a little more about Vilnius

The beautiful picture book UNESCO listed Lithuanian capital of Vilnius was established as a city in 1323 when heralded by Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, following a dream (and possibly a night on the mead) of a huge iron wolf. His vibrant legacy lives on through his dream inspired castle that still stands today. The Republic of Lithuania lies southernmost of the trio of Baltic States and as such Vilnius probably has the best climate of the three capitals (Riga and Tallinn). As typical of the major central European cities, Vilnius’s 550,000 population is a mix of nationalities, 57% Lithuanian, 19% Poles (there was a popular alliance with Poland in the 16 th century), 14% Russian and 4% Byelorussians.
The city’s historic and undeniably picturesque “Old Town” is one of the largest in central and eastern Europe, and this is where you’ll find the bulk of Vilnius’s impressive cultural heritage, including the noteworthy cathedral. A largely baroque metropolis well over a thousand buildings, built over centuries, sport an interesting mix of European styles. Following a turbulent and often oppressive history, the glory of refreshed independence was realised in 1991. Since then it has developed sympathetically into one of central Europe’s “must see” destinations, for a weekend break it offers you everything you want from a cultural base to a lively portfolio of activities to buzzing nightlife. A Stagweb office poll rates Vilnius as the best group destination in the Baltics!