Lithuania: My first time alone

I first properly met the idea of Lithuania many years ago. I always tell people that I have learned half of what I know on Youtube. Not sure if this is a good sign. But the fact is that I once encountered a video about Lithuania's fight for freedom and independence. The short video presented the tragic events of January 1991, when the Soviet Military forces killed 15 innocent Lithuanians that were defending their country's liberty. The main clash happened at the TV Tower in the capital city of Vilnius. The Soviet Union collapsed at the end of that same year, which meant that Lithuania and many of the other Republics were free after decades of occupation. The tragic events of the TV tower were accompanied by the beautiful song "Laisvė/Freedom". This video made a big impression on me. It helped me understand the meaning of independence for the Baltics and other nations. And it helped me understand why they fight so hard to support Ukraine and its people during this difficult time.

But that is not the reason why I travelled to Lithuania, even if its brave people and turbulent history have always interested me. The main reason why I went to Lithuania in July 2022 is my friends. Living abroad has allowed me to meet people from many parts of the world. And some of them have become really good friends. In the last 3 years I have met some Lithuanians through sharing flat, friends of friends and other coincidences. The fact is that all of them have talked to me about their country with a lot of passion. So, they sold it so well that I could not do anything else than go and visit. 

When my vacation plans changed some weeks before July, I had to choose a place to visit and it was easy for me to select Lithuania. I had it in my mind (my to do/to go list) for some time by then. I also decided to go on my own, and it was a great decision. I did it because sometimes it is hard to plan holidays with friends and family and also because I wanted to explore on my own. I enjoy sharing cherished moments with my loved ones but I always felt like I wanted more freedom during my trips. I have recently moved on my own, and the last years have taught me that I really like to do my thing. 

My trip started in Kaunas, but on the first day I did not see more than the train station and a cute park. I took the train to Vilnius and arrived to my room when the sun was setting. My first tour of Vilnius was given by my friend Laura, just 10 minutes after I first put my feet in the capital. She taught me a lot about the history of the city and showed me the main streets, corners and squares. My friends laugh at me when I say it, but the architecture and the vibe were quite exotic for me. I am now used to the Nordics and the Mediterranean is my home but this was actually my very first time East of Budapest (in Europe). 

Nothing like having a list of tips by your friends. I ate so well during this trip. I felt even more free than in Sri Lanka. I walked the whole city, I stopped and ate at a recommended place close to were I was, I took a nap at Bernardinu park and I climbed the Hill of the Three Crosses for the best sight of the city. I tried to order food in Lithuanian and failed many times. The interaction with my surroundings was not as you would expect from a bag-packing trip. I genuinely wanted to spend time on my own, and reflect on everything I saw and experienced. I had my phone with me and I talked a lot with my Lithuanian friends that were not home at the time. But I did not have many conversations with locals. Probably because they were not used to random foreigners walking on their own and because I was honestly quite reluctant to meeting people during this trip. I visited a KGB prison, learnt more about the Lithuanian Freedom fighters and went up to Gediminas Hill for sunset. I feel like I saw so much of the city in 2 days.  I would love to come back at a different time of the year, because I could feel how lively it is but I went there when most locals were on Holidays. 

My next stop was the city of Kaunas. I had read a lot about the relationship between the second city and the capital city, at the MO museum in Vilnius, so I was ready to compare. My friends are both from Kaunas and Vilnius so they were also asking me to give feedback on their respective hometowns. I got to Kaunas on a Monday morning and the city was not really  buzzing. I took it positively. I had the European Capital of Culture almost for myself. I fell in love with Laisves Aleja. I could image everything that street had gone through. I imagined times of war, of happiness, of celebration and of peace. It felt like that endless street had seen it all. I walked through it several times and luckily, my hotel was there. Kaunas is famous for its modernist architecture, so some details reminded me of my native Barcelona. The funicular, some residential buildings and the old post office looked strangely familiar. I chose to start with Vilnius and continue to Kaunas because of my next stop: the Curonian Spit.

This is by far the highlight of my summer solo trip to Lithuania. 3 hours bus from Kaunas and I was in Klaipeda, the third city of Lithuania. This is a coastal city almost connected to the Curonian Spit. It will be easier to Google than to explain how it looks on a map. I went to the Western Coast of Lithuania because I had heard my friends talk about its beautiful towns, beaches and forests many many times. Lithuanians are proud and love the Curonian Spit, and after visiting I can really understand. I stayed two nights in the town of Nida, the last one before the border with Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. Nida seemed taken from a children's tale. The red houses, the gardens, the cute walking paths and the relaxed locals and tourists biking and enjoying life. I decided to rent a bike too and explore the area. The beach was endless and it was a blessing to tan there and not in Spain, where the temperatures were reaching 40 degrees at the time. In Nida, it was hot enough to swim, and cold enough to wear a thin jacket to watch the sunset. I had never visited a place where dunes, forest and beach fit together so perfectly. This is a really unknown (for non-Lithuanians) and idyllic place where I will come back for sure.

To be honest, I must admit that 7 days might be my personal limit for a solo trip. I do not regret going alone but after some days I felt like I needed to communicate and share my experiences. Luckily, I had my phone with me and also my travel notebook where I wrote everything that I felt and did. But I will do it again. I will travel alone again and I will come back to Lithuania. You should also do it!

PD: If you are travelling from Denmark, consider taking the night ferry to Klaipeda from Sweden. I realised this was an option after I booked my flights.