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.

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.

Following pick-up from your hotel or apartment in central Vilnius, drive to the Paneriai Memorial Park, built at the site of the Ponary massacre where up to 100,000 people were murdered by the Germans during World War II. Pay your respects to the fallen heroes and see historic photographs and documents that detail the tragedy.  Move on to the former medieval residence of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes at Trakai. Take a guided tour of the legendary castle and learn more about the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during its golden age. See historical artifacts inside the fortress, built on an island on beautiful Lake Galvė.  Enjoy up to an hour of free time to explore on your own and purchase souvenirs, or use the time to taste some traditional dishes from Lithuania and of the Jewish Karaite faith at your own expense. Drive back to Vilnius and get dropped off at your hotel or apartment on arrival.

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.

Your private tour will start from Vilnius, where you and your group will first head to the open-air museum in Rumsiskes, a Lithuanian country-life museum with open-air expositions. Here you can explore dwelling houses and economic buildings, from different regions in Lithuania.  After lunch, the tour continues to Kaunas, the second largest town in Lithuania, and the temporal capital of the country between the first and second world wars. The oldest part of Kaunas city is the Old Town, located to the east where the Nemunas and Neris rivers join. During the tour, you will visit most of the sites in the Old Town, including Kaunas Castle, St. George Church, Town Hall Square, the Jewish Quarter, and the Cathedral.  The tour will finish at Pazaislis Monastery -a unique baroque monument, considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of mature baroque in Northern and Eastern Europe, and distinguished by the quality of its art.

After pick-up from accommodation in Vilnius start the tour with Paneriai memorial park, where thousands of Lithuanian Jews were killed. Learn about the Paneriai or Ponary massacre where up to 100,000 people were murdered by German SD, SS and Lithuanian Nazi collaborators during World War II. After the tour of the park visit Trakai castle, once a major centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and where today you can see one of Europe's most beautiful castles on the island in the lake. Here you will have the chance to have lunch in a traditional Karaim restaurant or enjoy a boat trip around the lake. After Trakai visit the first capital of Lithuania, Kernavė. Kernavė is highly significant in Lithuanian history and boasts five hill forts and historic churches. A Lithuanian state cultural reserve was established in Kernavė in 1989 and it was in 2004 that Kernavė Archaeological Site was included into the UNESCO world heritage list. After enjoying this site you will be returned to your accomodation in Vilnius.