Lithuania

Welcome to Lithuania

Lithuania, officially known as the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Eastern Europe. It is neighbors with Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and Russia. In the 1230s, the first and only king of Lithuania, Mindaugas, unified all the Lithuanian lands into a large country. After that, during the 14th and 15th centuries, this region expanded and became one of the largest and most powerful states in Europe. Next, Lithuania claimed its independence from Russia in 1918; however, it was short-lived, as in 1940 this land was occupied again by Nazi Germany and then by the Soviet Union. Finally, in 1990, Lithuania declared independence and became the first Soviet country to accomplish this. Moreover, Lithuanians were the last European nation to convert to Christianity as they had a firm hold on Paganism, and this has left a great impact on the Lithuanian culture, alongside the Russian, German, and Polish influences due to occupation and sharing borders.

Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania, and it is home to over 629k people. This city has a rich and intricate history, which is reflected greatly in the culture. Henceforth, Lithuanians generally celebrate two main festivals, and they are Jonines and Kucios. First, Jonines (Midsummer) is celebrated with dancing, singing, and music to mark the summer solstice on 24th June of every year; second, Kucios (Christmas Eve) is vastly celebrated because the majority of the people are now Christians. During these events, family gathering is one of the fundamental traditions because family is the pillar of the Lithuanian community. That is not all; Vilnius has so much to offer, and one of them is its historical sights, as you can get lost in them such as Gediminas Castle Tower, Vilnius Old Town, Vilnius Cathedral, and the National Museum of Lithuania. Also, if you are more interested in nature, then you should visit its natural beauty, including Vingis Park, Bernardine Garden, Pavilniai Regional Park, and Vilnius University Botanical Garden. Furthermore, Lithuanian cuisine is hearty and tasty, and for everyone, here are some of their most delicious dishes: Kibinai (pastries filled with meat and vegetables). If you are wondering about the national dish, then you should try Cepelinai (potato dumplings filled with meat or mushrooms), and whenever you are craving something sweet, you should definitely try Medaus Tortas, which is a cake made with honey. Therefore, your next travel destination should be this beautiful country.

Interesting Facts About Lithuania

• Around a third of the country is forestland.
• Basketball is a very popular sport in Lithuania.
• Vilnius is the largest city in Lithuania.
• Lithuania is a land of lakes.