Lithuania

Vilnius: Note that I did a day trip to Vilnius from Riga, so my suggestions are limited. For reference, I traveled to Vilnius rom Riga by bus (FlixBus), which was ~3.5 hours both ways and was ~15 EUR both ways. 

Activities: 

• City Walking Tour: There are a variety of free walking tours around the city, which I would suggest. The tour I did was ~2 hours and gave a great history and overview of the city. I booked my tour through “Vilnius Free Walking Tours”.
• Explore the Old Town: The Old Town is a series of weaving cobblestone streets with small offshoot allies. There are plenty of ice cream shops, tourist shops and places to eat. 
• Visit the Republic of Užupis: The Republic of Užupis is one of the smallest republics in the world, covering less than 1 sq km. It boasts its own president, government, constitution and currency within Vilnius. Although Užupis is not recognized by foreign governments as an official nation, the micro-nation has become a source of pride in Vilnius and throughout Lithuania. If you’ve been to Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen, this is a similar concept, though more established and not as centered around drugs. If you enter the Republic of Užupis from the bridge, you can stop at the first shop on the corner on the right (titled “Boarder Control”) and get a stamp in your passport. Check out the Constitution of the Republic of Užupis HERE. 

Food:

• Casa La Familia: A cute corner restaurant that serves a mix of Italian and Mediterranean food. The wood fired pizza was the highlight. While I really enjoyed the restaurant and the food, the service was incredibly slow and the food (one small pizza) took 1 hour and 15 minutes. It may have just been the day I was there, but the table next to me also complained about the wait time. Given this, I wouldn’t go here if you are in a rush or need a quick meal.