Lithuania Holiday

Smack bang in the heart of Europe, Lithuania is the next 'up and coming' holiday destination for trendy travellers who like to be in the know.

Hemmed in by Latvia, Poland, Russia and Belarus and with a coastline looking out to the Baltic sea, Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic states and boasts the oldest, and most beautiful, Old Baroque town in Europe.

Visitors can expect to be greeted with miles of picturesque plains dotted with hills and lakes, stetching out to the breezy Baltic shoreline, which is separated from the open sea by the Curonian Spit sand dunes.

But beautiful as this country may be, poignant reminders of this Baltic state's tragic past are never far away.

Remaining independent between WWI and WWII, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11th March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this was ignored by Russia until September of 1991. The last Russian troops did not withdraw until 1993, allowing Lithuania to rebuild and remember those lost in the bloody tug-of-war between itself and Russia.

The most striking symbol of rememberance is the awe-inspiring Hill of Crosses in Siauliai (shoe-lay), a hillock covered in a sea of wooden crosses, some tiny, others enormous and flamboyant, but all posted as a prayer or in rememberance of a loved who disappeared during the war.

The Hill of Crosses is a stark symbol of the resilience of the Lithuanian people. During Russian occupation, the Soviet Secret Police, the KGB, bulldozed the shrine of crosses to the ground and closed all roads leading to it, but still the crosses returned.

For a real taste of this staunch Lithuanian spirit, a visit to the capital, Vilnius, should satiate the appetite of history and cake lovers alike (Lithuanians are master cake-makers).

Traditional dishes are also a highlight of any trip here along with the opportunity to buy linen, amber and clay pot souvenirs.

Indulge in local specialities such as skilandis (smoked meat), cepelinai (grated potatoes with mince meat) and vederai (strangely delicous potato sausages) and wash it all down with a few glasses of midus, an alcoholic Lithuanian beverage made from honey.

Once you've wandered the Old Town, and visited the the old cathedral, it's time to find accomodation in Lithuania's other great cities, Kaunas and Klaipeda, where you can stroll among magazine Gothic and Renaissance style buildings and listen to the lilting rhythm of the Lithuanian language.

Rich and cultural and spirit, Lithuania has also been blessed with diverse wildlife and lanscapes. Abundant in rolling hills and plains, calmly flowing rivers, turquoise skies and fiery sunsets, Lithuania has several reserves and national parks which protects its unique wildlife.

Nature lovers should head to Cepkeliai Reserve in the South or Aukstaitija National Park, Lithunania's first park, to see some of Europe's most breathtaking countryside.

Lithuania defies the traditional image of Eastern Europe as a dreary, bleak place, obliterated by war, ethnic cleansing and savagery.

Although Lithuania may not be at the top of most traveller's 'places to see' list, it certainly should be as there are few places in Europe which are as beautiful and spirited as this country.