There are more and more people in Lithuania who like to explore their country and discover its treasures. VšĮ "Travel in LithuaniaAccording to the data, new routes and special objects will appear on the local travel map this year, which will provide memorable experiences. Innovations will await visitors this year from Vilnius to Nida, so it is worth planning your travel routes and dates now.
"Welcoming the year 2024, together with Lithuanian tourism information centers, we compiled a list of the biggest tourism news of this year. We notice that new or renovated objects, new entertainment, experiences always get the most attention from visitors and are often among the places they plan to visit. The list includes many impressive objects and attractions that invite you to explore heritage and traditions, as well as learn about scientific discoveries. This year in Lithuania will be rich in impressive events and experiences, so there are definitely ideas of where to go and what to see, you just need to make time for traveling around your country in your plans this year", says Neringa Sutkaitytė, head of local tourism at the National Tourism Promotion Agency "Keliauk Lithuania" an expert.
The grand openings are already in the spring
Spring in Vilnius will be special in that it will open its doors to visitors in Antakalni present Sapiegi Palace. The building, which will function as a branch of the Contemporary Art Center, will be equipped with halls for concerts, conferences, video screenings, spaces for exhibitions and educational activities, a reading room, and a cafe. During the tours, it will be possible to get acquainted with the history of the palace and its artistic heritage - frescoes, wall and ceiling decor, sculpture and the progress of their restoration.
And in the center of Vilnius, the concert hall of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra will open its doors in the spring - the reconstructed Vilnius Congress Palace. Music lovers will be able to enjoy symphonic music in a uniquely designed hall equipped with the most modern technological solutions and with specially adapted acoustics. It is believed that this will be one of the most attractive concert spaces not only in Lithuania, but also in the Baltic States. The opening will take place with a grandiose performance of Gustav Mahler's Eighth Symphony, with more than 300 performers on stage at once.
The artist Stasys Eidrigevičius, laureate of the Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prize, will be honored in Panevėžys, where an arts center named after him will be opened this spring. The collection of works by the world-renowned artist S. Eidrigevičius, which includes more than 1 works, will be exhibited here. works of various genres and techniques donated to Lithuania. Art fans will find interactive educational programs and events, all guests will be able to enjoy the views from the only panoramic outdoor terrace in Panevėžys and a non-commercial cinema in a cozy cinema hall.
At the end of spring, a festival awaits fans of antique technology. On May 25 Klaipėda the vintage car museum "House of Vintage Cars - Memel automuseum" will open. The exhibition in the buildings of the old gas factory will consist of 12 up to 1920. manufactured cars from the collection of Augustinas Jankevičius, as well as other exhibits of that era. The Klaipėda Tourism Information Center will invite those who want to visit the car museum to special excursions.
In addition, a museum dedicated to the collection of pre-war motorcycles is expected to open in Klaipėda this year. It is expected to have more than 300 original and working exhibits, including not only motorcycles, but also several hundred-year-old cars.
New centers of attraction - both in the Curonian Spit and on Kaunas Nemunas Island
This year, important openings are also planned in the Curonian Spit. After several years of reconstruction, not only the renovated Nida culture and tourism information center "Agila" will be opened with a 500-seat audience hall, but also the new visitor center of the Curonian Spit National Park will welcome visitors in Juodkrantė in the spring. The largest spaces of this building, about 400 sq. m., will be dedicated to the national park exposition "Created by sand, wind and water" about the uniqueness and exceptional value of the Curonian Spit.
Vacationers in Nida will also be waiting for the recreation complex "Auksinės kopos" opened after the reconstruction with 64 private apartments, a swimming pool open to all visitors and a spa complex, a restaurant, as well as a heated outdoor pool. Since the municipalities of Klaipėda and Neringa have declared 2024 as the Year of Lighthouses, it is worth planning to visit the first one in Nida in 1874. the lighthouse that started working and at the same time test the reborn "Golden Dunes".
In autumn, the Island of Science should appear on the itineraries of curious travelers Beautiful. In the modern science museum, visitors will be able to make sure that the exhibition spaces and education in Kaunas are in no way inferior to the best European science popularization museums. Designed by Spaniards and Australians with an exclusive design, more than 10 sq. meters, the museum building will have interactive exhibitions, a virtual projection space, STEAM laboratories, and a cafe.
Where it's worth coming back is the renewed educational trails
This year, there will also be new reasons to return to already visited and tourist-liked places in Lithuania.
The opening of one of Lithuania's most popular Varniki educational trails (Trakų district) after reconstruction is expected by the summer. The 5 km long trail will lead visitors through forests, the Ilgelis marsh, and four small lakes. Observation decks with benches and gazebos await those who want to take a breather.
In Dzūkija, the educational trail of Punias šilo (Alytus district) has already been prepared for visitors, marked with special signs, benches for resting, information boards, and a sign to the oak alley. Travelers can admire the Punia mound from the other side of the Nemunas, visit the Panemuninkai mound hiding in the heat, and see the Panemuninkai cliff.
In the Žemaitija National Park, the renewed Šeirė trail (Plungės district) will await you, winding along Plateliai lake, Šeirė forest, Gaudupis marsh, and the devil-protected Piktežeris. Four children's playgrounds are equipped with new swings, a barefoot path, play equipment, etc. Žemaitija tourists will also discover the renovated Gardų ozo trail (Plungė district), famous for its pond with a heart-shaped island.
And to get to know the most beautiful historical places of the Jurbarkas region, the Jurbarkas Tourism and Business Information Center offers a season of new themed hikes. Adventure seekers will have to cover one of the routes, the "Secrets of the Karšuva Forest" hike in the vicinity of Viešvilės, both on foot and by kayak.
Even more interesting things await you in the mansions
in Lithuanian estates you can hear not only impressive stories about the gentlemen who lived here. Utena Manor is unique in that young visitors can learn with the latest equipment and experiment in modern laboratories in the STEAM center located here. And this year, the manor will offer even more, because the facade and interior of the building have been finished.
And it is worth hurrying to the Kaimel manor in Šakiai district from May this year, because in October it will simply close its doors for a long restoration. The manor by the Nemunas dates back to the 17th century and is full of finds, such as original antique furniture.
You don't have to fly to Italy for the story of Romeo and Juliet. It is enough to go to Šiauliai district. Kuršėnai is famous not only for potters or Kuršėnai rolls, but also for intriguing love stories. The love affair between A. Tomin, a Jew who lived in Curonian Spit, and B. Šneideraitė, the most beautiful Jewish woman in Curonian Spit, will not leave anyone indifferent. Excursion participants can also taste "Liubčikos" tea.
Autumn will present a unique experience to young visitors in the center of traditional crafts of the Platelia manor homestead. Here, a new educational program "Zemaitis autumn works" will be prepared for families and groups of schoolchildren. During it, children will participate in potato digging. They will get to know the autumn harvest rituals of Žemaitsa, listen to the daily life of the village people between the wars, and play games.
