What a place! A (slightly off the beaten track) tour of Lithuania's capital Vilnius on its birthday.
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- čas přidán 10. 02. 2023
- At last I complete my tour of the Baltic capitals with a fun day in Vilnius, Lithuania, a city I stumble into on its BIRTHDAY! It was totally unplanned wander, so join me to see what I find in surely one of my favourite cities to date...
Filmed on Wednesday 25th January 2023.
Hi, I’m Steve, a travel reviewer from Scotland. Join me on my adventures as I discover my own country, often visiting places for the first time, so hopefully it's as much of an eye-opener for you as it is for me! Don't expect expert opinion, just a very honest journey of discovery. Sometimes featuring my intrepid sidekick Alicja, sometimes featuring adventures beyond the borders of Scotland. Enjoy!
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#Vilnius #Lithuania #SteveMarsh
I'm sure Steve books his trips by looking at the weather, if he finds somewhere thats as cold, wet, snowy and Grey as Scotland, he books his ticket.
Nowhere like home :D
If you live at 61 degrees north, even Steve's destinations seem warm and exotic. I love them.
I want Steve to do a weekend in Easterhouse or Govan in the style of Bold and Bankrupt.
LOL 😂🤣
😂
I visited Vilnius last summer. I expected nothing - and fell in love with the city. It felt so calm and yet alive, wasn't overrun by tourists but still super guest friendly. Unfortunately I only had two days there but I will certainly get back soon since the city found its way into my heart.
The city's tourism board created the motto "Sorry if the Vilnius you see beats the Vilnius you imagined" - and it is so damn fitting.
Baltics need to be visited during Summer time :) Towns look different and vibrant, green lakes and nature, sandy seashores :)
Oh I believe it and would love to go back (but winter is also my favourite season) :)
Totally agree. Summer brings totally different atmosphere to Baltic states.
@@steve-marsh yes, during late autumn and winter our cities looks quite dark and depressing; the best time to visit Lithuania is from May till September: then our cities looks 50% better - a lot of happy people on the streets, vibrant and colourful!
From hot hot hot Australia I loved this video. So nice you commented on and respected the history. How wonderful to go out at night and the crowd is calm and normal, that sure beats drunk, drugged & aggressive.
Watching this video in Cumbernauld. Not sure if I'm proud or insulted 🤣!
Thank you, Steve. Such a nice video about my home town. You even got my performance at the 700 anniversary show (i'm the guy with the wolf mask) :)
Come back in May or the end of August, beginning of September - these are the best months to visit Vilnius. Cheers.
I can't believe it! Wow thank you so much for your comment!!!! Loved your city and your concert, all the best to you and I can't wait to return :)
Mamontovas opa
you forgot to add "I am famous here"
I was in Vilnius a few months ago. The museum was so moving. You went in at the side, but on the front of the building, the names of partisans who died in that building are carved on the stones.
Very moving indeed. Yeah I passed by and took a good few minutes just to read some of the names. I could barely pronounce some of them, but they deserved to be spoken out-loud still.
Oh my, you got to Vinius on serious powerful overcast day! What a dreadful weather.
The brutalist Sports Palace will be completely renovated. During last 20 years couple of new modern Sports Arenas were build so the brutalist palace won't be a sport venue but an Exhibition Palace. It also stands on old Jewish cemetery, which Soviets buried under concrete and tarmac. It will be opened again as a memorial.
The old trolley buses actually - surprisingly - not Soviet made! (as everyone thinks). They are Škoda! Not many of them left and this is last year we see them. 70% of trolleys already brand new, more on the way before 2024. Trolley buses are very specific vehicle, it is hard to replace them because there aren't too many producers. That is why they keep portion of them still running. No one hates them (even locals).
P. S. You missed 95% of the main touristy sightseeings. No one who has one day in here goes to see Sport Palace, concrete apartment blocks or palace of weddings😁 Vilnius has Unesco Heritage Old Town which happens to be the largest in Eastern Europe. Also Vilnius is the greenest capital of Europe (officially) - three quaters of city's 401 sq km area are forests and parks. Only 100 sq km is build up.
Hi Steve
The Baltic countries are something I don't usually see in travel vlogs , so thankyou for showing us around
Hey you're very welcome Heather!
@Heather Truskinge Actually there are a lot of proper travel blogs about the stunning & beautiful Baltic countries-the greenest in Europe where 50% of the country are forests, lots of rivers, lakes & hundreds of miles with white sanded beaches along the Baltic sea. Rich culture & history, old castles, palaces & mansions, cozy small towns, all 3 capitals Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn are cities from the UNESCO World Heritage list, good food, cozy atmospheric cafes, pubs, restaurants, parks, museums I could go on and on...those countries, cities are worth to be properly explored, such 1 day pop up in a city shows very little. Better of course is to come during summertime, late spring, or early fall to enjoy those countries for the best.
@@starvid1310 unfortunately I am not able to travel much, so I content myself with watching travel vlogs of others.
I grew up in Cumbernauld and now live in east Berlin. The concrete here makes me feel quite at home 😊 Thanks for the Vilnius tips!
Haha love it Lucie!
What's it called?
So uplifting to see a litter free place. I hope that catches on in the UK.
Ha if only eh! Very respectful people there, something we appear to have lost long ago!
well we have tons of problems, but littering especially in big cities and old town is very low, we recycle, we have tons of recycle bins around, to throw something in city centre would be nasty. but we have some forests where assholes put old tires and other crap, same in our rivers sadly ;\ i guess in uk its diferent cause you have so many emigrants from africa, middle east, asia where littering is normal
Wait a sec, I thought UK was pretty clean.
Vilnius is more fun in spring and summer. Had the pleasure of being guided by some Lithuanians. They were lovely. They even took us to Grūtas Park where Bald and Bankrupt would have loads of fun.
Oh I fancy going there, but I've heard there's no access now. But locals would know the way, you were lucky!
@SteveMarsh I have fond memories of Vilnius and seeing your tour through the city was a walk through Memory Lane. Thank you very much... If it is Soviet-Style architecture you're after go to Berlin. You can see the Stalinist appartements on Karl-Marx-Allee or Cafe Moskau. Remnants of pre-war Berlin can been seen in Köpenick or Spandau. The city centre of Berlin is very modern due to neglect after WW2 and it was a revenge for not voting Communist in 1946.
@@adema1978glad Berlin got rid of the nasty communist heritage, at least to some extent. Communism - you people never had it, and that explains why you are intrigued by it, but in reality communism is cancer. Nothing nice about it, not a single thing.
I'm ashamed to say that before this video I knew nothing about Vilnius.
After your excellent commentary and sense of adventure, I'm now rather taken with the place!.
Cheers Thomas! Would love to return in summer too!
Even though I'm not a fan of Brutalism, that concert and sports hall had a kind of beauty and it would be a real shame if it was pulled down. Vilnius looked terrific and I'm so glad you took us along.
I remember day sporto rumai was working, 4000 reivers on weekends.It’s should be renovated but covid later war something around 2025 will be finished or started
Thanks for coming!
They already pulled down a few soviet buildings around. Like old stadium with decorative columns, pool with ornamentation. This one might survive, but still unclear.
Steve is not about tourist attractions. He shows us the normal with loving eyes. Thanks.😊
That fella looks like Tony Soprano from the TV seriell The Sopranos.Thanks for the nice video.😄😄
Spot on! You got it! :)
Your trip brings back memories. I visited Vilnius for work in February/March 2007 and the temperature was around -10°C but it did get down to -18°C with lots of snow so you were fortunate with the weather. I was wondering if you would visit the KGB museum - I didn't know it had another name. I started chatting to one of the staff and he immediately said "You're from Scotland" and I'm thinking "How do you know that. Are you ex-KGB?" Paranoid or what. It is certainly an interesting place. The old town is wonderful and some of the churches are fantastic.
For great views I visited the TV tower which is out in the western suburbs. I also went to Trakai castle which is about 30km from Vilnius. Well worth a visit.
I hope to revisit one day during the summer.
Oof loads of reasons to go back! Hope you do too!
As a Lithuanian i can say Lithuania is at its best in summer, our architecture is interesting and all, but our nature is our pride and joy, we also have a quite long one at least compared to Finland where its be nicest day of the year, we are lucky enough to sometimes get a full week!
I'd love to return and see the contrast!
@@steve-marsh It would be a lot more green and sometimes sunny, while often being hot as balls. Really, it's not too different from Southern European country temperatures during summer, except without many air conditioners.
Thanks for showing us Vilnius. I went there a few times some years ago. Another fun place to visit in the city is the "Republic of Uzupis" a small area of town over the small Vilna river. It has declared itself a separate Republic(!) with its own motto; if I remember rightly something like "Where a dog is allowed to be a dog!" Shades of "Passport to Pimlico" (Look it up!)
Oh i fancied it but ran out of time! Next time for sure :)
I love Pimlico (if you mean an area in Central London)! 😍
Vilnius! Such a lovely city, filled with lovely people and a tragic history that they have overcome without forgetting. I hope to return one day!💛💚♥
I love this. Just jumping on a bus having a wander. Choosing not to film in the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights was very respectful. Also…trolley buses are very cool!
Cheers Tim! So glad I got onto one of those trolley buses by the end of the day!
Have a wander next time to Užupis, just to the east of the Old Town over the Vilnia River - a self-proclaimed Republic full of arty quirks and quirky artists!
I was tempted but just didn't have time in the end - many reasons to return!
Beautiful ♥️ city enjoying fr jamaica 🇯🇲🌞🏖️😎
Cheers for tuning in from so far away Clive!
The Lithuanian beer is very nice. You should be able to get it in eastern European shops in the uk
Oh good shout!
What a beautiful architectural city! I guess that brutalist architecture was built by the former imperialist power that ruled over them. I can't blame them for knocking them down. Those electric trolley buses were all that Edinburgh needed to do rather than buying that overpriced tram system they bought into! Thanks for another great video Steve!
Aye very true Stuart!
i’ve actually haven’t been to Lithuania yet, but i have planned to visit it this summer
Please do!!! :)
Loved the intro there Steve 👍 I must get back to Lithuania, I only went as far as Vilnius Airport and managed to get stuck airside for about 5 hours which doesn’t really count as having visited the country I don’t think! You’ve given me some great ideas and an excuse to go back properly. Cheers 😊
Cheers Mark! Not always the easiest airport to get to, but I’ve just realised I can fly to Kaunas quite easily from Edinburgh, so that might be my next venture into the Baltics!
I've been to a basketball game at the sports Palace in 96. I also had my stag at a Lithuania -Scotland game at the football stadium nearby. That was in September 98.
Man I'm genuinely jealous!
@SteveMarsh We will be over there in September for our silver wedding. We usually fly into Riga as it is closer to my wife's hometown. Vilnius is about 4 -5 hours by bus from there but Riga is about 1.5 hours.
Some other good places to visit in Vilnius could be Lukiškės prison, the green lakes, Uźupis, the outdoor markets, the TV tower and memorial, the gates of dawn, Vingio parkas, and all the pubs amongst others.
Thanks Steve, it was nice watch your trip to Vilnius !!
Actually been looking forward to this. Never really thought much of the Baltic cities and countries but intrigued by them thanks to your videos.
Thanks again, Steve.
Thanks very much! I hope the video doesn’t disappoint! Have a great weekend :)
The Palace of Concerts and Sports is build on old Jewish cemetery. I'm from Lithuania. I lived 1 year in Glasgow. So nice to hear proper Scot. Greetings from Lithuania.
Thanks for this :)
that was cool. At least you didn't get off at the wrong stop and get lost in a forest. I know that was a wee while ago and I'm sorry to go on about it but it still terrifies me! I don't travel mate, I stay home so it's lovely to watch your videos and watch somebody else travel and I can view your adventures second hand.
Oh I'll never live that one down mate :D
Currently planning a tour of the Baltic nations in September. Currently thinking 3 days in Vilnius, which will give me time to just wander around which I like to do but also gives me a day trip to Kaunas. Will definitely check out the museum, sounds interesting.
Good plan mate, and I'd love to go to Kaunas too, heard great things about it!
I absolutely adore brutalist architecture so would love to visit here, definitely now on the list. Thanks for taking us out to the suburbs as well, nice to see the Wester Hailes of Lithuania.
It's a great place I was there a couple of years ago a bus pass was €5 a day I found a great market on route 53 there is a good hotel just opposite the train station from there you travel anywhere bus terminus as well go there in the summer you can't go wrong
I need to go back again and explore some more :)
Thanks a million for the tour of Vilnius, very interesting. One of my roommates in Seattle was from Lithuania, one very kind, warm and friendly lady. She shared some of that great Lithuanian beer with me, give it a try if you ever can.
I can’t believe I still haven’t tried their beer!!!
Vilnius is a great place to visit and so is Kaunas too! I go shopping in Vilnius, regularly, as it's close to home in Minsk. Except for the border.
Nice shopping trip John!
Thank you very much for this informative video. We are going to Vilnius next week.
Last year we visited Riga and next year we hope to visit Tallin.
Greetings from Denmark.
🇱🇹 🇬🇧 🇩🇰
'Getting lost is part of the adventure' - I bet that's NOT what you thought when you got off the train at the wrong station in the snow the other week! Quite like that Palace of Concerts & Sports...well, not like it, but admire it!
Haha I'll never live that one down mate :)
I thought for a moment they were choosing their entry for this year's Eurovision Song Contest......LOL. From watching your video, didn't seem to recall seeing any litter at all. Nice to see a nation who take pride in their surroundings, so refreshing to see and the architecture there wasn't bad either was it.
SO true mate!
Lithuania 👍👍👍
Great wee visit Steve. Some nice buildings and pity you could not get in the tower with its handy railway. Not sure I share your views of good concrete buildings but maybe you grew up with it! I suspect the bus took you to the old soviet era flats which all the baltic states ended up with on the outskirts of their cities. Same in tallinn which is my favourite for its wonderful old town and big square in the middle. I did worry when you got lost in the woods again. Remember when that last happened? 🥵
Haha will I ever learn! :D
The castle tower on the mound is beautiful
A stunning place eh!
I'm totally with you on Brutalist architecture, Steve. I grew up in Harlow in Essex, one of the London orbital New Towns, which also was the site of the first residential tower block in the UK. Much of the town centre has been redeveloped but there are still a handful of great examples of post war architecture.
Loved this video. Quite taken with the slightly Gothic take on Brutalism at the opera House in particular.
Incidentally, have they torn down that big chunk of Cumbernauld town centre yet? If not I'm tempted to try to pay it one last visit
Haha no it's still there, I keep meaning to get along on a photo mission before it's all gone!
Brutalist Concert and Sports hall is in herritage list, so it can't be demolished. There are plans to use it for business conferences. The neighbourhood you ended up in is called Fabijoniskes and was a filming location for Chernobyl 6 mini series with HBO.
The Baltic States are always worth a wander, even in the winter. I'm off to Italy in a few weeks (my wife is Italian) and it will be wet and cold there too! But the food is somewhat nice...
The food will always make up for it! Have a fantastic time
Thanks for another brill video mate.. I always look forward to any new videos you share with us..Keep em coming Steve.. 😀😬
Cheers mate, another random wee adventure but a lot of fun to make!
Great to join you on your exploration Steve! Like me it seems you love cool weather and finding new things! Enjoy, but I feel for you with no gloves on in this video!! Lol. Cheers from Australia!
We’re cut from the same cloth :) I must admit, I’d love some gloves but they’re not great for the wee buttons on my camera!
@@steve-marsh I totally get that too! I searched for ages and tried heaps of pairs. It’s tricky to get ones that are thin enough to give you dexterity re your camera buttons but also warm enough to protect you when we explore such cool places! I eventually found a North Face pair called Infinium, then if it’s really chilly, I wear a pair of waterproof ones as the outer layer that have the option to be fingerless and / or can also be mittens. Not sure if Infinium have a male version, but hope that helps!! Cheers,
Marg
Next do Kaunas. I have a friend who was born there and lived there until she was 13. She won’t be able to make it back for a visit but would love watching your video.
I've heard it's amazing :)
another good vlog Steve! Vilnius has been and is on my list of places I want to visit. you have made it even more desirable for a trip, thanks:)
Awesome - highly recommended!
It is worth mentioning that Vilnius was inhabited mainly by Poles for hundreds of years.
In 1931, it was estimated (based on the census data on the mother tongue) that 66% of the inhabitants were Poles, 28% Jews, 3.75% Russians, and less than 1% Lithuanians.
Well in 1931 it was occupied by Poland
@@raar1991 How could Poland have occupied Poland?
I'm impressed by ypour sense of adventure, ' Steve. The modernist architecture you showed us wasn't bad -- well, some of it was really good. Not sure if you've persuaded me to visit Vilnius, but I'm very glad to have ssen some of it through your video. Many thanks.
Cheers for coming along Barney!
For a Scottish connection it's famously the home town of Sean Connery's character in Hunt for Red October.
Damn! Wish I'd known that!
yet another great informative video Steve...well done
Awww, you missed an opportunity to do a "Mr Bald" and join the ladies singing in the parking lot at 10:48 ;)
I never thought of going to Lithuania, it reminds me of Latvia and Estonia. Add it to the places I need to visit!
If only I knew the words :D
Your walking tours are the best, Steve. Thanks so much for taking us along.
Thanks Erin! I'm always a bit unsure how they'll turn out (with my complete lack of planning!)
An interesting video Steve, I thought some of the architecture was stunning, nice to see a different culture for a change now and then, thank goodness you didn’t loose your way in that rather eerie deserted forest, had to smile when you came out looked at the concrete buildings and did a quick turn round, thanks 🙏 for the tour, it’s a wonder to me how you make a decision on the day carry it out regardless and it is always a joy to watch, 👍😊
Thanks Bernice, a really nice surprise of a city and would love to go back in slightly warmer weather!
@@steve-marsh I think some of the best features would look stunning in summer! like every City in winter ❄️ not so appealing!
Hi Steve, great video as always. I visited Riga a couple of times in 2002 on work trips and always wanted to visit Vilnius and Tallinn after that. Riga was a gorgeous city to walk round. Maybe I’ll get to complete the trio one day.
All fantastic cities in their own right, I can’t rank them, I tried but they’re all too cool :)
The intro was so good!😋The rest of the video too😙
Reminds me of Prague, before it went English. Great video 2x 👍
Cheers mate!
This is my kind of travel, not always seeing whats popular but jumping on a bus and getting off somewhere and exploring.
Thanks Lorna! We Cleary enjoy the same sort of adventures, not knowing what's round the next corner :)
Didžiulio pozityvo žmogus Jūs esat.
Absolutely brilliant again, Steve - just like your previous Baltic journeys! :)
Thanks for another great tour Steve. Lots of ideas for great places to visit.....as usual. Is the station statue Tony Soprano? No-one can pull off the boxer shorts and tank tops ensemble like him!!!!! 🤣🤣
Haha it sure is! 🤣
Thanks for an amazing video Steve. Beautiful architecture.
Cheers Jim! :)
Fantastic video
Always well worth watching!
Thank you.
Thanks so much Janet!
Great video as always Steve. 👏
Thanks Poppy :)
Gosh the last time I went to Vilnius was in 2000. I don’t think the funicular was there when I was at Gedimas Castle. I remembered the TV Tower and eating at a revolving restaurant which went 360 degrees at a slow motion.
Fantastic! I need to go back. So much more to see!
A great video, it is wonderful to see these seldom-visited cities and their sights. Thanks very much!
You're very welcome :)
Always enjoy your videos on the channel good luck on the next one 👍👍👍
Thanks so much Michael!
Yet another wonderful upload with an insight into a city that's on my 'bucket list'... just loving your videos!!! Thanks again.
My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it :)
Thank you for visiting Vilnius!
Amazing place, but I need to come back!
I love your travel blogs. You certainly get around. All good fun and I enjoy the interesting places you visit. Well done. 😍
Excellent. Thank you.
Thanks so much!
Wonderful video as always Steve
Cheers Martin!
This is so good, feels like I'm back in Vilnius again.
My Saturday morning treat. Very enjoyable view of another City.
Cheers mate!
Wow, that's a quiet place Steve for a capital city!
So true!!!
Great video, what luck to be there for the 700 anniversary celebrations 😀
After being completely confused, I finally worked it out 🤣
The statue is Tony soprano!!?! We love your videos Steve 🏴 my nieces are half Lithuanian so I'll be sharing your video with them. 😊
Thanks so much! And indeed it was the very man himself :)
Brilliant intro! Enjoyed the Brutalist Architecture! Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much Bill!
Great 👍thanks again for your blog
Very good videos, enjoyed your journey,
Fast becoming my favourite youtube channel. Just love how off the beaten track you take things! I work in Edinburgh and am always on the look out to say hi! Love the channel Steve and keep up the good work mate!
James thanks so much mate! Really appreciate your kind words and please say hi if/when our paths cross :)
Great work. Really interesting.
Thanks Geoff, a gem of a city!
Lovely place I want to visit one day. Thanks Steve.
Thanks for coming on my wee trip!
Superb squire, love your compulsive thoughts!
Thank you Steve! :)
You made it look very cool and inviting, Steve. Thanks for the tour! And what a day to visit on, eh?
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was (despite initial confusion) 🤣
great vid Steve it looks a great place to visit , well done
Cheers Roy!
Looks amazing steve always Look forward to your videos Love from dublin
Cheers Shane! :)
Enjoying my dinner while watching this video. Great video as always Steve.
Thanks so much Paul!
that was a great video Steve . we have a very good friend called Natalia who comes from that area and so we have sent this to her and her family to see. we are sure they will enjoy and it was nice to hear your nice thoughts on the place . it looks lovely and tidy ,no litter like over here in the u k . keep safe on your way home .
Thanks so much for coming along and of course for sharing! Much appreciated :)
Lovely As Always Steve
Really interesting place mate!
Hi Steve. Always look forward to your well produced videos. Thank you for the entertainment. Take care
Thanks a lot David!
Very unusual review. Quite cool!
Loved the video Steve what a great place to visit. Hope you are both well
Cheers Robbie! Thanks for coming in another random one!
Visited the city in 2017 and wish I'd spent a bit more time here. I didn't go up to the castle but stood outside to get a shot of one of those old trolleybuses, which are indeed Skodas. I thought they were on their last legs six years ago! This was part of a trip encompassing all three Baltic states and I flew into Riga from London, and guess what - it was Latvia's independence day and the buses were free!
I also need to spend more time! Well worth a return I think :)
The day that Steve was in Vilnius (11th of february) was also the independence day of Lithuania and therefore in the same way as in Riga on Latvia's independence day the buses were free. Just an insight, because Steve didn't mention anything about independence, so I thought he might've not known.
Love the walk in the woods! My good friend went back home to Kaunas. Cannot wait to see her and Lithuania!
Great video as always, Vilnius looks like a great little city!
Cheers Craig!
Love the video! What a wonderful place to visit. I know absolutely nothing about that history over there so listening to your Tales it's very informative for me. Love the gentleman at the train station. Not often do you see somebody in their boxers in a bathrobe! Say hi to Alicja for me. Be well, stay safe, travel far, love from Texas.
Haha yes, he's confident to just stand like that at the station :D Thanks Kate, have a lovely weekend!
Another great video Steve; my favourite travel channel
Ruth thank you SO much!!!
Thanks Steve for showing other cultures and architecture. Well done.
Thanks so much for coming along again on another random adventure Roger!