‘Architectural gem’ named best destination for solo travellers

Solo travel can feel like a daunting experience and for many, the idea of a long and uncomfortable travel experience can be off-putting.

There can sometimes be a perception that you need to go further afield to try new tastes, engage in cultural activities, meet new like-minded people, discover stunning landscapes or even explore a country’s rich history.

However, it turns out that it is somewhere closer to home and Europe.

Lithuania meets all of those criteria and travellers won’t have to endure a long-haul flight. A solo travel adventure in a distant location like Australia or Thailand is an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Yet, these locations can take time to plan and once underway can often be quite a long and tiring process – especially when travelling by yourself. Meanwhile, for hidden gems like Lithuania, the time spent travelling is massively reduced with a flight to Lithuania taking less than three hours from the UK capital.

And with Vilnius Airport so close to the city centre, it takes just half an hour to arrive at the array of hotels and hostels, allowing solo travellers to make the most of their time and explore the heart of the city.

Another big deal breaker for people looking to start their solo travel adventure is making sure the location is safe and accessible to travel.

In Lithuania, no matter which option visitors choose for accommodation, they will always feel safe.

According to the Institute for Economics & Peace 2023 Global Peace Index, Lithuania has overtaken its close neighbours Latvia, Estonia and Poland for overall safety.

For those who want to fully immerse themselves in the Lithuanian culture and extend a trip to a longer-term option, plenty of choices are available.

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, let’s take a look at things to do there.

The old town is the top attraction to visit, according to travellers on TripAdvisor with an overall rating of 4.5.

One traveller said: “Loved walking around to see the charming old town and its establishments. My visit was in December during the Christmas season so the visit was extra special. Many good shops to visit and tasty food to try! Would definitely recommend it as there must be something for everyone.”

Another added: “Vilnius old town is an architectural gem. There are many styles but the stand out is the Baroque period of building. It’s fascinating to go from medieval to Baroque in the street and to have such a rich cultural history laid before you. Also, the terrain is undulating with some steep hills which gives it an other dimension.”

A third commented: “We explored the old town with a local expert, as part of an Insight Vacations ‘Northern Capitals’ tour. Lovely old buildings and so much history! Some of the shops are excellent for gifts etc, including amber. We had an excellent dinner at a local beer restaurant (also had other beverages) – most enjoyable!”

The second highest-rated attraction on the travel review site is the KGB Museum (Genocido Auku Muziejus).

It is a speciality museum which is dedicated to records detailing the 50-year period of Soviet occupation of Lithuania.

One traveller said: “This is a fairly small museum but is packed with information exposing some of the horrors of Lithuania’s past right up to the 1980’s. The price to enter was six euros per person and we easily spent 2.5 hours there.

“So much to read & look at but if you prefer you can pay for an audio tour which I believe was around 20 euros. Included in the price you can visit the cells & outdoor yard space downstairs, there were far more than I was expecting which gave a grim but interesting insight into what took place here.”

A second added: “What an experience. We didn’t really know much about the history of Lithuania and the Soviet Union and this was very informative and disturbing.”

Another commented: “We booked an English tour beforehand. We were so glad we did. The tour was just for the two of us and the guide was excellent. He answered all our questions and gave us a really comprehensive explanation of how the building was used by the KGB.”

Where to stay in Lithuania?

It’s easy to find an apartment or an entire cottage and a five-star hotel starts at just €150 (£) per night. Plus, Lithuania has an array of hostels to choose from.

The sun isn’t the only thing reflecting positive energy throughout summer in Lithuania. The locals also beam positivity so much so that Lithuania took the supreme spot for people under 30 in the annual World Happiness Report and placed 19th overall.

The people of Lithuania are incredibly proud of this achievement and strive to share their kindness and happiness with solo travellers looking to visit and discover the wonders of Lithuania and its culture.

How to get to Lithuania?

There are several UK airports which fly to Lithuania. From London, you can travel to Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga.

These are all direct flights which take around two hours and 45 minutes. On average these flights cost £57 with low-budget airlines including Wizz Air and Ryanair flying to Lithuania.

Meanwhile, in Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham and Edinburgh you have to catch a stop-over flight into London before heading to the Balkan country.