Stand at the north end of Vytautas the Great Bridge and look upstream: the Nemunas and the Neris meet below Kaunas Castle, and the Old Town climbs away behind it. Walk the length of Laisvės alėja and the interwar buildings of New Town line up on either side, the reason the city was added to the world heritage list in 2023.
Kaunas suits travellers who want architecture, churches and museums at a walking pace, with a compact centre that rewards a day on foot. This guide covers the sights of the Old Town and New Town, and strings the best of them into a single day.
Top things to do in Kaunas
1. Kaunas Castle
The first castle was built mid-14th century at the confluence of the rivers Nemunas and Neris, destroyed in 1401, and replaced by the present castle in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the oldest building in Kaunas. Today the round tower houses an art gallery, and the castle hosts occasional festivals.
The tip of the confluence is Santakos Park, so combine the two. Opening hours vary by season, so check before you go.
2. Rotušės aikštė
Rotušės aikštė, or City Hall Square, is the focus of the Old Town, built between the 14th and 17th centuries in a variety of styles. As well as the City Hall it holds a clutch of museums and old churches, so it is the natural place to start a walk through the Old Town.
3. Kaunas City Hall
Built in renaissance style in the mid-16th century, when Kaunas was a flourishing city of merchants, it is nowadays dubbed The White Swan. It was reconstructed in 1836 as a residence for Russian czars, and the Wedding Hall opened on the ground and first floors in 1973.
The cellars house the Kaunas Ceramics museum, with hand-crafted crockery, tile stove ornaments and roof tiles of impressive size, and the city history museum covers archaeological findings from the Old Town and the lifestyle of the townsmen of the time.
4. Cathedral of Sts Peter & Paul
First documented in 1413, in the reign of Vytautas the Great, though construction dragged on to 1624. It is mostly red-brick Gothic, with Renaissance and Baroque features added in later refurbishment, and was promoted to a cathedral in 1895. Entry is free.
The Kaunas Picture Gallery stands opposite the cathedral, so the two pair well. It houses 20th-century Lithuanian and émigré art and a collection of North American Indian art, and a combined ticket with the M K Čiurlionis Museum of Art gives a discount.
5. Church of Vytautas the Great
This Gothic redbrick church, also known as the Church of the Assumption of Holy Virgin Mary, was built in 1400 for the Franciscan monks. It has suffered repeatedly from river floods, occupying armies and religious upheavals, but has been Roman Catholic since 1919. It is open 24 hours.
Perkūnas House is on the north side of the church, a striking example of flamboyant Gothic that served as the offices of the Hanseatic merchants from 1440 until 1532 and later became a Jesuit chapel. It is only open on Thursdays, 15:00-18:00.
6. Laisvės alėja
Laisvės alėja is the pedestrianised 2 km boulevard forming the spine of New Town, lined by linden trees, seating and flower beds, and dotted with shops, banks, supermarkets, restaurants, a cinema, casinos, nightclubs, museums, places to stay and a central post office. It is kept clean, and in winter free of snow.
In the late morning and afternoon, vendors' stalls sell food and souvenirs. The strip ends at the Church of St Michael the Archangel.
7. Historical Presidential Palace
Lithuania was first independent from 1918 until 1940, when the Soviets crushed the "First Republic", and this neo-baroque palace on Vilniaus g was home to its presidents. It houses furniture, artwork and other material from the period.
8. Aleksotas Funicular
At the south end of Vytautas the Great Bridge is this 133 m funicular, built in 1935 to connect the Old Town with the Aleksotas district up the hill. It runs every 10 minutes with a midday lunch break.
Ride it after crossing the bridge, which connects the Old Town and Aleksotas district. The present bridge was built in 1930, wrecked in the war and rebuilt in 1948, with reconstruction in 2005.
9. Church of St Francis Xavier
Built in rococo style from 1666 to 1720. The Jesuits had already established a school here, where the poet Adam Mickiewicz was a teacher between 1819 and 1823. The building was later transferred to the Orthodox church and had various secular uses in Soviet times until 1989.
Sacral music concerts are organised in the church, so it is worth checking what is on during your visit.
10. Maironis Museum of Lithuanian Literature
This is within Siručiai Palace and came to be the residence of the poet and priest Jonas Maironis. It has a huge collection of books, manuscripts, artworks and memorial items.
11. Church of Holy Trinity
Built as a Bernardine convent church between 1624 and 1634 in late Renaissance and Gothic style, it now serves the city's seminary. It sits on Rotušės aikštė, so it fits easily into a circuit of the square.
12. Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy
Houses a huge collection of skulls, herbs, medical items and other relics. It is cash only, and tours in English are available.
13. Church of St George
A wooden church was built outside the castle in 1471, then rebuilt in Gothic redbrick from 1492. It has been much bashed about over the years. It is open 24 hours.
14. Gemstones Museum
A small private museum with rare minerals and precious stones from around the world. It is a short stop rather than a long visit.
15. Vytis Monument
Officially named the Freedom Warrior, this is a striking 7-metre-tall bronze sculpture located next to the historic Kaunas Castle. Unveiled in 2018 to honour the centennial restoration of Lithuania's statehood, it depicts the Vytis, the heroic knight on horseback from the traditional Lithuanian national symbol and coat of arms.
It is one of the most photogenic stops in the city, and sits beside the castle, so see it on the same walk.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Kaunas Castle and the Vytis Monument beside it, then walk the tip of the confluence in Santakos Park. Continue to Rotušės aikštė and take in Kaunas City Hall, the Church of Holy Trinity and the Maironis Museum of Lithuanian Literature around the square.
Afternoon: Walk to the Cathedral of Sts Peter & Paul and cross to the Kaunas Picture Gallery opposite. Continue to the Church of Vytautas the Great and Perkūnas House, then cross the Vytautas the Great Bridge and ride the Aleksotas Funicular up to Aleksotas.
Evening: Return across the bridge and spend the evening on Laisvės alėja, where the restaurants, cinema and central post office are, and finish at the Church of St Gertrude at the far end.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to walk Laisvės alėja?
Late morning and afternoon, when vendors' stalls sell food and souvenirs. The boulevard is kept clean and free of snow in winter.
Is the Kaunas Castle open every day?
No. Hours differ between September to May and June to August, so check the current times before you go. The round tower houses an art gallery.
Can I visit Perkūnas House?
Only on Thursdays, 15:00-18:00. It houses a small museum about Adam Mickiewicz.
How do I get up to the Aleksotas district?
Take the Aleksotas Funicular from the south end of Vytautas the Great Bridge. It runs every 10 minutes with a midday lunch break.
Decide your dates, pick your base along Laisvės alėja or in the Old Town, and start building the trip around the castle, the square and the boulevard.