Thinking of a festive getaway to wrap up the busy year? Well, what about Kaunas, a city under the patronage of Santa Claus? This is not a joke, as St. Nicholas – the ancient prototype of Santa Claus – is in fact the patron saint of several European cities, including Galway, Bari, Amsterdam, and Kaunas. The residents of Lithuania’s second city are well aware of this historic patronage and, therefore, take their Christmas traditions very seriously, yet always include some modern twists and are happy to share the holiday spirit with visitors.
So grab your flight to Kaunas, book a comfy hotel, and get ready to make this Christmas season truly unforgettable!
This year, the holiday season in Kaunas starts on November 23rd, so start planning. The city has taken a bold step to move the traditional Christmas market from the Town Hall Square in the Old Town to a more contemporary – and more comfortable- location in terms of accessibility.
For many years in a row, Kaunas made international headlines with its creative and original Christmas tree. A local textile artist, Jolanta Šmidtienė, created them for over a decade, always coming up with astonishing ideas that surprise both residents and guests of Kaunas and spectators online. One of her ideas, a 16-meter tall tree constructed from more than 32 thousand green plastic bottles, even made it into the Guinness World Records.
This Christmas, however, Kaunas is going au naturel. An 18-meter tall, 37-year old, silver fir tree will travel to the Vienybės (Unity) Square from a family house in Šilainiai, a district near the city’s outer limits. It’s a gift from the family to Kaunas and its people and guests, making the upcoming holiday season a genuinely self-made celebration.
Christmas trees in Kaunas through the years.
This year, Vienybės Square has been chosen as the Christmas Market location because the long-awaited reconstruction work has started in Town Hall Square. The new holiday spot is perfect for all - it’s a walking distance to the bus and train stations, a stone’s throw from the central pedestrian axis Laisvės Alėja, and surrounded by shops, cafes and other attractions.
Visitors can conveniently combine a visit to the Christmas Market and the city’s most significant museums, including the National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art (currently hosting a splendid exhibition about a scenographer Liudas Truikys), Vytautas the Great War Museum, world’s only Devils’ Museum etc. Also, the recently redesigned (and awarded for that) Vienybės Square is framed by picturesque streets filled with modernist architecture included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
For those into scenic selfies and cosy cafes serving warm drinks in the late hours, the Old Town of Kaunas awaits in all its frosty glory; the Gothic and Renaissance buildings look particularly well covered in snow and decorated with Christmas lights.
Laisvės av.
Kaunas, proudly calling itself a self-made city, offers various goods and souvenirs its people produce. From confectionery and high-quality drinks to unique art, prints, leather accessories and fashion items, your Christmas shopping list will be all crossed out in no time. Numerous Christmas bazaars are organised from the end of November all the way till December 24th. Among our favourites is the Christmas Art Fair on December 7-8th, held in the beautiful modernist villa Kaunas Artists’ House. It’s just a couple hundred steps from the main Christmas tree!
Holiday music, special film screenings, readings, guided tours and exhibitions are on the calendar in Kaunas during the festive season. Check kultura.kaunas.lt or ask at the Kaunas IN Tourism Information Centre for recommendations. Additionally, from November 22nd, Darius and Girėnas Stadium will become a winter wonderland, inviting visitors to enjoy open-air ice skating, tasty food, warm drinks, shows, and activities for children – all in the spirit of the holidays.
For more events on Kaunas Christmas visit a special Christmas site.
Photos by Andrius Aleksandravičius
