Vilnius Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Europe. The area covers about 3.6 square kilometres of cobbled streets, Baroque churches, Renaissance courtyards, and Gothic doorways that accumulated across five centuries of continuous building. The diversity of architectural styles is exceptional — Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical buildings stand within metres of each other, reflecting Vilnius's history as a city at the crossroads of Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish worlds.
The best way to explore it is on foot, without a fixed agenda. Pilies Street is the main artery, running from Cathedral Square up through the heart of the old town, but the best discoveries come from turning into the side streets and passages that open onto hidden courtyards. The old town is compact enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, but rewarding enough to occupy an entire day.