February 19th, 2010 
Sheila Simkin Vilnius is a lively city with a tremendous amount of ancient, baroque sights. A UNESCO World Heritage site and we had only ONE DAY to cram all this in. Stefan, the local guide, took us on a three-hour walking tour beginning from the Panorama Hotel at 9:00 a.m. and ending at St. Anne’s Cathedral. Vilnius was the last major city on the Baltic Republics Tour and, again, I’ll try to condense my highlights out of manifold sights. The walk began on Pylimo Street, past the Hales Food Marketplace, closed on Mondays. It is part of the Baltic’s Russian heritage that anything of importance closes on Monday and something they’ve never changed.
- Through the Gate of Dawn (Ausros Vartai), the only one of Vilnius’ 10 defensive gates that has survived. There is a chapel above it…View image…with a picture of Miraculous Mary but it was already wall-to-wall with tourists. ex-Marine and I would return to visit later today.
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- St. Casimir’s Lutheran Baroque Church served as a grain warehouse during Napoleon’s march to Russia and St. Casimir is the only Lithuanian saint. St. Therese …View image… with an impressive main altar. St. Catherine’s…View image… that once belonged to a Benedictine convent…
- The Vilnius Town Hall is situated on the Town Hall Square, the central square of Vilnius for six centuries. It originally housed the magistrate, court rooms, treasury, arms and ammunition warehouse with a prison in the basement. Markets and fairs were held in the same place that present-day performances and exhibitions take place now. A Tourist Information Office is in one corner of the Town Hall. A plaque on the outside of the building commemorates a speech given by President George W. Bush in 2002…View image.
- Vilnius University, founded by the Jesuits in 1574, is a source of Lithuanian culture thanks to its famous library. Inside the library is a map of the world without America in it, over five million other publications and manuscripts, and one of the only two originals of the first Lithuanian book printed in 1547. The very photogenic door was made in 1997…View image
- The Presidential Palace. Did you know that Dalia Grybauskaite (nicknamed the “Iron Lady” – perhaps because she has a black belt in Karate) is President of Lithuania? And, Ingrida Simonyte is Minister of Finance and Rasa Jukneviciene, Minister of Defense. Stefan said that, “Lithuanian men had their chance and didn’t do too well for Lithuania. Now it is the women’s turn.”
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Loved the blog will be back for sure
Joel said says hi
Hi Lee, thanks for commenting and visiting Travels With Sheila, I really appreciate it. Best regards, Sheila
My 17 year old son will be in Vilnius on April 6th and I would like to arrange a “Jewish” tour for him. Any recommendations?
Hi Larry, we were on a group tour but it seemed as if every group tour included the Jewish area and history, a surprise for us. I’d tell him to head right for the main Vilnius Tourist Information Center in the Town Hall (the one in the Railway station was hopeless). They all speak English and the town hall is exactly two blocks from the old Jewish Area. It will be very easy for him to do there. Hope he has a great trip. If I can help you with anything else, please e-mail. Regards, Sheila
You can definitely see your expertise in the work you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.