Kaunas is unique in that its buzz is centred on an east-west axis of dining and entertainment. All the way down the avenues of Laisvės and Vilniaus are nightspots and dayspots of all kinds, from craft beer-worshipping gastropubs to creative cocktail bars to some of the Baltics’ best Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese and other cuisines. These two streets and atmospheric Town Hall Square (Rotušės aikštė) are the city’s star attractions, where it’s always a pleasure to stroll or stagger, wondering where to drop into next.
But, as in any city, venturing off the beaten track can reveal something of the real Kaunas too. Head east to ancient oak-filled Ąžuolynas, a park that has inspired poets and artists for centuries. Or south, crossing over the bridge to Nemunas Island Park (Nemuno salos parkas). Or north, riding the funicular or climbing the steps up from V.Putvinskio Street to discover the amazing gleaming white Christ’s Resurrection Church that towers above the city, after which leafy Žaliakalnis and its twisting lanes and rickety houses can be explored. Then return again to Laisvės and the Old Town for a well-deserved drink.
City Essentials