Many refer to Užupis as the Montmartre of Vilnius, but locals tend to think of Montmartre as the Užupis of Paris. A tour through this district – or self-proclaimed independent republic as its residents prefer to say – is filled with street art, traces of the Dalai Lama, a guardian angel that many believe hatched from an egg, a lot of eccentric characters and so much more. The station district is another hip part of Vilnius where contemporary culture is constantly unfolding. Hales Market offers local produce and specialties during the day before transforming into a place for bars and music by night, and the nearby LOFTAS and Kablys clubs host an array of concerts, exhibits, pop-up markets and more throughout the year.