Last updated May 22nd, 2024
To my disappointment, the first time Zac was to visit Lithuania, was going to be in Autumn. Let’s be honest, is not the best moment to visit the Baltic States. Temperatures are dropping by day, and there’s always a risk of heavy rain, if not storm. You do want to go there either in the heart of Summer, when you can properly enjoy the great outdoors (except for the company of mosquitos), or in Winter, when all turns into a silent and peaceful wonderland. We did have a stopover in Europe on the way to Asia, so we opted for it anyways.
Autumnal Vibes on the Baltic Coast
As I predicted, the weather was just turning into Autumnal mess, and we caught some rain and strong winds. This didn’t stop us from enjoying a boat ride in the Curronian Lagoon. If you’re ever in Lithuania, you absolutely want to consider going to Nida. It is the most authentic seaside town in the country, with a lot of history from the pagan times in Lithuania, all the way to German Prussia, and Lithuanian of nowadays.
Either take the quick (10min) ferry from Klaipeda and drive all the way down to Nida (around 50km), or opt for a boat ride from the mainland. Boats in Summer season leaving from Minge, Uostadvaris, Dreverna and Klaipeda.
The Grand Duchy’s Historical Grandeur
Counting barely 2.7 million inhabitants to this day, in the history of Europe Lithuania once was a superpower of the old continent. During the rule of the grand dukes, particularly in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was one of the largest and most powerful countries in Europe. At its zenith, it stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Vytautas the Great, who ruled from 1392 to 1430, was a key figure in expanding the territory and consolidating power. His military successes against the Teutonic Order and the Golden Horde significantly contributed to the grandeur of the Grand Duchy.
Cultural Mixture in Lithuania
The multicultural nature of the Grand Duchy fostered religious and cultural tolerance, making it a unique entity in medieval Europe. Rooftops of old town of Vilnius speak cultural diversity to this day. Here you will find churches of Roman Catholics (main religion in the country – 3/4 of total population), Orthodox, Lutheran, Muslim, Judaic. And yet, the main religion of Lithuanians is basketball, as they like to playfully say. Nothing unites the country more than a game of men’s national basketball team.
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