2009/2010 TIPS & TRICKS FOR YOUR STAY IN VILNIUS
Since my last stay ( end of July 2008 ) a lot of things have been changed in Lithuania, even as in most other countries the financial crisis of September 2008 - March 2009 left a trace of damages: Lithuanian Airlines ( FlyLal ) had to cease services, lot of people lost their job and social insurances have been cutted off. But the same financial crisis created also good things: Hotel room prices decreased up to 50 percent, having dinner in restaurants is nearly even as cheap as in 2004, taxi costs only 35 eurocent per km, flight tickets to and from Lithuania are those days really cheap ( I paid at the Ticket Dumpstore 22 euro for a return flight seat Amsterdam Vilnius ( Finnair ), via Helsinki, including meals plus drinks ).
Me and my girlfriend ( yes, at least I felt, after a long time, in love to a beautiful Lithuanian girl ) discovered some nice restaurants and a manner to cut the costs of taxi's.
RESTAURANTS TO VISIT
Cili Pica, the national meeting place for all citizens, dinner from 4 euro up to 10 euro
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Mambo Pica, not for the pica's but their salads are great and if you ask for the special Mambo Taxi Card, you save 10 percent on every taxi trip ( card is free )
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Kin San Chinese restaurant near the shopping center Europa, really nice dinner in romantic atmosphere, including rice vodka 35 euro for 2 persons
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The Japanese restaurant in Akropolis, for 2 persons a complete dinner, including sushi as starter, total 30 euro
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RESTAURANT N O T TO VISIT
One restaurant I advice you not to visit, it is also a Chinese restaurant, in the center of the city, called Trys Klevai, recommended by nearly all tourist guides but my experience there....very un polite employees, nearly shouting after a small question if they had a table near the street side, dirty tables and a floor that needs a vacuum cleaner.
HOTEL OR APARTMENT
You can rent a hotel room or a complete apartment, if your stay is 2 till 4 days a hotel is to prefer but if you decide to stay more days than an apartment is a nice alternative. Prices of hotel rooms or an apartment are nearly the same, round about 30 euro up to 80 euro per night. This short vacation I stayed at the Gile hotel, a nice ** hotel that is open since May 2009. Be alert, if you book directly at the hotel than you pay 58 euro per night for a room but if you book via the Ticket Dumpstore you get nearly 50 percent discount ( 30 euro per night )
USEFUL ONLINE TOURIST CITY GUIDE
There are many online guides to visit before traveling to Lithuania, one I use most is the Exploring City Guide , it is daily updated and gives also non sponsored information
SHOPS TO VISIT
As every city Vilnius has a lot of shops, for example in Akropolis Akropolis you'll find at nearly 9 square km over 400 shops, restaurants and an ice skating circuit. The market in the center of Vilnius has a lot of arts, paintings and more. Cheap clothes and food you'll find in Maxima. Design dresses you find online at Autada and real cheap online boots at Simka
TRANSPORT
In Vilnius you can travel by bus, trolleybus, mini taxi bus or normal taxi. A bus ticket costs about 40 eurocent, the mini taxi bus costs 90 eurocent and a normal taxi you have already for 35 cents per KM ( call 1800 and if you have a Mambo Taxi Card it is only 32,5 cent per km ). Important: Never take a taxi direct form the street, just call 1800 or 1411 and order there a taxi, it saves you at least 3 euro per ride.
TAKING CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL TO HOME
Lithuania is a full member of the EU but for cigarettes and alcohol there are still some restrictions:
CIGARETTES
If you travel by car than a maximum of 200 cigarettes are okay to take home, if you travel by plane via one of the EU countries to Holland than you may take 800 cigarettes to home if....the cigarettes are packed in your checked luggage. If you take them in your hand luggage than only 200 cigarettes are okay. If you travel by plane to Brussels Belgium a maximum of 200 cigarettes ( even in checked luggage ).
ALCOHOL
Same rules as for cigarettes, traveling by car 1 liter of spirit, by plane, via one of the EU countries to Amsterdam Holland 22 liter is okay if....packed in your checked luggage. Buying alcohol in a local store and taking it in your hand luggage....forget it, the security control destroys it. If you buy the alcohol at the airport, it is no problem to take it home in your hand luggage but never more as 1 liter coz you are transferring via a country that has different rules.
In all cases: The total amount of bought articles maximum 175 euro!
