I spent most of a day exploring Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city and former temporary capital. Compared to Vilnius, Kaunas feels more compact and less crowded, yet it offers plenty of history, architecture, and museums to fill a full day of sightseeing.

My visit began with a ride on the historic Aleksotas Funicular, one of the city’s distinctive landmarks. From the hilltop viewpoint, I enjoyed a panoramic view over the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers, the old town, and the surrounding city before descending on foot toward the center.

The historic core contains many of Kaunas’ best-known landmarks. Highlights included Vytautas’ Church, the Gothic House of Perkūnas, the spacious Town Hall Square, and Kaunas Castle, one of the oldest stone fortifications in Lithuania. I also visited the impressive Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, which dominates the old town skyline.

One of the city’s strengths is its variety of museums. During my walk, I stopped at the Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy, the Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum, and the Vytautas the Great War Museum, each offering a different perspective on Lithuanian history, science, and culture. The nearby Presidential Palace and St. Michael the Archangel Church further illustrate Kaunas’ importance during the interwar period.

A particularly interesting aspect of Kaunas is its remarkable collection of interwar modernist and Art Deco architecture, which has earned international recognition and UNESCO World Heritage status. Following parts of the city’s Art Deco Trail, I explored residential buildings, villas, and public architecture including the Petrauskas House, Villa Eglutė, the historic Fire Station, and the monumental Church of the Resurrection, whose observation deck offers another excellent city panorama.

As a final cultural highlight, I visited the M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, dedicated to Lithuania’s most famous painter and composer.

Overall, Kaunas impressed me as a pleasant and highly walkable city with an appealing combination of historic sights, distinctive architecture, and excellent museums. While it may receive fewer visitors than Vilnius, it offers enough cultural attractions and local character to easily justify a full day or even a weekend visit.