Lithuania, Baltic country in Northern Europe
Lithuania is a Baltic nation in Northern Europe situated between Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and the Baltic Sea. The territory covers wide forests that occupy about one third of the area, along with several thousand lakes.
The Grand Duchy emerged in 1253 under King Mindaugas and expanded to the Black Sea during the 14th century. Independence was declared in 1990 and gained international recognition in 1991 after Soviet occupation.
The Baltic language has kept its original grammar over centuries and is considered the most conservative living Indo-European tongue. Sutartinės, polyphonic folk songs, shape the music tradition and have been on the UNESCO intangible heritage list since 2010.
The country operates four international airports, with the main terminal in Vilnius connecting numerous European destinations. As a Schengen member since 2007, border checks are absent within the zone, and the euro has been official currency since 2015.
The geographical center of Europe sits near the village of Purnuškės, as calculated in 1989 by the French National Geographic Institute. The Curonian Spit is a narrow peninsula featuring migrating sand dunes that reach up to 60 meters in height.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
