Sunday, September 25, 2011

Amazing Lithuania


Before, I never heard about Lithuania, I just knew this country from a friend of mine who live in this country.  Because of him I was able to know the Secret of this place….Lithuania.

Lithuania
Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is located along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, and across the Baltic Sea to the west lie Sweden and Denmark. It shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and a Russian exclave (Kaliningrad Oblast ) to the southwest. Lithuania has an estimated population of 3.2 million as of 2011, and its capital and largest city is Vilnius. Lithuania is famously known for the amount of churches and sacred sites. The country has strong Russian and German influences that can be appreciated in places.

Vilnius, The Capital City

Vilnius is the most enthralled place you should visit in Lithuania. Situated at the confluence of the rivers Neris and Vilnia, the capital of Lithuania is one of the most visited cities in Eastern Europe. The Vilnius Old Town – a Baroque masterpiece as they say – was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. Vilnius has long been called Little Rome, North Athens or North Jerusalem. Approximately 40 churches of various architectural styles stand here, and some authentic buildings with Gothic, Renaissance or Classical features have survived. Vilnius though it is the city, you can still find a lot of remarkable places to visit.


Kaunas
Kaunas is the second largest city and one of the top eastern European cities to visit, and it's just 90 minutes drive west of Vilnius drive. Kaunas is a great destination if you’re planning on doing a day trip from Vilnius, though the city is also an excellent place to base your vacation in Lithuania. Old City of Kaunas has many significant architecture and historical monuments. In the confluence of Nemunas and Neris stands Kaunas Castle. From City Hall to center of the city stretches Vilniaus street intended for pedestrians, whereby it is very comfortable to reach in all Lithuania famous Freedom Avenue (lith. Laisvės Alėja).

Trakai
Trakai happens to be one of the most stunning places in Lithuania; it’s on the edge of a vast lake that contains quite a number of small islands.  You see many sailing and motor boats, as well as all the cafes and restaurants you’d expect for a town that draws tourists in like a magnet.  Its showpiece however, is its Island Castle, dating to the 14th Century. The castle is made of red brick and takes up almost the entirety of the island upon which it sits.  It’s really a very gorgeous site, no doubt largely due to the fact that it was rebuilt from rubble during the 20th Century; however it does give a very good sign to how the castle initially looked.
Curonian Spit

Curonian Spit is a narrow strip (maximum width is 3,8 km) of sand stretching 97 kilometers along the Baltic Sea. The eastern shores of the Curonian Spit are washed by the Curonian Lagoon, while the Baltic Sea washes the western shores. Curonian Spit is also a great place for bird watchers, because migration routes run through the Curonian Spit.  They said that once you visit the Curonian Spit in spring and you’ll be amazed to see flocks of birds coming back to Lithuania.

There are still a lot of great places you can visit in Lithuania, too many to see and not too hard to find. All you have to do is to have someone with you who lives in the country or maybe find a tourist guide to guide you to all this magnificent places. Good for me, I have a friend who show me this wonderful place. Thanks to you Laurynas!