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Kaunas

A scrappy little sister compared to debonair Vilnius, Kaunas (kow-nas) sprawls out from its dainty Old Town and 14th-century fort. Strategically wedged at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris Rivers, Kaunas gained a taste for the limelight during a brief spell as Lithuania's capital in the interwar period; the town owes some of its most attractive architecture to this era.

Long since restored to second-city status, Kaunas still has a glint in its eye: it's here that you'll find uninhibited nightlife and arguably the country's best galleries. As Kaunas builds towards its stint as European Capital of Culture for 2022, this plucky city is getting bolder by the day.

Explore Kaunas

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kaunas.

  • Museum

    Ninth Fort

    Lithuania's dark 20th-century history is poignantly told here, 7km north of Kaunas. Begin in the sombre, church-like gallery with striking stained glass…

  • Gallery

    MK Čiurlionis National Museum of Art

    One of Lithuania's oldest and grandest galleries, Kaunas' leading art museum (founded 1921) is the place to acquaint yourself with the dreamlike paintings…

  • Museum

    Sugihara House

    Kaunas-based Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara (1900–86) saved around 6000 Jewish lives between 1939 and 1940, issuing transit visas to stranded Polish…

  • Museum

    Museum of Devils

    This museum is devoted to the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, the fallen angel, the seducer, the cajoler, with over 3000 statuettes, carvings, masks and other…

  • Public Art

    Kiemo Galerija

    Artist Vytenis Jakas moved into this courtyard over a decade ago and turned it into an ever-evolving art project, creating murals and transferring onto…

  • Synagogue

    Choral Synagogue

    Built in 1871, the only functioning synagogue of those that survived since 1941, and one of the few remnants of Kaunas' once-strong Jewish community, this…

  • Monastery

    Pažaislis Monastery

    Built by Camaldolese monks in the 17th century, this striking baroque monastery lies 9km east of central Kaunas, on a promontory jutting into the Kauno…

  • Historic Building

    House of Perkūnas

    With ornate arches and turrets rippling from its brick facade, this late-15th-century mansion is a treasure of Kaunas' late-Gothic architecture. Built by…

  • Memorial

    Lietūkis Garage Massacre Memorial

    This small memorial in the courtyard marks the spot where, on June 27, 1941, during the first days of the Nazi occupation of the city, Lithuanian …

  • Museum

    Open-Air Museum of Lithuania

    The open-air museum consists of re-created 18th- and 19th-century villages representing Lithuania’s main regions (Dzūkija, Aukštaitija, Suvalkija,…

  • Historic Building

    Town Hall

    Old Town's tallest tower (53m) rises from Kaunas' Town Hall, an elegant white layer-cake of a building. Built in the mid-16th century, the hall has served…

  • Gallery

    Kaunas Picture Gallery

    This branch of the many-tentacled Čiurlionis museum exhibits works by 20th-century Lithuanian artists, including a particularly poignant Lithuania In…

  • Church

    St Michael the Archangel Church

    The Soviets turned this blue-domed neo-Byzantine church, which fills the sky so dramatically at the eastern end of Laisvės alėja, into a stained-glass…

  • Museum

    Maironis Lithuanian Literary Museum

    Even travellers unenthused by turn-of-the-20th-century literature will be enchanted by this museum dedicated to Lithuanian luminary Maironis (aka Jonas…

  • Church

    Christ's Resurrection Basilica

    There's an austerity, symmetry and simplicity to this white-washed concrete cathedral, built over a period of 70 years from 1934 onwards, though its…

  • Church

    St Francis Xavier Church & Monastery

    The southern side of Rotušės aikštė is dominated by rosy-pink late-Baroque facade of the St Francis Xavier Church, college and Jesuit monastery complex…

  • Church

    Vytautas Church

    Known in full as Vytautas the Great Church of the Accession of the Holy Virgin Mary, this red-brick church is one of the oldest in Kaunas. Built by…

  • Museum

    Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery

    This art museum on three floors is based on the private collection of Mykolas Žilinskas, but is now operated by the National Čiurlionis Art Museum. The…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Kaunas.

  • Activities