Each year, the Balzekas Museum hosts escorted tours to Lithuania. These popular trips are a wonderful opportunity to see some of Lithuania's most important cultural, architectural, historic treasures, from the capital Vilnius to the Baltic Coast.  Tour participants have a chance to experience the sophistication of major cities, such as Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as the charm of the Lithuanian countryside. 

An example of a previous tour itinerary ...

Day 1: Depart from Chicago O’Hare at 10:05 PM on Scandinavian Airlines with a change of planes in Copenhagen.

Day 2: Arrival in Vilnius and hotel check-in. Welcome Dinner at a typical Lithuanian Restaurant.

Day 3: Today you will tour Vilnius with its beautiful churches, Vilnius Cathedral with its catacombs. After lunch you will stop at the Vilnius University and visit the KGB Museum, the site of so much suffering endured by the Lithuanian people during the Soviet occupation. The rest of the day you may enjoy taking part in Vilnius, the European Capital of Culturecelebrations. Breakfast/lunch

Day 4: This morning you will visit Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, with its restored castle in the middle of Galve Lake. After a regional lunch you’ll visit Kernave, the ancient site in the Neris valley, the government seat of King Mindaugas 750 years ago. One still can admire and climb the many mounts where hundreds of years ago great castles stood. Upon returning to Vilnius, you will make a stop at the TV Tower, the site of the January 13th massacre. There will be enough time to establish business contacts or partake in Vilnius Celebration. Breakfast/lunch

Day 5: After breakfast will depart for Kaunas, with a stop in Rumšiškės--the unique open-air museum exhibiting farm structures from different regions of Lithuania that were typical during the XVII-XX centuries. Upon arrival, you will tour Kaunas Old Town, Cathedral Square, Rotuše, as well as the Kaunas castle. No visit to Kaunas is complete without a special visit to the museum of the most famous artist and composer, Čiurlionis, and time permitting, a visit to the Devil’s Museum will conclude your tour. After hotel check-in you will have enough time to enjoy Kaunas on your own. Breakfast/lunch

Day 6: In the morning your tour will take you to Palanga with a special stop at Kėdainai and a visit to Janina Momkutė-Marks Museum, a beautiful gift from a famous artist from Chicago. After a tour of the fully restored Old Town of Kėdainai with its unique buildings you will have lunch in the Old Town. After arriving in Palanga, you will have enough time to enjoy the resort on your own. Breakfast/lunch

Day 7: Today you will visit the Corunian Spit, Neringa. After a short stop in Klaipėda, Lithuania’s only seaport city, you’ll be transported by ferry to Neringa. Your first stop will be the Witches Mountain in Juodkrantė, where you will be able to admire the many unique wooden sculptures and other artwork. You will continue to Nida, the beautiful fishing village, where you will have an opportunity to shop for some beautiful amber jewelry and visit the highest dune in Neringa. Upon return in the afternoon, you will dine in Kretinga in one of the most beautiful buildings, the Tiškevičius mansion amidst an enclosed winter garden. The mansion was build in the 19th century by nobleman Zubovas and bought in 1874 by Juozapas Tiškevičius. After returning to Palanga, join into the tradition of the resort, to go to the famous Palanga bridge and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Breakfast/dinner

Day 8: This morning you will tour Palanga. You will visit The Amber Museum, Hill of Birute and the beautiful Botanical Garden. Lunch will be at the unique Lithuanian Restaurant Pas Juozapa. The rest of afternoon and evening you may enjoy the resort on your own. Breakfast/lunch

Day 9: Today the tour will take you to one of the most revered places in Lithuania, The Hill of Crosses. It is a place where thousands of crosses where placed by people asking God for special favors or thanking him for favors granted. After stopping for lunch at the unique Šeduvos Malūnas, you will continue to Vilnius. After hotel check-in the rest of the day is free. Breakfast/lunch

Day10: Today enjoy Vilnius on your own. Do some shopping, visit some museums and have lunch at some unique restaurants. This evening, you will have a Farewell Dinner. Breakfast/dinner

Day 11: After breakfast you will be transported to Vilnius Airport for you flight home. Breakfast/lunch

The Summer 2010 tour itinerary has not yet been finaized. Please check back soon.

For information about our tours, please call Stanley Balzekas at 773-583-6500 or write to info@balzekasmuseum.org.