Visiting Vilnius University

About Vilnius University

Founded by the Jesuits in 1579, Vilnius University is one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe. A ticket gives access to a sequence of its 13 courtyards, the baroque St John's Church and the old library halls, and its bell tower offers a viewpoint over the Old Town. The Littera bookshop has ceilings covered in frescoes.

Tip: Start at the Great Courtyard and finish in the Littera bookshop, which is free to enter.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 1–1.5 hours.
• Cost: Low cost.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Old Town, baroque churches, university courtyards and cobbled lanes from Cathedral Square to the Gate of Dawn.

Best time to visit Vilnius University

Vilnius University is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• December: 0°C (32°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• January: -2°C (28°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
• November: 4°C (39°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds.

For the view at golden hour: in mid-December the sun sets at about 15:53 local time (calculated for Vilnius).

When to visit Vilnius has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day Vilnius itinerary visits Vilnius University on day 3, together with Užupis and Church of St Peter and St Paul.

• No. 8 of the 19 sights in our Vilnius things-to-do list.
• Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
• One of the picks in historic sites in Vilnius.

Near Vilnius University

Also in Old Town, so you can walk between them:

• St Anne's Church — 20 minutes, free
• Gate of Dawn — 20–30 minutes, free
• Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania — 2 hours, mid-priced

If you like Vilnius University

• Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights — Gediminas Avenue, 1.5–2 hours
• Vilnius TV Tower — Karoliniškės, 1.5 hours
• Energy and Technology Museum — Šnipiškės, 1.5 hours

Staying near Vilnius University

Stay in Old Town ($$$) to walk here: baroque churches, university courtyards and cobbled lanes from Cathedral Square to the Gate of Dawn. All areas to stay in Vilnius.

Questions travellers ask