Despite a propensity for almost total destruction whenever a war passes through, contemporary Šiauliai offers more sightseeing opportunities than most cities twice its size. Everything from 17th-century churches to the most extraordinary collection of museums and of course not forgetting the Hill of Crosses are all begging to be explored. The city centre itself is a surprisingly good-looking piece of real estate, with one or two remaining Soviet-era masterpieces and a collection of lovely 1930s buildings scattered along Aušros.