Practical Advice / April 30, 2023

These Are The 3 Best Parks In Vilnius

Straddling the Neris River, Vilnius is a fairly green city full of forests, parks, and other green spaces. For at least half of the year, these spaces are full of color – whether it be the green of spring and summertime or crisp yellows and oranges of autumn.

In terms of being outside, Vilnius really is a beautiful city when the seasons and the weather aren’t too extreme. It’s even better when the days are long and the sun is up past 9pm! So, if you enjoy spending time in nature, these are the three free and publicly available parks you should check out while you’re in the city.

Bernardine Garden (Bernardinų sodas)

B. Radvilaitės g. 8A, Vilnius 01143 (Google Map link)

Of the three parks in this article, Bernardine Garden is closest to the city center. In fact, it’s very much part of the city center. This area is located next to the famous Cathedral Square and sits on the banks of the Vilna River. Just across the river, you’ll look up to find the Three Crosses monument, while you might also be able to spot the Gediminas Castle Tower between the trees.

Within Bernardine Garden is a beautiful fountain, while on the edge you’ll find one of the Sugamour restaurant locations, which is only open seasonally. However, just outside the western gate is the cute little cafe known as StrangeLove. While the cafes and restaurants near this park will have restroom facilities, there is also a paid toilet which you can use for 30 cents.

For public transportation, number 10, 11, 33 and 89 buses all stop beside this park.

Vingis Park (Vingio parkas)

M. K. Čiurlionio g. 100, Vilnius 03100 (Google Map link)

Apart from the large Pavilnys Regional Park, Vingis Park is the largest park closest to the city center. It’s located on the western side of the city, bordering the Naujamiestis neighborhood. Vingis means ‘bend’ in Lithuanian, a name given due to the park’s location along the bend of the Neris river. In the distance, you can get a good view of the Vilnius TV Tower.

If you’re looking for a spot for a brisk jog, Vingis Park is the place to go. This area is full of great trails and pathways, most of which are paved – making it equally great for rollerskating and cycling.

At the heart of the park is an amphitheater/stadium with a wide open lawn. This spot is used for large outdoor concerts, as well as a hot air balloon launch point when the weather is right. Even if you’re hot planning on taking a hot air balloon ride, it’s certainly fun to be around to watch these contraptions float up into the air! Surrounding this structure are a few cafes, as well as a sports equipment rental point.

To get here, you can just follow the Neris River west from the city center, or you can get close with a few buses. The 24 bus gets you the closest, but the the 56 gets fairly close too. A little further away, a long list of buses travel up and down Savanoriu Prospektas.

In addition to toilet facilities in a few of the cafes by the stadium, there are usually free portable toilets near the lawn.

The (new) Japanese Garden

Linkmenų g. 2a, Vilnius 08104 (Google Map link)

This brand new park opened in April 2023 and has quickly become a popular spot to visit. Designed to be a Japanese Garden, the park’s gates and decorative features are Japanese in their style – this includes a cute little red bridge, located next to a tiny waterfall. In the middle is a body of water, which you could either consider a large lake or a small pond.

As described by LRT, the garden has a short pathway of 20 Japanese cherry trees, as well as nearly “700 new plants and old mature trees.”

Nearby bus stops are served by the 5 and 49 buses. A little further away, on Konstitucijos Prospektas are many more buses, including the 3G, 4G, 89, 56, and more. Of course, if you have the energy and ability, it’s not too bad of a walk from the city center!

“We have reclaimed a space for Vilnius residents that a few years ago was almost impassable. It is obvious that now this place will be discovered not only by those looking for the shortest connections between the centre and the northern part of the city,”
-Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius