Foto: The bell tower and cathedral of Vilnius (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Lithuania - Just behind the museum, we take the funicular up to the castle located at a higher elevation. Only one fortress tower remains, rising high above the city. From the top of the tower, there is a beautiful view over old Vilnius. With the travel guide in my hand, I recognize the many churches of the city. We walk down around the castle via a cobblestone path and end up at the central square by the Bell Tower and the Cathedral. The front of the Cathedral strongly resembles a Greek temple. The Cathedral has been frequently renovated and altered over the centuries. When I enter the church, the Gothic nave immediately stands out. Beautiful! The church is busy as the mass is about to begin. In the front right is a beautiful Baroque chapel, which I definitely don’t want to miss. Just before the mass starts, I quickly leave the church. Outside in the square stands the old Bell Tower. The Bell Tower dates from the 17th century, but its base was already part of a defensive tower in the 15th century. Just in front of the tower lies a star on the square. If you walk a circle around the star and under the condition that you found the star yourself, you can make a wish on the star. A Spanish travel group explains the star’s principle to me in broken English and applauds whenever someone has made a wish. My wish is also greeted with applause. Maybe it works?
Hill of Crosses in Siauliai
Lithuania - Near Šiauliai is the Hill of Crosses, where the first cross was placed in 1847. Today, this hill holds hundreds of thousands of crosses, making it a unique and impressive place. During the Russian occupation of the area, the Hill of Crosses became a ...
The Curonian Spit
Lithuania - Last night the driver asked Karen in Russian if we had rain gear with us. That doesn’t bode well. The weather forecast for today is showery. Today is a free day in Nida. We don’t let the weather get us down and rent bicycles in the center of the village. ...
The Water Castle of Trakai
Lithuania - We drive for about an hour to the village of Trakai. As we drive through the main street, the brightly colored wooden houses catch the eye. You would expect wooden houses to suffer greatly in the cold winters. However, Trakai is mainly famous for the ...