Since the end of World War II, the Christian Social Party (CSV) has usually been the dominant partner in governing coalitions. The Roman Catholic-oriented CSV resembles Christian Democratic parties in other west European countries and enjoys broad popular support. The LSAP (Socialist Party) regained its standing as junior coalition partner to the CSV in national elections held in June 2004.

The Socialist Party (LSAP) is a center-left party similar to most social-democratic parties in Europe. Initially founded by a worker’s movement and a main defender of universal suffrage in 1919, the LSAP defends state intervention in the economy and the sustainability of the welfare system. Part of the government between 1984-1999, the LSAP includes divergent movements in its ranks and is currently dominated by politicians originally from the trade union movement. While in the opposition, the LSAP voiced considerable criticism against the war in Iraq. (more…)

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867.

Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. (more…)

Cross-country skiing, ice skating and toboganning are all popular winter sports; Aukstaitija National Park, in eastern Lithuania, has the best cross-country skiing trails. The national park is also a good canoeing area - trips can be organised and equipment rented from the park’s tourism and recreation centre. The west coast of the country attracts large numbers of bird-watchers, especially to the town of Vente, on the eastern side of the Curonian Lagoon, which is home to an ornithological preserve.

The Fisherman’s Club in Vilnius provides advice on all types of fishing and arranges fishing trips in Lithuania. In the depths of winter, ice fishing is popular on the frozen Curonian Lagoon. Skydiving and ballooning can be arranged in Vilnius. There are plenty of opportunities to rent bicycles and there are some fun (and mostly flat) cycling tours.

Trakai

This old Lithuanian capital is now a small, quiet town in an attractive country area of lakes and islands. Most of the town stands on a peninsula dotted with old wooden cottages, many of them built by the Karaites - a Judaist sect originating in Baghdad that adheres to the Law of Moses.

The Karaites were brought to Trakai by Vytautas the Great around 1400AD to serve as bodyguards, and about 150 of them still live here. Their numbers are dwindling rapidly though, giving legitimacy to fears that Lithuania’s smallest ethnic minority could die out. There’s a small Karaites museum here and an early-19th-century Karaites prayer house, both of which were renovated in 1997. Trakai is just 28km (17mi) west of Vilnius, connected to the capital by both train and bus.

Druskininkai

This resort’s status stems from its mineral springs, which have been in demand for their curative powers since the 19th century. Druskininkai is also known as the birthplace of modern sculptor Jacques Lipchitz and the home town of romantic painter and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis.

In recent times, a new ‘attraction’ has hit the outskirts of town. Stalin World (officially the Soviet Sculpture Garden at Grutas Park) is described by the canned mushroom mogul behind its construction as combining ‘the charms of a Disneyland with the worst of the Soviet gulag prison camp’. Druskininkai is in southern Lithuania, on the Nemunas river, not far from the border with Belarus.

Vilnius

Lithuania’s capital city has an international flavour due to the influence of the big Lithuanian diaspora and because it has always been exposed to influences from central Europe and beyond. In the 16th century, Vilnius was one of the biggest cities in eastern Europe.

Vilnius played a part in Poland’s 17th-century ‘golden age’ and became an important Jewish city in the 19th century. Germany, Poland and Russia have all played pass-the-parcel with Vilnius last century. Post-WWII, Vilnius developed into the chief focus of Lithuania’s push for independence.

Hill of Crosses

Lithuania’s most incredible, awe-inspiring sight is the legendary Hill of Crosses. The two-humped hillock is covered in a forest of thousands upon thousands of crosses - large and tiny, expensive and cheap, wooden and metal. Some are devotional, to accompany prayers, others are memorial.

It’s thought that the tradition of planting crosses here may have begun in the 14th century. In the Soviet era the crosses were bulldozed at least three times, only to spring up again. It’s an eerie place, especially when the wind blows and the silence is broken by the rattling of crosses and rosaries. The Hill of Crosses is 10km (6mi) north of Siauliai, which in turn, is 140km (87mi) north of Kaunas and has good rail and bus connections with both Kaunas and Vilnius.

Centre of Europe

In 1989 the French National Geographical Institute named a spot on the road to Moletai, 25km (15mi) north of Vilnius, as the centre of Europe. It’s marked by a small, granite sculpture that has been vandalised, but a new sculpture - a pyramid with all the European capitals and their distances from the centre marked on it - is planned for the site. To get there, turn right off the Vilnius-Moletai road at the ‘Europas Centras’ sign.

Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant

Should you harbour an inexplicable urge to be the progenitor of generations of mutants, then a visit to the world’s largest RMBK Chernobyl-style reactor plant may leave you with a warm inner (and outer) glow.

The Visaginas town centre, 2km (1mi) west of the plant, features a Geiger counter that records daily radiation levels. The plant boasts two RMBK reactors, which are graphite cooled and have no containment system; if an accident occurs, radiation is immediately released into the open air. Visaginas is 120km (74mi) north-east of Vilnius. If you don’t have private transport, trains connect Vilnius with the town of Ignalina, 50km (31mi) south of the plant, from where you can catch a local bus or taxi to Visaginas.

Trakai

This old Lithuanian capital is now a small, quiet town in an attractive country area of lakes and islands. Most of the town stands on a peninsula dotted with old wooden cottages, many of them built by the Karaites - a Judaist sect originating in Baghdad that adheres to the Law of Moses.

The Karaites were brought to Trakai by Vytautas the Great around 1400AD to serve as bodyguards, and about 150 of them still live here. Their numbers are dwindling rapidly though, giving legitimacy to fears that Lithuania’s smallest ethnic minority could die out. There’s a small Karaites museum here and an early-19th-century Karaites prayer house, both of which were renovated in 1997. Trakai is just 28km (17mi) west of Vilnius, connected to the capital by both train and bus.

Vilnius

Lithuania’s capital city has an international flavour due to the influence of the big Lithuanian diaspora and because it has always been exposed to influences from central Europe and beyond. In the 16th century, Vilnius was one of the biggest cities in eastern Europe.

Vilnius played a part in Poland’s 17th-century ‘golden age’ and became an important Jewish city in the 19th century. Germany, Poland and Russia have all played pass-the-parcel with Vilnius last century. Post-WWII, Vilnius developed into the chief focus of Lithuania’s push for independence.

Curonian Spit

The typical Baltic coastal scent of mingled ozone and pine is at its headiest on the northern Lithuanian half of the Curonian Spit, which dominates Lithuania’s Baltic coast. This area is made up of four settlements, none of which are more than a couple of kilometres from the coast.

There’s a magical air to this isolated 98km (60mi) thread of sand, which is composed of dunes and pine forests inhabited by elk, deer and wild boar. Here you can savour fish freshly smoked to an old Curonian recipe, hire jet skis or paddle boats, go ice fishing, or get some vodka into you.

Druskininkai

This resort’s status stems from its mineral springs, which have been in demand for their curative powers since the 19th century. Druskininkai is also known as the birthplace of modern sculptor Jacques Lipchitz and the home town of romantic painter and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis.

In recent times, a new ‘attraction’ has hit the outskirts of town. Stalin World (officially the Soviet Sculpture Garden at Grutas Park) is described by the canned mushroom mogul behind its construction as combining ‘the charms of a Disneyland with the worst of the Soviet gulag prison camp’. Druskininkai is in southern Lithuania, on the Nemunas river, not far from the border with Belarus.

Hill of Crosses

Lithuania’s most incredible, awe-inspiring sight is the legendary Hill of Crosses. The two-humped hillock is covered in a forest of thousands upon thousands of crosses - large and tiny, expensive and cheap, wooden and metal. Some are devotional, to accompany prayers, others are memorial.

It’s thought that the tradition of planting crosses here may have begun in the 14th century. In the Soviet era the crosses were bulldozed at least three times, only to spring up again. It’s an eerie place, especially when the wind blows and the silence is broken by the rattling of crosses and rosaries. The Hill of Crosses is 10km (6mi) north of Siauliai, which in turn, is 140km (87mi) north of Kaunas and has good rail and bus connections with both Kaunas and Vilnius.

Palanga

This small city is quiet in winter, but in summer it’s transformed into Lithuania’s premier seaside resort with a long, sandy beach backed by pine-covered dunes; a large botanical park with a rose garden; a hill thought to have been the site of a pagan shrine; and an excellent Amber Museum.

Palanga hosts a grand opening of the summer season on the first Saturday in June; the closing of the season, on the last Saturday in August, is marked by a massive street carnival, market, song festival and pop concert.

Palanga is 30km (18mi) north of Klaipeda and 18km (11mi) south of the Latvian border. Kretinga, the nearest train station, is served by daily trains from Klaipeda and Vilnius. Bus services abound. Motorists have to pay a small entrance fee to drive into Palanga.

Centre of Europe

In 1989 the French National Geographical Institute named a spot on the road to Moletai, 25km (15mi) north of Vilnius, as the centre of Europe. It’s marked by a small, granite sculpture that has been vandalised, but a new sculpture - a pyramid with all the European capitals and their distances from the centre marked on it - is planned for the site. To get there, turn right off the Vilnius-Moletai road at the ‘Europas Centras’ sign.

Currency: Litas
Meals

Budget: Lt5-15
Mid-range: Lt15-30
High: Lt30-90
Deluxe: Lt90+

Lodging

Budget: Lt5-60
Mid-range: Lt60-120
High: Lt120-400
Deluxe: Lt400+

Travel in the Baltic States can still be bully for budgeters. Hostel accommodation is rarely more than US$10 and can go as low at US$2 for a bed in a shared room. This style of accommodation combined with eating in cheap canteens or cafeterias, or self-catering, and travelling in small bursts by bus or train can keep daily costs down to under US$10 per person. If you prefer homestays or mid-range hotel accommodation and eating in quality restaurants, daily costs may tick up to around US$40 to US$60 per person.

Currency exchange isn’t a problem in Lithuania, although cashing travellers’ cheques is best done in large cities such as Vilnius, Kaunas, Siauliai and Klaipeda. Numerous ATMs give cash advances on Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard, while credit cards are common methods of payment in hotels and restaurants. Make sure whatever cash currency you bring in is in pristine condition. Marked, torn or simply very used notes will be refused.

Lithuania has a value-added tax (VAT) of 18%, and it’s automatically included in all accommodation and eating costs. Tipping isn’t compulsory in Lithuania, but it’s common to give waiters 5 or 10% by rounding up the bill. Some bargaining (but not a lot) goes on at flea markets

The most emotive cultural event is the National Song Festival, held every five years (the next one will be in 2005). Over 100,000 people are expected to join in with the singing of several hundred choirs from the Baltic region. Midsummer celebrations are keenly celebrated in these latitudes: the night of 23 June, considered to have magical powers, is the climax of events. The Baltika folk festival rotates among the Baltic capitals - it’s due in Lithuania in July 1999. (more…)

Summer and spring (May through September) are far and away the best times of year to travel in Lithuania. The majority of foreign tourists come during July and August, when low-budget hotels and hostels can be fully booked. While there’s usually a picturesque sprinkling of snow on the ground in winter (November through March), there’s also only a few hours of daylight each day.

Visas: Lithuania does not require visas for most tourists staying for 90 days or less. Citizens from fellow EU countries, the Baltic states, Australia, Canada, Japan, the US, nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela do not require a visa for tourist stays of 90 days or less. A valid passport is required by all visitors.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2
Dialling Code: 370
Electricity: 220V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

Lithuania is the biggest of the three Baltic states and covers an area roughly the same size as Ireland. It borders Latvia in the north, Belarus in the south-east, the Baltic Sea in the west and Poland and the truncated Kaliningrad Region of Russia in the south-west. It’s a predominantly flat country, and its highest point, Juazapinés, measures only 294m (964ft). Lithuania’s Baltic coast extends about 100km (62mi), half of which lies along the extraordinary Curonian Spit - a pencil-thin 98km (61mi) long sandbar that’s up to 66m (216ft) high.

Just over one quarter of Lithuania is forested, in particular the south-west of the country. Elk, deer, wild boar, wolf and lynx inhabit the forests, though you’re unlikely to bump into any without some guidance. Lithuania also has about 2000 otters, and Lake Zuvintas, in the south, is an important breeding ground and migration halt for waterbirds. There are five national parks in Lithuania and a number of nature reserves, the highlight being the Kursiu Nerija National Park, a special environment of high dunes, pine forests, beaches, a lagoon and seacoasts.

The Lithuanian climate is temperate. From May to September daytime highs vary from about 14°C to 22°C (57°F to 72°F), but between November and March it rarely gets above 4°C (39°F). July and August, the warmest months, are also wet, with days of persistent showers. May, June and September are more comfortable, while late June can be thundery. Slush under foot is something you have to cope with in autumn, when snow falls then melts, and in spring, when the winter snow thaws.