Šiauliai: City, Hill of Crosses and Trip Planning

• Šiauliai is an important city in northern Lithuania and a starting point for visiting the Hill of Crosses.
• The city center, churches, museums and the Hill of Crosses offer different highlights.
• The Hill of Crosses lies outside the city center and requires a separate round trip.
• Šiauliai works well as a stop between Lithuanian cities and onward travel toward Latvia.
• Opening hours, events, timetables, weather and route conditions can all affect your plans.
• A relaxed itinerary leaves time for exploring the city, taking the excursion, having breaks and returning to your accommodation.

Šiauliai lies in northern Lithuania and is best known to many travelers as the gateway to the Hill of Crosses. But those who plan a dedicated stop in the city will find more than a starting point for a short excursion: spacious squares, churches, small museums and a compact city center give the stay a different pace from Vilnius or Kaunas. On a Baltic tour, Šiauliai fits especially well between Lithuanian cities and onward travel toward Latvia.

Buses to the Hill of Crosses leave from Šiauliai bus station, Tilžės g. 109, from platform 12, in the direction of Joniškis. The ticket is for Šiauliai–Domantai; get off at the third stop, Domantai, then walk about two kilometers to the site. Before setting out, include both the outbound and return journeys in your day’s plans. By car, take the A12 from Šiauliai for about ten kilometers toward Riga, then follow the signed turnoff.

The Photography Museum, Bicycle Museum and Chaim Frenkel Villa add a variety of collections and exhibition themes to a city walk. A full day is often enough for the city center, one museum and the Hill of Crosses, provided the outward and return journeys work out. The city also makes a good stop on the way to the coast: Klaipėda, Palanga and the Curonian Spit near Neringa offer a striking contrast to northern Lithuania. Those traveling farther inland can combine Šiauliai with Trakai, the spa town of Druskininkai or Birštonas.

Staying in accommodation in Šiauliai near the center makes it easier to get to the train station, bus station and museums. Staying outside the city is especially convenient if you plan to visit the Hill of Crosses very early or late. Travelers without a car should look for accommodation within easy reach of bus or train services. In summer and on public holidays, allow extra time for the journey and parking.

For a route through Lithuania, Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Palanga, Neringa, Trakai, Druskininkai and Birštonas all make worthwhile destinations in their own right. The Baltic states can be linked on a longer trip according to distance and transport options.

When preparing for your trip and planning travel by train and bus to Domantai, include both the outbound and return journeys in the same day’s plans. Bus services depend on the day of operation; the roughly two-kilometer walk to the Hill of Crosses is also part of the route.

Where are the Photography Museum and Bicycle Museum located?

The Photography Museum is at Vilniaus gatvė 140 and has a rooftop viewing point. The Bicycle Museum is at Vilniaus gatvė 139, where interactive exhibits trace the history of the bicycle.