We started the day from our hotel Domus Maria, a former monastery ( situated in the old town of Vilnius) with a free walking tour. As always – it was excellent with our guide providing a trove of information and leading us all over – starting in the former Jewish ghetto where 30,000 lived prior to the NAZI occupation.
The well-preserved historic buildings range in styles from Baroque and Gothic churches to neoclassical buildings. Narrow cobble-stoned streets offer a variety of restaurants, bars and small shops. Many of the buildings have courtyards.
We had lunch at Pirmas Blynas, housed in a former church (1768) and staffed by people with disabilities. I had the traditional creamy beet soup which is served cold and contains dill and pickles and is served with potatoes and hard boiled egg. Delicious!
On 1 April 1997 funky Užupis declared independence and became a legitimate republic within the city of Vilnius – situated across the Vilnia River for which Vilnius was named. Since then the community celebrates independence day every year on April fools day. Užupis has a constitution, an anthem, its own currency, and even a president, a cabinet of ministers and ambassadors – anyone can become one! By being creative you can choose your own title.
Vilnius Academy of Arts is situated in Užupis, making it a haven for artists who started settling there after Lithuania declared independence. It now boasts some of the highest priced real estate in the city!
