What to See in Kaunas: The City's Main Attractions

Kaunas has a distinct character: a Gothic castle at the meeting point of two rivers, interwar modernist architecture, long pedestrian streets, unusual museums, street art, and green parks. If you are wondering what to see in Kaunas on your first visit, this guide helps you put the essentials in order without bouncing between ten different lists.

Here you will find the city’s key attractions, a clear comparison table, and one-day and weekend routes. Where it matters, we have added practical notes on transport and timing. Opening hours and ticket prices change, so before visiting, always check official venue websites or Visit Kaunas.

Kaunas attractions: a quick overview

Kaunas Old Town: the castle, Santaka, Town Hall, and Vilniaus Street

Kaunas Castle and Santaka Park

Kaunas Castle is one of the city’s key symbols. It stands where the Nemunas and Neris meet, so it makes sense to start here and then walk straight into Santaka Park. It is a good place to feel the city’s foundations at once: history, rivers, green space, and local people out for a walk.

Town Hall Square and the White Swan

Kaunas Town Hall, often nicknamed the White Swan, is the centrepiece of Town Hall Square. Around it you will find historic buildings, cafes, small courtyards, and entrances to Vilniaus Street. It is a photogenic spot, but the point is not only to take a photo. Give yourself time to walk the surrounding courtyards, because that is where the scale and character of the Old Town come through.

Vilniaus Street and the Old Town

Vilniaus Street connects Town Hall Square with Laisvės alėja. Walk it slowly: stop by the House of Perkūnas, look up at the facades, step into a cafe, and do not try to see everything in fifteen minutes. The Old Town is not large, but its strength is the atmosphere.

Laisvės alėja and the attractions of Naujamiestis

Laisvės alėja is one of the main axes of Kaunas. It is pedestrian-only, which makes it excellent for walking, stopping for coffee, and watching the city move around you. Walking from the Old Town side towards Soboras, you gradually pass from the historic part of Kaunas into its modernist part.

Soboras: the strongest landmark on Laisvės alėja

St. Michael the Archangel Church, known locally as Soboras, stands at the far end of Laisvės alėja. Its domes are visible from a distance, so it is a handy reference point and a natural goal for a walk. Even if you do not go inside, it is worth walking around the building and taking in the scale of Independence Square, then deciding whether to continue towards Žaliakalnis or head back to the cafes on the avenue.

The interwar modernism route

If you want to do more than just walk down Laisvės alėja and would like to understand the character of Kaunas better, this is a good place to start a short interwar modernism route. Walk around Soboras, turn towards K. Donelaičio Street, V. Putvinskio Street, or Vytautas Avenue, and watch the rhythm of the facades, the rounded corners, the stairwells, and the functional forms. It is a comfortable walking route, because many significant buildings are only minutes apart.

Kaunas State Musical Theatre and the spaces around it

Near Laisvės alėja stands the Kaunas State Musical Theatre, and the garden beside it and the surrounding streets give the centre a different rhythm. It is a convenient place to pause before a performance, an evening walk, or continuing your route towards Nemunas Island. This part of the city shows well how representative architecture, everyday city life, and event culture meet in Kaunas.

Museums in Kaunas: what to choose if you only have one or two hours

M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art

If you want one serious cultural stop in Kaunas, choose the M. K. Čiurlionis Museum. Čiurlionis’s work is an important part of Lithuanian culture, and the museum lets you see more than individual paintings. It is a good place for a calmer afternoon, especially if the weather outside is poor. Best for: art and culture lovers, and a rainy-day plan.

Devil’s Museum

The Devil’s Museum is a lighter, more unexpected, and very Kaunas choice. It gathers devil figures and masks from different cultures, so it appeals even to people who usually avoid classic exhibitions. It is a good second museum after Čiurlionis, since the two are close to each other. Best for: unexpected choices and families with children.

IX Fort

IX Fort is a separate, more serious route. It is a memorial site connected to the Holocaust, the occupations, and the history of the Kaunas Fortress. Allow at least half a day including travel. It is not an entertainment attraction, but it is essential for understanding the city’s history more deeply. Best for: those who want to understand 20th-century Lithuanian history.

The best panoramic views in Kaunas

Aleksotas viewpoint

The Aleksotas viewpoint is the classic Kaunas panorama. From here you can see the Old Town, the castle, the rivers, and the rooftops of the centre. If the funicular is running, it is worth taking, because it is part of the Kaunas experience. If the funicular is not working, you can walk up to the viewpoint or arrive by transport.

Žaliakalnis and Christ’s Resurrection Basilica

Žaliakalnis lets you see a different Kaunas: calmer, greener, and full of interwar architecture. Christ’s Resurrection Basilica is one of the largest modernist architecture sites in the city, and its terrace, when open to visitors, offers a wide view over Kaunas.

Pažaislis Monastery: Baroque by the Kaunas Reservoir

Pažaislis Monastery is farther from the centre, but it is worth a dedicated trip. It is one of the most beautiful Baroque architecture ensembles in Lithuania, set in a peaceful area by the Kaunas Reservoir. It is especially suited to a slower day, when you no longer want only city streets and would like more space, nature, and architecture. Once there, it is worth not only seeing the church interior but also slowly walking the whole ensemble and heading down towards the water, because that is the best way to feel the calm and scale of the place.

Kaunas modernist architecture and street art

Between the world wars, Kaunas was the temporary capital of Lithuania, so today the city is worth exploring not only through individual sites but through a whole walking route. If you are crossing the centre, stop at a few specific places that best show the scale of Kaunas modernism and make it easier to understand why this architecture matters so much here.

• Central Post Office, Laisvės al. 102, one of the clearest examples of representative modernism in the very heart of the city.
• Pienocentras Palace, Vytauto pr. 23, an elegant interwar commercial building that is easy to add to a walk from the station towards the centre.
• Žalgiris Stadium, the old complex, an important marker of sports history and modernist city development in Naujamiestis.
• Christ’s Resurrection Basilica, Žaliakalnis, a modernist symbol of Kaunas, notable for both its architecture and the panorama from its terrace.
• Kaunas State Musical Theatre, a good stop to see how representative city spaces connect with cultural life.
• Nemunas Island and the modernist residential districts, a good place to see the wider urban layer and compare the centre with the calmer surrounding areas.

Street art adds a contemporary layer to this route. You will find murals in Naujamiestis, around the edges of the Old Town, in Aleksotas, and in other districts, so it is worth leaving room for spontaneous detours from your plan. For a more precise route, use the updated Visit Kaunas street art map, because the works and their locations in the city change.

What to do in Kaunas in one day

1. Morning: Kaunas Castle, Santaka Park, Town Hall Square.
2. Late morning: Vilniaus Street and coffee in the Old Town.
3. Lunch: a cafe on Laisvės alėja or in the Old Town.
4. Afternoon: M. K. Čiurlionis Museum or the Devil’s Museum.
5. Evening: Soboras, Laisvės alėja, dinner in the centre.

A weekend route in Kaunas

Day 1: the centre and the viewpoints

1. Morning: start with Kaunas Castle, Santaka Park, and Town Hall Square.
2. Late morning: walk Vilniaus Street slowly and give time to the Old Town courtyards and coffee.
3. Lunch: head to Laisvės alėja and pick one of the cafes or restaurants in the centre.
4. Afternoon: visit the M. K. Čiurlionis Museum or the Devil’s Museum, depending on the mood and the weather.
5. Evening: reach Soboras, and before sunset go to the Aleksotas viewpoint or Žaliakalnis.

Day 2: history and Baroque

1. Morning: head to IX Fort and give time not only to the exhibition but also to the memorial space.
2. Lunch: on the way back to the centre, plan a short cafe stop or lunch on the way to Pažaislis.
3. Afternoon: visit Pažaislis Monastery and walk by the Kaunas Reservoir.
4. Late afternoon: if you still have energy, drop by Nemunas Island for a short walk.
5. Evening: check whether there is a game, concert, or other event on at Žalgiris Arena.