Travel Focus on Lithuania

Posted on February 3, 2010 by
id="attachment_13126" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 610px"> href="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Lithuania_m1.jpg"> class="size-full wp-image-13126" title="Lithuania's Trakai Island Castle" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Lithuania_m1.jpg" alt="Lithuania's Trakai Island Castle" width="610" height="250" /> class="wp-caption-text">Lithuania's Trakai Island Castle, dating back to the 14th Century

  /> Cheapflights recently released the third edition of its quarterly industry report, href="http://images.list.cheapflights.co.uk/pdf/PDF-LPUK-travelnomicsuk_1001.pdf">Travelnomics.

The report gives an insight into UK travel trends, with our latest issue focusing on ten of the destinations hardest hit by the economic downturn. This week we turn the spotlight on href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Lithuania/">Lithuania.

The Travelnomics of Lithuania

The first of the Baltic States to declare independence from the Soviets, Lithuania is a thriving European nation exuding cultural depth and history. Since its joining with the European Union in 2004 tourists from all over the world have flocked to this Baltic state to bask in its traditions and olde worlde beauty.

The gorgeous Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, is the home of the UNESCO listed Old Town and Athenian influenced cathedral. The bustling city also plays host to stag and hen weekends as well as the annual Vilnius Jazz festival and Kaziuko mugė (folk fair), so there’s no wonder the City was named as the European Capital of the year in 2009.

With a variety of architectural beauties, religious sites and galleries, including the ancient castle and Hill of crosses, it is easy to get lost in the atmosphere of the former capital Kaunas.

Known to be the last European nation to convert to Christianity, it was also the home of over 250,000 Jews during the Holocaust, most of whom were captured during the Final Solution. It is now predominantly Catholic with numerous cathedrals and cemeteries as well as other significant Jewish and Christian sites for all to see.

Top 5 attractions in Lithuania

id="attachment_13152" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"> href="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/grutas-Parak.jpg"> class="size-full wp-image-13152" title="Grutas Park" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/grutas-Parak.jpg" alt="Grutas Park" width="160" height="240" /> class="wp-caption-text">Grutas Park

  1. Lithuania, like many Eastern European countries, struggled with both Soviet and Nazi occupation throughout its existence. Since shaking themselves free of this repressed history, the Lithuanian people created Grutas Park as a form of mockery to their former leaders. Located in Drusininkai, the park is a sculpture garden with numerous Soviet-era sculptures depicting Stalin, Marx and Lenin as well as Soviet ideologies. The park also has a mini-zoo and a children’s playground made with Soviet relics. It occasionally even has re-enactments of the Soviet Union’s notorious festivals.
  2. 90% of the world’s Amber is found in the Baltic region, and the yellowy substance is widely considered Lithuania’s gemstone. Believed to be the tears of the Goddess Jurate or the fragments of a shattered under-water palace, the fossilised tree resin is held in high regard and is supposed to be of the best quality in the world. Don’t fly home without a souvenir or two.
  3. Ice-fishing is not something very many travellers seek cheap flights to Lithuania for, but in a land of over 3,000 lakes it’s a very popular pastime. Lake Galve in the Trakai region is an idyllic setting. There is a sturdy red-roofed castle on an island in the middle of the lake. Situated about 29km (18 miles) from Vilnius, all you’ll need to bring is a milking stool to sit on, an ice drill and a rod and reel.
  4. The Corunian Spit which almost bridges Kaliningrad to the Lithuanian mainland, is a thin strip of land laying claim to Europe’s highest sand dunes. Nida, a holiday resort that was once home to Thomas Mann (author of the trilogy ‘Joseph and his brothers’), offers a quiet recluse on these ever shifting sands.
  5. Within the Old Town of Vilnius is the Republic of Uzupis, a small state independent of Lithuania with its own President, flag and even an army (approx 12 men). Popular with artists, the area is well worth a visit.

href="http://twitter.com/Cheapflights_uk"> title="You should follow Cheapflights on Twitter" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/twitter-cheapflights.jpg" alt="Cheapflights on Twitter" />To keep up with the Lithuania related fun, follow us on href="http://twitter.com/Cheapflights_uk" target="_blank">Twitter

href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/twittertravelphotography/"> src="/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/cheapflights-flickr2.jpg" alt="" /> Images provided by Flickr user href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/schlaeger/" target="_blank">Schlaeger, and href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenhannink/">Steven Hannink

Resources

title="Further reading on Cheapflights" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cheapflights-resources.gif" alt="Cheap flights Resources" /> Further reading on Cheapflights.co.uk: href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/Lithuania/">Flights to Lithuania, href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Lithuania/">Lithuania Travel Guide, href="http://images.list.cheapflights.co.uk/pdf/PDF-LPUK-travelnomicsuk_1001.pdf">Travelnomics Report

href="http://images.list.cheapflights.co.uk/pdf/PDF-LPUK-travelnomicsuk_1001.pdf"> title="Travel Resources" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/travel-resources.gif" alt="travel Resources" /> Other websites: href="http://en.litauen-netz.de/">Lithuania’s Cuisine, href="http://www.lithuaniatourism.co.uk/">Lithuania’s Tourist Office