Walking through the streets of Vilnius is nothing like the feeling you get in your head when you think of a busy, packed European capital. The numerous parks that dominate its most central neighborhoods, the slow and calm disposition of its inhabitants and the neatness of its streets give it an almost village atmosphere. Even the airport, whose size is more similar to that of a large bus station than a typical airfield, welcomes visitors to Lithuania with a calm rhythm that will not leave until they return home.
The natural spaces it has, in addition, are one of its main attractions. So much so that the city was chosen at the beginning of October as European Green Capital 2025, ahead of the Austrian Graz and the Portuguese Guimarães.
This year the 700 years of history of Vilnius were celebrated, a fact that is explained by the existence of a letter dated January 25, 1323 – signed by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas – where the name of the city appears for the first time. in an official document (although some history experts claim that the town already existed long before). In addition to the numerous towers, historical buildings and legends that enrich its cultural and literary heritage, there is an iconic place where, as soon as you enter, you find some extravagant indications.
“Uzipo Res Publika,” reads a sign at the beginning of the bridge that enters the neighborhood. Once you reach the other side, the first thing there is a small sentry box that says “Border Control”. Of course: passport stamps are optional, and entry to a new State is purely artistic. Uzupis is one of the suburbs with the most history. Its name means “on the other side of the river”, precisely the geographical location it occupies in relation to the city center.
Declared an independent republic – only symbolically – on April 1, 1998, this bohemian neighborhood welcomed artists and visionaries since Soviet times. Traditionally occupied by Jews, the Holocaust caused many of the houses they occupied to end up being inhabited by vagrants, people with few resources and creators in search of inspiration.
It is part of the historic center, a UNESCO world heritage site, and walking through its streets is an increasingly popular experience among tourists who travel to the capital of Lithuania. It even has a Constitution translated into dozens of languages ??hanging along one of the walls of Paupio Street. Among its 41 articles, arranged on colorful shiny plates, some stand out such as “Everyone has the right to make mistakes”, “Everyone has the right to be unique” or “Everyone has the right to die, but it is not their obligation”.
The Užupio angelas is another of the most popular attractions. It is a square where, in addition to some bars with really cozy terraces, a sculpture of an angel wrought in iron stands on a huge pillar. Before being able to raise the money to build it, an “egg” temporarily occupied its place, whose meaning was “to represent the place from which the angel that the entire neighborhood was waiting for would emerge.” The most curious thing is that the locals decided to keep the egg on public roads, placing it in a square just a few meters away. Under the angel there is a water fountain that, every April 1, gushes out beer completely free of charge to celebrate the anniversary of its independence.
“The neighborhood for artists has been left behind for a long time. For some time now, real estate investors have decided to buy properties in Uzupis, and now it is almost impossible to purchase a home if you do not have a significant sum of money,” explains Regina Lakaciauskaite, a tourist guide in English and Spanish for the city. “Not even the students, who all wanted to live in the area, can afford a proper rental.” Real estate speculation, Regina says, has completely changed the profile of its inhabitants. It is also noticeable in the bars and restaurants, which have the same prices as any other in the historic center of Vilnius.
Of course, the aspect of a “small town” within a big city continues to be palpable in its streets. Charming old buildings, winding alleys and murals on many of the facades continue to give Uzupis a remarkably alternative look. It is also still full of galleries of local and international artists, among which the Užupis Gallery, the Uzupis Art Incubator (a pioneering installation in the Baltic countries) and the Reprodukcijos.LT VILNIUS stand out.
Another of the lesser-known curiosities is that, during the declaration of independence, they created their own army. At that time it was formed by up to 12 people, although currently they only have one member: “a child of just six years old,” explains Regina. Its only function is, every anniversary of independence, to stamp the passports of all the people who want to enter Uzupis through the welcome bridge. A way, at least curious, to pay tribute to the pacifist and supportive spirit of one of the most peculiar places in the entire country.
