Kaunas Travel Forum

Hi good folks.

I've just booked a few days in Kaunas flying out on the 24th May. I have three full days so would greatly appreciate a few tips on the must see places, things to and best places to visit. I'm generally not looking to pack my time as the purpose of this trip is to relax following my final year university exams (I'm a mature student)so advice on good coffee shops, I do enjoy a good coffee along with people watching :-) and I'm not adverse to a beer in the evening.

Many thanks.

Si

I don't think you need as many as three days for Kaunas. But perhaps you could make a day trip to Vilnius, where you will find not only plenty of things to see but also the relaxing but interesting ambience of cafes that you crave.

I agree with a comment, that you should take a day trip to Vilnius, maybe even two days in Vilnius, one day in Kaunas. In Kaunas you will find many cafes in Laisves aleja, you will be able to see walking people there, in Vilnius you should stay in Pilies street cafes, that is a main walking street of the old town.

Hi
yeah, if you want just relax and sit in caffee for 3 days , Kaunas is too much. Better choose Vilnius then. More caffees, i mean:)
In fact it's not just Laisves Aleja but also Vilnius str. are pedestrian areas in Kaunas and almost all of caffees have tables outside. In Laisve you should choose a spot near fountain ( Laisve and Daukantas str. crossroad) and in Vilnius str. any spot closer to Cathedral. For having a beer in the evening B.O and Skliautas bars are fun, they are not far from City Hall. If you like fast food- we have lots of pizzerias and kebab shops, hamburgers are not very popular in Kaunas. But try some local food , too, it's really good and not too heavy for a guy from UK ( french and italian sometimes complain about that). Berneliu Užeiga serve the best traditional food in Kaunas and they have 3 restaurants in the town center.
I totally disagree that there's nothing to do in Kaunas for 3 days. Of course, Vilnius has more atraction to offer, but if you want you can find some in Kaunas, too. Yes, it might be boring to visit museums all days and a day trip to Vilnius would be nice. But if you are nature lover you can take a day trips to areas surrounding Kaunas, like visiting spa resort Birstonas, or going to ethnic museum in Rumsiskes. In fact, Birstonas spas are really not expensive- last year for massage, dirt bath and sauna we paid about 30 pounds per person.
Well, feel free to write me anytime you have any questions about Kaunas. I saw you live in Cardiff- i spent there 4 months some time ago and loved the place a lot:)
good luck
Remi:)

I have been to Birstonas too and liked it (see my Birstonas page), especially the Nemunas River there but I don't know about the public transport to Birstonas. They might need a car. And the place is rather sleepy, which we actually enjoyed but some people may find boring.

Oh, public transport from Kaunas to Birstonas is not a problem. There are busses almost every hour and the ride is no longer than 45min.

First check web page:
http://visit.kaunas.lt/W3/titulinis?lang=en

You'll find ll neccessry info

in Old Town here also you'll find Tourism info:

The best cafes are in Townhall square and close to it
Vero Cafe
Skliautas open air cafe
Crazy House
Berneliu uzeiga
Medziotoju uzeiga open air cafe
Also go to promenade on Nemunas River coast in old town - there is in warm period open air cafe on bank of river with good view.

Also city centre - Laisves avenue you'll find Miesto sodas open air, Pizza Jazz, Presto and other cafes.

If look to later night time there is dance and leisure clubs, coctail bars that posible to visit but check them on web that I gave.

In day time
worth to visit open airmusem near Kaunas in Rumsiskes.
http://www.llbm.lt/index.php?lng=en

There is in Kaunas Devils museum (very unique).

Also visit one of the biggest churches. You can view all Kaunas from it's terace.

http://www.prisikelimas.lt/index.php?id=7

Go to it with funiculair

http://www.travel.lt/turizmas/catalog/general.jsp?catId=&caseId=A78FDF7A900D11DB83D6746164617373&locId=0B507BB9900D11DB83D6746164617373&inlanguage=lt

I suggest you get all the tourist materials you may need beforehand and bring them with you. We visited the city on a Saturday in early August and the tourist information was closed! We couldn't get any brochures or information and we had no internet in the Polish village near the border with Lithuania.
I took lots of pictures but it will now take me ages to identify the places.

There is 2 Tourist offices in city centre- state owned in Laisves avenue - it doesn't work on weekends and another in Town Hall square(Old Town) it works on weekends too.

Many thanks for the info on Kaunas, of course part of my enjoyment of travelling and visiting new places is to try the local food, in fact I avoid the usual things I have at home...

Many thanks again, very useful

Si

hi
For local food - a new nice place opened near Cathedral, Vilnius str 7. It's called Abato Mene. Tourist info office in Laisves al. works on Saturdays. and and when it's closed you can get info in hotel Reval Neris on Donelaitis str, just paralel the Laisves al., even the hotel building is almost paralel to info office.
Do rugby weekends are as mad as they were 4 years ago in Cardiff?
Remi:)

Hi Remigia, many thanks for that and yes, when the rugby is on in Cardiff it still gets pretty mad, in fact I work at the stadium now and again...