The small nation of Lithuania is overloaded with character, conviviality and culture. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the country’s capital, Vilnius. Although the city’s difficult post-Soviet past is ever present, a newly vibrant atmosphere has successfully subdued it. As you fly into Vilnius, you’ll still catch glimpses of the old – planned streets, factories, and those diminutive ugly high-rise apartment blocks. However, the centre of Vilnius feels like another world. Gone are those horrific grey edifices, replaced with a multitude of colour. For Vilnius, somewhat unusually, feels like a Mediterranean city. Winding cobblestone streets pass between beautifully coloured baroque buildings. Their faded blue, yellow and red façades deepen in intensity when the sun shines, while spectacular old churches appear behind every corner. You can’t help but ask yourself if you’re really in
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