The new centre of Europe

1:00pm Tuesday 27th May 2008

By Nick Elvin

Although the Lithuanian capital Vilnius is undeniably part of eastern Europe, geographically it is in fact right in the middle of the continent.

The city is about as far from the Atlantic as it is from the Urals, and is roughly midway between Norway's North Cape and Crete.

Now it is also set to become one of the continent's most celebrated cultural centres. The first of the Soviet republics to declare independence, this Baltic nation has regained its identity and is free to allow the world in to discover it too, with Vilnius even being chosen as European Capital of Culture 2009.

And while modern Vilnius is home to a thriving culture, the streets of the large Old Town are full of Baroque, Classical and Gothic charm - although you'll see plenty of Soviet-era architecture and 21st century skyscrapers elsewhere.

2009 will also mark the 1,000th anniversary of the first written mention of the name Lithuania. However, during that millennium it has been a country in its own right only for limited periods. Lithuania once shared a commonwealth with Poland, was later annexed by Russia, invaded by Nazi Germany, and more recently fell under Soviet rule. The country even has two separate independence days.

Despite this instability, strong religious beliefs have meant Vilnius has always been a city of churches, and they form a handsome backdrop to any exploration of the city. There were more than 20 working churches during Stalin's time, not because he encouraged religion, but to show foreign diplomats passing through on their way to Moscow that the USSR was "democratic". To understand how this really worked visit the Bernardine Church, which has a stunning exterior, but also a crumbling interior showing decades of neglect.

However, since independence in 1990, changes have been monumental. The communist party was banned in 1991, while these days the city's shops stock all the latest glitzy trappings of capitalism. The wooden houses that used to be the cheapest homes are now highly prized (and priced).

With just over half a million inhabitants, this capital city is small enough to explore with ease, yet there's enough going on that you may feel one visit is not enough.

Head to Vilnius and you'll find that, since it popped its head out from behind a cold curtain of iron, the geographical heart of Europe has developed into a warm, vibrant and truly fascinating place whose best days lie ahead.

GETTING THERE:
flyLAL - Lithuanian Airlines has daily flights to Vilnius from London Gatwick and London Stansted from £37 each way.

Baltic Holidays is among the operators specialising in city breaks to Vilnius. For example, they offer two nights at the three-star Panorama hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, with return London to Vilnius flights, from around £200 per person in June, based on two sharing during weekends. Book online at www.balticholidays.com or call 0845 0705711.

TOURIST INFORMATION:
The main tourist office in Vilnius is located at 22 Vilniaus Street, in the city centre (tel +370 5 262 9660) and offers tours with well-informed local guides. For further information about Lithuania log on to the Lithuanian National Tourism Office website. Vilnius will host a wide range of cultural events next year as European Capital of Culture 2009. For details log on to www.culturelive.lt

ACCOMMODATION:
Expect to pay around 55 euros/£45 per night for a double room in a guest house or two-star hotel in Vilnius, such as the Mikotel in the Old Town.
Four-star options include Reval Hotel Lietuva, just to the north of the city centre, which has doubles from 69 euros/£55. Novotel Vilnius Hotel, in the heart of the city in Gedimino Avenue, has doubles from around 125 euros/£100.

THINGS TO SEE:
OLD TOWN: Vilnius has the largest Old Town in eastern Europe. This UNESCO World Heritage site containing breathtaking Baroque, Gothic and Classical architecture is worth exploring, and Pilies Street, the oldest street in the Old Town, is a good place to start.
Lithuania is famous for its amber and linen, widely sold in the Old Town. The Amber Museum-Gallery displays beautiful specimens, many of which include insects that were trapped during the amber's formation by the solidification of resin from the ancient pine forests of Scandinavia. Amber is dug from the bed of the Baltic (the Lithuanian coast is also known as the Amber Coast), and as well as jewellery and ornaments, it's even used in an alcoholic drink where the amber imparts its flavour - a true amber nectar.

MUSEUM OF GENOCIDE VICTIMS: A thought-provoking insight into the totalitarian Soviet regime is offered at the former KGB headquarters, now the Museum of Genocide Victims. The original cells (including a padded cell) have been preserved, offering a grim glimpse of the conditions in which political prisoners were imprisoned, interrogated and in many cases executed.

CHURCHES: With so many churches in Vilnius, it's hard to believe that this largely Catholic nation was the last pagan country in Europe. The bell tower of the city's cathedral is one of Vilnius's most recognisable landmarks. Outside the cathedral you can see a monument commemorating events in 1989 when a 600km human chain formed between Vilnius and the other Baltic capitals of Tallinn and Riga, demanding an end to Soviet rule. This act of defiance was dubbed the "singing revolution".

The Bernardine Church may be a working church, but it is in real need of interior renovation due to its use as a warehouse during the Soviet era. You can see the spaces behind the walls that were used to hide Jewish children during World War Two. In fact, before the war, Vilnius was often referred to as the "Jerusalem of the North" as about 100,000 of the city's population were Jewish. However, the Holocaust left only about 300 surviving.

The St Peter and St Paul Church has a stunning white interior, while an open confessional box might allow plenty of opportunity for eavesdropping on other people's secrets.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES: Vilnius has many museums and galleries, including the National Museum of Lithuania, which showcases the culture and history of the country. Galleries include the Contemporary Art Centre, which is the largest art centre in the Baltic States. For a complete list of museums, galleries and other places to visit, log on to www.vilnius-tourism.lt.

FOOD & DRINK:
Lithuanian cuisine is well worth a try. Zemaiciai, buried in cellars below Vokieciu Street, is a lovely place to eat. It offers traditional fare, including the bonkers Zeppelins (potato blimp-shaped dumplings filled with meat). Lithuanian men can eat seven, apparently, but you may just be alright with two - you certainly won't float away after a couple of these. Sorrel soup and carp are some of the other dishes, while black bread, knuckles and tongues are tastier than they sound. Starters/soups cost around £2 to 5, while main courses cost £7 to 15.

For a drink or two, you'll find plenty of atmospheric bars in the old town, especially along Pilies Street, from cosy and charming, such as Pilies Mene, through to lively and busy modern establishments. It is said you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but in Lithuania they do use them to make beer snacks. Forto Dvaras, also in Pilies Street, has such delicacies as smoked pig's ear and is a good place to stop on a pub crawl for a bite to eat. While out and about, try ordering a "metre of beer", a metre-long crate holding several glasses of beer - ideal for groups or very thirsty individuals. Meanwhile, the Skybar, on the 22nd floor of the Reval Hotel, offers cocktails and city views of the highest order.

DRUSKININKAI:
It's worth taking an excursion from Vilnius if time permits. Eighty miles away is Druskininkai, which has been a spa resort for more than 200 years. The number of spas in the town runs into double figures, and there are countless treatments available. You can be massaged, submerged in a mud bath, baked in a 90C sauna or near-frozen in a -160C cryogenic chamber, for instance.

A double room at the town's Spa Vilnius costs around £60, while a range of accommodation plus treatment packages are available from £50 per person.

Druskininkai Wellness Centre also offers a range of treatments, many of them water- or mud-based. You can also drink the natural spring water which gave the town its name (druska means salt). It's served either warm or cold and, despite the taste suggesting otherwise, is apparently good for you.

With its many waterslides, saunas and baths, another of the town's attractions, the Druskininkai Aqua Park, is better than your average leisure centre.

Spa treatment is of course hard work, so you can always treat yourself to dinner at Salt Blues restaurant at the Europa Royale Druskininkai Hotel, which does wonderful things with venison, pork, duck, salmon, tuna and the like. Main courses cost £5 to 10.

As industry has been restricted in the area, the air in Druskininkai is noticeably clean - you can really smell the forest here. The town is a great base for activities such as Nordic walking, hiking and cycling.

GRUTAS PARK: Just outside Druskininkai is Grutas Park, home to more than 80 sculptures of Lenin, Stalin and many other Soviet-era figures. You'll also find re-creations of a communist reading room and a gulag. The park was built by mushroom magnate and former wrestler Viliumas Malinauskas, who helped save the exhibits from destruction after independence.

The park's café offers a distinctly Soviet eating experience. For a couple of quid you can try delicacies such as marinated sprats, borscht (a simple but hearty soup of potatoes, meat, beetroot, and a dollop of cream), a breadcrumbed, processed meat dish called a "chop", buckwheat, thick berry juice, and of course vodka. It may be served with Soviet-era cutlery, and haute cuisine it ain't, but after the long walk among the statues you'll probably welcome it. It is, though, also the kind of grub that will make you appreciate just how far Lithuania has come in recent years. And there is a more capitalist menu also on offer.