Lithuania by train

May to September is the best time to visit Lithuania, with the warmest weather and longest daylight hours. July and August are the busiest months, but late spring and early autumn offer similar conditions with fewer crowds. Winters are long and cold, though the season is popular for skiing and ice skating in Aukštaitija National Park. There are highlights year-round: Joninės sees bonfires and flower crowns light up Kernavė every Midsummer, Klaipėda's Sea Festival brings concerts and maritime events to the coast every July, and the Kaziukas Fair fills Vilnius with local crafts and traditional food every spring.

The best things to do in Lithuania include exploring Vilnius's Old Town, visiting Trakai Castle, and walking the Curonian Spit.

• Exploring Vilnius's UNESCO-listed Old Town and baroque architecture

• Visiting Trakai Castle, set on an island in Lake Galvė

• Walking or cycling the Curonian Spit, a UNESCO-listed dune landscape on the Baltic coast

• Exploring Kaunas, Lithuania's second city and a hub of interwar architecture

• Hiking or canoeing in Aukštaitija National Park

• Visiting the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai, covered with over 100,000 crosses left by pilgrims

• Sampling cepelinai and šaltibarščiai, Lithuania's national dumplings and cold beetroot soup

Lithuania is reachable by train from Poland, with a change of trains at the border. A daily train also connects Vilnius with Riga in Latvia. Within Lithuania, trains link Vilnius with Kaunas and other major towns.