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While visiting Lithuania, you should always leave a little room on your plate for new culinary experiences.  Some of them, you’ll find, are even exclusive to Lithuania.

More and more Ukrainians get into the habit of visa-free weekend city breaks to EU destinations. There is certainly much to recommend the Lithuanian capital.

Vilnius is in many ways an inspirational place for visitors from Ukraine. It is a veritable metropolis by Baltic standards, yet it has managed to retain the charm of a fairytale hamlet. The central districts of the Lithuanian capital are a maze of cozy cobbled lanes and enticing alleys lined with cafes, restaurants and boutiques, lending the city an air of intimacy quite at odds with its reputation as the economic engine of the entire region.

Vittorio Castellani, images by Fabrizio Esposito

Less than thirty years have passed since Lithuania proclaimed its independence, becoming the first country to untangle itself from the Soviet Union.

Since then, this young, small Baltic state, which has barely three million inhabitants, has not stopped growing and searching for its own identity. Naturally, this also extends to the world of gastronomy.

„Vilnius’ long history unfolds in its old town. Wander the streets and you’ll find the Gothic Church of St Anne, complete with signature spires, just footsteps away from the domes of a Renaissance-style bell tower. Go further you’ll stumble upon opulent Baroque churches rubbing shoulders with the city’s columned neoclassical cathedral.

With a pretty lake the Grimm Brothers could have dreamt up on its doorstep, Vilnius is perfect for a summer city break, too.“

Kaunas was included to a global recommendation list as a great destination for a spring escape. Until recently Kaunas hadn’t been on many travellers’ radars, but the word is now out about this ‘city of design’ and it’s becoming evermore popular. However, it’s still a great destination for the budget conscious as both accommodation, food and activities are quite cheap.

Stunning church roof lines rise to the sky among the linden trees. The street lined with pastel buildings stretches down the hill. Pieces of the landscape look like cuttings from an old postcard inserted in a contemporary city. At the bottom of the street the river meanders along its path. A canoeist is passing by as if in slow motion. From the first moment Vilnius attracts you. If in Tallinn the traveller remembers a pretty Hanseatic city and a motley port, in Riga – the elegant Art Nouveau style buildings and hideous Soviet districts, so the capital of Lithuania is memorable as a green and tranquil city.

Founded by artist and local eccentric Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, who collected over 2,000 representations of devils and demons from all over the world, pieces vary from political sculptures (Hitler and Stalin as devils, performing a dance of death), to twigs and pebbles that bear a passing resemblance to the Prince of Darkness.

It's the smallest republic in the world: Užupis in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Everything's different in republic of artists: for instance, Article 16 of the constitution of Užupis gives everyone here the right to happiness.

According to the yearly calculations of travel expenses, Lithuanian capital was elected No.1 - the most affordable capital for a European city break. Two overnights, dinner for two, a ticket to a museum, city tour and other expenses sum up to 147,35 eur, the least from all 48 European capitals.

Kaunas’ street art – huge graffiti murals created by artists on the walls of buildings – has changed the face of the city in recent years. You can view them with a special guide. However, it’s more fun to just wander through the city streets without any particular goal, because artwork will surprise around just about every corner. Once of the most well-known murals is The Master (Wise Old Man),which covers an area of 440 square metres. This is probably the first large-scale piece of street art in Lithuania. Meanwhile, the sweetest is probably a drawing of a seven-year-old that was turned into a huge graffiti mural.