Exploring Vilnius

“A cat has the right to be a cat - and an obligation to help the owner in times of trouble.”....... So reads one of the 41 principles of the Independent republic of Uzupis, who declared independence from Lithuania and the city of Vilnius, “rather like the Vatican City”. Their special day is April the first and their currency is valued against a pint of beer.

Vilnius is a beautiful and welcoming city, with a sense of humour, courage, and such a troubled history.

Away from the stunning baroque architecture, the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and the beautiful views, lies the Museum of Genocide Victims. This harrowing visit, during which our guide told of how her own grandmother had been wrongly imprisoned there, emphasised how cruel and how recent is their history of persecution.

The locals are wonderfully welcoming and keen to emphasise that they’ve room for more tourists who would like to come.

My kind of city.