Kaunas: Old Town, Modernity, and Museums in Lithuania

• The Old Town and New Town represent different eras.
• Town Hall Square, Kaunas Castle, and Santakos Park are in the historic center.
• Interwar architecture defines the New Town.
• The M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum is dedicated to the painter and composer.
• The Ninth Fort is outside the city center.
• LTG Link connects Kaunas with Vilnius.

A walking tour leads from Town Hall Square through the lanes to Kaunas Castle. Nearby are Vytautas Church and the House of Perkūnas. Santakos Park, at the confluence, offers views of the Nemunas and Neris rivers and links the historic streets with the riverfront. If you plan to visit interior spaces, arrange your route around their opening hours.

The two rivers make it easy to find your way and offer walking routes with squares, churches, and cafés close at hand. The cobbled streets and occasional slopes make comfortable shoes a good idea. First-time visitors will get more out of their trip by giving the Old Town enough time instead of squeezing the New Town and outlying sites into a packed schedule.

The New Town is known for its broad streets and buildings dating from the interwar period. Kaunas was Lithuania’s provisional capital from 1919 to 1939, and the architecture of that era shapes the city center. Laisvės Alėja is a good starting point for walks, with shops, cafés, and turnoffs to cultural attractions.

The M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum is dedicated to the Lithuanian artist and composer, bringing together painting and music. The Ninth Fort, outside the center, tells the story of the fort, the mass murders carried out by the Nazis, and Soviet repression. Allow a separate block of time for the journey there and the museum visit.

One full day is enough for the Old Town, New Town, and a museum; two days leave time for the Ninth Fort, the riverfront, and breaks. When choosing accommodation, consider short walks in the evening or an easy departure the next day. Accommodation in Kaunascan be chosen to suit your route.

The train operated by LTG Link is a convenient connection with the capital, Vilnius. Trakaimakes a good separate destination. The Baltic coast destinations of Klaipėda, Neringa, and Palangarequire additional travel and overnight stays. Druskininkaiand Šiauliaialso have their own distinct character; Kaunas lies inland in Lithuania, while Klaipėda, Neringa, and Palanga form the western coastal leg. The Baltic statescomprise Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. For travel and transportbetween Kaunas and Vilnius, LTG Link offers a rail connection. Tickets, documents, and accommodation are part of your personal travel preparations.

From Kaunas, you can extend your route to Vilniusand the excursion destination of Trakai. Both make up a separate leg of a trip around Lithuaniaand require time for travel and sightseeing.

What can you fit into a first walking tour?

Town Hall Square, the castle, Vytautas Church, the House of Perkūnas, and Santakos Park make up the Old Town’s main sights; the New Town is a good addition for a second part of the day.

What does the Čiurlionis Museum showcase?

It is dedicated to the Lithuanian artist and composer M. K. Čiurlionis, his visual art, and his music.

When is admission to the Ninth Fort Museum free?

Admission to the museum is free on the last Sunday of every month. No English-language guided tours are offered on these Sundays.

How do you get from Vilnius to Kaunas?

LTG Link operates trains between Vilnius and Kaunas. In October and November 2026, schedules on this route will be temporarily revised; departures depend on your travel date.