# Essential Kaunas Travel Guide: What to See & Do

**Discover Kaunas: Lithuania’s Creative City of Rivers and Art Deco**

Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, stands at the meeting point of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. With a history stretching back to the medieval period, it offers a distinctive mix of historic architecture, modernist design, contemporary art, and relaxed café culture.

Often compared with Vilnius, Kaunas has its own character: it is walkable, quietly confident, and increasingly creative. Its manageable scale makes it easy to explore the city’s main neighborhoods, cultural sites, and riverside scenery.

## Explore Kaunas Old Town

Kaunas’ compact Old Town brings together centuries of history around several of the city’s best-known landmarks:

- Town Hall Square
- Kaunas Castle
- the Gothic House of Thunder
- Kaunas Cathedral Basilica, built in the Baroque style

Vilniaus Street leads through the historic center, adding a lively modern rhythm to the area. Cafés, restaurants, and colorful historic façades line the street as it continues toward Laisvės Aleja, Kaunas’ central pedestrian boulevard.

Together, the Old Town, Vilniaus Street, and Laisvės Aleja show how Kaunas combines Lithuanian heritage with contemporary urban life.

## Discover Kaunas’ Modernist and Art Deco Architecture

Kaunas became Lithuania’s temporary capital during the interwar years. This period shaped the city’s architectural identity and left it with one of Lithuania’s finest collections of modernist and Art Deco buildings.

The city’s architecture is an important part of the Kaunas experience, offering a different perspective from the medieval and Baroque landmarks concentrated in the Old Town. The contrast between historic buildings and interwar design reflects the city’s changing role throughout its history.

## Experience Kaunas’ Creative Culture

Kaunas’ creative energy is visible across the city. Striking murals, inventive street art, and tributes to the Fluxus movement add contemporary character to its streets and public spaces.

The city’s museums range from unusual and playful collections to deeply serious places of remembrance. Among the latter is the Ninth Fort, which documents imprisonment and mass murder during the occupations and World War II.

This combination of creativity and historical reflection is central to Kaunas’ identity. Visitors can encounter light-hearted artistic expression alongside places that address some of the darkest chapters in the city’s past.

## Try Lithuanian Food in Kaunas

Food is another appealing part of visiting Kaunas. Local restaurants reinterpret Lithuanian dishes, while vegan and vegetarian cafés serve plant-based versions of regional favorites.

The city’s dining options also include pizza, burgers, and falafel. Supermarkets offer a growing selection of vegan products, and eating out remains relatively affordable.

## Why Visit Kaunas?

For travelers researching things to do in Kaunas, the city offers an engaging blend of:

- medieval and Baroque heritage
- modernist and Art Deco architecture
- murals, street art, and Fluxus tributes
- museums and places of remembrance
- riverside scenery
- Lithuanian and plant-based food
- relaxed café culture

With its authentic atmosphere, walkable center, and manageable scale, Kaunas is one of the most rewarding places to visit in Lithuania.

## Walk Kaunas with Neywo

Neywo turns Kaunas into a self-guided audio tour. Stories arrive as you reach the place they belong to, and the route reshapes when you wander off it.

## More in Kaunas County

- [Kėdainiai](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/kaunas-county/kedainiai.md)
- [Birštonas](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/kaunas-county/birstonas.md)

## Elsewhere in Lithuania

- [Juodkrantė](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/klaipeda-county/juodkrante.md) — Klaipėda County
- [Klaipėda](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/klaipeda-county/klaipeda.md) — Klaipėda County
- [Nida](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/klaipeda-county/nida.md) — Klaipėda County
- [Palanga](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/klaipeda-county/palanga.md) — Klaipėda County
- [Anykščiai](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/anyksciai.md)
- [Plateliai](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/plateliai.md)
- [Trakai](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/trakai.md)
- [Vilnius](https://neywo.com/destinations/lithuania/vilnius.md)

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