1. Hill of Witches
On a small rise just outside Juodkrante, covered in fir pines and offering views over the Curonian lagoon, is the fantastical and fun ‘Hill of Witches’. A collection of more than 70 wooden carvings and statues sits mischievously, depicting ghoulish witches, devils and other characters from Lithuanian lore and fairy tales. Some of the larger constructions can move and be clambered about on for entertaining photo opportunities. Each year, master carvers from around the country converge on the hill to restore the statues and build new ones.
2. Hill of Crosses
A couple of hours' drive from Vilnius is the Hill of Crosses, an arresting and poignant testament to Lithuania’s various struggles against foreign powers. Although it’s believed that the first cross was brought to the hill sometime in the mid-19th century, the practice of ascending the hill and leaving behind crosses, crucifixes and Catholic effigies gained considerable momentum during the 1970s and 80s as an act of peaceful defiance against the Soviet occupancy. On three occasions, the Soviets razed the hill and destroyed the crosses, only to find them quickly replaced. Also a popular site of pilgrimage, the hill attracts thousands of Catholic faithfuls each year and there are now an estimated 100,000 crosses at the location.
3. Devil's Museum
The Devil’s Museum in Kaunas holds what is believed to be the world’s largest collection of all things diabolical. The exhibition opened in 1966 and has kept its long-time tradition of accepting and displaying artworks gifted by visitors from across the globe.
4. The Uzupis Constitution
On 1 April 1997, the self-declared Republic of Užupis became Europe’s latest, and most bizarre, breakaway province. The announcement, which took the rest of Lithuania completely by surprise, was thought to be a rather amusing April Fool’s Day joke; however, with the launch of an official constitution, it quickly became apparent that the Republic was here to stay. Visitors can now have their passports stamped and pore over its 41-article constitution, which includes such oddities as ‘Everyone has the right to encroach upon eternity’, and ‘A dog has the right to be a dog’.
