Kaunas
Save34 hand-picked places in 10 lists. Tick the categories you want to see on the map.
Only have a day? See 2 ready-made day plans ↓10 places on the map
Top 10
- 1
Old Town square with the white Town Hall known as the White Swan.
- Tip: At night
3 tips
- Start your Old Town walk here
- Cafes line the square
- Pretty when lit at night
📷 Photos
- 2
Medieval castle near the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris.
3 tips
- Free to see outside
- Short walk from the square
- Check museum hours
📷 Photos
- 3
Largest Gothic church in Lithuania, in the Old Town.
3 tips
- Look at the ornate interior
- Free to enter
- Respect services
📷 Photos
- 4
Long pedestrian boulevard lined with cafes, shops and interwar buildings.
3 tips
- Perfect for a long stroll
- Plenty of cafes
- Look at the interwar architecture
📷 Photos
- 5
Large interwar church overlooking the city from a hillside.
- Tip: Sunset
3 tips
- Take the lift to the rooftop
- Great views over Kaunas
- Visit around sunset
📷 Photos
- 6
Historic funicular up the Žaliakalnis hill with city views.
- Tip: Sunset
3 tips
- Cheap ride
- Views over the city
- Visit at sunset
📷 Photos
- 7
Baroque monastery and church by Kaunas Reservoir.
3 tips
- Take bus or taxi
- Check tour times
- Beautiful lakeside setting
📷 Photos
- 8
Fortress turned memorial museum for Holocaust and Soviet victims.
3 tips
- Allow a few hours
- Take a bus or taxi
- Powerful and sombre visit
📷 Photos
- 9
Quirky museum of devil figures collected by painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius.
3 tips
- Allow about an hour
- Part of the Čiurlionis museum
- Take the funicular nearby
📷 Photos
- 10
Square at the end of the main boulevard with the Freedom Monument.
3 tips
- Open and photogenic
- Near Laisvės alėja
- Often hosts events
📷 Photos
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Before you go: Kaunas tips
Transportation
- Use trolleybuses and buses: Kaunas public transport is cheap and frequent; buy e-tickets in the Žiogas app or pay contactless where available.
- Ride the funiculars: the historic Aleksotas and Žaliakalnis funiculars are both transport and attraction, with great views of the old town.
- Walk Laisvės alėja: the long pedestrian boulevard links the new town with the old town, so most sights are walkable.
Security
- Enjoy a safe city: Kaunas is generally very safe; usual care with bags in nightlife areas and at the bus station is enough.
- Check bar bills: as in many cities, make sure prices are on the menu and avoid overly friendly strangers inviting you to specific bars.
- Use licensed taxis or apps: Bolt is widely used and gives fixed prices, avoiding disputes with unmarked cars.
Saving
- Eat dienos pietūs: many cafes offer a lunch of the day set menu on weekdays, an easy way to eat well for less.
- Walk the street art: the old town and new town murals, including the famous Wise Old Man, are free to explore.
- Visit free churches and parks: the Cathedral Basilica, Santaka Park and Ąžuolynas oak park cost nothing to enjoy.
Weather/Clothing
- Bundle up in winter: Kaunas winters are cold and snowy, so pack a warm coat, hat, gloves and waterproof boots.
- Bring layers in summer: days can be warm and pleasant, but evenings cool off and showers are common; carry a light jacket.
- Wear comfy shoes: old town streets are cobbled, so supportive walking shoes make sightseeing much easier.
Cultural
- Try cepelinai: these big potato dumplings with meat filling and sour cream sauce are Lithuania's signature comfort food.
- Explore interwar modernism: Kaunas was the temporary capital and its modernist architecture is UNESCO-listed; look for walking tours.
- Bring flowers in odd numbers: if invited to a home, an odd number of flowers is customary; even numbers are for funerals.
Local Hacks
- Sip šaltibarščiai: in summer, order the bright pink cold beet soup, a local favourite served with hot potatoes.
- Visit the Devils Museum: this quirky collection of devil figures is a beloved Kaunas oddity worth an hour.
- Day trip to the Ninth Fort: the memorial and museum on the city edge is a sobering, important visit reachable by bus.
1-day itineraries in Kaunas
Only have a day? Each one keeps you in one area, from morning to late afternoon, with lunch nearby.
Day 1 of 2
Unity Square and around
🕘 9:30–17:00📍 6 stops
- 1Unity Square
- 2Central Post Office
- 3St. Michael the Archangel Church
- 4Žaliakalnis Funicular
- 5Devils' Museum
- and 1 more
Day 2 of 2
Laisvės alėja and around
🕘 9:30–16:45📍 6 stops
- 1Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery
- 2Laisvės alėja
- 3State Musical Theatre
- 4Town Hall Square
- 5Perkūnas House
- and 1 more