Where to Stay in Vilnius? The 5 Best Areas & Places to Stay

Vilnius is the Baltic capital that the fewest British travellers know, and that’s a shame.

The Lithuanian capital has a large Old Town full of baroque churches, courtyards and winding cobbled streets, and just across the little River Vilnelė lies the artists’ quarter of Užupis, which has declared itself a republic.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Vilnius, you’ll find a city that is green, compact and cheap compared with most capitals in the EU.

Deciding where to stay in Vilnius mostly comes down to how close you want to be to the cobblestones and how much you want to pay. Here are my five suggestions for areas, with three hotels in each.

Where to Stay in Vilnius: The Best Areas

• Old Town - best area for first-time visitors
• Užupis & Bernardinai - best area for couples and art lovers
• Gedimino prospektas & Cathedral Square - best area for shopping and museums
• Railway Station & Naujamiestis - best area for budget travellers and day trips
• Šnipiškės - best area for drivers and business travellers

Vilnius is a small capital. The first four areas are within a 15 to 20-minute walk of each other, while Šnipiškės lies on the other side of the River Neris. The city has no metro, but buses and trolleybuses go everywhere, and Old Town is best explored on foot. The prices below come from a search for a weekend in May for two people.

1. Old Town - best area for first-time visitors 🏰

• 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re right in the centre. From Pilies gatvė it’s a five-minute walk to Cathedral Square and ten minutes to Town Hall Square.
• 🚶 Transport: Within Old Town you can walk everywhere, as many of the streets are car-free. Buses and trolleybuses run along the edge of the district, and it’s a 15 to 20-minute walk to the railway station.
• ✈️ Time from the airport: Around 15 to 20 minutes by taxi or around 20 minutes on the 3G express bus to the centre.
• 💰 Price level: Mid-range to high. The three hotels below cost around 110 to 260 euros (around £90 to £220) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
• 👮 Safety: Safe and full of people until late in the evening. Watch out for pickpockets in the crowds on Pilies gatvė and Cathedral Square.

Vilnius’ Old Town covers 352 hectares and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Gothic, Renaissance and baroque buildings stand side by side in a web of winding streets spreading out from the castle hill with Gediminas’ Tower. The main street, Pilies gatvė, runs south from Cathedral Square and continues as Didžioji gatvė to Town Hall Square, and at the very southern end stands Aušros vartai (the Gate of Dawn), the only surviving city gate.

Behind the façades hide courtyards with cafés and small galleries, and Vilnius University has its old courtyards right next to the Presidential Palace. In the western part lies the former Jewish quarter around Stiklių gatvė and Gaono gatvė, from the time when the city was known as the Jerusalem of Lithuania, and on Pylimo gatvė you’ll find the MO art museum. If you want the stories behind it all, you can take a guided walking tour of Old Town.

See hotels in Old Town here.

I would stay here if it’s your first trip to Vilnius and you’d like to walk to everything. The cathedral, Gediminas’ Tower, Užupis and most of the restaurants are within a 15-minute walk, and in the evening you can stroll back from dinner through streets that are still full of life. This is also where you’ll find the city’s finest hotels in old merchants’ houses and mansions.

The downside is the cobblestones and the noise. Many hotels are in old buildings without a lift, and suitcase wheels struggle on the uneven stones. At weekends there can be noise from bars and restaurants until late at night, so ask for a room facing the courtyard if you’re a light sleeper. The restaurants on Pilies gatvė are also pricier than those a couple of streets away, so it’s worth walking one side street further before you sit down.

Hotels in Old Town

Stikliai Hotel, Relais & Châteaux - five-star hotel with a pool in the old Jewish quarter

Stikliai is on Gaono gatvė in the heart of the former Jewish quarter, a few minutes’ walk from Town Hall Square. The hotel has a spa with a pool and sauna, a gym, a restaurant and a bar, breakfast is included in the price, and it scores 9.4 from almost 1,500 reviews. The spa is small, though, and has to be booked in advance, so contact the hotel before you arrive.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The breakfast was absolutely fantastic.”

See photos and book Stikliai Hotel here.

Grotthuss Boutique Hotel Vilnius - four-star boutique hotel with a garden

Grotthuss is on Ligoninės gatvė in the western part of Old Town, a few minutes’ walk from Town Hall Square. The hotel has a bar, a small garden and massages on offer, and it scores 8.8 from more than 2,600 reviews. There’s no lift, which several guests mention, and parking costs extra.

From one review: “Incredibly friendly service.”

See photos and book Grotthuss Boutique Hotel here.

Hotel Rinno - small three-star hotel with a 24-hour bar

Hotel Rinno is on Vingrių gatvė on the western edge of Old Town, close to Pylimo gatvė. It’s a small three-star hotel with a 24-hour bar and free tea and coffee, and it was the cheapest of my three suggestions in this area when I searched. Breakfast costs extra, and a few guests feel the cleaning could be more thorough.

One guest highlights: “The breakfast was varied and plentiful.”

See photos and book Hotel Rinno here.

2. Užupis & Bernardinai - best area for couples and art lovers 🎨

• 📍 Distance to the centre: About 1 kilometre east of Town Hall Square. From the bridge into Užupis, it’s a five-minute walk to St Anne’s Church and a quarter of an hour to Cathedral Square.
• 🚶 Transport: You walk into the Old Town over one of the bridges across the Vilnelė. Only a few buses run through the narrow streets, and the hills in the eastern part of the neighbourhood are steep.
• ✈️ Time from the airport: Around 15 to 20 minutes by taxi. By public transport, take the train or bus 1 or 2 to the railway station and walk about 25 minutes from there.
• 💰 Price level: Low to high. The three places below cost around 65 to 250 euros (roughly £55 to £210) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
• 👮 Safety: Safe and quiet. The pavements are narrow and cars share many of the streets with pedestrians, so keep an eye on the traffic.

Užupis means “beyond the river”, and the neighbourhood sits on the eastern bank of the Vilnelė, directly opposite the Old Town. It was once a run-down area full of empty houses, but artists moved in, and on 1 April 1997 they declared Užupis an independent republic. The republic’s constitution hangs on a wall in Paupio gatvė, translated into more than 50 languages, and one of its articles states that everyone has the right to live by the Vilnelė, and the Vilnelė has the right to flow by everyone.

In the middle of the neighbourhood, the Angel of Užupis stands on its tall column, surrounded by galleries, workshops and small cafés, some with terraces overlooking the river. On the Old Town side of the bridge stands the Gothic red-brick St Anne’s Church, and behind it begins Bernardinų sodas, a large park along the Vilnelė that’s a lovely spot for a morning stroll. This is where most of the area’s hotels are.

See hotels in Užupis and by the Bernardine Garden here.

I’d stay here if you’re a couple wanting a more relaxed atmosphere than the heart of the Old Town, or if you’re coming for the art and the cafés. You’re still only a quarter of an hour from Cathedral Square, and in the evening this is where you’ll find some of the city’s cosiest spots to sit by the water. It’s also a good choice if you’d like a walk along the river before the city wakes up.

The downside is the choice of hotels. Užupis itself has almost nothing but apartments and a single hostel, so if you want a hotel, you’ll usually end up on the Old Town side of the Vilnelė, where the first two hotels below are. The streets in Užupis are also steep and cobbled, so if you’re arriving with a heavy suitcase, a taxi right to the door is a good idea.

Hotels in Užupis & Bernardinai

Shakespeare Boutique Hotel - boutique hotel with antiques by the Bernardine Garden

Shakespeare Boutique Hotel is on Bernardinų gatvė, a few minutes’ walk from St Anne’s Church and the bridge to Užupis. The hotel is furnished with antiques and has a restaurant and bar, breakfast is included, and it scores 9.0 from more than 3,200 reviews. Several guests feel, however, that the breakfast can’t compete with the city’s cafés, and parking costs extra.

One guest writes: “A unique hotel in a fantastic central location, perfect for a city break.”

See photos and book Shakespeare Boutique Hotel here.

Mabre Residence - four-star hotel with an indoor pool by the Vilnelė

Mabre Residence is on Maironio gatvė by the Vilnelė, directly opposite Užupis. There’s an indoor pool, sauna, restaurant, garden and terrace, and breakfast is included, while the pool costs extra. It scores 8.5 from more than 2,100 reviews, but the hotel feels a little old-fashioned, and several guests mention wear and tear in the rooms.

From one review: “The location is fantastic, the breakfast was delicious, and so was the spa.”

See photos and book Mabre Residence here.

Downtown Forest Hostel & Camping - hostel with private rooms and a garden in Užupis

Downtown Forest is on Paupio gatvė in the eastern part of Užupis, and it’s a hostel with private rooms, a small campsite and a leafy garden. There’s a bar, a terrace and a shared kitchen, and it was the cheapest of my three suggestions here when I searched. The drawback is that the bathrooms are shared and aren’t always enough for all the guests.

One guest highlights: “Lovely location, beautiful surroundings and wonderful staff.”

See photos and book Downtown Forest Hostel & Camping here.

3. Gedimino prospektas & Cathedral Square - best area for shopping and museums 🛍️

• 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying centrally. The boulevard starts at Cathedral Square, and from its midpoint it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk to the cathedral.
• 🚌 Transport: Buses and trolleybuses run along the streets around the boulevard and over the bridges to Šnipiškės, and you can walk to most of the Old Town.
• ✈️ Time from the airport: Around 15 to 20 minutes by taxi or around 20 minutes on bus 3G or 88 to the centre.
• 💰 Price level: Mid-range to very high. The three hotels below cost around 140 to 345 euros (around £115 to £290) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
• 👮 Safety: Safe and well lit, including in the evening. Watch out for pickpockets in the crowds on Cathedral Square.

Gedimino prospektas is Vilnius’ main street, a long, wide boulevard running west from Cathedral Square to the parliament by the River Neris. It’s lined with shops, cafés, banks, theatres and some of the city’s best hotels in handsome 19th-century and interwar buildings, and when the weather is good the pavements fill up with outdoor seating.

At the eastern end is Cathedral Square with the white cathedral and its free-standing bell tower. Behind the cathedral you’ll find the rebuilt Palace of the Grand Dukes and the path up to Gediminas’ Tower on Castle Hill. Halfway along the boulevard is Lukiškių aikštė, and on the square stands the former KGB building, which today houses the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, with exhibitions on the Soviet years and the resistance. If you’d like a guide, you can join a guided Soviet-era tour including a visit to the KGB museum.

See hotels on Gedimino prospektas here.

I’d stay here if you want a classic city hotel with a lift, a good breakfast and room for your suitcase, but still want to be able to walk to the Old Town. The boulevard is also the best place to shop in Vilnius, and the museums are just around the corner, so it’s a good choice for a short weekend when you want to fit in a lot.

The downside is that the atmosphere feels more big city than medieval. The boulevard is busy, and if your room faces it, you may hear traffic and people until late in the evening. The western end is also quite a way from Town Hall Square and Užupis, so pick a hotel in the eastern half near Cathedral Square if you want to walk everywhere.

Hotels on Gedimino prospektas & Cathedral Square

Grand Hotel Vilnius, Curio Collection by Hilton - five-star hotel with a pool by Cathedral Square

Grand Hotel Vilnius is on Universiteto gatvė right by Cathedral Square, where Gedimino prospektas begins, and has a spa with an indoor pool and sauna, plus a restaurant and bar. It scores 9.0, and it was the most expensive hotel in this guide when I searched. Some guests feel the rooms could do with a refurbishment, and the valet parking is pricey.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The breakfast was excellent, especially the freshly cooked local dishes.”

See photos and book Grand Hotel Vilnius here.

Novotel Vilnius Centre - modern hotel with a sauna on the boulevard

Novotel Vilnius Centre is on Gedimino prospektas a few minutes’ walk from Cathedral Square, and it’s a large four-star hotel with a sauna, gym, restaurant and family rooms. It scores 9.0 from almost 4,500 reviews. The hotel has no parking of its own, so if you’re arriving by car, you’ll need to use a nearby public car park.

From one review: “The hotel’s location was perfect.”

See photos and book Novotel Vilnius Centre here.

Neringa Hotel - four-star hotel with a rooftop bar in the middle of the boulevard

Neringa Hotel is in the middle of Gedimino prospektas and has a restaurant, gym, rooftop bar and underground car park. It scores an impressive 9.3 from over 2,400 reviews, and it was the cheapest of my three suggestions here when I searched. A few guests have slept badly on the sofa bed, though, so book a room with a proper double bed if there are two of you.

One guest highlights: “The breakfast was good and tasty.”

See photos and book Neringa Hotel here.

4. Train Station & Naujamiestis - best area for budget travellers and day trips 🚆

• 📍 Distance to the centre: About 1 kilometre south of Town Hall Square. From the train station it’s about a ten-minute walk to the Gate of Dawn (Aušros vartai) and 15 minutes to Town Hall Square.
• 🚆 Transport: Trains to the airport, Trakai, Kaunas and Riga leave from the train station, and long-distance coaches depart from the bus station right next door. Lots of city buses and trolleybuses stop at the station.
• ✈️ Time from the airport: Under ten minutes by train when it’s running during the day, otherwise bus 1 or 2, which also terminate at the train station. By taxi it takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
• 💰 Price level: Low to mid-range. The three hotels below were around 110 to 130 euros (around £90 to £110) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
• 👮 Safety: Safe during the day. In the evening the area around the stations is quieter and more deserted, so stick to the well-lit main streets on your way to the Old Town.

Naujamiestis means “the new town”, and the district grew up in the second half of the 19th century when the railway arrived in Vilnius. The area between the train station and the Old Town is now a practical and affordable place to stay, and it’s where you’ll arrive if you come by train or coach. The station itself is a pink building with arched windows, and the bus station is right next to it.

Walk north from the station and within a few minutes you’ll reach Halės turgus, the old market hall where locals shop for vegetables, cheese and sausages. A little further on stands the Gate of Dawn (Aušros vartai), the city gate with its chapel and icon of the Virgin Mary, one of Lithuania’s most important pilgrimage sites, and the Old Town begins just beyond the gate. If you’re heading on to Riga, both trains and coaches run from here and take about four hours, and here you can read about where to stay in Riga.

See hotels near the train station here.

I’d stay here if you’re on a budget, arriving late by train or coach, or planning day trips. The train to Trakai and Kaunas leaves from the train station, the airport train stops in the same place, and you can walk to the Gate of Dawn and into the Old Town in ten minutes. It’s also a practical choice if Vilnius is just one stop on a longer trip around the Baltics.

The downside is the surroundings. The area around the station is more run-down than pretty, with busy roads, and there aren’t many good restaurants right by the station. In the evening you’ll usually walk into the Old Town to eat. The hotels are also more practical than charming, so here you’re paying for the location and the price, not the view.

Hotels near the Train Station & Naujamiestis

Moon Garden Old Town Hotel - four-star hotel between the train station and the Gate of Dawn

Moon Garden is on Bazilijonų gatvė, a couple of minutes’ walk from the Gate of Dawn and just under 900 metres from the train station, so you have both the train and the Old Town close by. The hotel has a bar, terrace and café, and it scores 9.0 from over 2,000 reviews. Breakfast costs extra, and a few guests have complained about a noisy fridge in the room.

One guest says: “The hotel’s location was very convenient for tourists visiting Lithuania for the first time.”

See photos and book Moon Garden Old Town Hotel here.

Comfort Hotel LT Rock ‘n’ Roll Vilnius - popular rock-themed hotel close to the station

Comfort Hotel LT is on Kauno gatvė, about 700 metres from both the train station and the bus station. It’s a three-star hotel with a rock ‘n’ roll theme, a restaurant, bar and gym. Breakfast is included, and with a score of 9.0 from over 9,000 reviews it’s one of the most reviewed hotels in the city. Several guests do find that the rooms get too warm at night, though.

From one review: “Everything is fantastic. The staff are friendly, the breakfast is delicious and varied, and the rooms are comfortable and clean.”

See photos and book Comfort Hotel LT here.

Hotel Panorama - cheap hotel by the bus and train stations

Hotel Panorama is on Seinų gatvė, about 300 metres from the bus station and a little further from the train station, so it’s hard to stay any closer if you’re arriving by coach or train. The breakfast buffet is included, and there’s a restaurant and bar. The rooms are dated and don’t have air conditioning, and its score of 7.8 is the lowest in this guide, but it was also the cheapest of my three suggestions here when I searched.

One guest highlights: “The hotel is always my first choice when I stay in Vilnius.”

See photos and book Hotel Panorama here.

5. Šnipiškės - best area for drivers and business travellers 🏙️

• 📍 Distance to the centre: Around 1.5 kilometres north of Cathedral Square on the other side of the Neris. You can walk to the cathedral in 15 to 20 minutes over one of the bridges.
• 🚌 Transport: Lots of buses and trolleybuses run along Konstitucijos prospektas and over the bridges to the centre, and bus 88 goes straight to the airport.
• ✈️ Time from the airport: Bus 88 runs from the airport to Europa Square, and at night the 88N takes over. A taxi takes around 15 to 20 minutes and costs around 12 euros (around £10).
• 💰 Price level: Mid-range. The three hotels below cost around 120 to 165 euros (around £100 to £140) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
• 👮 Safety: Safe and well lit along the main streets. The area goes quiet in the evening once the offices close.

Šnipiškės sits on the northern bank of the Neris, directly opposite the Old Town, and it’s Vilnius’ modern business district. Glass towers, offices, shopping centres and large chain hotels line Konstitucijos prospektas, and the Europa Tower, with the Europa shopping centre at its foot, rises above it all. A few of the old wooden houses that once defined the area still stand between the skyscrapers, and the contrast says a lot about how quickly the city has changed.

From Šnipiškės you cross the Green Bridge or the White Bridge into the centre, and along the river there are lawns, cycle paths and running routes where locals gather whenever the sun is out. The National Gallery of Art (Nacionalinė dailės galerija) is also in the area, and from the Skybar at the top of the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva you get one of the best views over the Old Town and the river.

See hotels in Šnipiškės here.

I’d stay here if you’re arriving by car, travelling for work or simply want a large, modern hotel with parking at a reasonable price. Bus 88 makes it easy to get here from the airport, and in the morning you can walk to the Old Town along the river. Families also get more space for their money here than in the small hotels in the Old Town.

The downside is that it doesn’t feel like a holiday. In the evening the office district is quiet, there are fewer restaurants and bars than across the river, and you have to cross the bridge to find the atmosphere. It’s a 15 to 20-minute walk each way, so expect to take a taxi back if it gets late or if it’s raining.

Hotels in Šnipiškės

Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva - large hotel with a Skybar and views over the Old Town

Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva is on Konstitucijos prospektas right by the river, and from the upper floors and the Skybar you look out over the Neris and the Old Town. There are several restaurants, a sauna and a gym, breakfast is included in the price, and it scores 9.1 from over 10,000 reviews. Several guests do feel the hotel looks a little worn inside, though.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location by the river is perfect, and the view from the top floors and the Skybar is fantastic.”

See photos and book Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva here.

Courtyard by Marriott Vilnius City Center - modern hotel close to the river and the Old Town

Courtyard is on Rinktinės gatvė in the eastern part of Šnipiškės, close to the river and around a ten-minute walk over the bridge from Cathedral Square. The hotel has a gym and a restaurant with views of Gediminas’ Tower, and breakfast is included in the price. A recurring complaint is that the rooms get too warm and the air conditioning can’t always keep up.

From one review: “Fantastic hotel. Very clean and comfortable. The bed was very comfortable.”

See photos and book Courtyard by Marriott Vilnius here.

ibis Vilnius Centre - affordable chain hotel with an underground car park

ibis Vilnius Centre is also on Rinktinės gatvė, a couple of hundred metres further north, and it’s a three-star hotel with a restaurant, a shared lounge and an underground car park. It scores 8.9 from over 3,800 reviews, and it was the cheapest of my three suggestions here when I searched. Breakfast, on the other hand, gets criticised for being expensive for what’s on offer.

One guest highlights: “Everything was fine: staff, reception, breakfast, room, bed, parking and location.”

See photos and book ibis Vilnius Centre here.

Where not to stay in Vilnius?

I wouldn’t stay in the large Soviet-era residential districts such as Fabijoniškės, Pašilaičiai, Justiniškės and Lazdynai. They’re safe enough, but they’re a long way from everything you’ve come for, and there are only a few hotels. The same goes for Naujininkai south of the railway station, a mixed residential and industrial area with nothing for tourists, and the area around the airport, unless you have an early-morning flight. Žvėrynas and Antakalnis, on the other hand, are beautiful, leafy districts with villas and parks, but there are almost only apartments, and you’ll need a bus or taxi every time you want to go into the Old Town. They suit you best if you’ve been to Vilnius before and want to live like a local.

If it’s your first trip to Vilnius, I’d stay in the Old Town, where you can walk to almost everything. If you’re a couple looking for a bit more peace and art around you, choose Užupis or the hotels by Bernardine Garden, and if you want a classic city hotel close to the shops, Gedimino prospektas is the right choice. If you’re on a tight budget or travelling on by train or bus, the area around the railway station gives you the most for your money, while Šnipiškės suits drivers and business travellers best.

The airport is only a few kilometres south of the centre, and you have several ways to get into the city. The train runs to the railway station in under ten minutes and costs under 1 euro (around £0.85), but it only runs during the day, and there can be more than an hour between departures. The 3G express bus runs to the centre, bus 88 goes to Europa Square in Šnipiškės, and a taxi from the rank outside the arrivals hall costs around 10 euros (around £8.50) to Cathedral Square. In the city you can pay for buses and trolleybuses with your bank card at the card reader on board, and a 60-minute ticket costs around 1 euro (around £0.85).

If you have an extra day, take a day trip to Trakai, around half an hour’s drive west of Vilnius. Here a medieval red-brick castle stands on an island in Lake Galvė, and a ticket to the castle costs 12 to 14 euros (around £10 to £12) depending on the season. The train from the railway station takes around 30 to 40 minutes, and from Trakai station it’s around a half-hour walk to the castle. If you’d rather have transport and the stories included, you can take a guided tour from Vilnius to Trakai, and remember to try kibinai, the Karaites’ filled pastries, while you’re there.

If you want to drive around the Baltics on your own, for example up through Latvia to Estonia, you can find rental cars on Booking.com, but in Vilnius itself you don’t need a car. If you’re travelling on, I also have guides to where to stay in Tallinn and, further south, to where to stay in Warsaw and where to stay in Krakow.

Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇

• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers

Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?