunken room full of candles hidden down some teeny stairs behind a low door. Q Services 18:00 (except
Swan song
Town Hall A-3, Rotušės aikštė. It’s been used as
an ammo dump and prison (although not at the same time, of course), a ritzy palace, a Russian theatre, a church, a club of unspecified repute, a h an g- ou t for shag ged-out firemen and a we d d i n g p a l ace. N ow i t’s the Old (meaning not used for t h a t p u rp os e anymore) Town Hall. And a pottery museum. The telescopiclooking tower is 53 metres high and forms a bit of a centre-point in the Old Town, thrusting as it does above the main square. The building itself has been there since 1542. Originally it housed a few shops on the ground floor, while municipal functions and fumblings took place on the floor above. Prisoners were locked up in the basement. The place got a bit of a visual pep-up in 1780 under the direction of architect Jan Mattekier. Among other things, statues of Lithuania’s Grand Dukes were added, but they somehow managed to go AWOL before the place was turned into a church in 1824. Not long after that, and with seemingly little sense of irony, the place was filled with ammunition. In 1837 the Russians decided to change the building into a sort of road house for the Tsar to stop by on his way to somewhere more interesting. By Tsar standards it may have been little more than a Little Chef, but that still would have meant filling the building with lavish furniture, things gilded with gold, beautiful artworks, sparkly and dripping chandeliers and hordes of scurrying servants. Somehow, all that finery simply vanished. In the short period from 1862 to 1869, the building went on a sort of multi-purpose personality disorder rampage. One minute you’d look and there was some kind of a City Club humming away inside. Then you’d blink and suddenly it was full of fire fighters coming together to compare old flames, shoot the soot and pop each others’ blisters (or whatever else it is that firemen do in their spare time). Then there was a dramatic change as a Russian theatre turned up and started performing in there (not that there would have been much difference, really) and then … oh, it seems everyone’s lost track. From 1869 until the Second World War, the building was once again used as municipal offices. After the war its lovely accommodation was offered to a bunch of dusty old documents as it was used as an archive. In the 50s it was the construction faculty of Kaunas Polytechnic (now Kaunas University of Technology). In 1969 the building got another facelift (architect: Žibarto Simanavičiaus), and in 1973 was returned to the municipality. Now it is a wedding hall, and showing up on a Saturday to see the parade of brides, balloons and fancy cars is well worthwhile. Q J
Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral A-3, Vilniaus 1, tel. 32 40
93. Built in 1408, the main point of interest of this cathedral is that it is the only Gothic church (normall y wi th a cross-shaped floor-plan) with a basilica floor-plan in the entire country. In 1921 in order to mark the importance of the cathedral it was designated a basilica. Today the cathedral boasts nine separate altars with the high-Baroque main altar being the central focus. The cathedral/basilica is also the final resting place of two politically active, religious writers. Along the south wall one can find the tomb of Maironis (1862-1932), a priest and poet, who some consider one of the main founders of what became Lithuanian modern poetry. Also within the crypt find the remains of Bishop Motiejus Valančius (1801-1875), best known for his contributions to the then-illegal printing and distribution of books in Lithuanian. The light Renaissance and baroque touches are the result of renovations from 1655-1660. Q Services 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 18:00, Sun 08:00, 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 18:00. J
St. George Church and Bernardine Monastery A-
Vytautas Church H-5, Aleksoto 3, tel. 20 38 54. Like
Kaunas In Your Pocket ... we’re here to tell you where to go
Kaunas In Your Pocket
2, Papilio 9, tel. 22 46 59. You can’t really appreciate this sad and somewhat spooky looking building without taking into account its history. It’s had a bit of a rough trot since beginnings in 1487. It has been ruined by fire three times, copped the wrath of the Moscow army during the war of 1656-1659 and then had a bit of a rest during the 18th century before Napoleon came along and decided to turn it into a warehouse. During Soviet times, the church, somewhat ironically, was used to store drugs. It was returned to the Friars in 1993 in a pretty shabby condition, and restoration is slow. In terms of significance and damage, this place tops the lists. Q Services Mon - Fri 18:00, Sun 10:30. J
most churches in the country, Vytautas Church is a condensed history lesson. The Gothic structure was built by Franciscan monks in the beginning of the 15th century with the tower added later that century. Invaders took advantage of the central location - the building was used as ammunitions storage by the Napoleonic army (who set the building ablaze in farewell) and later as an Orthodox cathedral from 1845-1853. The church was returned to the Catholics in 1990. Juozas TumasVaižgantas (1869-1933), a famous Lithuanian political activist and writer, is buried here. The English-speaking, friendly priests may show you around the church. Q Services Tue, Wed, Thu 18:00, Sat, 10:00, 18:00, Sun 10:00, 12:00, 18:00.
May 2007 - May 2008
2
wHAt to see
An idea that lasted a century Museums
The hours listed below are generally summer hours unless otherwise indicated so bear in mind that during winter most museums shorten their working hours slightly. Entrance fees usually hover around 5Lt (but these too can vary according to season) making a stop worthwhile.
wHAt to see
Wacky Kaunas
Devil Museum D-2, Putvinskio 64, tel. 22 15 87.
This museum owes itself to the eccentric Antanas Žmuidzinavičius (1876-1966) who collected over 2,000 depictions of devils from all over the world. There are also wood carvings, soft toys and loads of references to music and alcohol. Of particular interest are the Hitler and Stalin devils, doing the dance of death over a helpless Lithuania. Dating from Soviet times, Stalin wasn’t in fact depicted as a devil, he just happens to look that way. Essential visiting this one, especially should you get the chance to see one of the handful of people who believe in asking for the devil’s help whilst at the museum. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Aviation Museum Veiverių 132, tel. 39 03 57, fax 29
55 47, [email protected], www.lam.lt. A modest collection of memorabilia and some actual aircraft, including a home-built helicopter and a Soviet-built flight simulator. The emphasis is on fun and education, and if you can, take a guided tour (regrettably in Lithuanian only) for just 10Lt. Outside, as well as a rather grotesque memorial to 21 Lithuanian aviators, find a collection of rusting jets and propeller-driven beasts, including a rather sexy MIG21PF Considering this airfield was . where Darius and Girėnas were due to land, it’s a real shame that the remains of their plane and other effects are kept at the Military Museum of Vytautas The Great. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Christ’s Resurrection Church E-1, Žemaičių 31.
What looks a bit like a comic book power station is in fact a church, although the story behind it is certainly worthy of any wacko-retro comic. The idea to erect a church on this hill overlooking Kaunas was first conceived by a group of devout Christians in 1922 as a bit of a ‘thank you’ to God for the independence that was won in 1918. Kaunas was the temporary capital of Lithuania at the time, so it was only appropriate that such a monument be raised here. It took some 10 years of wrangling and wrestling with red tape, and a design competition, before construction was started in 1933. The design chosen, and that you can now see realized, was that of Engineer Karolis Reisonas, who clearly had a penchant for thinking big. The height of the main tower above the entrance is 70m, and there’s enough room for some 5,000 pious patrons, provided that a couple of thousand of them don’t mind standing on the roof. The cornerstone for the church came from Olive Mountain in Jerusalem. Grand plans, indeed - but they were not to be realised. Construction was halted at the end of the 1930s when Lithuania fell victim to Soviets, then Nazis, then Soviets again. What had been constructed was confiscated and turned into a Nazi paper warehouse, and then a Soviet radio factory. The radio factory, Banga (which means ‘wave’ in Lithuanian, incidently), meddled with the building to suit their needs, basically filling up the lofty interior with floors and making it, well, like a factory. They resisted the temptation to use the crosses as big radio antennae, choosing to simply remove them instead. When Lithuania again regained independence, Banga were told to return the building to the church in the same condition in which they found it. Fat chance. They returned it, or rather just abandoned it, without any effort to restore it to anything like a church. Reconstruction since than has been happening in fits and starts as funds, the majority of which are from public donations, became available. The church was finally consecrated on December 26, 2004, making the entire construction phase span some 70 years. Now it’s nearly finished and well worth a visit. You can take an elevator to the roof (5Lt), take in a vista of Kaunas, say ‘Oh gosh, what a mess’ a few times, have a cup of coffee at the roof-top café, fill your camera with photos that won’t do the grand structure justice, and then go home. A visit is also made more fun by the fact that you can use one of Kaunas’s two funicular railways to reach the church from the centre - see the Getting Around section for details. J
Ceramics Museum A-3, Rotušės 15, tel. 20 35 72. Not
for the claustrophobic or the portly as the steps leading down to this museum in the basement of the Town Hall (Rotušė) are nothing short of challenging. Still, if you’re brave enough to try it, it’s well worth the trip. It’s not large by anyone’s standards, but it does house a wide range of ceramics from pottery found during archaeological digs dating back to the 16th century to some exquisite hand-painted tiles to the very latest in what today’s artisans are getting up to with a bag of clay and an unfettered imagination. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Herd mentality
Valdonė Bručienė
Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum C-2,
Communications History Museum (Ryšių istorijos muziejus) A-3, Rotušės 19, tel. 42 49 20. Come into
this diminutive museum to learn about the history of Lithuanian communications. The collection extends from letters penned by Grand Duke Gediminas on the founding of Vilnius to the (somewhat) latest in satellite communication. A great deal focuses on the postal system with the first stamp and examples of horse-drawn mail carriages on display. Old-style wind-up phones remind one of how simple it now is to keep in touch. All written explanations are only in Lithuanian. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Fri. J
Devil Museum of Hair Salon – we can‘t remember which
Laisvės 106, tel./fax 22 96 75. A staggering display of former life. Dead things are pickled, stuffed, pinned or otherwise preserved and presented for your ogling pleasure. It starts off with blobby, sucky, spongey, slithery things in jars and proceeds to tableaux of wildebeest mingling with giraffes while penguins look on from across the room. The museum also offer taxidermy services, in case you have an old friend who you would like to get stuffed.QOpen 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. J
Man E-3, Outside the Mykolas Žilinskas Art Museum,
Nepriklausomybės aikštė 12. The work of sculptor Petras Mazūras, and installed in 1991, this naked figure so outraged the crane driver helping with its, ahem, erection, that he walked off the job. Find it to the right as you reach the square walking from the direction of Old Town. Q J
Inside the Museum for the Blind
Museum For The Blind E-3, Nepriklausomybės
Communications History Museum
Historical Presidential Palace C-2, Vilniaus 33, tel.
32 05 89, [email protected], www.istorineprezidentura.lt. Mostly flags, documents, coins, stamps, and personal effects of Lithuania’s Presidents during the inter-war period, when Kaunas was the capital. It’s not as boring as it sounds, and recent exhibitions have included a display of potential designs for Lithuania’s Euro coins. In the garden, there are three statues of Lithuania’s inter-war Presidents: Kazius Grinius (sculptor Stasys Žirgulis), Aleksandras Stulginskis (sculptor Vytautas Narutis) and Antanas Smetona (sculptor Alfonsas Vaura). QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Kaunas‘s most startling erection
aikštė 14, tel. 22 66 76. Despite the name, this isn’t a museum for blind people with touchy-feely or talking exhibits, scale models of famous buildings or essays in Braille. In fact it’s not really a museum at all. It’s more like an opportunity for sighted people to experience blindness and grope around in absolute darkness in the catacombs beneath the St. Michael the Archangel church. We won’t tell you exactly what’s in there as that would spoil it, but clearly the designers have had some experience with padded walls and stockings. This is one of the strangest things you’ll never see in Kaunas. Open whenever the church is open, but the entrance is at the back. QOpen , Wed 11:00 - 15:30, Sat 11:00 - 13:30. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun. J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
wHAt to see
Jewish Kaunas
Cemetery L- 3, Between Basanavičiaus and
Baranausko. Wrecked by Nazis and still in a state of haunting disrepair.
wHAt to see
Kaunas Picture Gallery F-2, Donelaičio 16, tel. 22 17
89. A part of the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum, displaying the works of local artists and émigrés from the mid-20th century. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
5
Lithuanian Sports Museum A-3, Muziejaus 7, tel. 22
Jewish Community Centre E-3, Gedimino 26b, tel. 20 37 17. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Fri 08:00 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kovno Ghetto H-3, Vilijampolė district, Ariogalos
06 91. A small collection of some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements in a musty attic, including such rarities as Soviet table tennis balls to one of the torches used at the opening ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. J
and Kriščiukaičio. A memorial stands here to those Jews who perished under the Nazis.
Medicine and Pharmacy Museum A-3, Rotušės
Ninth Fort Žemaičių Plentas 73, tel. 37 77 15.
This late 19th century fort was the ninth in a series constructed by the Russians to defend the western border of their empire. Under Nazi occupation Jews were imprisoned here before execution in the killing fields behind. It wasn’t just Lithuanian Jews who perished here. “We are 500 Frenchmen”, Abraham Wechsler of Limoges carved into the wall before his death. During the Soviet years a typically bland concrete museum commemorating the genocide of the ‘Soviet people’ was built here. Jews were never specifically mentioned. It’s now the site of a museum, focusing on both the extermination of Jews as well as the deportations of Lithuanians by the Soviets. Buses leave from the bus station every 10-30 minutes. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Tue.
Sugihara House & Foundation K-4, Vaižganto
30, tel. 33 28 81, fax 42 32 77, [email protected], www.geocities.jp/lithuaniasugiharahouse. Chiune Sugihara was the Japanese consul to Lithuania for a brief period between 1939 and 1940. Together with a Dutch colleague, Jan Zwartendijk, he saved thousands of Polish Jews by issuing visas to get them out of the country and away to safety. Many later settled in Israel or the United States and have since championed his cause. This is the house where the Japanese consulate was located, and Sugihara lived with his family. There is a small museum inside. Q Open Oct - Apr 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. May - Sep 10:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 16:00.
28, tel. 20 15 69, [email protected]. Apparently, dissolved hair from Venus (the goddess of love, not the planet) is an excellent elixir to keep ladies looking young and lovely. And they’ve got some h ere. Th ey’ve also got the ground up heads of dead people which, apparen tl y, takes th e edge of epilepsy. Not onl y can you see bottles and jars of such strange concoctions, but the bizarre contraptions with which they and other mind-blowing vapours were produced. Housed in a 16th century building, there’s a sense of furtive fascination to this place, and it offers a bizarre glimpse into a world of medical madness and what can really only be described as witchcraft. (Although the staff are not witch-like at all). QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
Museum of Folk Music & Instruments B-3, Zamenhofo 12, tel. 42 22 95. Housed in a couple of buildings that one really should see even if they were empty, this charming little museum features a substantial collection of Lithuanian folk instruments, including the usual pipes and kanklės, to one or two more surreal exhibits, such as the ‘table bass’, a standard pine kitchen table with four large strings running over the top, supported by an inflated pig’s bladder no less. There’s even a small selection of tiny reed instruments fashioned from the quills of feathers. The second space focuses on instruments from abroad that have been incorporated into traditional Lithuanian folk music over the years, including a lovely selection of harmoniums, and one or two rare examples of a seven-string guitar. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Sun. J Mykolas Žilinskas Art Museum E-3, Nepriklausomybės
aikštė 12, tel. 22 28 53. The derriere of the Man statue lets you know you’re in the right place. The museum’s large collection of European paintings holds examples of almost every major art movement in the last hundred years. The museum is usually noted as being the home of the only Rubens in Lithuania, but some believe it is the home of just some superior copies of Rubens. Take your loupe and come up with your own theory. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
Botanical Gardens (Botanikos sodas) Žilibero 6,
tel. 29 53 00. A highly recommended summertime outing, find exotic plants from all over the world in beautiful surroundings. To get there, take bus N°35 from the Castle. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00.
Places of interest
Aukštieji Šančiai Cemetery K-5, Ašmenos 1. A small
military cemetery, and final resting place of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas.
Kaunas Castle A-2, Papilio. The city’s 13th century
Parks & Gardens
Ąžuolynas K/L-4, Between Vydūno and Radvilėnų. This
park is named after the tall oak trees for which it is famous. The trees, considered sacred to ancient pagans, now make the area a lovely spot for strolling. Definitely one of the most popular parks in the city. The south-east corner (L-4) was a favourite hide-away and lookout point for the famous Lithuanian-Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. There’s a rock there that, legend has it, was carved by the writer himself. It shows hands holding a quill and his initials.
Military Museum D-2, Donelaičio 64, tel. 32 09 39/32
08 74. An eye-opening if somewhat horrific look at the history of Lithuanian bloodshed. Also of note is that the wreck of the Lituanica and the horrific, sewn-back-together suits that the two pilots were wearing when their plane met its untimely demise can be found here. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
castle, probably built by Kęstutis to defend a road to Trakai, was the country’s first defensive bastion and the only doublewalled castle in Lithuania. The surrounding walls were ini tiall y over two metres wide and 13m high. Unlike most other castles of the time this one was made of stone, not wood. However, in 1362, after a siege, crusaders (possibly encouraged by three little pigs) managed to destroy it. Legend has it that the castle was not destroyed and that 36 survivors remained. These sur vi vors along wi th the knights allegedly are still burning in an eternal fire which can only be extinguished by an innocent person entering the castle via a secret cave. However, history books dictate that the castle was destroyed and its replacement, some of which can be viewed at this site today, was built by 1368. Now the castle has been modernized with sleek glass windows enclosing the top, and is sometimes home to art exhibitions. It was full of weird glowing neon sculptures, ultraviolet lights and pictures of keys last time we popped in. What would the crusaders have thought of that? Q J
Pažaislis Convent/Monastery Masiulio 31, tel.
Synagogue C-2, Ožeškienės 17. Dating back to
M. K. Čiurlionis State Art Museum D-2, Putvinskio
55, tel. 22 94 75. Painter, composer, mystic and depressive, are some of the adjectives that have been used to describe the nation’s artistic hero. During his short lifetime, Čiurlionis (1875-1911) churned out the first Lithuanian symphony (In The Forest), painted prolifically and even found time to get married and have a daughter. Many claim that Čiurlionis was the inventor of abstract art instead of Russia’s Kandinsky as the history books dictate. What is clear is that the man was a genius. Come here and find out for yourself. See page 60 for more on Čiurlionis.QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J
1871, this building claims to have one of the most beautiful altars in the entire Jewish world. A memorial to the estimated 1,700 children murdered at the Ninth Fort can be found at the rear of the building. The crumbling remains of two other synagogues are located at Zamenhofo 7 and 9. Q Open 09:00 - 17:00. J
Sightseeing tours
Kauno Saitas Travel Agency E-2, Donelaičio
26-1, tel. 32 31 51, fax 20 72 36, [email protected], www.saitas.lt. English and German-language walking and bus tours of the best sights in Kaunas. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J
45 64 85 A 17th century Baroque church and monastery originally built for the curious water-sipping, bread-nibbling, closet-dwelling Camaldoese monks. It has since been rampaged by Napoleon’s soldiers, closed by tsarist officials, used as a military hospital by Germans, turned into an old persons’ home and a psycho-neurological hospital (lobotomy, anyone?) and has also served as a tourist centre. In 1992 it was handed over to the St. Casimir nuns who have been looking after it ever since. QOpen 10:00 - 16:30. Closed Mon.
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370
685 853 75, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp.lt. Can help arrange tours. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Museum of Exiles & Political Prisoners F-3, Vytauto
Ninth Fort Memorial
46, tel. 32 31 79. A fascinating little museum dedicated to telling the story of the Lithuanian freedom fighters, who waged a constant nine-year war against the Soviet occupiers from 1945 until 1953, as well as a look into life in Stalin’s gulags. Find a huge collection of photographs, trinkets, improvised tools, bullets and other paraphernalia. Unfortunately, not much is in English, but a small booklet is available complete with some information in English. Note that the admission price is voluntary, and pay attention to the fact that many of the photographs on display are not suitable for children. Closed for renovatioin when we were preparing this guide (April 2007) but should be open for the summer. QOpen 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon, Tue. J
Tourism Information Centre Mūsų Odisėja J-5,
Čiurlionio 15, tel. 40 84 10, fax 40 84 11, info@ turinfo.lt, www.turinfo.lt. Sightseeing tours in Lithuanian, English, German, Japan, French, Russian. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
clickandbuy.inyourpocket.com
Pažaislis: former centre of monkish business
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
wHAt to see
Perkūnas House A-3, Aleksoto 6. Built in a similar style
to St. Anne’s church in Vilnius, this is one of the most original examples of late Gothic architecture in Lithuania. Built during the final days of the 15th century, the rich architecture symbolised the economic power of the Hanseatic League and German expansion. Today, it plays host to regular art classes. Q J osios, Riomerio, Kalantos and Pramonės. When Lithuania was a part of the Soviet Union, Stalin’s tank stood here to commemorate ‘freedom from the fascists’. When Lithuania regained its independence in 1991, the tank was removed, and crosses began to appear in its place. And they just keep coming. tre of economic life, the foundation stone was laid on July 28, 1542. The large square now serves as a popular meeting and greeting place during the hot summer months. Q J
wHAt to see
Castle cruising
If you have a car in Kaunas, and a day to spare, we’d like to suggest a pleasant drive along route 141. Within 80km you’ll find three castles, amazing river valley views and some children who don’t know how lucky they are. The road follows the Nemunas river to a place called Jurbarkas, and the castles along it were originally built by invading Teutonic knights as a part of a defensive system. Now, the ‘castles’ are really only good for scenery. Raudondvaris Castle It’s not really a castle at all, rather a big house with a castle-like bit stuck on one end. The round pointy tower was presumably built to look pretty, as it certainly wouldn’t have been much good at defending against anything more aggressive than, say, boredom. The not-really-a-castle was completed in 1615 wh en Renaissance was all the range and Gothic was, like, so not cool anymore. This is reflected in the style of the building – neat a n d p rop o r ti o n e d, and without pointed arches or bristly bits. The castle and the other buildings around it have been neglected, burned, abandoned, and reconstructed with the renaissance features somewhat enhanced. The main building is now home to a museum dedicated to composer Juozas Naujalis (1869-1934) who… erm… we don’t have space to write about here. (Although we will mention that there is a statue of him near the village church that shows you what he would have looked like if he had been encased inside a toothpaste tube. We have sculptor L.Žuklys to thank for that). QMuseum open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Tel. 44 96 01, +370 612 533 14. Vilkija Next you’ll come across Vilkija town – worth visiting unless you’re driving a manual transmission and are rubbish at clutch control. The whole place is formed of steep streets. The first attraction here is the Antanas and Jonas Juskos Ethnic Culture Museum (Kauno mažoji 2, tel. 55 64 00). These brothers spent their spare time doing things like writing dictionaries and inventing new letters, like Č and Ž, to be used to write the Lithuanian language. They enabled people to be able to write words like čežėti (to scuffle), čiuožti (to skate) and čežėčiuožoujame (which means ‘we skate and scuffle at the same time’ and which we just made up). The museum is very hands-on and features a whole host of fragments of Lithuanian history and folklore. It’s open 08:00 - 15:00 with an hour break for lunch at 12:00, Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive. From December 1 to April 1, they stay open until 17:00 for some reason. Further up the hill you can turn left at the wooden sculpture of Saint Florinan (Šv. Florijono) who is supposed to protect the city from fire – and was doing a fine job when we visited, as it was raining – and come across the Church of St. George which boasts a wonderful view of the river valley. Raudone Castle This is another not-quite-a-castle, but it looks very castlelike with a 35m tower and toothy rooflines. We’re not sure whether a real castle ever stood here but the area was used for a royal manor in the 16th century. At the end of that time Krispin Kirschenstein – a wealthy merchant, not a crunchy sugar-coated breakfast treat – built the current ‘castle’. It was a measured and sensible renaissance structure at the time, and while that is still evident in the main courtyard, Kirschenstein’s descendants decided to add the gothicrevival castle-like bits. You can visit the tower if you turn up between 10:00 and 17:00 and call the number on the sign near the door. (The sign is only in Lithuanian, but just says you can visit the tower if you call the number). One interesting thing you’ll notice about this building is that the windows are full o f pa p e r fl o we r s and you’ll o ften hear laughter or find yourself swarmed by small backpack-wearing people. The building is home to a primary school. Imagine that – going to school in a castle. We really don’t think those children realize how lucky they are. Panemunė Castle While it’s in rather a poor state (a crumbling, neglected, dilapidated wreck) this is possibly the most impressive castle you will come across. It is nestled among lakes in a small forest and just has something about its appearance that seems to suggest it is from another time and place. The original owner was indeed from another time and place – the late 16th century, and Hungary. The castle was built between 1604-1610 to a design by Dutch architect Peter Nonhaardt, who was serving at the Royal Palace in Vilnius. The ‘lakes’ around the castle were actually a part of a defence system. In 1753, the castle was sold to Baron Leo Ingelstrom, who later (1759) sold it to the Gelgaudas noble family. They set about changing it to suit their tastes, adding a few classical features, and making the interior all very lavish. What a nice home it would have been, but despite the temptation of lounging about in it and doing nothing much, Anthony Gelgaudas decided to lead a rebellion a ga i n s t t h e Ts a r (1831). The rebellion was not successful, Gelgaudas fled to P r u s s i a, a n d t h e castle fell into the hands of the Tsar. Next, Rev. Antanas Petraitis bought the partially ruined castle and, on his deathbed, expressed his wish that it be used for religious purposes. Now, the castle belongs to the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, and it not used for anything at all. It is, however, very pretty, and with all those little hills and lakes surrounding it, a lovely spot to stop for a picnic before packing up and heading home, or continuing on route 141 to Klaipėda.
Sixth Fort M-3, Intersection of Baršausko, Kovo 11-
Town Square (Rotušės aikštė) A-3. Originally the cen-
Zoo L-3, Radvilėnų 21, tel. 33 25 40, [email protected],
www.zoosodas.lt. With about 250 species of animals that call this place home, the Kaunas zoo also has the distinction of being the only zoo (save the aquatic one in Klaipėda) in the entire country. The grounds can be downright depressing at points, as unlike the rest of the countr y full-scale renovations haven’t taken place here yet. However small children, missing the inherent injustice in keeping the animals caged for their edi fication and amusement, may enjoy the place. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Adults 7Lt, children 5Lt (Nov 1 - Apr 31). Adults 9Lt, children 7Lt (May 1 - Oct 31).
Freedom Monument, sculpture by J. Zikaras
Darius & Girėnas K-4, Sporto and Perkūno. Bumbling
barnstormers or ace aviators? The case remains open. What is clear is that these two chaps remain two of Lithuania’s best-loved souls. The 25m-high, three tonne bronze structure, finally built 60 years after their deaths according to the original (shelved) 1937 plans, is awesome in its simplicity. cepted symbol of Lithuanian statehood first appeared in 1928 but was destroyed by the by the Stalinist regime. In 1989 it was rebuilt, and figures in a collection of statues leading to one of the few remaining eternal flames in the region. Q J
Freedom Monument D-2, Vienybės aikštė. The ac-
Statues
According to municipality records there are over 30 statues in Kaunas. A select few of which have been hidden since August 1990. However, by the recent decision of the Ministry of Culture Lenin and his bronze pals came out from their secret vault to live in the Grūtas park with the rest of their friends from other Lithuanian towns in a Museum of Soviet Sculpture. Below we list the best of those still considered worthy of standing in Kaunas.
Maironis A-3, Rotušės aikštė 13. A radical story, Mai-
ronis was a priest and poet, and as such was considered highly dangerous by the Soviets. To get around this slight problem, nobody told them whom they were erecting, and the statue is notable in that there is no cross as is usual in such structures. His arm is in such a position so as to hide his dog collar. Q J
Romas Kalanta D-3, Miesto Sodas (City Garden). The
memorial to the 19-year-old student who, on May 14, 1972, set himself on fire on this spot to protest against the Soviet system. Called Sacrifice Field, it was officially unveiled 30 years to the day after the tragic event, and is composed of cast irons sheets representing the burnt pages of history, and 19 stones representing the years of Kalantas’ life. May 14 incidentally has been officially declared the National Day of Civil Resistance. Q J Parkas), between Vytauto and Trakų. Notable for the graves of the unknown soldiers who gave their lives in the struggle for Lithuanian independence between 1919 and 1922. Q J
Unknown Soldier F-3/4, Old City Cemetery (Ramybės
Vytautas the Great D-2, Laisvės 96/98. Vytautas,
Vytautas the Great, sculpture by V. Grybas
the ‘Creator of Lithuanian Power’, stands over four defeated soldiers, namely a Pole, Tartar, crushed German crusader and a Russian who just so happens to bear a rather uncanny resemblance to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Q J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
getting Around
Public transport
Bus & Trolleybus Kaunas boasts 7 trolleybus routes and 33 bus routes. Services operate from around 05:00 until 22:00 and beyond. Tickets cost 0.90Lt, and can be bought from any kiosk. Alternatively, for an extra 0.10Lt, buy one directly from the driver. It’s up to you to punch your ticket once inside the vehicle, but if you are caught riding illegally (ticket inspection is a regular occurrence, being carried out by plain clothes controllers) you’re liable to a 20Lt on-the-spot fine. Monthly passes are available from 35Lt. Tickets for buses are valid on trolleybuses and vice-versa. Minibus The city can also claim a large fleet of private minibuses, often sporting the same numbers and ploughing the same routes as the above-mentioned machines. Stop one anywhere in the street, pay 1.50Lt, and ask to be dropped off wherever you need to be along the route.
getting Around
Funiculars
Being sunk into a valley, Kaunas is accordingly surrounded by hills. This makes for some good places to view the city from, two of which being at the top of small funicular lines. The 140m Žaliakalnis (Green Hill) funicular is the nearest of the two to the city centre, and is notable in being extremely rare due to its peculiar mechanism. Consisting of two cars connected to the same cable, when one is going up the hill, the other is, you’ve guessed it, on its way down. Find the bottom station just two minutes from the centre between Putvinskio and Aušros. Ticket costs 0.50Lt., 08:00-20:00, Sat, Sun 08:00-20:30. The other funicular (Aleksoto) at Veiverių and Skriaudžių also boasts a fine view of the city. Opened in 1935, the original fare was a mere 0.10Lt for adults, and, 70 years on, the price remains a bargain at just 0.50Lt., 07:0012:00, 13:00-16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. The view of the city from the top is wonderful and well worth the treck.
Local bus schedule
From Kaunas Dep. Arr. 03:35 05:15 04:251,6 06:25 09:30 11:05 10:00 11:35 11:00 12:35 11:45 13:20 13:30 15:10 15:40 17:20 1-4,6,7 16:10 17:45 16:30 18:10 17:00 18:40 17:105,6,7 18:45 17:20 19:05 17:40 19:20 17:50 19:25 18:00 19:40 18:30 20:10 19:00 20:40 19:30 21:05 20:05 21:45 20:40 22:20 21:30 23:00 06:25 09:10 09:30 12:05 10:30 13:15 11:30 15:25 14:50 17:35 5,7 18:30 21:05 City VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA KLAIPĖDA To Kaunas Dep. 05:40 06:20 06:35 06:45 07:00 07:40 07:556,7 08:10 09:00 09:30 09:45 09:55 10:45 13:20 13:45 14:00 15:40 15:50 17:10 17:10 19:20 22:45 08:20 11:50 15:35 16:20 17:25 19:255,7 Arr. 07:20 07:50 08:15 08:20 08:40 09:20 09:35 09:50 10:35 11:10 11:20 11:40 12:25 14:55 15:25 15:35 17:15 17:30 18:50 18:55 21:00 00:30 12:15 14:35 18:20 18:55 20:10 22:00
International bus schedule
From Kaunas To Kaunas Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. 5 7 08:20 12:15 PRAGUE 13:30 08:20 4 6 08:55 19:00 ROME 07:30 19:40 5 22:40 14:40 PESCARA1 12:00 07:10 00:35 10:15 GDANSK 20:20 07:45 3,5 5,7 01:00 23:30 HANNOVER 05:30 05:00 3,5 5,7 01:00 19:00 BERLIN 10:00 05:00 03:35 09:40 MINSK 18:10 00:30 15:05 20:35 KALININGRAD 22:40 04:05 08:20 09:55 1COPENGAHEN3 17:40 19:50 5 7 19:20 08:10 LVOV 18:10 09:00 Numbers represent the days of the week, 1 is Monday and 7 is Sunday. on the right. Budget travellers should head for the bus stop at the bottom of Savanorių and catch minibus N°120, which goes all the way for a mere 1.50Lt. Ryanair Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 75 01 95/75 01 96, fax 75 80 08, tix.kun@litcargus. lt, www.ryanair.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Stockholmsplanet Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 75 01 95/75 01 96, fax 75 80 08, tix.kun@ litcargus.lt, www.stockholmsplanet.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
Trains
Train Station K-5, Čiurlionio 16, tel. 27 29 55, fax 27
28 33, [email protected], www.litrail.lt. Agents stop selling tickets five minutes before departure.
Europcar Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport),
Buses
Bus Station F-4, Vytauto 24/26, tel. 40 90 60. The
most popular form of public transport in Lithuania, although you wouldn’t think it by looking at the bus station. Q Open 05:45 - 20:45 (ticket office). J Eurolines F-3/4, Vytauto 38, tel. 20 20 20, kaunas@ eurolines.lt, www.eurolines.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Kautra Bus Lines Juozapavičiaus 84, tel. 34 24 40, fax 34 18 88, [email protected], www.kautra.lt. QOpen 07:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun.
Car rental
AAA Autobanga Rent A Car Kaunas Airport - Arrival
Terminal (Kaunas office), tel. +370 676 341 44, info@ autobanga.lt, www.autobanga.lt. New cars: sedan, minivan, convertable, SUV rental. Drivers available, from €20/day, including free km. and full insurance. Mini lease (1-36 months) available. QOpen 24 hrs. Autorenta Rodūnios 8-102 (Vilnius), tel. +370 687 772 58, [email protected], www.carrent.lt. A choice of vehicles with or without a driver at very reasonable prices. Cheap one way rentals.Q Open 24hrs. Avis Rodūnios 2 (Vilnius Airport), tel./fax +370 523 293 16, [email protected], www.avis.lt. New cars with or without driver. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 16:00. Budget F-3, Savanorių 443a, tel. 49 04 40, [email protected], www.budget.lt. Central reservations tel. (8-5) 230 67 08 (Vilnius). QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
tel. 39 92 95, fax 39 92 25, [email protected], www. europcar.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Hertz Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 39 91 56, fax 40 69 46, [email protected], www.hertz.lt. 24 hours help line +370 687 909 85. Fortuna Rent A Car S.Daukanto 19 (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 20 19 28/+370 600 209 39, fax +370 685 279 39, [email protected], www.rentacar. lt. Cars, Vans and minibus rental. Attractive prices and full service. QOpen 24 hrs. Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 685 853 75, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. com. Car and minibus rental. Self-drives from 149Lt/day. Discounts for long term rentals, special weekend rates, free mileage. Chauffeur available. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J Sixt V. Krėvės 26a, tel. +370 650 450 25, rent@ sixt.lt, www.sixt.lt. Short-term rentals of new cars, minibuses and buses; minilease (1-12 months). Self-drives and chauffeur-drives, full package of insurances, unlimited mileage, 24h technical support and replacement car services available through Baltic States. Headquarters: Vilnius, Geležinio Vilko 18a, tel. +370 521 096 30, fax +370 521 096 21. Q 24 hrs.
Travel agencies
Baltic Clipper D-2, Laisvės 61-1, tel. 32 03 00, fax 22
34 71, [email protected], www.baltic-clipper.lt. Plane tickets, accommodation and tours. The lot! QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Delta D-2, Laisvės 88, tel. 42 42 11/42 42 12, fax 42 32 11, [email protected], www.delta-interservis. lt. Local and international travel. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Lithuanian Student & Youth Travel D-2, Ožeškienės 27, tel./fax 40 71 40, [email protected], www.jaunimas.lt. Cheap travel for students and the under 26. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Saitas E-2, Donelaičio 26-1, tel. 32 31 51, fax 20 72 36, [email protected], www.saitas.lt. A full-service travel agency. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J Zip Travel D-3, Kęstučio 57-1, tel. 22 05 52, fax 75 01 97, [email protected], www.ziptravel.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Numbers represent the days of the week, 1 is Monday and 7 is Sunday.
Airport & Airlines
Air taxi Jasinskio 16B, Vilnius, tel. 252 65 88/+370 655
481 21, [email protected], www.orotaksi.lt. The ultimate travel indulgence. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. DOT LT Karmėlava (Kaunas International Airport), tel. 39 90 71, fax +370 619 906 62, [email protected], www.dot.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 14:30. Closed Sat, Sun.
Kaunas International Airport (Kauno Oro Uostas)
Karmėlava, tel. 39 93 96, fax 39 94 34, info@kaunasair. lt, www.kaunasair.lt. The former military airport 12km north of the city is best reached by car or taxi. To get there take the Jonava highway to Karmėlava and keep an eye out for the huge sign and the wide road with yellow street lamps
Train schedule
From Kaunas Dep. Arr. 06:001 07:12 06:05 07:48 06:501 08:08 08:00 09:40 10:47 12:27 12:23 13:59 15:00 16:27 16:47 18:32 17:271 18:38 18:40 20:26 19:47 21:19 20:301 21:42 13:01 21:30 1 Mon-Fri. City VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS VILNIUS WARSAW To Kaunas Dep. Arr. 05:481 07:28 06:33 07:45 07:46 09:22 09:55 11:15 14:06 15:46 15:10 16:28 16:301 17:38 16:35 18:16 17:501 19:07 18:40 19:58 19:27 21:02 20:201 21:57 07:20 16:28
Flight schedule
From Kaunas Days Dep. –2–4–6– 1–3–––– ––––5–– 1–3–5–7 1234567 –2–4–6– –––––6– –2–4––– 1–3–5–7 1–––––– –––4––– 21:25 21:25 21:30 22:00 12:00 22:20 21:50 22:30 14:40 12:35 13:25 Arr. 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:30 12:40 23:00 22:50 23:30 14:55 14:15 15:05 Destination To Kaunas Days Dep. Arr. DUBLIN (FR) –2–4–6– 15:55 21:00 DUBLIN (FR) May 7 - Oct 7 1–3–––– 15:55 21:00 DUBLIN (FR) ––––5–– 16:00 21:05 1–3–5–7 18:30 21:45 FRANKFURT/MAIN - Hahn (FR) LONDON - Stansted (FR) 1234567 07:00 11:35 LONDON - Stansted (FR) –2–4–6– 17:20 21:55 LIVERPOOL (FR) –––––6– 16:25 21:25 LIVERPOOL (FR) –2–4––– 17:06 22:05 STOCKHOLM - Skavsta (FR) until May 21 1–3–5–7 12:05 14:15 VÄXJÖ (2Q) VÄXJÖ (2Q) except May 17 and except June 29 - Sep 19 1––4––– 10:30 12:10 VÄXJÖ (2Q) except May 17, June 24, June 29 - Aug 19 Airline codes: FR - Ryanair, 2Q - Stockholmsplanet. For details check at www.kaunasair.lt. Valid until Oct 28, 2007, unless indicated.
Tickets
Once the crowd has pushed you into a corner you are then required to punch your ticket in one of the boxes located within the state-owned bus or trolleybus in which you are travelling. Ticket inspectors can be anyone from uniformed official-looking types to dowdy middle-aged women with a man-purse. No matter their appearance any excuse for an un-validated ticket or, worse yet, no ticket at all will not be accepted. Get ready to pay the 20Lt fine.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
MAil & PHones
Postal rates
Letters Abroad (airmail) Within Lithuania 1.70Lt 1Lt Postcards 1.20Lt 0.80Lt
sHoPPing
Laptop login
Getting online with your own computer is digital doddle in Kaunas. If you’re Wi-Fi enabled, you’re probably already online. There are many cafés, restaurants, hotels and public spaces in Kaunas that are a part of a network of free wireless internet hotspots. To use Teo LT or ‘Zebra’ hotspots, just turn your Wi-Fi on, and choose the appropriate network. We have, however, noticed that in Kaunas, the ‘Zebra’ Wi-Fi network is patchy and unreliable at the best of times, so check if you can get a connection before you order your coffee. Just about everything you never needed can be found in shops along Laisvės and Vilniaus, and in the big tinpot tin-shed Akropolis shopping centre nearby. Souvenirs scatter stands along the pavement on Vilniaus, and during the summer a large collection of stall traders on Laisvės, selling everything from sunglasses to second-hand books.
1
Monton E-3, Laisvės 45, tel. 40 75 62, www.montonfashion.com.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun
Antiques
Antikvariatas E-3, Mickevičiaus 17, tel. +370 618 766 74. QOpen 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Antikvaro Kolekcija A-3, Rotušės 29, tel. 22 94 89. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. J Antiquarius C-2, Šv. Gertrūdos 56, tel. 20 56 85, [email protected], www.vabolis.com. QOpen 11:00
- 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Express mail
DHL Pievų 1, Karmėlava, tel. 39 94 65, fax 39 94 87, [email protected], www.dhl.lt. Q Open 08:30 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. EMS C-2, Laisvės 102, tel. 40 13 78, www.post.lt. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 07:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J TNT Pievų 1, Karmėlava, tel. 75 82 00/8 800 25 222, fax 75 82 01, www.tnt.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. UPS Chemijos 5a, tel. 35 05 05, fax 35 05 00, ups@ ups.lt, www.ups.com. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
11:00 - 16:00. JA Sirena E-3, Mickevičiaus 17, tel. 32 14 03/+370 685 631 04, www.sirena.lt. Handbags, accessories, gifts and sexy outfits for your mobile phone. Stylish, fun, and just the place to shop if you want to impress Wonder Woman. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Step Top E-2, Laisvės 38, tel. 32 40 05, [email protected]. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00. JA
Post
Central Post Office C-2, Laisvės 102, tel. 40 13 68,
[email protected], www.post.lt. A large hall selling all the usual things one would expect, plus pre-paid top-up cards for mobile phones. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 07:30 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J
Food & Drink
Šilas B-2, Daukšos 45/37, tel. 42 39 82. The perfect
corner shop for the Old Town-bound self-catering community. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. JA Domus Solida C-2, Vilniaus 29, tel. 20 78 88/+370 656 238 03, [email protected]. Teas, spices, coffee. QOpen 08:30 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J Geri Gėrimai D-2, Laisvės 80, tel. 40 71 87. Not only do they stock more booze than you can shake an alcoholic at, this shop also has a currency exchange kiosk inside. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. JA IKI B-2, Jonavos 3, tel. 20 03 78, www.iki.lt. Westernstyle supermarket in Lithuania, these superstars stock absolutely everything imaginable to eat. Also at Kovo 11osios 22, tel. 45 19 44. Lukšio 60, tel. 31 34 53. Varnių 38a, tel. 36 17 38. Veiverių 150, tel. 39 16 28. Šiaurės 91 (Eiguliai district), tel. 31 34 53. Žemaičių plentas 23, tel. 37 70 35. Savanorių 111, tel. 20 07 31. Raudondvario 166, tel. 38 50 70. Kuršių 44, tel. 37 77 90, Vilniaus 56, tel. 20 73 97. Didžioji 98, tel. 32 86 80. Baltų 81, tel. 75 08 98. Jotvingių 15, V. Krėvės 57. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Maxima E-2, Laisvės 60, tel. 20 34 91, www.maxima. lt. Also at Pramonės 16, tel. 35 15 52. Savanorių 255, tel. 30 74 30. Baltijos 20a, tel. 32 81 17. Demokratų 50, tel. 36 29 01. Juozapavičiaus 68, tel. 34 23 82. Kęstučio/Daukanto 5/55, tel. 22 83 32. Savanorių 375, tel. 41 01 75. Studentų 16, tel. 73 07 86. Stulginskio 63, tel. 36 32 61. Vytauto 32, tel. 20 63
Books
tel. 21 44 16. Head upstairs for Lithuanian-English dictionaries, and other books to help you learn the somewhat challenging local lingo. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA Centrinis Knygynas D-2, Laisvės 81, tel. 22 95 72. Not too many books in English, although they do stock a great range of postcards and maps, and as well as the weekly English language Baltic Times. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Humanitas B-3, Vilniaus 11, tel. 20 95 81, zaneta@ humanitas.lt, www.humanitas.lt. A big selection of books in many languages. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Knygų Alėja E-3, Laisvės 29, tel. 22 29 86, [email protected], www.pegasas.eu. A cool bookshop on two floors. Find the English material at the top of the stairs. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Pegasas D-2, Laisvės 75, tel. 42 84 69, fax 42 84 70, [email protected], www.pegasas.eu. A new, modern bookshop with friendly staff and a small selection of English books. Also at Vilniaus 43, tel. 32 85 38. Open 10:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-18:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. JA
Baltų Lankų Knygynas E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49,
ISPs
Bitė E-2, Laisvės 12, tel. +370 699 232 30, www.bite. lt. Also at Laisvės 80. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00
- 15:00. Closed Sun. J Omnitel E-3, Laisvės 43, tel. 117/1533, info@omnitel. net, www.omnitel.lt. Also at Laisvės 86. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Mobile phones
Bitė E-2, Laisvės 12, tel. +370 699 232 30, www.bite.
lt. Pick up a pre-paid Labas SIM card here. Also at Laisvės 80. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J Mikro Visata D-2, Laisvės 86, tel. 20 56 71. A small independent shop in the centre of the city, selling a host of phones and gadets at reasonable prices. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J Omnitel E-3, Laisvės 43, tel. 117/1533, info@omnitel. net, www.omnitel.lt. Likewise, this is the place to get your Extra pre-paid SIM card. Also at Laisvės 86. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J TELE 2 D-3, Kęstučio 37, tel. 22 74 57, tele2@tele2. lt, www.tele2.lt. Also at Laisvės 27, tel. 32 01 01, A. Mickevičiaus 13-20, tel. 20 70 17, open 09:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-16:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J
Making the call
As if transfixed by the power of the eight Pagan Sabbaths, or one of those stupid Magic 8 balls that comes up with answers like ‘Reply hazy, try again’, Lithuania has decided to chuck an 8 in front of every phone number – except if you’re dialling within a city to a fixed line, or if you’re dialling from outside the country. It’s like an area code for the whole country. Got it? No, of course not – because it’s stupid and it doesn’t make sense. Let’s try to break it down: Calling from a mobile If you’ve got the full number, use the international format: +370 123 412 34. If you’ve been given a local mobile number, just throw away the 8 and replace it with a +370. So 8123 412 34 becomes +370 123 412 34. If you’ve been given an eight-digit mobile number that doesn’t start with 8, just put the +370 in front of it. Calling a fixed line gets a little more complicated because you need to know in which city the number is located. Then it’s +370 – City Code – number. If you are given a number starting with 8, it must also contain a city code, so you can just drop the 8 and replace it with +370. Calling from a fixed line To call an international format number in Lithuania, such as +370 123 412 34, replace the +370 with an 8. If you’ve been given what looks like a shortish number – five or six digits – you’ll need to know the city code, and then dial 8 – City Code – number. To call an international number, dial 00 – Country Code – number.
Public internet access
Kavinė Internetas B-3, Vilniaus 24, tel. 40 74 27, info@
cafenet.ot.lt, www.cafenet.ot.lt. The biggest and friendliest one in town, and not only that, this is real café too. So whilst one is keeping in touch with the folks back home one can also eat dainty cakes and imbibe beers and other light refreshments. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 21:00. J
Clothes & Accessories
man.lt, www.baltman.eu. It is not surprising that more and more of these shops are opening in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The locally-designed and elegant clothes here are geared towards both men and women. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Benetton E-3, Laisvės 67, tel. 32 23 95, fax 32 40 90. The United Colours of Kaunas. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA City Sport D-2, Laisvės 72, tel. 32 32 48. Clothing and footwear for the sporty clubbing community. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA City Woman E-3, Laisvės 58, tel. 20 91 36, salonas. [email protected]. A large, elegant clothing shop where you can find both casual and evening wear for a price. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Danija E-2, Laisvės 37, tel. 20 53 71, www.danija.lt. Also at Laisvės 59, tel. 20 03 27. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. JA
Baltman E-3, Laisvės 49, tel. 75 00 42, kaunas@balt-
Flowers & Plants
Flowers can be bought at most supermarkets (even the tiny ones that aren’t really super at all) as well as a few specialist stores dotted around town. The Flower Market, however, is probably your best bet for a bright bunch and a spot of haggling or arguing with linguistically incompetent sellers.Flowers should be given in odd numbers. Bunches of even numbers of flowers, especially lilies and chrysanthemums, signify death. (Yours, if you’re not careful.)Don’t give yellow flowers to old ladies, as they symbolise jealously. (The flowers, not the ladies... although... oh, never mind.) Red carnations are symbols of communism, and should also be avoided.
Telephone codes
Alytus Anykščiai Birštonas Biržai Druskininkai Elektrėnai Ignalina Jonava Kaunas Kėdainiai 315 381 319 319 313 528 386 349 37 347 Klaipėda Kretinga Marijampolė Molėtai Neringa/ Nida Palanga Panevėžys Pasvalys Plungė Šiauliai 46 445 343 383 469 460 45 451 448 41 Šilalė Šilutė Švenčionys Tauragė Telšiai Trakai Ukmergė Utena Vilnius Visaginas 449 441 387 446 444 528 340 389 5 386
Flowers E-2, Laisvės 32b, tel. 32 35 37. A good
selection of potted plants of all varieties, plus fresh flowers daily. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J
The Kaunas telephone code is +370 37
May 2007 - May 2008
Kaunas In Your Pocket
2
sHoPPing
58. J. Baršausko 66, tel. 75 92 00. V. Krėvės 14b, tel. 33 14 52. Šarkuvos 1a, tel. 37 77 73. Pramonės 29, tel. 40 51 11. Veiverių 150b, tel. 32 86 04. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Rimi E-2, Donelaičio 44, tel. 20 44 83, www.rimi.lt. Also at Partizanų 134, tel. 49 01 41. Prancūzų 81, tel. 75 42 03. V. krėvės 43a, tel. 40 97 60. Lukšio 70, tel. 30 84 20. Taikos 81, tel. 49 01 30. Islandijos 32, tel. 30 84 46. Savanorių 346, tel. 30 15 31. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. JA Absolutely everything you ever thought you might need to know about the city on the river. From accountants to key cutters. You do the math and we unlock the doors.
direCtory
tel. 75 27 60, fax 75 27 59, [email protected], www.blc.lt. Four modern rooms up to 160. Q PJ Daniela E-3, Mickevičiaus 28, tel. 32 15 05/+370 614 969 09, fax 32 16 32, konferencija@danielahotel. lt, www.danielahotel.lt. Conference facilities for up to 160. Q PJ Daugirdas A-3, T. Daugirdo 4, tel. 46 54 54, manager@ daugirdas.lt, www.daugirdas.lt. Conference facilities for up to 110 persons. Q PJ Hermis Savanorių 404, tel. 49 03 00, fax 49 03 01, [email protected], www.hermis.net. Two conference halls seating up to 40. Q P Kaunas D-2, Laisvės 79, tel. 75 08 70, fax 75 08 51, [email protected], www.kaunashotel.lt. All modern facilities and equipment for succesful meeting up to 200. Q PJ Perkūno Namai K-4, Perkūno 61, tel. 32 02 30, fax 32 36 78, [email protected], www.perkuno-namai.lt. Two conference halls seating up to 50. Sfinksas K-3, Aukštaičių 55/Kudirkos 19a, tel. 30 19 82, fax 30 19 83, [email protected], www.sfinksas. lt. Conference hall with 60 places. Q P
Business Leaders Centre E-2, Donelaičio 62/53,
Accountants
KPMG Lietuva Vytauto 12 (Vilnius), tel. +370 521 026 00, fax 210 26 59, [email protected], www.kpmg.com. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 08:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Scandinavian Accounting & Consulting D-2, Ožeškienės 18, tel. 32 08 06, fax 75 00 84, [email protected], www.sac.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Gifts & Souvenirs
Kauno Langas B-3, Valančiaus 5, tel. 20 55 38,
[email protected], w w w.klangas.lt. Gifts and souvenirs galore, including art and ceramics. QOpen 10:00 - 18:30, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. JA Mažoji Indija (Little India) B-3, Vilniaus 56, tel. 20 18 11. A large cellar stuffed with exotic goods from the developing world, including furniture, sculptures, clothes, jewellery and batiks. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA Suvenyrai B-3, Vilniaus 32, tel. 22 51 26, [email protected], www.amberhouse.lt. Amber, linen, wooden souvenirs and other cute souvenirs. QOpen 10:00 - 18:30, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. JA
Banks
- 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. DNB Nord B-2, Jonavos 3, www.dnbnord.lt. Also at Laisvės 86, open 08:00-18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. J Hansabank B-3, Vilniaus 13, tel. 1884, [email protected], www.hansa.lt. American Express and Thomas Cook travellers’ cheques accepted. Western Union money transfers are also available. Also at Laisvės 79. Open 08:00-19:00, Sat 09:00-15:00. Closed Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J SEB Vilniaus Bankas D-2, Laisvės 82/17, tel. 30 70 70, fax 30 71 11, www.seb.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Ūkio Bankas D-2, Maironio 25, tel. 30 13 01/30 14 70, fax 32 31 88, [email protected], www.ub.lt. QOpen 08:00
Shades of fashion
Urmo bazė Pramonės 16, tel. 35 06 62, fax 45 27 24,
Household goods
Plaza Taikos 141, tel./fax 40 78 60, [email protected], www.plaza.lt. Furniture. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed
Sat, Sun.
Senukai Draugystės 8k, tel. 30 49 94, www.senukai.lt.
Also at Jonavos 62, tel. 20 87 15. Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 30 40 50. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 17:00. A Tomasella Jonavos 262, tel. 33 27 36, dzereta@ kaunas.omnitel.net, www.tomasella.it. The best way to spruce up your newly purchased apartment or rental property. Get everything you need from the kitchen to the bedroom. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
[email protected], www.urmas.net. This place is more a market than a shopping centre, and therefore still a bit wacky. Walk around with a big fish flopping out of your backpack, fill a famous fashion label plastic bag with clowns’ trousers, and you’ll fit right in. Like an old-fashioned market, it’s a social kaleidoscope, but like a modern shopping centre, it’s clean and convenient. You don’t have to spend money to enjoy a visit here, but you probably will anyway. From the LaisvėsSavanorių intersection (C-2), take trolleybus 15 eastward and get off at Dainavos Poliklinika (the 11th stop). QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 16:00.
Health
Bendroji Medicinos Praktika M-1, Savanorių 423, tel.
31 36 65/31 27 68, [email protected], www.daktaras. lt. Surgical, dental, gynaecological, and general medicine services. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. A Vis Vitalis (Dentists) D-2, Laisvės 76-10, tel. 74 74 74, [email protected], www.visvitalis.lt. All your dental needs and more, including a one-year warranty to all work undertaken. Also at Savanorių 241, tel. 79 88 11, fax. 79 88 88. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Barbers & Salons
Closed Sun. JA Primadona D-3, Daukanto 17, tel. 22 61 62, info@ primadona.lt, www.primadona.lt. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. J Salon+ Islandijos 32 (Mega), tel. 23 90 99, mega@ salonplus.lt, www.salonplus.lt. Bright zesty salons that can clip, frizz, colour or style, and leave you feeling all shiny and new.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. A Sarma Style C-3, Gruodžio 31, tel. 32 44 41, edita. [email protected], www.sarmastyle.lt. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA
Fama D-2, Ožeškienės 29, tel. 20 88 25, fama_nova@ yahoo.com. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00.
Water words
Hello – Laba diena Good morning (until about 10:00) – Labas rytas Good evening – Labas vakaras Good bye – Viso gero Hi – Labas Please – Prašome Thank you – Ačiū Excuse me / sorry – Atsiprašau Yes – Taip No – Ne Cheers! – Į sveikatą! Monday – Pirmadienis Tuesday – Antradienis Wednesday –Trečiadienis Thursday – Ketvirtadienis Friday – Penktadienis Saturday – Šeštadienis Sunday – Sekmadienis
Insurance
Lietuvos Draudimas D-2, Donelaičio 62, tel. 22 13 08,
fax 40 78 24, www.ldr.lt. Also at Savanorių 443a, tel. 39 51 40. Savanorių 172, tel. 73 22 84. Krėvės 43, tel. 71 29 18. Kuršių 1, tel. 32 86 15. Vytauto 32, tel. 42 83 95.QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. J PZU Lietuva F-3, Vytauto 87, tel. 22 29 84, www.pzu.lt. Also at Savanorių 363a, tel. 41 27 91. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 15:45, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. J
Music
Midiaudio E-2, Laisvės 26, tel. 22 32 88, [email protected], www.midiaudio.com. Musical instruments old and new, plus a small stock of spares from guitar strings to clarinet pads. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. JA Muzikos Bomba D-2, Sapiegos 3, tel. 32 14 47. Recorded music. If they don`t have it in stock they`ll happily order it for you. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. JA
Business connections
Baltoskandija K-3, Basanavičiaus 5, tel. +370 686
333 88, fax 20 91 64, [email protected], www. baltoscandia.lt.
Interpreters
Litinterp F-3, Gedimino 28-7, tel. 22 87 18/+370 685
311 14, fax 42 51 20, [email protected], www.litinterp. com. Interpreters and translators. Reliable, quick service. Legal documents, notarisation upon request. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 08:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Shopping centres
Akropolis E-4, Karaliaus Mindaugo 49, www.akropolis.
lt. Opened a few days before we went to print, when it was swarming with people despite the fact that it wasn’t quite finished. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. JA Mega Islandijos 32, tel. 23 90 00/23 90 11, info@ mega.lt, www.mega.lt. Notable for an enormous aquarium which is about the only thing you can’t buy in this big centre. If you want to go to the shopping maul, hop on bus 38 heading north on Vytauto, or flag down any of the microbuses that have a ‘Mega’ sign in the window. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Molas M-4, Baršausko 66a, tel. 45 14 41, fax 40 95 38, [email protected], www.pcmolas.lt. Shops, a couple of restaurants and a bowling alley. Big enough to ensure you can get what you want, probably, but small enough to ensure you don’t get lost while getting it. Q Open 10:00 - 21:00 with some exceptions.
Business Advisory Centre (Verslo Konsultacinis Centras) C-2, Savanorių 1, tel. 22 47 16/32 21 34, fax 32 24 81, [email protected]. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00.
Closed Sat, Sun. J
- 17:00, Fri 08:00 - 15:45. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts F-2, Donelaičio 8, tel. 22 92 12, fax 20 83 30, [email protected], www.chamber.lt. QOpen 08:00
Lawyers
Abišala & Partners C-2, Mickevičiaus 29-4, tel. 40 99
00, fax 40 99 01, [email protected], www.abisala. com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Advokato Pūko Kontora D-2, Donelaičio 71-2, tel. 20 56 66, fax 32 19 19, [email protected]. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Kauno Advokatų Kontora C-3, Gruodžio 16, tel. 22 51 38, fax 22 57 97. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Urbonienės Juridinė Kontora C-3, Kanto 24-13, tel./ fax 22 47 93, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Conference facilities
Žaliakalnio viešbutis D-2, Savanorių 66, tel. 32 14
12, fax 73 37 69, [email protected], www. greenhillhotel.lt. Three halls for 10-60 persons. J Best Western Santaka C-3, Gruodžio 21, tel. 30 27 22/30 27 02, fax 30 27 00, [email protected], www.santaka.lt. Three modern rooms for between 16 and 200. J
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
direCtory
Media
Kauno Diena J-5, Vytauto 27, tel. 30 22 50, fax 42 34
04, [email protected], www.kaunodiena.lt. Daily newspaper, except Sunday. Lietuvos Rytas Gedimino 12a (Vilnius), tel. +370 527 436 00, [email protected], www.lrytas.lt. The most popular daily newspaper in Lithuania (but not in Kaunas, where Kauno Diena is the one) with comprehensive entertainment listings and classifieds. Noriu E-3, Kęstučio 23a, tel. 20 08 98, fax 32 10 48, [email protected], www.noriu.lt. Three times a week you can flip through `I Want` to find what you are looking for be it an apartment or a maid. Also publish Noriu Auto (I Want a Car) Monday, Wednesday and Friday, print run about 10,000. J The Baltic Times Raugyklos 15-302 (Vilnius), tel./ fax +370 521 215 45, [email protected], www. baltictimes.com. The Baltic’s only true English language newspaper is published every Thursday. 00, fax 39 15 53, [email protected], www.aerokaunas. lt. Located in the small Dariaus ir Girėno airport, learn to fly a glider or light aircarft. Pleasure trips are also available. This is also the place to come to parachute. Unfortunately, all the necessary information on their website is in Lithuanian. Kaunas Parachuting Club Veiverių 132, tel. +370 698 105 10, [email protected], www.skydive.lt. Q Open Sat, Sun from 10:00 Ledo Arena (Ice arena) F-1, Aušros 42c, tel. 33 06 20, fax 33 06 75, [email protected], www.ledoarena. lt. A bit out of the centre and nothing fancy, but good fun all the same. QOpen Closed Mon. Opening hours erratic. Closed during summer. J Lokės Pėda Lokėnėliai village, Jonava region, tel. +370 699 211 44, [email protected], www.lokespeda.lt. An outdoor adventure with a series of dangly, wobbly obstacles strung between tree tops. Test your courage, balance and strength as you work your way between high platforms. You’ll start wearing a safety harness, and end up wearing a big grin. Highlights are the zip-wire ‘flights’ (one being 220m across a river valley) and the beautiful forest setting. At 40Lt for three hours - more than enough unless you’re Spiderman - it’s a bargain. To get there take the A6 toward Ukmerge and look for the sign about 5km past Jonava. You can also get a bus to Jonava and a taxi from there.
Hill oF Crosses
Kaunas Acrobatic Flying Club Veiverių 132, tel. 39 14
5
Getting there
The Hill of Crosses (Kryžių Kalnas) is 12km out of Šiauliai toward Riga on the A12. To get there, first of all get yourself to Šiauliai. From there, take a bus toward Joniškis from the bus station (there are eight or nine busses each day from 8am to 5pm). Get off at the large sign marked Kryžių Kalnas (the Domantai stop) and walk a further two kilometres up the side road. The last bus to take you back to town will be at 5:30pm. If you have a car, hop in and drive north on the A12 (Tilžės). A huge sign marks the point where you need to turn right and drive down the side road, laughing at all the bus passengers who have to walk this stretch. A taxi from Šiauliai costs about 20Lt, and most drivers will be happy to wait while you look around so they can also pick up the return fare. From Kaunas To Kaunas Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. TRAINS 5,6 5,6 06:11 18:30 ŠIAULIAI 18:50 21:11 BUSES 1 1 05:20 08:15 ŠIAULIAI 04:00 06:50 06:001 08:55 ŠIAULIAI 07:55 10:40 06:40 09:35 ŠIAULIAI 12:05 15:00 07:25 10:20 ŠIAULIAI 13:10 16:05 08:35 11:30 ŠIAULIAI 14:10 17:05 10:00 12:55 ŠIAULIAI 15:00 17:55 11:053 14:00 ŠIAULIAI 15:303 18:25 13:152 15:50 ŠIAULIAI 15:50 18:45 16:00 18:45 ŠIAULIAI 17:00 19:55 16:40 19:35 ŠIAULIAI 17:45 20:40 17:50 20:45 ŠIAULIAI 18:352 21:10 1 2 3 5 6 Mon-Fri, Sat, Fri, Sat, Sun, Sun, Fri, Sat.
Officials
Kaunas Municipality D-2, Laisvės 96, tel. 42 26 08,
fax 42 54 52, [email protected], www.kaunas. lt. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Photocopying
Fotocentras D-2, Laisvės 51, tel. 22 15 12, www.
fotocentras.lt. Also at Laisvės 110, tel. 32 40 94. Open 09:00-20:00, Sun 11:00-18:00. Laisvės 51, tel. 22 45 95. Open 09:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-15:00. Laisvės 86, tel. 20 84 96. Open 09:00-18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 15:00. J
Useful addresses
Švaros Centras (Dry cleaners) M-2, Taikos 60a, tel. 79 75 32. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00.
Closed Sun.
Avalynės Taisykla (Shoe repair) B-3, Vilniaus 17, tel. 22 03 25. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00, Sat 09:30 - 15:00.
Closed Sun. J
Count the crosses Kaunas is pretty close (120km as the crow flies) to Šiauliai, a town that has become somewhat famous for the nearby Hill Of Crosses. This mound festooned with countless crosses is actually smaller than many guidebooks suggest, but more impressive in its detail than any words could convey. You actually have to go there to experience the feeling of getting in among all those crosses. Sure, they’re impressive to look at from afar, but once you start meandering along the little paths that weave all over the hill you become lost in a strange multi-layered depth. There are, of course, many big crosses. These, however, are crowded and often crawling with smaller crosses. These again are dripping with tiny crosses and rosaries. There are probably monotheistic microbes that have planted invisibly small crosses here. It’s crosses upon crosses upon crosses. On a hill. Those who are inclined to pay attention to detail will notice there are names, dates and often messages on most of the crosses – sometimes carefully crafted, sometimes simply hand written. Some crosses offer gratitude or hope. Others convey wishes for world peace, the health of grandchildren, shorter queues at the bank and, presumably, God knows what else. Each cross has a story to tell, and there is something about being in among all those stories, all those hopes and dreams, and all that clutter of compassion and concern, that is both bewildering and moving. No one owns or runs the Hill of Crosses. There are no tickets to buy or opening hours and the ‘gift shop’ consists of people who sell things, including crosses that you can buy and then instantly deposit on the hill yourself, from temporary market type stalls. It is just kind of there, and has been for a very long time. There are claims that the first crosses were planted in the Middle Ages, but the first written record is from 1850, and
Real estate
Ober-Haus D-3, Kęstučio 56, tel. 33 71 01, fax 32 32 44,
[email protected], www.ober-haus.com. Simply the best. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Fri 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J
Kaunas Sea (sort of)
Among all its other remarkable oddoties, Kaunas has a hydro-electric power plant, built when the Nemunas river was dammed in 1960. A couple of villages were drowned as a result but it wasn’t all good news. Turns out that the hydro plant struggles to provide a mere two percent of the nation’s electricity. The most noticable benefit of the hydro dam, however, is that it created the Kaunas Sea (Kauno Marios). Take trolleybus 9 to the end of the line to get there. Of course it’s not really a sea at all. More a big lake. But it’s big enough to host all sorts of sea-like fun. You can wander around the area surrounding the Kaunas Yacht Club, watch people falling off windsurfers or taking sailing lessons, and stop for a bite (if you ever get served) at the waterside café. To get more involved get in touch with the nice people below for various forms of boaty fun. You can rent a yacht or catamaran, or throw your leg over a PWC (jet-powered water craft) that can zoom along at up to 100km/h, carry three people and even tow a skiier.
Sports
Ąžuolynas (Sports club) K-4, Sporto 3, tel. 30 10 10, [email protected], www.assc.lt. QOpen 06:30 - 22:00,
Sat 08:00 - 19:00, Sun 08:00 - 20:00. AD Amazon Gym D-2, Laisvės 51a, tel. 32 35 87, fax 32 34 87, [email protected], www.amazongym.lt. A very centrally-located place, where the seriously health-conscious can design their own personal fitness plans if they wish, and even get some nutritional advice along the way. QOpen 07:15 - 21:30, Fri 07:15 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 14:30. JD Conan Gym D-2, Laisvės 30a, tel. 32 11 77, fax 32 11 44, [email protected], www.conangym.lt. As well as offering the Lithuanian standard that is aerobics, come for use of the gym, sauna and/or swimming pool. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 17:00. J Elnias Golf Club Didžiosios Lapės (15km from Kaunas). The only golf course in Kaunas is a nine-hole one, and those who’ve played a round on it say that it’s quite a challenge. A 19th hole (or in this case a 10th hole) can also be found here. Impuls Baltų 16, tel. 75 50 12/75 50 13, oaze@impuls. lt, www.impuls.lt. The machines glimmer with newness while the bodies shine with sweat. A wonderful new gym for weights, aerobics, fitness and water sports - jacuzzi, Turkish and Finnish saunas, aromatherapy, ice cabin, pool with cascades, massages, solarium, martial arts room, VIP sauna and lounge with a nicest possible staff. After refreshing your body guests can enjoy bars and bowling alleys in their night club. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. ADC
may refer to crosses planted in memory of victims of the 1831 rebellion against the Russians, whose burial places were unknown by loved ones. The number of crosses swelled after another rebellion in 1863. In the early 1900s, when we next have a record to refer to, there were about 150 crosses. Numbers dropped a bit after the First World War (we don’t know why – cross casualty?) but were up to around 400 by the late 1930s. Then things really took off. B y 19 61, wh en th e Soviet government of the time decided that religious sentiment had gone a bit too far, they had over 5,000 crosses to contend with. This they did with the aid of a bulldozer. In an attempt to stop crosses reappearing, the area was guarded by the KGB, rumoured to be infected with various ‘epidemics’, and there were even discussions about flooding it. But the crosses kept reappearing. Despite all the restrictions, the bulldozers had another 1,200 crosses to crush in 1975. Thus the Hill of Crosses now is not just a site of religious significance, but a bristling testament to Lithuanian defiance and independence.
Arum Gimbutienė s 35, tel. +370 617 66 4
55, [email protected], w w w.baracuda.lt. PWC rental: 1 hr-425Lt, 2hrs-685Lt, 6 hrs-944Lt. Catamaran (for up to 12 people) rental: 1st hour - 180Lt, 112Lt/h thereafter. Excursion in Kaunas Sea - 180 Lt, boat trip to Rumšiškės - 280Lt, to Birštonas - 740Lt.
Naktigonėlė Naktigonės 3, tel. +370 687 426 05,
[email protected]. Cruise around on a lovely yacht and pretend you’re in the Bahamas. 100Lt per hour.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
ruMšišKes
ruMšišKes
Fully funcional yurt – huddle inside the hill, the wooden structure one finds is a mushroom-drying facility. Further along is the Dzūkija village with its collection of homes. Make sure to check out the bathhouse with its stone stove. This style of stove once replaced by clay led to the cooking area being separated from the living quarters rather than heating them. Back on the main road, to the right in a forest glade there is an eight-metre high oak sculpture, commemorating the deportees of 1941 who perished on their way to the Laptev Sea, a section of the Arctic Ocean. Adjacent find a fully functional yurt, a collapsible shelter similar to those used by deportees to afford at least a little protection from wind and cold. St. Florian – making sure the place doesn’t burn down The open-air museum of Lithuania, known as Rumšiškės, is a collection of traditional old homes and buildings salvaged from around the country. The museum, covering nearly 175 hectares (435 acres), hopes to give locals and foreigners alike a glimpse of what life and work was like in Lithuania nearly a century ago. History really comes to life when the museum hosts festivals. There are horseploughing competitions, craft markets and all manner of other time foolery. Summer and autumn are the best times to visit. Highlights are Shrove Tuesday (June 23 in 2007), Assumption Day (August 15) and the craft days (September 28-29). Craftsmen and artisans, often dressed in traditional costume, can be seen at work throughout the park during these holiday weekends. The park itself is divided, like Lithuania, into four distinct regions. Before descending down onto the footbridge, check out the man-made Kaunas Sea (Kauno marios) to your left along which one can see the Žemaitija area of the park. To the left is the Dzūkija, Aukštaitija, and Suvalkija areas. Each of these areas not only boasts buildings from each region, but the flora surrounding the buildings is indigenous to each specific area. At the other end of the footbridge find the map of the park and an oak obelisk. The little bird on top is there to point you in the right direction of the tour, so follow the beak and turn right. Dzūkija The first of the homesteads depicts the area of Dzūkija. On your way there keep an eye out for the stone along the river with a large hollowed-out centre. These ‘plates’ were used in pagan times and most ethnographers believe sacrifices to deities were placed inside of them. The Dzūkija area, in agricultural terms, is known mostly for its poor soil. Luckily the surrounding forests often provided for the people living there. The first house on the tour is typical of where a poor farmer would have lived about a century ago. To the right, find a barn where plays and concerts are often held. As you continue up Aukštaitija The next area of the park consists of a 19th-century homestead typical of the Aukštaičiai region. Inside the homestead, besides the living areas, you can look at equipment for brewing beer, a cowshed and two barns. Up on the hill, note the working full-size windmill. The handful of houses that make up the rest of the village all have small details of note. However, the do-not-miss parts are the large manor house, decorated throughout with wood-carvings and the adjacent barn with straw-woven walls. The gravel road
Well worth a visit in winter leading out of the village leads to Račkiškė Chapel, built in 1775, which is surrounded by roadside shrines (Koplytstulpis and Rūpintojėlis) and crosses which museum officials were able to rescue from every corner of the country. The monument in the churchyard is dedicated to Lithuanians deported to Kolyma, Russia. One of the most charming parts of the museum is up ahead in the forested region where a few wooden bee-keeping structures (complete with anti-beartheft devices) are in place. Suvalkija As you continue on through the park, the red-tiled roofs hail the beginning of the Suvalkija region. Here you will find a 20th-century middle-class peasants’ farm consisting of five buildings. The homestead is actually more reminiscent of the 19th century, but the home entertainment system is cetainly a bit more up to date. In 1935-1939, some peasants could afford such luxury. Suvalkija was the first region in Lithuania where serfdom was abolished, and as the area also has good soil, locals soon found themselves in posession of independant wealth, radios and gramaphones. Inside the barns the large round wooden machinery is called a ruzvelkis, which used to be driven by horses and connected to a thresher so as to break the flax. Also of note in this area are the numerous flowerbeds surrounding each of the homesteads, which add a colorful touch. Outside of the village there is another windmill and a building where linseed oil is pressed. Žemaitija Next on the agenda is the region of Žemaitija where the homesteads are by far the biggest in the park. Numerous granaries and barns accompany the homes, which for the most part have stoves with chimneys connected in the centre of the building. The houses here tend to have less flourishes to them, but to be of a sturdy construction. Inside the Gintališkės homestead toward the end of the area one can find a clog maker’s workshop. Also of note is at the end of the village stands a numas, a house believed to have been used during the Middle Ages. The ceiling consists of twigs and clay and the interior is dominated by an open hearth. It is the only one of its kind left in the country. The last part of the tour ends with a re-creation of a small Lithuanian town. The town is still being developed as it were, but at press time had its own square complete with a statue of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, a schoolhouse, an inn and a few more buildings under re-construction. Make sure to duck inside the inn to find a truly unique collection of buggies and carriages. At the weekend (and sometimes during the week) you can usually find an artisan hard at work in one of the few completed buildings.
Suvalkija – Lithuanian luxury Open Air Museum of Lithuania (Lietuvos Liaudies Buities Muziejus Rumšiškėse) 25km east of Kaunas just off the A1 highway, tel. +370 346 473 92. QNote that while the park itself is open 10:00 - 18:00 every day except Mondays, the many museums, exhibitions, shops, cafés and other attractions inside the park can only be relied upon to maintain the same opening hours from May to September inclusive. Getting There By car Take the A1 towards Vilnius. About 25km east of Kaunas is the turn-off for Rumšiškės. Follow the signs to the park. By public transport Buses leave from Kaunas bus station, some going straight to the museum. Alternatively take any Vilnius-bound bus, get off at the Rumšiškės stop, and walk the final 2km.
Aukštaitija – step inside
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
BirštonAs
If Birštonas was any more relaxing they’d have to put it in a jar and sell it under the counter. You’d have to have a prescription to go there. And, while it’s certainly therapeutic, it does maintain enough of a pulse to leave you fresh and tingly and well enough to drive home slowly, safely and serenely while more stressed-out people flip their lids behind you trying to get past. Basically, the little town is nestled in an elbow of the Nemunas, and hence affords plenty of river views and lovely riverside walks. It’s the sort of place where you can suck in lungfuls of clean air and feel all zippedy and healthy even if you smoke a pack a day and had a hard night. Of course with such beautiful natural surroundings, and some magical local mud to boot, it’s not surprising that a bit of a SPA resort has developed in this gorgeous little town. So in addition to all the outdoorsy stuff that you’ll read about in these pages, you can get bathed, massaged, buried in mud, irrigated, exfoliated, elongated (probably) and otherwise de-exasperated. What’s more, in the past couple of years, some rather fine hotels and restaurants have popped up, making Birštonas an ideal destination for a romantic weekend. You can also often see lots of wedding parties queueing for photos at the top of the hill that overlooks the town. The beaus and brides there may act as either encouragement or contraceptive during a naughty weekend, but they’re certainly pretty. Then there’s the option of winter sports. Skiing, snowboarding falling over and so on – it’s all do-able and delightful here in Birštonas. So, whatever the season,
BirštonAs
The Birštonas telephone code is +370 319
this little nook of a town has plenty of options and is well worth a day trip or a weekend break – especially when you consider that it’s so close to Kaunas.
Getting there
If you’re a fish, finding your way to Birštonas is a doddle. Just swim along the Nemunas until it goes all wiggly and you get dizzy, and you’re there. If you’re a person, it’s a bit more tricky. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on your point of view – someone seems to have decided to hide this delightful little town. There is only about one road sign that points to Birštonas, and it’s pretty much in Birštonas. Still, try as they might, hiding Birštonas won’t do any good because we’re going to tell you how to get there. From Kaunas By car Pretend you’ve gone completely mad and want to go to Warsaw. You’ll drive out on the A5, heading toward a place called Marijampolė. As you haven’t gone completely mad, however, you’ll turn off onto route 130 pretty quickly and follow signs to Prienai. Once you pass through that town, take the A16 toward Vilnius. Now you’re getting pretty close to Birštonas and – lo and behold! – you’ll see a sign. By bus If that all sounds too complicated, you’ll be pleased to know that buses depart from Kaunas every 30 minutes on the hour and half-hour from 06:00 to 20:00. Couldn’t be simpler. As you drive into town, don’t be put off by the rambling great monstrosity of a building on the left that looks like a crashed space station. Just carry on. The bus station is not much more than a car park. It serves its purpose and nothing more. On the opposite side of the road and a little way to your right is the Tourist Informaiton Centre. If you just want to explore the town on foot, turn left and explore away. angels leaning on their forearms and other romantic blah. Not just the newest hotel in town, but also the ultimate naughty nest in this region. We hope the doors are soundproof. 14 rooms (13 doubles 230Lt, 1 apar tmen t 360Lt). ARULGKDC
Tourist information
Tourist Information Centre B-2,
J a u n i m o 3 , t e l . /f a x + 3 7 0 3 1 9 6 57 4 0, t u r i z m a s@ B i r š t o n a s . l t . QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.
Sonata A-2, Algirdo 34, tel./fax +370 319 658 25,
[email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. The middle of a forest might be the last place you’d expect to find deep, plush carpets, chiffon curtains and a gleaming spa bath. But that’s exactly what you’ll find here. The rooms offer a modest and elegant style that belies the forest hide-away location. You can ponder that while you’re lying on the bed looking out the window at the trees or, from some rooms, river glimpses. A very quiet, classy and complete retreat.Q22 rooms (18 doubles 160 - 240Lt, 2 sui tes 180 - 260Lt, 2 apar tmen ts 380 - 430Lt). PTHA6LGKW hhh
Tulpės C-2, Sruogos 4, tel. +370 319 655 20, santulpe@
Where to stay
Audenis B-1, Lelijų 3, tel. +370 319 613 00, fax +370
319 613 01, [email protected], www.audenis.lt. It relies a bit on that spartan style that comes from flat-packed furniture, but it is affordable, comfortable, and the best option for those who are not in the mood for cultural or nocturnal adventure. All rooms have a television, minibar, a private bathroom, and even an internet connection. This hotel is also home to a nice restaurant which will come as a great relief after a day of outdoorsy adventure. Q9 rooms (1 single 120Lt, 6 doubles 170 - 190Lt, 2 suites 190 - 230Lt, 1 apartment 250 - 270Lt). THAULGKW hhhh
mail.lt, www.tulpe.lt. A health resort that extols, demonstrates and offers the healing effects of the regional spring water and mud. Accommodation is healthcare-bland - which may be fine for those who are recovering from something, but otherwise unspectacular other than the fact that all rooms have balconies and the location is unbeatable. Service is pleasant with a hint of matronly-firm. Their packages that include accommodation and ‘wellness’ services are worth considering. Q71 rooms (12 singles 30 - 54Lt, 50 doubles 60 - 96Lt, 3 triples 90 - 144Lt, 6 suites 45 - 110Lt). HUFGKD
Where to eat
Audenis B-1, Lelijų 3, tel. +370 319 613 00, www.
audenis.lt. Not surprisingly, as it is in a four-star hotel, this restaurant maintains high standards of style, cuisine and service. The menu is, broadly speaking, European, and has some interesting options. The fireplace can add a very cosy atmosphere to the otherwise sleekly-modern interior in winter. It’s also a good spot for ‘business’ meetings, which are a surprisingly frequent occurance in Birštonas. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. AIGB
Birštono Nemuno Vingis C-3, Turistų 20, tel. +370
698 020 17/+370 611 230 16, [email protected], www. kortas.lt. It’s over the river from the main town and there’s no bridge. (Just something to be aware of.) Accommodation is pretty basic, but the all-in-one nature of the place (pool, restaurant, lodgings), not to mention the beautiful natural surroundings, are the main attractions. Oh - and the four-wheel motorbikes help too. Q Rooms for three to five people 15 - 30 Lt/night.
Birštono Seklytėlė C-1, Prienų 10, tel. +370 319 658
Sofijos rezidencija B-1, Jaunimo 6, tel. +370 319
452 00, fax +370 319 452 01, info@sofijosrezidencija. lt, www.sofijosrezidencija.lt. Not in the best location, but so crammed full of over-the-top oppulence that you’ll probably never want to leave anyway. Lots of gilding, flowing fabrics, rococo furniture, plush cushions with images of
25, [email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. A hilltop location right beside the river offers the best views in town, and attracts a stream of special occasion visitors - weddings, parties, anniversaries or just those wanting a special treat. You might have to fight for space in the car park with limousines, but it’s worth it. A high timber A-frame ceiling and stone fireplace combine with big windows and plenty of light and space to create a bit of a Scandinavian
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ski cabin feeling. Oh - and the food is appropriately good, too. Come on a Saturday night and chances are you’ll be able to enjoy somebody else’s celebratory fireworks. To get there: Drive out of Birštonas and turn right on the A16. Take the first U-turn, and then the first turn on your right. It’s not too far to walk from the town centre. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. AGB
Sofijos rezidencija A-2, Jaunimo 6, tel. +370 319 452
00, fax +370 319 452 01, [email protected], www. sofijosrezidencija.lt. If the food is subject to as much care and attention as the furniture it ought to be divine. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. TAULGS
Sonata A-2, Algirdo 34, tel. +370 319 657 33, sek-
[email protected], www.sonatahotel.lt. Whether on the deck in summer, or just by the floor-to-ceiling windows in winter, you’ll feel like you’re dining right in the forest. Except you won’t be eating raw mushrooms or munching on a wild mink. Rather, you will enjoy any of a pleasing range of meals, carefully prepared and presented in a setting where refinement and nature happily meet. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 24:00. AGB
Cheap & Cheery
Pizza Fun C-2, Birutės 3, tel. +370 659 002 50. The
favourite place for locals out for casual fun and a decent feed, probably because it doesn’t disappoint on either count. Design your own pizza and order a few beers, or just drop in for coffee and a chat. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. TGBS
It’s all downhill from here
Vacys Valužis
What to see
Boat About
Ferry B-3. Departing from a pontoon behind the Tulpės
sanatorium is a dinky little boat that ferries passengers to the other side of the river and back. A sign on the pontoon will list departure times (May 1 - Nov 1).
Winter Fun
Birštonas is lovely in spring and summer, and even rather fetching in autumn. But what about winter? Well, it’s seems this pretty little town can even turn on the attraction in the chillier months. Not only is it all very pretty when dressed with snow, and with the rumbling backdrop of the ice-covered river, but Birštonas also attracts skiiers. The town has a 40m-high ski slope. It may not sound like much, but there are two downhill runs to keep both novices and moderatley experiences skiiers happy. Anyone with a real hunger for adventure will have to head to some other country with proper ski slopes, but if you’re after some simple outdoorsy fun, Birštonas will keep you at least mildly amused. There’s a pommel-style ski lift, a snow machine which can be fired-up when the weather is not cooperating, and lights that keep the whole thing going well into the evening. Further information on the ski slope is available on +370 319 657 70 or +370 698 430 56. If you’re a bit more sedate, you might like to try a winter sleigh ride. A horse-drawn sleigh is availalbe to drag you around Birštonas’s pretty landscape, warm the cockles of your heart and leave you with fairy-tale romantic memories. For information or bookings, call +370 682 560 63.
Vytenis A-2, Crumbly dock at the end of Pušyno, tel.
+370 319 658 25, [email protected], www. sonatahotel.lt. While you can jump on board for an hour-long cruise at 15:00 on Sundays (adults 20Lt, kiddies 10Lt), this floating play pen really screams out for private bookings. It’s ideal for weddings, parties or just a weekend away with a group of friends. The are six cabins that sleep two, and a big glassed-in room with a padded floor where half a dozen people can get very friendly, play body Tetris and enjoy great views. See the website for a map of where to climb aboard.
Churches
Saint Anthony from Padova C-2, Birutės 14. The current church was completed in 1909 and features a very pretty floor formed from stone tiles decorated with mosaics. It’s almost a shame to walk on it, but you’ll have to do so to visit the three naves. A church was believe to have been built on this spot by 1529, when Birštonas became a recognised town. The church was rebuilt in 1674, probably after a fire. Don’t miss the wooden carved crosses in the yard toward the pond.
Museums
Museum of Birštonas B-2, Vytauto 9, tel. +370 319
656 05. What, you may wonder, is an old log doing lying in the corner of a museum. And why has someone hollowed it out? Well, the answer is that it is not a log, but an early wooden pipe through which the mineral water of Birštonas flowed. The history of the spa town is thoughtfully laid out here with many artefacts and documents coming together to give you glimpses of the history of the town at various stages of its development. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
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Sacral Art Museum C-2, Birutės 10, tel. +370 319 656
99, smuziejus@Birštonas.lt, www.muziejai.lt/Birštonas. Not surprisingly, this place is full of religious bibs and bobs and while we’re sure it’s the best Birštonas has to offer of such material, it can be a bit staid, austere and … well, boring, to be honest. The museum is located in a pretty little wooden building near the church, so it might be worth popping in on your way there. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
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Statues & Monuments
Bust of Balys Sruoga A writer, poet and intellectual, Balys
Sruoga (1896-1947) was considered dangerous to Nazis and hence found himself in a concentration camp. Luckily, he survived the experience and in 1945 settled down in Birštonas to write about his experiences. The resulting book, Forest of Gods (Dievu miskas), has become famous and was recently turned into a film. Sculpture by Giedrius Plechavičius.
Vytautas the Great B-2. Near the base of Vytautas
Promenade
Hill (which you can’t miss, because it’s the only hill) is a big statue (which you can’t miss because it’s the only big statue) of Vytautas the Great atop his trusty s te e d. Vy tau tas was Grand Duke from 14011430 and one of the most respected characters in Lithuania’s history as he was instrumental in leading the combined Lithuanian and Polish forces to victory over some troublesome Teutonic knights in what was the biggest battle of medieval Europe. See page 10 for history, and 38 if you’re looking for Vy tautas’ statue in Kaunas. Pink granite sculpture by Gediminas Jokūbonis erected in 1998.
Walk About
Memorial path B-3. On the other side of the river to the
town, and around the bend a bit, is a path on the steep river bank. Here there are various wooden sculptures carved by folk artists in memory of those who suffered under Stalin, and their relatives. To get there, take the road to Birštono Nemuno Vingis (listed under ‘Where to stay’) and keep going past the hotel.
Promenade By the side of the river is a long, flat and
View across lake Druskonis
paved path for strollers and cyclists. At the south end (to your right as you face the river) is the Vytautas Hill, while if you continue in the other direction you will eventually come across a forest suitable for a more challenging, but also more rewarding, hike.
Where to stay
Druskininkai is experiencing explosive growth. New hotels, restaurants and resorts are opening up with alarming frequency, while many old dumps are being renovated. The town now offers plenty of options for all tastes and budgets, from straightforward hotels, to all-inclusive deals including therapies at one of the town’s many sanatoriums. A few cheap and cheerful self-catering packages are also on offer, and you can even camp if you feel so inclined. 59195/+370 697 080 00, [email protected]. This hotel, located within the sparkly new Aqua Park, is equally sparkly and new but overpriced. You see, they just opened in a prime location and they’re up-themselves already. The rooms are more functional than comfortable, and really a little bit too basic given the prices. Good views are available from some rooms but until they get a bit more realistic with the prices this should be a last resort.Q92 rooms (7 singles 150 - 180Lt, 78 doubles 230 - 280Lt, 5 suites 360 - 440Lt, 2 apartments 599 - 699Lt). PHALGW hhh
Druskininkai B-2, Kudirkos 43, tel. +370 313 525 66,
Vytautas Hill (Birštonas Hill) D-3. It is believed that
Wooden sculptures B-3. In a yard beside the church find
a small but impressive collection of wooden sculptures that were created during an international wood carving symposium held in Birštonas in 1998.
in the 14th century a wooden castle once stood on this hill. Now you can stand on it too, and you’ll notice that it offers some breathtaking views of the winding river and the town of Birštonas itself. Try not to think too much about the fact that, supposedly, a woman was hanged from a tree up there by a priest with whom she had fallen in love. Now it is often used as a vantage point from which to take wedding photos. Steps lead up the hill on both the north and south sides.
Aqua Medūna A-2, Vilniaus 13-1, tel. +370 313
fax +370 313 513 45, [email protected], www.hotel-druskininkai.lt. A smart and gleaming glass box that screams out ‘business types, come hither!’ Big beds, a quaint spa and service that goes beyond the call of duty are the highlights here. Excellent breakfasts and high speed internet stations in the lobby. Don’t miss the rooftop garden in summer and the spa facilities at any time. Q 50 rooms (singles 200Lt, doubles 290Lt, junior suites 340360Lt, suites 420-500Lt, presidential apartments 800Lt). PTHARULEGKDW hhhh
Europa Royale B-2, Vilniaus 7, tel. +370 313 422 21,
On yer bike
Birštonas is ideally suited to two-wheeled exploration. Near the heart of the town, along the river, is a long paved path that is ideal for a leisurely and picturesque ride. It’s also very flat, which is great if you’re lazy. In addition to that, you can pedal into the forests and enjoy the scent of pines, the calls of birds, and no chance of being run over by crazy Lithuanian drivers. Keep in mind that you can not only explore the forest near the town itself, but head a bit further afield and make a real day of it. With a picnic lunch, a pair of wheels and a gentle spirit of adventure, you can enjoy the best of Birštonas by bicycle.
Dalija B-2, Vasario 16-osios 1, tel. +370 313 518 14,
[email protected]. You won’t do better in terms of location and price unless you sleep on a bench. The charming late-1800s building hints at the mildly dowdy and dated but throroughly comfortable innards of this little family-run guesthouse. The rooms are like mini-apartments, with their own kitchenette and private bathrooms. Staying here is not just a bargain, but a pleasant experience. Cheap and charming. Q11 rooms (5 doubles 80 - 100Lt, 3 triples 100 - 120Lt, 3 suites 150Lt). TG
[email protected], www.europaroyale. com. It’s a mansion. Actually, it was an 18th century mansion, and now it is a swish and sparkly new hotel that offers the utmost in comfort and luxury. All rooms have heated floors, minibar, safes, air conditioning and a telephone in the toilet so you can lord it over the staff - serenely friendly types, we might add - from the comfort of your throne. There’s even twice-daily housekeeping. You’ll be tempted to stay until you run out of money. Q65 rooms (2 singles 200 - 320Lt, 52 doubles 200 - 270Lt, 6 suites 340 - 450Lt, 5 apartments 500 - 760Lt). PHAULGKDW hhhh
Galia B-1, Maironio 3, tel. +370 313 605 11/+370
313 605 15, fax +370 313 605 12, [email protected], www.galia.lt. So that’s where all the used furniture from the Star Trek set went. The hotel is actually located in three buildings, one of which looks a bit mock-medieval. Yes, it’s totally wacky, and may be the perfect place for those who love Lithuanian strangeness, as well as a green bubbling pool with twinkling ‘stars’ in the ceiling above. Q46 rooms (2 singles 80 - 100Lt, 41 doubles 120 - 150Lt, 3 quads 200 - 240Lt, 6 suites 160 - 200Lt). TARLGK hhh
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“I think I see a woodpecker”
The Druskininkai telephone code is +370 313
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Tourist information
Tourism Information Centre C-2, Gardino 3, tel.
+370 313 608 00, [email protected], www.druskininkai.lt. The main office near the bus station is closed on weekends, but there’s a second location on Čiurlionio that you can try. Also at Čiurlionio 65, Open 10:00 - 18:45, Sun 10:00 - 17:00, tel +370 313 517 77 QOpen 08:30 - 17:15. Closed Sat, Sun. you will enjoy satellite television, minibar and internet access. Q66 rooms (11 singles 140Lt, 48 doubles 170Lt, 7 suites 250Lt). PTHARUGKXSW hhh
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Vilnius Spa C-3, Dineikos 1, tel. +370 313 538 11/+370 313 591 60, fax +370 313 590 59, info@ spa-vilnius.lt, www.spa-vilnius.com. The all-in-one modern hotel and sparkly spa package with a generous mineral water swimming pool and modern gym packed with blinking, whirring exercise machines. Mud and mineral baths are also available. Spa open: 08:00 - 22:00. Q187 rooms (24 singles 149Lt, 114 doubles 250Lt, 41 suites 300 - 350Lt, 8 apartments 420 - 439Lt). PTHARUFLEGKDXCW hhhh
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Soviet Park
Camping
Dainava A-2, Maironio 22, tel. +370 313 591 00, [email protected], www.centrasdainava.lt. This is part of a training centre for civil servants, but don’t let that worry you. There’s spaces for vans and tents with electricity, water, showers and toilets. And you don’t even have to take a number and wait in a queue to use them. Yet.
Regina A/B-2, Kosciuškos 3, tel. +370 313 590
60, fax +370 313 590 61, [email protected], www.regina.lt. A stylish hotel without the extra frills, but with some great offers to entice guests - romantic weekends, family breaks and healthy holiday packages are all available. A peachy plum place for a weekend away. Q 40 rooms (8 singles 150 - 190Lt, 29 doubles 220 - 280Lt, 3 suites 320 - 400Lt). THAREGKX hhh +370 313 606 02, [email protected], www.violeta.lt. Offering as spectacular a riverside landscape as is possible. Rooms are gorgeous, but as there is a wonderful dining terrace for summer and a cafe/restaurant with a fireplace for winter, you may not stay in them too much. There’s also a sprinkling of small pools, massage and fitness services, and secure underground parking. Q20 rooms (2 singles 200 - 250Lt, 13 doubles 300 - 340Lt, 4 suites 380 - 420Lt, 1 apartment 600 - 900Lt). THARUFLGKDC hhhh
Grūtas Park Grūtas, 130km southwest of Vilnius,
Kempingas C-2, Gardino 3, tel. +370 313 608 00, camp-
Violeta B-3, Kurorto 4, tel. +370 313 606 00, fax
[email protected]. Clean, tidy, family friendly and the ideal place to park your caravan or pitch your tent. Ideally located a short way out of the centre, so you get nearby forests and lakes while being just a few hundred metres stroll from the centre. Enough room for 45 caravans or tents. Q Tents 30Lt, vans 50Lt and little cabins 100Lt per night for two people.
Where to eat
Cafés
Saulė Grąža B-2, Vilniaus 22, tel. +370 313 523 18.
The no-nonsense pub-shack-dump kind of place that is ideal for beer, pizza and basic grilled meat kinds of meals. Very ordinary, but hits the spot when you’re having a slobbing around in the tracksuit kind of day and are feeling unfussy. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. TAGBS
Wander to the river
Jerevan M.K.Čiurlionio 128, tel. +370 313 555
54/+370 650 350 79, [email protected], www.jerevan.lt. Out of town, and out of the question unless you like the idea of a technicolor yawn before bedtime. Rooms are colour-themed and totally tasteless. The pink room, in particular, is hideous - pink curtains, shimmering pink bedspread, heart-shaped lamps. Small girls might like it, but for everyone else, staying here is a headache waiting to happen. Q9 rooms (2 singles 60Lt, 4 doubles 150Lt, 1 suite 280Lt, 2 mini suite 200Lt). TARLGBKS hhh
Spas
Draugystės Sanatorija B-3, Krėvės 7, tel. +370 313 531 32, [email protected], www.draugyste.lt. The name means ‘friendship’ and if you want a friendly massage, mud bath or mineral bath they will be happy to oblige. Accommodation is available in pretty little villas located on the sprawling grounds where two rivers meet. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. ADC Druskininkų Gydykla A-2, Vilniaus 11, tel. +370 313
605 08, www.gydykla.lt. A bright and modern sanatorium offering mud, mineral, bubble, carbonic, turpentine, herbal, vapor, vertical and underwater massage baths - and a nice room to sit down in and look out across the park and river afterwards. No accommodation.
Sicilia I & II B-2, Taikos 9, tel. +370 313 518 65, www.
Medūna B-2, Liepų 2, tel. +370 313 580 33, fax +370
313 580 34, [email protected], www.meduna.lt. The gleaming glass and ochre exterior hints at the modernity and warmth inside, but does nothing to prepare you for the chintzy and somewhat over-the-top rooms, possibly decorated by Flash Gordon’s mum. Still, it’s nothing a quick respite in the rough brick and lumpen leather wine cellar won’t fix. Q (15 doubles 80 - 300Lt). PTARLGK hhh
sicilia.lt. There are two locations, so once you’ve worked out that this is the best option for cheap and cheerful dining you can alternate between them without feeling like you’re becoming a part of the furniture. The pizzas, according to one local pizza lover, are better than those offered by the chain stores, and other meals hit a pleasing balance of value and quality. The only problem is that you’ll often have to wait for a table. Also at Čiurlionio 56. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. PTAGBS
tel. +370 313 555 11, [email protected], www. grutoparkas.lt. Several Stalins and loads of Lenins litter this bizarre, mildly controversial sculpture park near the spa town of Druskininkai. The brainchild of local mushroom millionaire Viliumas Malinauskas, come and gaze upon row after row of retired communist sculptures, collected en mass from their former positions of importance throughout Lithuania. A small zoo is thoughtfully provided so the wild boar in the cages can bite off the little children’s fingers, and if you’re hungry there’s a restaurant too. To get there by car from Druskininkai, just drive toward Vilnius and look for the sign on your right. You can also go by bus. Bus 1 departs from the bus stop by the little blue Russian Orthodox church (B-2) while bus 2 departs from the bus station (C-2). Both buses run so frequently that we don’t have spece to list the full schedule, but you can see the times at departure points. The park is clearly signposted from the A4 for the final 1km hike to the park itself. It’s also a pleasant ride on a bicycle, but keep in mind that there’s a bit of walking to be done once you’re in the park, so you might want to save some energy. Open winter time 09:00 - 17:00, summer time 09:00 - 16:30. Q Admission, adults 10Lt, children 3Lt, photo and filming fee 5-10Lt.
Restaurants & Clubs
Dangaus Skliautas B-3, Kurorto 8, tel. +370 313
518 19. If Elvis was an Arab, he might have come up with something like this. It’s mildly over the top, and replete with little booths tucked away behind tasselled frames and glitzy curtains that look like little Bedouin tents. With a table in the middle. It’s also great joint for pop-star food, and they crank out a good blend of music that brings the place to life in the evenings. Sometimes. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. PAIEGBS
Nemunas B-2, Kosciuškios 6, tel. +370 313 516 60,
[email protected], www.druskonis.lt/sanatorija/ nemunas. A decrepit and disgusting box that should only be considered as a last resort by cheapskates, scumbags and those with a hankering to relive a miserable Soviet past. The novelty of bright red velour furniture, crinkly carpets, dodgy blinking lights and sod all heating in winter can’t make up for the hideous skin-crawling state of the bathrooms. Vile. Stay away. Q (Rooms single/double 35 - 63 Lt, triple - 94,50 Lt, suite 50 - 144 Lt.). THRUFLNGK h
Eglės Sanatorija A-5, Eglės 1, tel. +370 313 602 20,
fax +370 313 602 38, [email protected], www.sanatorija.lt. The building is a bit dated on the outside and the accommodation is a bit simple on the inside, but they offer full treatment and therapy services. A bit more hospital-like and less hotel-like than its competitors. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. THRUFLEGKDC
Europa Royale B-2, Vilniaus 7, tel. +370 313 422 21,
Pušynas B-2, Vilniaus 3, tel. +370 313 566 66, info@
Lietuvos Sanatorija B-2, Kudirkos 45, tel. +370 313
pusynas.lt, www.pusynas.lt. You can’t miss it. It looks like a birthday cake designed by Gaudi. Or maybe a termite mound. Anyway, while the outside may appear a bit startling the interior is simple, subtle, smart and suave. If you can resist the temptation of your weird bikini-shaped balcony for a while,
528 33, fax +370 313 554 90, info@sanatorijalietuva. lt, www.sanatorijalietuva.lt. Not one of the most modern places - it might remind you of an old James Bond movie - but it is certainly professional and comfortable and there’s no chance that you will be drowned in your mud bath by a SPECTRE operative. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. HAGK
[email protected], www.europaroyale. com. When we went to print, this place was still so new and gleaming that it looked like they might only serve toothpaste to angels. If it starts to look a bit lived-in it wouldn’t be a bad thing, because they serve things like soups, salads and a small selection of exquisite meat dishes - duck, beef, venison, salmon and so on - to mortals with money. A bright summer house with lush furnishings, lovely views, and very tempting meals. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. PAULGBS
Marija Melnikaitė, sculpture by J. Mikėnas
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Kolonada B-2, Kudirkos 22, tel. +370 313 512
22/+370 612 110 88, [email protected], www.kolonada. lt. A music club as much as a restaurant, and reviving a prewar history of intelectual types sitting around being... erm, intelectual. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights enjoy jazz, blues and rock ‘n’ roll, and classical music respectively. On other evenings, be entertained by a DVD player. Despite the opening hours printed here, they keep going until the last person leaves. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. PAUIEGBS The restaurant has doubled in size, making it the biggest in town. Plenty of interesting options to choose from in a fairly romantic environment. Q Open 08:00 - 23:00. TAEGBS made in the right direction (the museum is actually part of the Jewish National Museum), it is possible to gain entrance. Q Open Jun - Sep.
Museum of Resistance & Relics Of Deportations (Rezistencijos ir Tremties Muziejus) B-2, Vilniaus
Regina A-2, Kosciuškos 3, tel. +370 313 590 60.
24, tel. +370 656 083 73. It’s just what the name says, focusing on the resistance movement of 1944-1953 and the Dainava region partisans and deportees. Mostly photographs and press clippings. Open Wed, Sun 13:00-17:00. For visits at other time call in advance.
Places of interest
Echo of the Forest C-5, Čiurlionio 116, tel. +370 313
539 01. This quite extraordinary construction has been built to give the illusion of floating in the air, and it almost works. Inside you’ll find a ‘living evocation’ of the forest it sits in, complete with all manner of flora and fauna, animals and bugs. An oak tree grows through the centre of the building, making the whole place quite the most bizarre and uplifting adventure. Those looking for pure nature can step out the back and go for a walk along the specially arranged trail. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
What to see
For reasons known only to the chosen few Party favourites at the time, it was extremely popular during the Soviet years to fill health resorts and spa towns with the kind of architecture usually reserved for the pages of science fiction novels. Druskininkai was no exception, and among the handful of eye-catching modern buildings in the town was the former physiotherapy treatment centre. It has now been turned into an aqua park (see pages 64-65) but, in addition to some shiny new glass, retains some weird swirly concrete bits around the entrance. It would have to be one of the most original buildings to have ever left the confines of a drawing board. Twice. Do yourself a favour and have a good look around the outside if you’re in town. Absolutely incredible.
Jewish Cemetery Find the tiny cemetery/memorial hidden
in the woods, a few hundred metres directly southwest of the derelict train station at Gardino 3. A chilly combination of silence, Hebrew script and deep forest, this is not a place for the timid.
Čiurlionis
Čiurlionis Memorial Museum B-2, Čiurlionio 35,
tel. +370 313 511 31. Lithuania’s greatest artist and musician was Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (18751911). Born in the nearby town of Varėna, he spent his childhood in Druskininkai and the town remains his spiritual home. An immensely prolific artist, Čiurlionis wrote extensively for the piano, composed string quartets, and also penned the country’s first symphony, In The Forest. His musical style shifted between the pastoral and romantic to occasional dabblings in serialism. A busy painter too, Čiurlionis was one of the primary organizers of the country’s first exhibition of Lithuanian art in Vilnius in 1907. He served as a conductor, was involved in the Lithuanian independence movement, married the writer Sofija Kymantaitė, and also found time to design some beautiful stained glass. Such a frenetic life for such a shy man was bound to take its toll, and a bout of depression resulted in him first coming home to Druskininkai for recuperation, and then to a nursing home near Warsaw where he died of pneumonia at the tragically young age of 35. Čiurlionis left a daughter, whom although almost a year old when he died, he never met. Much has been written on the subject of his art (some claim he was the founder of abstract art), music, and general mental condition, most of it being pithy academic nonsense. What is clear is that Čiurlionis was a huge talent, coming at the right time to coincide with the rebirth of the Lithuanian psyche. As well as the statue at the northern end of Kudirkos, a museum can be found at the site of his childhood home in the street that now bears his name. They also sell a range of postcards, posters and CDs of his work. In the summer the museum also boasts strange weekend piano concerts, during which a pianist plays through an open window to an audience sat outside in the garden. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon.
Churches
Holy Virgin Mary Scapular Church B-2, Fonbergo 15,
tel. +370 313 552 28. A pretty neo-Gothic church that was rebuilt as you see it now from 1912-1931.
Russian Orthodox Church B-2, Laisvės square. Of-
ficial name: Joy of All Who Sorrow. Dating from 1865 this diminutive blue wooden building is delightful both inside and out, and seemingly rather out of place. When you’ve finally finished gaping in wonder at the exterior take some time and go through the main door to be astonished at the sheer splendour of the array of icons and religious paintings scattered throughout.
Museums
Druskininkai Museum B-2, Čiurlionio 59, tel. +370
313 510 24, [email protected]. Housed in a grand villa, this museum doesn’t just offer a glimpse of town history and a peek into the work of a few honorary citizens, but also hosts occasional concerts and events. Worth a visit for the building and lakeside location alone. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.
Jacques Lipchitz Museum B-2, Šv. Jokūbo 17, tel.
+370 313 560 77. Druskininkai’s most famous Jew was undoubtedly the Cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz (18911973). This small museum dedicated to him is closed between September and May, but if enough noises are
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Kaunas In Your Pocket
5
AquA PArK
AquA PArK
The biggest problems with the Druskininkai Aqua Park are the confusing entry prices and the shambles of changing and showers. It’s nothing to spend 15 minutes looking at the big board of prices, scratching your head, and wondering what you want and for how long. (We suggest three hours minimum. Four if you want to explore the saunas.) You can also easily spend 15 minutes of your paid-for time walking around in circles and working your way through the changing and showering rigmarole. Other niggles are that there are no mirrors in the changing room. Ladies won’t like that. (There are mirrors and hair dryers, but they are situated in such a way that you have to use them before changing, which may not always be ideal.) Aside from such niggles, however, the aqua park is a triumph. It is clean, modern, well-run and just oodles of fun. Combined with a visit to Grūtas Parkas (see page 61) it makes a day out in Druskininkai well worth considering for any visitors to Kaunas.
5
Druskininkai Aqua Park A-2, Vilniaus 13, tel.
© Druskininkų vandens parkas We went straight for the ‘extreme’ waterslide because that was the one that had injured people and, in the interests of keeping our readers alive, we had to test it. It lived up to its name. It starts off with you gently sliding through a tube like a Thunderbird on his way to save the world. Then it gets a bit faster, and you feel like you’re James Bond zipping through some unguarded irrigation duct in the secret headquarters of Doctor Splash (and his pet catfish) on your way to save the world and find a girl in a bikini. Then, rather suddenly we recall, it all starts to get a bit twisty-turny and you can’t think or feel much at all because there are G-forces trying to suck your brain out through your ear. Then everything goes black, there’s a big whoosh and an almighty splash, and suddenly you’re in a warm pool in a big open space. This is what it must feel like to be a sperm. In addition to frolicking in pools and under waterfalls and being shot through a tube, you can enjoy saunas. There are basic saunas included in the basic price, but if you pay a bit extra you can go into saunaland where there are different varieties of saunas and baths from all over the world. (Although we did notice the absence of the Australian sauna, also known as the outback dunny.) +370 313 523 38, [email protected], www.akvapark. lt. QOpen Mon - Thu, Sun 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:00. AGULK
© Druskininkų vandens parkas Lithuania seems to be in the midst of an aquatic frenzy. Not only has the capital of Vilnius splashed out on a new aqua park but another one opened just last year in Druskininkai. Of course we had to head down there to check it out, and it is with wrinkly fingers and great pleasure that we can report that it is a great venue. Mostly. The park has been built in what would have to be one of Druskininkai’s strangest buildings. And that’s saying something. You see, Druskininkai was once a playground and spa resort for the Soviet elite. Not only did it attract a lot of money, but it seems that it attracted architects who never passed a mental age of 12. So they created buildings that looked like space ships, insects and copulating aliens. Many of their more garish creations have since succumbed to common sense and bulldozers, but the most startling formed the basis for the aqua park. The effect is profound, with wacky concrete creations forming a skeleton for modern whiz-bang gleaming glass and curves. It would not be too much to say that this is one of the most unique buildings in Lithuania. It’s certainly unconventional. The wacky design and layout continues inside. Indeed, actually getting into the aqua park—passing through the entry and changing rooms—is like getting into a space station. At one point you find yourself in a round room surrounded by doors. The doors have lights above them, red or green. The feeling of ‘what do I do?’ and ‘where do I go?’ is disconcerting. There is no sign that says ‘men, this way; women, that way’. So you just go into one of the doors and suddenly you’re in your own little changing cubicle. But there’s no locker. So you have to change, re-pack your bag, and then carry on, exiting into what turns out to be a vast unisex locker room. Choose a locker, stash your bag and the adventure continues. You have to shower before you can swim, so the next stage of the operation is to pass through the shower area. The problem here is that the men’s and women’s showers are not physically separated, and while there are little boys and girls signs to direct the traffic, they are ignored by perverts, morons (and there are no shortage of either) and anyone distracted by something in a swimsuit. Our Editor saw old ladies wobbling around in the men’s showers. Likewise, the ladies saw men traipsing through the women’s showers. That’s just not right, especially when there is nakedness involved, and sometimes there is. (The same showers are used both before and after swimming.) Once you pass through that ordeal you can emerge into the vast landscape of pools. We tried to count how many different pools there are but ran out of fingers. There are quite a few, and they are embellished with waterfalls, spas, flowing rivers and a wave pool. To just get around and see everything takes a good hour. On top of all that, or sort of on the side and on top, are the water slides. There was a bit of hullabaloo about the water slides on the day the aqua park opened because some of the people who tried them ended up going home in an ambulance. No such excitement was available when we visited, however, as whatever problems had existed had been rectified and everything was safe and operating without injuring people. As was the case with the pools, we failed to count how many water slides there actually are, but did notice that there are quite a few. Some of them are designed for passengers on inflatable whatchamacallits, while others require you to travel unsupported.
© Druskininkų vandens parkas
Water words
These phrases may help you survive encounters with local mermaids, sea monkeys and octupii. Don’t pee in the pool – Nesišlapinkite į vandenį You’ve gone all wrinkly – Tu visas susiraukšlėjęs What a beautiful mermaid – Kokia graži undinėlė Help! I’m drowning – Ugh-blub-mphflop... etc No fishing – Žvejoti draudžiama Look out! – Atsargiai! I’m sure you’re very beautiful with clothes on – Aš tikras, kad jūs atrodote gražiai su rūbais Phwoar! – Vau! It’s too deep here – Čia per gilu I’ve lost my children – Aš nerandu savo vaikų How old are you? – Kiek tau metų? Fancy a drink? – Ar norėtum išgerti?
© Druskininkų vandens parkas
Get your hands off me! – Patrauk rankas nuo manęs!
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
0
KedAiniAi
The Kėdainiai telephone code is +370 347
The little town of Kėdainiai, some 45km north of Kaunas, was first mentioned in 1372 in Herman Wartberge’s Livonian Chronicle, and has over the years suffered the full effects both good and bad of being a reasonably important Lithuanian conurbation. Home to the wealthy and influential protestant Radvila family, the town just 300 years ago boasted a 50 per cent Scottish population as well as being a refuge for other Lithuanian protestant communities. Known for its tolerance, Kėdainiai has played host to Arian, Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Jewish communities, and at one time became dangerously close to becoming a part of Sweden thanks to a document that was almost signed there in 1655. Prior to the genocide of the Jewish population of Lithuania, the Jews ran the entire Kėdainiai fire brigade as well as sporting their own football team, and traces of their lives still exist in the city. Unfairly labelled as the modern cucumber capital of Lithuania, modern Kėdainiai is a charming destination for a day or two, claiming one of the best-preserved old towns in Lithuania, interesting museums and out-of-town attractions.
KedAiniAi
Useful information
Municipality Basanavičiaus 36, tel. +370 347
695 00, fax +370 347 611 25, turizmas@kedainia. lt, www.visitkedainiai.lt. Police Mickevičiaus 22, tel. +370 347 542 13. Hospital Budrio 5, tel. +370 347 515 73 . Train station Dariaus ir Girėno 3, tel. +370 347 523 33. QOpen 08:30 - 10:30, 12:30 - 20:10 (box office). Bus station Basanavičiaus 93, tel. +370 347 603 33. QOpen 05:00 - 22:00.
1
Jewish Kėdainiai
Although a Jewish population existed in Kėdainiai in the 15th century, no record of their activities at this time exists, and the fact that they were there at all is evident in the historical fact that in 1495 Archduke Alexander banished all Jews living in the town. They reappeared around the middle of the 16th century (the banishment was repealed in 1503). The early Jewish settlers were granted the right to produce beer and spirits in 1652, making them the main inn owners and food providers. Not much survived WWII in the way of Jewish culture with the exception of the two synagogues at Senoji Rinka in the heart of the Old Town.
Raganė Sirutiškis village, Kėdainiai district, tel. +370
Getting there
By bus The best option is to catch any of the many buses running to Kėdainiai from the Kaunas bus station. By car Taking the A1 toward Klaipėda, you’ll see that Kėdainiai is well signposted from Kaunas. If you stay within the national speed limits, the journey time is about half an hour.
347 415 35. If you don’t mind being a little way out of the centre, this will feel like a home away from home. Rooms are crisp and clean, with simple furniture and modern bathrooms. One room even has a fireplace, and a balcony overlooking a fascinating collection of rusting junk, including an artificial reindeer, in the neighbour’s backyard. Beds in the single rooms are actually quite wide, and could accommodate couples. There’s a lovely communal kitchen downstairs, and an even lovelier hostess who encourages you to use it, giving the place a big happy-family kind of feel. The only disadvantage is the location. There’s a shop downstairs for supplies, but you’ll need a car or a bike to actually go anywhere interesting. Q12 rooms (1 single 60 - 80Lt, 6 doubles 100 - 120Lt, 4 quads 200Lt). TR6ULGX hhh
Museums & Churches
Po Šiaudiniu Stogu Jazminų 1, tel. +370 347 615
72/+370 685 116 93. A thatched wooden cabin in a housing estate may not be to everybody’s taste, but this is a great place to eat and drink. Inside, not even the creepy stuffed animals’ heads can crush the welcoming and cosy atmosphere. Outside are covered tables and benches for wasting sunny afternoons, and swings and a see-saw to keep the kiddies, or tipsy adults, amused. The menu (printed in such a way as to imitate a newspaper, although not in English) features a whole host of traditional Lithuanian salads, soups, main dishes and deserts. Complete with after dinner Lavazza coffee and friendly staff, no stay in Kėdainiai is complete without a visit here. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. TAIEGBS
Kėdainiai Regional Museum Didžioji 19, tel. +370
347 536 85, [email protected]. Housed in the 18th century Carmelite convent building, this particular museum has been in existence since 1921, and houses some 30,000 exhibits dealing with ‘the spiritual and material life of the Kėdainiai region’. Notable among the collection are some of the possessions of the town’s most famous resident, Duke Jonušas Radvila (1612-1655), a pair of ‘vyžos’ (peasant boots made from linden tree bark), and some hideous English furniture fashioned from antlers. Although a feast for the eyes, the accompanying descriptions have the briefest of English translations - they literally call a spade ‘A spade’. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Savas Kampas Didžioji 39, tel. +370 347 576 36. A
Guesthouses
Sandra & Co Guesthouse Šėtos 112, tel. +370 347
683 48, fax +370 347 575 75. The ground floor of this crumbling concrete eyesore hosts a range of accommodation from single rooms to humble apartments. Often used by workers from the local fertiliser factory, and with a communal kitchen, it smells a bit, and feels like a Soviet style dormitory. The bathrooms are time capsules, the furniture is nondescript and probably pleasing to old people, and everything is spotlessly clean and functional. Be warned that this is in a bit of a rough area. The only sign in English promises that your car will be stolen, but you can cram as many people as you want into a room for the set price, so there might be safety, and savings, in numbers. To find it, take Šėtos street away from the town centre, cross the railway line and it’s the second monstrosity on the right. Q 15 rooms (doubles 100 Lt, quad 100Lt, dormitory for 6 victims 150 Lt). GX
Where to stay
Hotels
Aroma Rex Hotel Didžioji 52, tel./fax +370 347 555
55, [email protected], www.aroma.lt. Cosy, clean, comfortable, and with the exception of the 70’s style gold and bronze bed covers, unspectacular. All the rooms are modestly sized except room five, which is enormous (ask for it when you book), and have a writing desk, cable TV with dodgy reception, two single beds, and glistening modern bathrooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Q 5 rooms (100 - 250 Lt). PTARLG hhhh
popular hangout for colourful local characters, but don’t let that put you off. Brave the slightly wonky and tightly spiralled staircase and head upstairs for meals that are pleasing to your pocket as they are to your palette - or at least your stomach. There’s traditional Lithuanian (basically, cepelinai), meat and fish dishes, and 20 kinds of pizza. Savas Kampas is lively, yet cosy and unpretentious - they don’t try hard to be anything other than great value. English is hidden on the crowded page of the menu with all the small type. It’s also worth noting that this is the first place to open in the mornings, and your only option for a morning brew. Head straight there if you arrive on the morning train. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 23:00. TAUIG
St Joseph’s Church Radvilų 10. The 18th century St.
Joseph’s church is a cute wooden masterpiece, complete with two box-shaped towers and a freestanding bell tower. Inside, find a host of folk symbols and other signs of rustic influence.
The Mausoleum of the Radvila Dukes (Evangelical Reformed Church) Senoji 1. The final resting place of
the illustrious Radvila family, tucked away for eternity in the basement of the 17th century church. A grand total of six family members lie in exquisite coffins – the most significant noble grave in Lithuania. Contact the Tourist Information Centre for an appointment.
By Night
Activity zone Tilto 2, tel. +370 686 500 30, www.
activityzone.lt. They’ve splashed a lot of colourful paint about, giving this place a bit of a tropical feel. There’s also a half-decent lighting and sound set-up which seems to stir up a fun, easy-going atmosphere. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. LG
Places of interest
Minaret A strange structure hidden across the tracks from
the train station at Dariaus ir Girėno 93, this tall white Turkish-style spike was constructed between 1880 and 1887 by a Russian military hero by the unlikely name of Count Von Totleben. Now in a state of serious disrepair, it’s still worth a visit, not least to its charming location in a wooded park among the remnants of an old manor. You can go up inside and enjoy the view from the top, but you’ll return filthy.
Grėjaus Namas Didžioji 36, tel. +370 347 515
00/+370 347 671 53, fax +370 347 671 54, hotel@ grejausnamas.lt, www.grejausnamas.lt. It’s razzamadrab! Furniture is new and comfortable but tends to be either cheezy-glitzy or a bit bland. Still, it’s about as stylish as things get in this town, and all the mod cons are there: safe, minibar, free internet, satellite television. The new best hotel in town. Q18 rooms (3 singles 120Lt, 13 doubles 180 - 200Lt, 2 suites 290Lt). PTJALGKW hhh
Where to eat
Grėjaus Namas Didžioji str. 36, tel. +370 347 515
00/+370 347 671 53, fax +370 347 671 54, www. grejausnamas.lt. Probably the swankiest place in town. The cellar dining rooms really are hidden gems. Meals have a touch of flair without being the sort of baffling highfalutin nonsense that will scare the locals away. There are ostrich dishes, for example, as well as design-your-own pizza. Maybe you should try an ostrich pizza? Q Open 11:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. 20Lt. TJAULGW
Vikonda Basanavičiaus 22, tel. +370 347 672 92,
Tourist information
Tourist Information Centre Didžioji 1, tel. +370
347 603 63, [email protected], www.visitkedainiai.lt. The English speaking staff are not only very friendly and knowledgeable, but extremely attentive and helpful. There’s plenty of information available including maps, suggested driving tours, and literature on things to see and do in the entire region. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.
Grūdynė Ariogalos 3 (Josvainiai), tel. +370 699 200 51.
This place is not actually in Kėdainiai. It’s in the cute little town of Josvainiai which you will pass through on the way betwen Kėdainiai and Kaunas, and it comes highly recommended as a top spot to stop for fresh and tasty food in a pleasant atmosphere. You could also wander around the town, but don’t talk to the priest at the church... he’s a bit... erm... strange. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. GBS
www.vikondosklubas.lt. Stepping off the streets of Kėdainiai and stepping into this place is like entering another galaxy, complete with a milky way of little twinkling lights in the dark ceiling, and a mirror ball the size of a small planet. Not only is there a gloriously large dance floor surrounded by a range of seating on two levels, but you’ll also find billiard tables, poker machines, video games, a three-lane bowling alley and, in case it’s all a bit too much (which it is), a very groovy chill-out room with bean bags and bizarre organic looking furniture. Combine all that with the restaurant (mentioned above), and you’ve got a venue that would be at home in a city much bigger than Kėdainiai. No wonder people come from all around Lithuania just to visit this place. It’s a bit dead on weeknights, but a must on weekends. QOpen 12:00 - 04:00, Wed, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon, Tue. PALG
Paberžė If you must bore your friends with ‘Look where I’ve
been’ photos, stop by the geographical centre of Lithuania. It’s just 2km from Kėdainiai, and just a bunch of rocks in a field. Much more interesting is Paberžė, where you’ll see the exquisite wooden Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in 1787. The church and surrounding buildings were home to eccentric monk and national hero Father Stanislovas (who sadly passed away in June 2005) , and his famous quirky collections - a mind-boggling array of treasures and junk, such as exquisite religious robes, carved wooden crosses and, well, old keys and pots. Equally eccentric is Kęstutis Kaltenis, who has taken it upon himself to stock Skinderiškių Park with an amazing array of plants from around the northern hemisphere and create a stunning natural environment and some of the best views in Lithuania.
Kaunas In Your Pocket
May 2007 - May 2008
2
street register
All of the venues in this guidebook marked with an Old Town symbol () are featured as such because even if they’re not in Old Town per se, they are at least on the map opposite which we call Old Town. Confused? Don’t be. Aguonų F-2 Aleksoto A-3 Amerikos Lietuvių A/B-4 Antakalnio B-4 Astronomijos E-1 Aukštaičių E/F-1 Aukštoji B-4 Aušros E/F-1 Aušros takas E-2/1 Aviečių D-1 Balninkų F-1 Bažnyčios F-4 Benediktinių B/C-2 Bernardinų skg. A-3 Betygalos A-1 Birštono B-3 Brastos A-1 Braškių D-1 Čepinskio A-4 Dainavos E-1/F-2 Damijonaičio B-4 Daugirdo A-3 Daukanto D/E-3/E-2 Daukšos B-3/2 Dobkevičiaus B-4 Dobužinskio E-2 Donelaičio D/F-2 Druskininkų B/C-3 Dzūkų F-1 Dzūkų laiptai E/F-2 Gedimino E-4 /F-2 Šv. Gertrūdos B/C-2 Giedraičių F-1 Gimnazijos B-3/2 Griunvaldo E/F-4 Gruodžio C-3 Hariso B/C-4 Jablonskio B-3/2 Jakšto A-3/2 Jonavos A-2/C-1 Jurbarko A/B-1 Kalpoko C/E-1 Kanklių E-1 Kanto C-3/2 Karaliaus Mindaugo A-3/E-4 Karo Ligoninės F-4 Kauko alėja F-2/1 Kauko laiptai F-2 Kaunakiemio E/F-4 Kęstučio C/F-3 Krėvos F-3 Kriaušių C-2 Kumelių B-2 Kupiškio C/D-1 Kurpių B-3 Kuzmos A/B-3 Laisvės alėja C-2 /F-3 Lietuvių E-1/F-2 “Limos” takas C-1 “Limos“ vyšnių C-1 Liškiavos C-1 Lydos F-2 Mackevičiaus B-2/D-1 Mackevičiaus laiptai D-1/2 Maironio D-3/2 Mapu B-2 Mickevičiaus E-4/2 Minkovskių B/C-4 Miško E/F-3 Muitinės A/B-3 Muziejaus A-3 Naugardo B-3 Nemuno B/C-3 Obuolių C/D-1 Ožeškienės C/D-2 Pakopų t. B-2 Palangos B-3 Paminklų C-2 Papilio A-2 Parodos F-2 Pilies A-2 Poškos C-3 Prieplaukos krantinė A-3 Puodžių B/C-3 Putinų E-1 Putvinskio D/F-2 Radastų F-2 Raseinių C/D-1 Santakos A-3 Sapiegos D-2 Sasnausko F-1 Savanorių pr. C-2/F-4 Serbentų D-1 Slyvų E-1 Smalininkų C-3 Spaustuvininkų E-3 Šatrijos C/D-1 Šauklių B-2 Šermukšnių E-1 Šilutės C-3 Telšių D-1 Totorių F-3 Trimito C-3 Trumpoji B-2 Turžėnų C-1/2 Vaidilutės F-3 Vaisių D/E-1 Vaistinės skg. E-1 Valančiaus A-2 Varėnos C-1 Vasario 16-osios D-2 Vašuoklių D-1 Veiverių A-3/B-4 Vidukalnio B/C-4 Vileišio F-1 Vilniaus A-4/C-2 Višinskio E/F-1 Vytauto pr. F-4/ F-2 Zamenhofo B-3 Zikaro C-2 Žalioji C-2/D-1 Žemaičių D-1/F-2 Žemaičių laiptai F-2 Žemaitės E-1
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TIRANA
2006 - 2007
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Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online
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Gastro Tourism
Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market
Hockey Fever
Harbour tours
Down in the docks
Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga
Tarnów
Football events
Win or lose, this is where to party
N°41 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com
ISSN 1508-2334
Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance
Explore Latvia
N°40 - 8.00 lei www.inyourpocket.com N°60 - 1.20Ls www.inyourpocket.com
Leisure
Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja
Getting active in Kraków
N°7 - Free copy www.inyourpocket.com
N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com
N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com
Kaunas In Your Pocket
Public transport scheme www.kaunas.lt/transportas
Abbrevations
Bus line Trolleybus line Bus station Train station Airport
