Monday, August 19, 2024
Today was the start of the organized BalticVision tour. At breakfast, after gathering my breakfast victuals and coffee in the hotel restaurant, I selected a quiet table in a back room to avoid the noise of the crowd in the bustling main room. I was joined by a pleasant young lady from Rome on tour and the Aussie couple I met last night, Jo and John, sat at a table beside us. We all shared travel stories and were excited to start our upcoming Baltic tour.
After breakfast, the BalticVision tourists gathered in the lobby. We were divided into four groups, each with its own bus and tour guide according to preferred language: English, German, Italian, or Spanish. Jeff and I boarded the English-speaking bus and our guide, Zane, narrated as we rode along the Neris River and then, shortly after a bridge crossing, made our first stop at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. This seemed to be a favorite first stop for tour buses and was crowded with tourists. We were given a brief description of the church and allowed 20 minutes on our own to view its interior. The present version of this Roman Catholic church is located on a small hill near the Neris River and was completed in 1701. The ornate interior was decorated with myriads of religious decorations and the central nave had numerous side altars and four connected chapels. Surprisingly, a mass was ongoing intermixed with all the tourist flurry. After quick glimpses of most of the interior, I returned to the bus in a timely fashion.
—— Church of St. Peter and St. Paul ——
The bus continued to the entry of Old Town Vilnius, the Gate of Dawn. We disembarked and huddled under shelter from a light rain that had begun, while some of our tour group used the public restrooms. Zane explained that we were standing by part of a fortification wall built in the 16th century when Vilnius was the captial of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Travellers prayed for their safe return as they exited the gate. After walking through the gate and observing the interior side, we observed a chapel above the passageway, Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn. Inside the chapel is a large icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, said to have miraculous powers. We were able to walk through the chapel via a stairway and corridor but due to another ongoing service, could not enter and view the renowned icon.
—— Gate of Dawn and Chapel ——
From the Gate of Dawn, we descended the main street through Old Town, marvelling at the varied but wonderful architecture. We passed by Town Hall and its Square, numerous old churches, late Soviet era housing, and the entrance to Vilnius University.
—— Old Town Vilnius ——
Town Hall and Square
Late Soviet Era Architecture
Entrance to Vilnius University
Eventually, we arrived at Cathedral Square with its distinctive cathedral and bell tower, an area that Jeff and I had wandered through on our first night in Vilnius. At this point Zane left us on our own to explore, shop, have lunch, and then walk back to the hotel. We decided to explore the cathedral interior later, but Jeff couldn’t resist taking a spin on steguklas, the “Magical Stone”. However, as he was spinning around, he forgot to make his wish to be granted.
—— Cathedral Square ——
Jeff not making a wish on Steguklas, the “Magical Stone”
We decided to walk to Gediminas’ Tower, a hill-top landmark that we had been eyeing from many perspectives in Vilnius, including from the hotel. On the way, we passed some pagan statues; Vilnius was the last European country to be converted to Christianity during the Northern (Baltic) Crusades of the Middle Ages. We also passed a statue of King Mindaugas, the only Lithuanian monarch of the Catholic Kingdom of Lithuania in the 13th century.
—— Pagan Statues ——
—— King Mindaugas ——
After purchasing tickets, we rode a funicular up a hillside to Gediminas’ Tower. Rebuilt in 1933, this tower represents the last remaining part of a fortification and castle built by Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania in the early 15th century. This three-story tower houses museum exhibits and offered wonderful scenic views of Vilnius from the open lookout on top.
—— Gediminas’ Tower & Views of Vilnius ——
After descending Gediminas’ Tower, we walked back to Cathedral Square and peeked inside the Neo-classical Vilnius Cathedral. The original cathedral was contructed by orders of King Mindaugas in the mid-1200s, but the current structure was completed in 1783. We only had a small amount of time to take in its numerous splendorous adornments.
—— Vilnius Cathedral ——
After exiting the cathedral, we wandered to a nearby green space with an outdoor cafe where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with local beer before walking back to the hotel.
—— Our Outdoor Lunch Venue ——
At 2 pm, we boarded another bus for a 45-minute ride to Trakai, southwest of Vilnius. We walked from the bus parking lot through the village of Trakai, an attractive and peaceful lake resort. Then we crossed a pedestrian bridge to our destination, Trakai Castle, located on an island in Lake Galve. The original castle was built during the 14th century and later restored in 1946-1961. The castle served as a main center of power for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A local guide escorted us through the castle explaining its construction and historical significance.
—— Trakai & Trakai Castle ——
After touring Trakai Castle, we rode the bus back to the hotel to relax before boarding it again for dinner at the Restaurant Senoji Trobele where we were treated to Lithuanian cuisine. Jeff and I sat with our Aussie friends. The first course included an unusual meat-filled potato roll and we were provided a demonstration of how the potatoes are prepared. During the main course, Jane called and I excused myself and spoke with her outside. The condition of our black cat, Zorro, was worsening and she had arranged to have him euthanized at home on Wednesday. I agreed with this decision, but was saddened. I joined my colleagues to finish the meal with dampened spirits. After dinner, I returned to my hotel room with a heavy heart.
—— Dinner at Senoji Trobele ——
