Kaunas Tourism

Kaunas

Kaunas, the second largest Lithuania‘s city, which keeps the authentic spirit of the country‘s national character alive. The city is located at the confluence of the two largest Lithuanian rivers, surrounded by the hills and situated at the crossroads of the most important roads in Lithuania. Due to its geographical position, today, Kaunas is Lithuania‘s most important center of communication.

It is a home of a variety of festivals & events, from operettas to modern dance, from classical music to Jazz. Kaunas was chosen as the European Capital of Culture 2022. And as a Capital of Culture 2022 Kaunas is changing: from the TEMPORARY CAPITAL to CONTEMPORARY. The city is famous for its Interwar architecture which was awarded the European Heritage label and is on its way to UNESCO. Kaunas is the only city in the world where so much of the style of the buildings has survived to the present day.

Kaunas is colorful city, famous by its street art, with probably the only square in the world that you can‘t get into - George Maciunas square, inspired by FLUXUS movement. Green streets, tree–lined avenues and wide–open squares create surroundings to match everybody’s moods.

Highlights

A. Aleksandravičius

Kaunas Castle

The castle at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers was built in the 14th century to defend against the onslaught of crusaders. This is not only one of the first stone castles in Lithuania, but also the only one that has two rows of defensive walls. A settlement that grew into the current city was created around the Gothic defenses.

A. Aleksandravičius

Kaunas Town Hall and Square

Today, the town hall square is full of happily married couples, tourists and passers-by. This is where significant concerts take place, and, in wintertime, it’s home to the Christmas Market. In Medieval times, this was the primary market of Kaunas, with its peak time on Tuesdays. Everyone could trade here, so merchants would flock from all over the region.

A. Aleksandravičius

The house of Perkūnas (Thunder House)

One of the oldest and definitely the most impressive example of secular Gothic architecture in the city is the House of Perkūnas, named after the Pagan god of thunder. It was once the residence of the Burgermeister. The house is open for public and, among other activities, invites one to try out Medieval fashion and learn some dance moves.