Christmas in Vilnius: Amazing Whenever You’ll Be Able to Come
As we all know by now (especially travel lovers), 2020 was a year like no other. It came to change everything, including our favourite holidays.
But even if you won’t be able to visit us during this year’s festive season, there’s one thing we can assure you: Christmas in Vilnius will be amazing next year, the year after that, and for many more years to come. No matter which year you visit, you can expect a Christmassy Vilnius eager to welcome you.
A Surreal Tree for a Surreal Year
Nobody can deny that our Christmas tree concept matches 2020. Designed to be safely admired from a distance, our tree seems to almost be in the process of breaking apart, with floating square-shaped segments coming out of it in a scene that can easily fit into a Dali painting. And as expected, it fills the night with its intense and colourful display of lights.
As a whole, our 2020 Christmas tree can’t be a better symbol of Vilnius: a city that shines with modernity but keeps the traditional values of its culture close to its heart.
Contrasting with the exterior, the tree’s interior is like travelling back in time and being welcomed by a classic Christmas tree decorated with antique ornaments – it’s a space that embraces us with cosiness and nostalgia.
Explore the Christmas tree in 3D
Our Christmas Tree is More Famous than Some Movie Stars
The Christmas tree in Vilnius has been awarded the title of most beautiful tree around the world so many times that it’s already a global trendsetter. Sustainable and breathtaking, it is a gorgeous symbol of the city’s seasonal spirit. Every year on the day of its unveiling, there’s not a soul in Vilnius who doesn’t run to see it and be hypnotised by its beauty.
Take a look at the Christmas trees of Vilnius
No matter which theme it touches upon – like depicting the world as one home, shining like an emerald, spreading purple thoughts, reflecting on time or being thoughtful like a game of chess – it never disappoints everybody’s high expectations.
Even Our Balconies Get Into the Christmas Spirit
While most people forget about their balconies during the winter season, and even use them as a deposit or an energy-saving fridge, in Vilnius a new tradition involving them is starting.
Following the example of a group of young artists who transformed their balconies into mysterious forests, neon lands or just a comedy stunt, the balconies of the capital city are now becoming a central part of the ubiquitous decorations of its streets.
People are starting to make them shine in the middle of winter, bringing some extra light to the already illuminated and colourful Christmas season in our beloved Vilnius.
Our Christmas Music Also Does Social Distancing
We all know that maintaining social distance this Christmas is key to staying safe. But did you know that social distancing with Christmas music can also lower your stress level and help you relax?
That’s why, in collaboration with music producers and composers, Vilnius is releasing the first social distancing album for Christmas 2020.
How did they do it? A group of composers applied an algorithm to seven of the most well-known Christmas carols. This algorithm translates the rules of social distancing into music notes and applies it to the songs, creating a totally different experience. So this year, Christmas in Vilnius will be both beautiful and stress-free.
Feeling Christmas Is an Art
This year, The Art of Feeling Christmas, a mysterious installation outside the MO Museum, promises to revive your senses and ignite your inspiration, filling you with reassurance and peace of mind.
It’s an experience enhanced by the museum’s unique architecture that will undoubtedly leave you revitalised.
Centring its motive on reflections, both visually and metaphorically speaking, the installation enables you to see yourself from different perspectives, getting you closer to understanding your own identity.
We Play With Our Food at Christmas Dinner
And yes, it’s magical. Literally. There are over a hundred traditional Christmas dishes in Lithuania, and they’re all pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan.
Yes, we play with our food. But we take it very seriously.
On Christmas Eve, every single household serves twelve of them at their table, symbolising each month of the following year. So, if you want every month of the next year to bring you a smile, you should try them all. And that’s only one of the ancient magical rituals related to food that we perform that day.
Local Gifts Double the Joy
Even though Christmas fairs are cancelled this year, buying presents is not. And Vilnius is well known for its abundance of very creative local artists selling their handmade gifts online.
The main benefit of these gifts? Each one is a double gift: one for the person who will receive it and the other for the artist who created it, who will find your purchase priceless during these difficult times. One present – two gifts. No other present is that effective.
Hot Air Balloons Are Still Hot in Winter
Not many people know that hot air balloons can also fly during winter. And not many people dare try because they think that it’s too cold to go up in this season. But what if we told you that it’s actually warmer up there than on the ground level?
We guarantee that you will enrich your life with unique memories!
Apart from having the burner warming your face like a fireplace, you can go up right before sunset to see then how the snow covering the city slowly turns gold, warming the landscape and your heart. You can be as light as a snowflake and float on the air while getting a perspective of Christmas you’ve never seen before.
A Great Walk After a Great Christmas Dinner
After seeing (and eating) those twelve masterpieces on the Christmas table, you will certainly need a walk that is totally out of the ordinary. Happily, this is Vilnius. You can burn your first calories while contemplating the street art painted on scattered buildings around the city.
The rest of your 10,000 steps can be spent around modern sculptures and Jewish history that inject the streets with wonder and promise to leave you with unforgettable lessons from the past. There’s nothing like feeding your soul to help with digestion.
Walk around Vilnius
