Small-Group Food and History Walking Tour of Vilnius

The Old Town of Vilnius, a UNESCO-protected site, is crammed with cobblestone streets and Gothic and Baroque churches, plus imposing palaces and even a castle. Meet your guide in Old Town and start strolling the narrow, winding streets, learning about the history and culture of Vilnius, as well as how the Soviet era created scars that are still visible in the streets of the city.

Vilnius’ Old Town is one of the largest preserved medieval quarters in all of Europe. Learn from your guide how so much of the town remains preserved. And while you’re at it, try some of the very edible fruits of Lithuania’s culinary culture: cured meats and fish, cheese, and bread. The tour includes stops at five cafés, shops or bars.

Lithuanian cuisine, influenced by the food of Poland and Germany, is rib-stickingly hearty. Indulge in bigos, a long-simmering hunters stew bobbing with sausages and seasonal veggies. Or sample the cold, bright-pink borscht soup. Wash it down with a locally produced beer or wine or even mead, honey wine. Try gira, Lithuanian kvass, which is made from black bread. Sip some acorn coffee, a caffeine-free drink that has been popular in Lithuania since the Middle Ages.

The tour concludes in Old Town, leaving you free to continue to explore this part of town. Go ahead and walk off the feast you’ve just devoured.