Lithuanian
Tourist
Guide:http://www.balticsworldwide.co.../index.htm

Lithuania's cultural life is lively. Now Lithuania has 13 professional theatres, some state orchestras. chamber groups and some large art collections. Some of the latter are well-known to foreign experts. The Lithuanian Theatre of Youth is especially popular not only in Lithuania but abroad as well. The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra under the head of prof. Sondeckis is well-known internationally. These groups spend much time on tours outside of their country.

Lithuania has 53 museums. The most valuable collection of works of art is in the Mykolas Zilinskas gallery in Kaunas. it is as wonderful as Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1875-1911) gallery with his works. Lithuania is very proud of this artist's contribution not only in the field of art but music as well.

Choirs are also very popular in Lithuania. Some professional and many amateur choirs are in the country. Every five years they take part in the Festival of Songs.

Many choires from all over the country , folk dance ensembles, countryside orchestras, orchestras of wind instruments and folk instruments. The festivals are really very impressive. Specially designed stage in Vilnius was constructed for these grand festivals.

The famous artists come to visit Lithuania with various concerts. Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda and other larger cities of Lithuania have a many art showrooms. Modern Lithuanian and foreign artists exhibit their works in them.

Theatres, concert halls, exhibitions are open all the year round. while in summer many competitions, festivals are being held. Almost any time you can choose event you wish to visit or to buy valuable piece of art.

You can also take part in very interesting ethnographic festivals. Shrovetide (The first week of March) - dramatized outdoor feteseeing off winter and seeing spring.

The Kaziukas fair (March 3-5). Wooden implements, ceramics and articles of straw are sold in markets, squares and streets.

Palm Sunday (April 13). The Vilnius district has a very old tradition to make splendid decorative bunches of willow palme and these pieces of art sold near the churches and in the streets of the Old Town.

Saint John's Day (June 24). It is the shortest night and no one seems to go to sleep then. Picked flowers are twined and thrown into streams and rivers to float. Fields are full of songs and dances. In the light of glow-worms young people look for the fern flower. The festival ends with the first sign of sunrise.

Enjoy travelling with us!