Kauno apskritis

Kauno apskritis (Kaunas County) is a central Lithuanian county surrounding the country's second-largest city, Kaunas. The county sits at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers, forming a natural crossroads that has shaped its history as a trading and military hub since medieval times. The landscape is a mix of river valleys, flat agricultural plains and patches of dense forest, with several protected natural areas including the Kaunas Reservoir and the Nemunas islands.

The county's character is defined by its role as a historical capital — Kaunas served as Lithuania's provisional capital between the two world wars, and that legacy is visible in the city's neoclassical, functionalist and Art Deco architecture, dubbed "Little Paris." Beyond Kaunas, the county is dotted with small historic towns such as Kėdainiai, Prienai and Raseiniai, each with its own castles, churches and local traditions. The spa town of Birštonas, set in a scenic bend of the Nemunas, offers a quieter, wellness-oriented experience.

May through September is the best period to visit Kauno apskritis, with June–August offering average highs of 20–24 °C and long daylight hours. Summer is ideal for river cruises, lake swimming and outdoor festivals. The Kaunas City Days festival in July fills the streets with concerts, parades and open-air performances. The Birštonas Jazz Festival in summer draws music lovers to the spa town.

Spring (April–May) brings wildflowers to the river valleys and fewer tourists. Autumn (September–October) is beautiful for foliage along the Nemunas and Neris, and harvest festivals in the smaller towns. Winters (December–February) are cold, averaging −3 to −6 °C, but the Kaunas Christmas market and the atmospheric Old Town in snow are rewarding for those who don't mind the chill.

Kaunas is the transport hub of the county, connected to Vilnius by frequent trains and buses (1 hour), and to other Lithuanian cities by an extensive road network. The A1 highway links Kaunas to Vilnius (95 km) and Klaipėda, while the A5 runs south to Marijampolė and the Polish border. Regional buses connect Kaunas to Kėdainiai (45 min), Prienai (40 min), Raseiniai (50 min) and Birštonas (45 min).

Within Kaunas, an efficient bus and trolleybus network covers the city, supplemented by ride-hailing apps and affordable taxis. For exploring the wider county, a car provides the most flexibility, as smaller towns like Jieznas, Ariogala and Vilkija are best reached by road.

• Kaunas — the county's cultural capital and Lithuania's second-largest city, with a UNESCO-listed Old Town, the Ninth Fort memorial, and a rich interwar architectural heritage.
• Kėdainiai — one of Lithuania's oldest towns, known for its historic Calvinist church, Renaissance-era townhouses and the Daugirdis Hill archaeological site.
• Prienai — a small town on the Nemunas River with a picturesque riverside setting and connections to the nearby Birštonas spa resort.
• Raseiniai — a historic town in the county's south, site of the 1831 uprising battle and home to the Raseiniai Regional Museum.
• Birštonas — a charming spa town on the Nemunas, known for its mineral waters, wellness resorts and the Birštonas Observation Tower.
• Garliava — a town just south of Kaunas with a notable wooden church and easy access to the Kaunas Reservoir.
• Vilkija — a riverside town on the Nemunas, known for its old-town charm and as a starting point for Nemunas cycling routes.
• Ariogala — a small town with a historic church mound and traditional market square.
• Jieznas — a quiet town surrounded by forest, home to the Pakuonis regional park area.
• Jonava — an industrial town with the Jonava botanical garden and connections to the Neris river valley.
• Kaišiadorys — a railway junction town with a botanical garden and proximity to the Kaunas Reservoir.

Kauno apskritis is a stronghold of traditional Lithuanian cuisine. Signature dishes include cepelinai (potato dumplings stuffed with meat or curd), šaltibarščiai (cold pink beetroot soup) and virtiniai (meat-filled dumplings). Kėdainiai is known for its local version of šakotis (tree cake), a spit-roasted pastry that is a centrepiece of Lithuanian celebrations.

In Kaunas, the Hales Market and central restaurants offer everything from hearty home-cooking to contemporary Lithuanian cuisine. Birštonas has several wellness-oriented restaurants focusing on local produce. In the smaller towns, local kaimo turizmo (rural tourism) establishments serve home-cooked meals featuring locally sourced meats, freshwater fish and seasonal vegetables.

The Kaunas International Film Festival (October) is one of the Baltic region's notable cultural events. The Kaunas Jazz Festival (spring) brings international musicians to venues across the city. Kaunas held the European Capital of Culture title in 2022, and the legacy of that year continues with ongoing cultural programmes and improved public spaces.

The county's smaller towns maintain strong traditions of atlaidai (church festivals) during the summer months, particularly in Prienai and Raseiniai. Birštonas hosts a jazz festival in summer, and folk music and craft fairs are common throughout the county during the warmer months. The Kaunas Philharmonic and Kaunas State Musical Theatre offer year-round programming.

• Ninth Fort Museum visit — explore the massive interwar fortification that became a site of mass murder during the Holocaust, now a museum and memorial to the 50,000 victims killed here.
• Nemunas river cruise — take a boat trip along the Nemunas from Kaunas to Birštonas, passing through scenic river valleys and past historic manor estates.
• Kaunas interwar architecture walk — follow a self-guided tour through the functionalist, Art Deco and neoclassical buildings that earned Kaunas the nickname "Little Paris" during its time as provisional capital.
• Kėdainiai Old Town exploration — wander through one of Lithuania's best-preserved historic town centres, with Renaissance-era merchant houses, a 17th-century Calvinist church and the Daugirdis Hill archaeological site.
• Birštonas spa experience — indulge in a wellness retreat at one of Lithuania's premier spa resorts, combining mineral water treatments with walks along the Nemunas riverbank.