Depart Vilnius, and then journey by air-conditioned minibus to the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the pretty lakeside town of Trakai. Listen to an informative audio commentary on the 28-kilometer (17-mile) journey, and then get 2.5 hours to explore the historic Old Town at leisure.  See the amazing Insular Castle and well-preserved ruins of Peninsula Castle, constructed in the 14th century before falling into disrepair in the 17th century. Rebuilt after World War II, Insular Castle is now considered a major landmark of Lithuania. Learn about the small ethnic Karaites people who settled in Trakai, along with the Tartars, Russians, Jews and Poles who followed. Enjoy panoramic views of Lake Galvė - the deepest of the region’s 200 lakes - before your return journey to Vilnius.

Enjoy an amazing half-day tour of Trakai, traveling by air-conditioned minibus from the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, with an English-speaking guide. Located just 17 miles (28 kilometers) from Vilnius, the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is situated in a picturesque lakeside area, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country. Upon arrival, explore the historic town and well preserved ruins of the Peninsula Castle, set on its own island in Lake Galvė. Constructed in the 14th century, the castle was once of extreme strategic importance, falling into disrepair in the 17th century. Reconstructed according to its 15th century plan after World War 2, it’s now a major landmark of Lithuania. Learn about the small ethnic Karaites group who settled in Trakai, along with Tartars, Russians, Jews, and Poles, and get panoramic views of Lake Galvė, the deepest of the region’s 200 lakes.

Explore Vilnius Jewish heritage history by car, with an English-speaking guide. Discover the history of the Jewish life from the times it was Jewish spiritual center in Eastern Europe in the 18th century, till todays reality, with proud and sad story's and destiny's. Your rich of experience tour will go trough the Old town of Vilnius, all 3 former and existing Jewish cemetery's (grave of Gaon de Vilna), Jewish labor camp, Jewish Cultural Centre, The Paneriai memorial park. Full list of visited sites: Small ghetto Great ghetto Vilnius Choral Synagogue Jewish labour camp Monument to Zemach Shabad Jewish Culture center Secret hiding place in the old basement Place of the Great Synagogue Monument to Vilna Gaon Courtyard of the Judenrat Plate on Jewish street Monument of the former Jewish cemetery Uzupis Jewish cemetery Existing Jewish cemetery and Gaon de Vilna grave C. Sugihara Sherry garden Memorial museum of Paneriai (Ponar massacre)

Once you are picked up by your guide at your accommodation, you will head to Gediminas tower in Vilnius to take a look at the Old Town of Vilnius. Later you will take a stroll in the Old Town. Then you will head to Kernave, the first Lithuanian capital, located 40 minutes drive from Vilnius. Upon reaching Kernave (a medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and today a tourist attraction and an archaeological site) you will explore 5 hill forts, archaeology museum and hand-made souvenirs shop. Afterwards you will head to Trakai. Trakai prides a magical castle, located on an island. You will be able to visit castle museum, to take a boat trip (additional charge), and have lunch in traditional restaurant owned by the Karaim family. After lunch you will head back to Vilnius, where you will do some more sightseeing in the Old Town

Vilnius is a beautiful city, renowned for it's green spaces and Baroque architecture. It is also a very old city with lots of history, which nuances are best presented by a local Lithuanian. We recommend starting your tour where the history of the city began 10,000 years ago at the Cathedral Square. Other meeting points in the Old town would also work, however this one is recommended. Walking through important buildings, streets and other objects you will find out how Lithuania emerged from the swamps to become a self-sufficient country, how it came to its fall, what was the situation during the Soviet occupation and what the situation is now.

This full-day tour starts at 09.00 AM when you’re picked up at your centrally located Vilnius Hotel. After about an hour’s drive you’ll reach the Ukmergė District, stopping at a park established to remember those who fought against the Soviet regime. You’ll see crosses dedicated to the partisans, to the most important dates of Lithuanian history and to famous individuals, such as Pope John Paul II and US President Ronald Reagan. Learn about the symbolism of the cross in Lithuanian culture and history. Continue to the Siauliai area, where you’ll visit the Hill of Crosses, one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in Lithuania. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant and taste traditional Lithuanian dishes. After lunch you’ll head back to Vilnius arriving at around 5:00-6:00 PM.

Starting from Vilnius the tour will take you to the north of Lithuania where you will find Siauliai city and the famous Hill of Crosses. Siauliai is the fourth largest city in Lithuania.   During the drive through the center, there will be a chance to see the famous Frenkel Villa, Church of St. Peter and Paul and meet the Millenium Fox and Golden Archer of the Sundial.  The famous Hill of Crosses will be your next stop, where the Pope John Paul II held the most highly attended mass in our country – during his visit to Lithuania in 1993. This old mound from the days of the crusaders has been decorated with thousands of crosses in every imaginable size and form. This has always been, as it is now, a place of pilgrimage. Today a veritable sea of crosses – hundreds of thousands of them – serves as a monument to Lithuanians’ devotion to their religion. You will learn about the cross making craft - one of the most unique Lithuanian crafts, included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. After the visit in the Hill of Crosses, it is possible to stop for lunch in a traditional restaurant before making your way back to the capital city, Vilnius.

Explore Vilnius by air-conditioned minibus, with an English-speaking guide, and discover the history of the Jews in the city as you travel through the former ghettos along Žemaitijos Street, discover the Vilnius Choral Synagogue, and go to the Jewish cemetery. The story can be traced back to the 13th century. In folklore Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews) were known for their love of education, no-nonsense straight-talk, and sardonic wit. They first settled in Vilna, as the capital was and still is known in Jewish culture, from around the time of its founding in 1323. By the 18th century, Vilna had become the world capital of traditional religious (Talmudic) learning, and was often referred to as the Jerusalem of Lithuania. Towering over the many great Jewish figures the city has produced is the Talmudic leader, Gaon of Vilna. Some 94 percent of the Litvaks perished in the Holocaust, the highest percentage of genocide in Europe. Today, a small community of around 5,000 Litvaks make bold efforts to maintain their heritage.

Discover Vilnius through the eyes of a local on a private, customized walking tour. Meet your host at your hotel or Airbnb to get familiar with your neighborhood and learn where the best places to buy groceries or eat out are located. Your local guide is passionate about their city and eager to share all the tips and tricks to help you make the most of your stay. Upon booking, a representative will get in touch to confirm all details and ask you some questions to get to know you better to assign the right local host, based on your interests. Learn about the easiest ways to get around, hear about the top things to see and do, and chat about life in the city with someone who lives there. Each tour is completely unique and you can choose the meeting point, start time, and length that you prefer. Feel more comfortable navigating your way around on your own, confident that you have all the information you need.

During this private day tour you will be able to explore the most interesting sites in the surrounding areas of Vilnius. The tour will start from Paneriai memorial park, where thousands of Jews from Wilna were killed.  The Paneriai or Ponary massacre was the mass murder of up to 100,000 people by German SD, SS and Lithuanian Nazi collaborators, during World War II. The murders took place between July 1941 and August 1944 near the railway station of Ponary, now known as Paneriai, a suburb of what is today Vilnius, Lithuania. After the tour in the park, you will head to the second capital of Lithuania, where today you can see the most beautiful castle, on the island in the lake. Here, you have the possibility to enjoy lunch in traditional Karaim restaurant or take boat trip around the lake. After, the group will head to the temporal capital of Lithuania - Kaunas, which is second largest town in Lithuania today. You will also visit Pazaislis monastery. After this, you will head back to your accomodation in Vilnius.