Sunday, December 22, 2019

Baltic Christmas Day 22 - Feel the Magic of the Christmas Season in Vilnius!

Welcome back to Nikolajs on Day 22 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas! 

“Nikolajs Timrots is an American-Latvian who spent his whole life in the Washington, DC area until relocating to Vilnius this past September. You may remember him from such hits as 2019’s “Grybukai.” He is now in that awkward stage where he knows enough about Vilnius to know how little he actually knows about Vilnius.”

 
Christmas markets in Europe are amazing. It’s a well-known fact. You can get hot booze, eat tasty food, look at some pretty lights, hear some Christmas music, and get your Christmas shopping done, all in one stop. Vilnius is no different! But there’s something about the layout of the old town here that makes it extra magical.


Let’s start in Cathedral Square. This is a big open plaza next to, you guessed it, Vilnius Cathedral, which is just below what is likely the most famous landmark in Vilnius, Gediminas Castle. However, for the month of December, this square becomes the site of Vilnius’ official Christmas tree, and most popular Christmas market.


For the last few years, the arrangement has been a ring of booths around the Christmas tree itself, making for a stunning setting. It looks amazing as you approach, and even more so as you walk around the market itself under the lights strung up overhead! The theme for 2019 seems to be chess- oddly, I didn’t see anything about that at the market itself or online- but it makes for a really eye-catching light display! 

  
The food and drink selection is outstanding. All kinds of boozy teas, non-boozy teas, boozy coffee, non-boozy coffee, hot wine, hot chocolate, regular chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and fresh-made waffles and crepes. My personal favorite is šaltalankių arbata (buckthorn tea), with or without herbal liqueur. There are also all kinds of stocking stuffers to take back home with you. Oh, and toys with lights. Boy, are flashy light devices popular, especially with the kids.


Head west toward the center of Old Town on Gedimino prospektas, and you will be treated to a really beautiful avenue covered in lights as far as the eye can see, as this street is almost perfectly straight for two kilometers. The ice white lights and the color of the streetscape make for a most pleasant walk, especially if you’re lucky enough to do this when it’s closed to cars! Even passing by on a cross street on my way to and from work each day is a real treat, especially since it’s only light for about 7 hours this time of year. Since the sun doesn’t ever seem to come out to say hello, having lights everywhere at night is a real mood booster!

Source here
  
Hang a left onto Vilniaus gatvė to catch more Old Town sights and lights. Eventually, you will reach Town Hall Square, the other big Christmas market in town. This location is nice because it truly feels like you’re in the middle of Old Town, and instead of white wooden huts, the little shops are in clear, geodesic domes, which help give the appearance of a true winter wonderland!

Source here
  
The best part of all of this is you can really feel the spirit anywhere in the city. If you like Christmas, you’ll love that many stores start playing Christmas music and selling for the holidays as early as late October! And because there are many Orthodox Christians living here and visiting, decorations and music continue through January 6. For a non-traditional Christmas celebration, go visit the historic Lukiškės prison for a unique experience, and some perspective on what it might be like to not see Christmas lights for a long time. And finally, when you come visit Vilnius, don’t forget to visit the famous confiscated items tree in the airport!

Linksmų Kalėdų/Merry Christmas!


Paldies Nikolaj, for taking us on a tour of this year’s Vilnius market! One of the things I miss most about living in France is this particular season – the lights, the markets, the boozy and non-boozy coffee… Vilnius has long been on my travel bucket list, and the more I hear about winter in Lithuania, the more I think this might be the way to experience it for the first time. What do you think?

Thank you for joining us today on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas! Stay tuned for Day 23, a peek at some exquisite Latvian Christmas ornaments!

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