Lithuania has a rich history going back centuries, taking architectural influence from their Pagan roots, the French, the Italians and subsequently the Russians as well.
What I found interesting (and not at all expected), was Vilnius' narrow Medieval streets as well as its Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic buildings! Given Russia's occupation, it's amazing they had the decency to leave most of Vilnius' Old Town alone. The city's beautiful character charmed them too, I guess?
With naming Vilnius a Unesco World Heritage Site, much has been done to preserve the integrity of this section of town. While many buildings look to be on the brink of falling over, people still inhabit them. Whether they're safe structures or not, is another question. Although, from where we were standing it looked as though architectural engineers are kept quite busy here.
Creatively speaking, there's so much to draw inspiration from. With all of its complexities, dark, long history and ultimate beauty, I would definitely say Lithuania is worth exploring! I'm really happy we included Vilnius on this holiday, not just for personal reasons, but also for a deeper appreciation of Eastern Europe's triumphant nature.
We'll most certainly be back!
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