Vilnius, Lithuania

Day 1

• Gediminas Tower

  The remains of the red-brick upper castle, on the hill dominating the city: a museum and a panoramic terrace over the old town.

• Vilnius Cathedral

  The white neoclassical cathedral with statues of the patron saints on the pediment, the heart of the old town's main square.

• St Anne's Church

  A masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic in red brick, with a facade so elaborate that Napoleon is said to have wanted to carry it to Paris 'in the palm of his hand'.

Day 2

• Vilnius University

  Founded in 1579, with thirteen interconnected courtyards and the historic library: you visit the main complex and climb the bell tower of St John's church for the view.

• Gate of Dawn (Aušros Vartai)

  The only surviving gate of the city walls, with the chapel holding the icon of the Merciful Madonna, a pilgrimage site.

• UNESCO baroque old town

  The largest baroque complex in Eastern Europe, a UNESCO site since 1994: a maze of churches, courtyards and medieval streets to wander without a plan.

Day 1

• Republic of Užupis✦ hidden gem

  An artists' quarter across the Vilnia river, self-proclaimed an independent republic in 1997 with its own constitution on a plaque: a bohemian atmosphere, galleries and eccentric sculptures.

• Vilnius TV Tower✦ hidden gem

  The country's tallest structure, with a revolving café at 165 metres: a panoramic (paid) alternative to the Hill of Three Crosses.

• The wall bastion and hidden courtyards of the old town✦ hidden gem

  The surviving stretch of Renaissance walls with the arsenal, and the many passageway courtyards of the old town that open behind anonymous doors: details that reward those who lose themselves on foot.

Day 2

• Pilies street and the amber market

  The pedestrian street descending from Gediminas Tower, dense with stalls and shops of Baltic amber, the 'gold of the north' worked here for centuries.

• Hill of Three Crosses

  The white monument on a wooded rise with the finest free view over the red rooftops of the old town, the river and the modern skyline.

Day 1

• Cepelinai and Lithuanian cuisine

  The large potato dumplings filled with meat or cheese, dressed with sour cream and bacon: the signature dish of the Lithuanian table, to try in a traditional tavern.

• Šaltibarščiai and Halės market

  The shocking-pink cold soup of beetroot and kefir with warm potatoes on the side, voted the world's best cold soup by TasteAtlas: in summer it's everywhere, and at the covered Halės market (1906) you eat it at local prices among stalls of black bread and smoked goods.

• Pilies street and the amber market

  The pedestrian street descending from Gediminas Tower, dense with stalls and shops of Baltic amber, the 'gold of the north' worked here for centuries.