• Explore the historic capital city of Vilnius, founded in 1323. Its Old Town is the biggest in Europe and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The capital's heart is the beautiful and spacious Gediminas Square, which is dominated by the classical Cathedral.

• Enjoy the Mardi Gras festivities held in various Lithuanian cities and small towns. The procession in Vilnius Old Town at the beginning of February remains the most renowned.

• Don't miss the historic University of Vilnius (website: www.vu.lt), which was granted its charter in 1579.

• Visit Trakai, an ancient capital of Lithuania. Situated on the shore of the picturesque Lake Galve, the city has a castle dating from the 14th century.

• Have some old-fashioned fun in popular seaside resorts. Palanga and Kursiu Nerija (with the settlements of Nida and Juodkrante) are famous for their clean white-sand beaches, natural sand dunes and pine forests.

• Hike in the Curonian Spit National Park (another UNESCO World Heritage site) (website: www.nerija.lt), on the peninsula separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, where visitors can explore a range of large sand dunes and several pine forests. Rare flora and fauna are to be found here.

• Partake in some action sports - Nida, a village on the spit surrounded by endless stretches of white sand, makes a true paradise for sailing, windsurfing, paragliding and kiting.

• Try out more extreme sports, such as hot-air ballooning and gliding. There is also the opportunity to leap off Vilnius' TV Tower, the tallest bungee jump of its kind in Europe.

• Visit craft fairs, taste traditional dishes, join song and glee parties and listen to psalms during the International Folklore Festival (Skamba Skamba Kankliai), held in Vilnius' Old Town in May.

• Visit during the Days of the Capital festival in September and be spoilt with carnivals, fairs, concerts and fireworks, taking place in all streets and squares of the capital (website: www.vilniusfestivals.lt).

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.