Naujamiestis (Vilnius) Travel Guide - Free

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Naujamiestis, Vilnius: explore Gedimino Avenue, Lukiškės Square, MO Museum, creative courtyards, cafés and nightlife in Lithuania’s modern heart.

Streets of the New Town

Naujamiestis, whose name means “New Town”, stretches west and south of Vilnius’s historic centre, combining grand avenues, nineteenth-century streets, former industrial premises and quietly residential blocks. Its character is more spacious and layered than that of the Old Town: Gedimino Avenue passes monumental buildings and Lukiškės Square, while streets such as J. Basanavičiaus, Naugarduko, Kauno and Švitrigailos reveal a less formal blend of cafés, workshops, offices and apartment buildings.
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Culture in Former Industrial Spaces

The district’s cultural identity is particularly visible in adapted buildings. The MO Museum brings modern and contemporary Lithuanian art to Pylimo Street, while the former Lukiškės Prison complex has become a setting for cultural events and creative projects. Further south, converted industrial spaces around Švitrigailos Street support concerts, clubs and exhibitions. These venues sit alongside everyday businesses rather than replacing them, giving Naujamiestis an active but uneven urban rhythm.

Squares, Hills and Local Life

Lukiškės Square is the neighbourhood’s principal public space, with open lawns, paths and views towards the city’s institutional quarter. Tauro Hill provides a more elevated setting near the edge of the Old Town, while the southern streets lead towards railway and station districts beyond Naujamiestis. Cafés, bakeries, bars and independent shops are concentrated along the main routes, but quieter residential lanes quickly reveal the district’s ordinary side: courtyards, mature trees, older façades and the steady movement of people crossing the city on foot, bicycle and public transport.

Best attractions in Naujamiestis

Naujamiestis’s attractions are spread through its streets rather than concentrated in one historic enclosure. The MO Museum on Pylimo Street presents Lithuanian modern and contemporary art in a purpose-built building, making it one of the district’s clearest cultural anchors. Lukiškės Square offers open space, lawns and a broad urban setting amid important city institutions, while the nearby former Lukiškės Prison provides a striking and increasingly cultural destination in a historic institutional complex. Gedimino Avenue is rewarding for its architecture, cafés and civic atmosphere, particularly around the square and the western stretch of the central boulevard. Further south, Naugarduko, Kauno and Švitrigailos Streets reveal converted industrial buildings, independent businesses and everyday neighbourhood life. Tauro Hill, close to the Old Town boundary, adds a steep walk and elevated city views, although its edges and access points should be understood as part of the transition between districts.

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Best landmarks in Naujamiestis

Lukiškės Square is Naujamiestis’s most legible civic landmark, a broad public space whose lawns and paths sit within a formal setting near major government and institutional buildings. The former Lukiškės Prison is significant both for its imposing enclosure and for the difficult history attached to a long-standing penal institution that has since entered cultural use. Gedimino Avenue provides the district’s principal architectural axis, with representative façades, public buildings and commercial premises illustrating Vilnius’s expansion beyond the Old Town. The MO Museum adds a distinctly contemporary landmark on Pylimo Street, while Tauro Hill marks the neighbourhood’s western transition towards the historic centre. Across Naujamiestis, older apartment houses, wooden buildings, workshops and former industrial structures are important as a group: together they record the district’s development as a mixed civic, residential and working quarter.

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Explore Naujamiestis on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Naujamiestis, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Naujamiestis

Naujamiestis has one of Vilnius’s most varied urban dining landscapes, shaped by its office workers, residents, students and creative venues. Cafés and bakeries line or sit near Gedimino Avenue, Pylimo Street and J. Basanavičiaus Street, while Naugarduko and Kauno Streets offer a more mixed neighbourhood feel with informal eateries, contemporary restaurants and specialist food businesses. The selection ranges from Lithuanian cooking and familiar soup-and-pastry cafés to modern European menus, vegetarian options and cuisines reflecting Vilnius’s international population. Independent coffee shops often occupy renovated ground floors or former commercial premises, and restaurants around cultural venues provide useful pre-show dining. Food shopping and casual eating can also be combined with a visit to the nearby market areas at the Old Town edge, though these should not be confused with Naujamiestis’s own smaller retail streets. The district’s culinary appeal lies in variety and setting rather than a single signature dish.

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Best bars in Naujamiestis

After dark, Naujamiestis becomes one of central Vilnius’s more active areas for bars, concerts and late cultural events, although nightlife is distributed rather than confined to one strip. Bars around Gedimino Avenue, Pylimo and J. Basanavičiaus Streets range from relaxed meeting places to late-evening venues, while converted industrial spaces near Švitrigailos Street support larger concerts, club nights and creative events. Loftas is a recognised cultural and music venue in the district, and the former Lukiškės Prison complex may also host evening programming depending on its current calendar. Some nights are lively and event-led; others feel distinctly residential once the main streets empty. Visitors should check current programmes directly, use public transport or a taxi when returning late, and remember that apartment buildings and nightlife venues often stand close together.

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Best nightclubs in Naujamiestis

After dark, Naujamiestis becomes one of central Vilnius’s more active areas for bars, concerts and late cultural events, although nightlife is distributed rather than confined to one strip. Bars around Gedimino Avenue, Pylimo and J. Basanavičiaus Streets range from relaxed meeting places to late-evening venues, while converted industrial spaces near Švitrigailos Street support larger concerts, club nights and creative events. Loftas is a recognised cultural and music venue in the district, and the former Lukiškės Prison complex may also host evening programming depending on its current calendar. Some nights are lively and event-led; others feel distinctly residential once the main streets empty. Visitors should check current programmes directly, use public transport or a taxi when returning late, and remember that apartment buildings and nightlife venues often stand close together.

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Best shops in Naujamiestis

Shopping in Naujamiestis is primarily independent and practical, with a scattering of specialist businesses rather than a single enclosed retail district. Pylimo Street and the streets around the Old Town boundary offer small shops, cafés and services, while Gedimino Avenue combines mainstream retail with bookshops, design-led businesses and everyday urban shopping. J. Basanavičiaus, Naugarduko and Kauno Streets are better suited to browsing local-scale premises, food businesses, second-hand goods and creative studios, although the exact mix changes as buildings are renovated and businesses move. Visitors interested in Lithuanian design and contemporary craft may find relevant shops and galleries around the central streets, while the nearby Halės Market, technically outside Naujamiestis in the Old Town area, is convenient for produce and food shopping. The neighbourhood is most rewarding for discovering small businesses in converted ground floors and courtyards rather than for conventional souvenir shopping.

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Naujamiestis essentials

Getting There
Naujamiestis is readily reached from central Vilnius by walking, trolleybus, bus and taxi. From the Old Town, routes via Pylimo Street, Gedimino Avenue or J. Basanavičiaus Street lead directly into the neighbourhood, while public transport corridors along Švitrigailos and Naugarduko Streets connect it with the southern parts of the city. Vilnius railway and bus stations are nearby, though the station area lies at or beyond the neighbourhood’s southern edge depending on the local definition used. Visitors arriving there can walk north towards the district or continue by city bus or trolleybus.
Getting Around
Many of Naujamiestis’s principal sights can be reached on foot, but the neighbourhood is larger and more spread out than the Old Town. Gedimino Avenue, Lukiškės Square, Pylimo Street and J. Basanavičiaus Street form useful orientation lines; Naugarduko and Švitrigailos Streets are longer practical corridors rather than leisurely pedestrian routes. Pavements, crossings and building entrances vary, and some former industrial premises are set back behind courtyards. City buses and trolleybuses are useful for longer cross-district journeys, while cycling is practical on calmer streets but requires care around busy junctions.
Safety
Normal urban precautions are appropriate in Naujamiestis. Take care of phones, wallets and bags on crowded public transport, around major crossings and near the station approaches, and use well-lit routes when returning from evening venues. Traffic can be fast on larger streets, while cyclists and scooters share some busy urban spaces. The neighbourhood includes active nightlife but also many residential courtyards, so visitors should remain aware of their surroundings without treating ordinary local streets as unsafe. Keep valuables secure in cafés and avoid leaving belongings unattended in quiet courtyards or on outdoor seating.
Emergency Situations
In Lithuania, call 112 for police, fire and ambulance emergencies; the number is free and is available throughout the European Union. Give the operator the street name, building number and a clear description of the situation, and ask venue staff or local residents for help if language is a difficulty. For urgent medical care, follow advice from the emergency services rather than assuming that the nearest clinic is within Naujamiestis. Carry identification and relevant medical information, and remember that emergency response may require precise directions into a courtyard or converted industrial building.
Do's and Don'ts
Treat Naujamiestis as a lived-in neighbourhood rather than an open-air attraction: keep voices low around apartment courtyards, do not enter private premises for photographs and follow access instructions at cultural venues. Ask before photographing people, workshops or activity inside former industrial buildings. Queue patiently on public transport and allow passengers to leave before boarding. In bars and restaurants, ordinary Lithuanian urban etiquette applies; check whether service is included and tip according to the quality of service rather than assuming a fixed rule. Do not climb, touch or mark historic structures and street art.
Local Tips
Begin at Lukiškės Square, then follow Gedimino Avenue before turning towards J. Basanavičiaus or Pylimo Street for a more local-scale view of the district. The most rewarding walks often alternate between formal façades and quieter side streets, where older wooden or stucco buildings, workshops and enclosed courtyards appear beside newer development. Plan cultural visits around current programmes at the MO Museum and former Lukiškės Prison, and leave room for cafés or bakeries rather than trying to cover the neighbourhood as if it were a compact monument district.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloLabas[lah-bahs]
GoodbyeViso gero[vee-so geh-ro]
YesTaip[taip]
NoNe[neh]
Please/You're welcomePrašau[prah-shau]
Thank youAčiū[ah-chyoo]
Excuse me/SorryAtsiprašau[ah-tsee-prah-shau]
How are you?Kaip tu?[kah-eep too]
Fine. And you?Gerai. O tu?[geh-rai. oh too]
Do you speak English?Ar kalbate angliškai?[ahr kahl-bah-teh ahng-leesh-kai]
I don't understandAš nesuprantu[ahsh neh-soo-prahn-too]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseNorėčiau pamatyti meniu, prašau[noh-reh-chiau pah-mah-tee-tee meh-nyoo, prah-shau]
I don't eat meatAš nevalgau mėsos[ahsh neh-vahl-gow meh-sohs]
Cheers!Į sveikatą![ee svee-kah-tah]
I would like to pay, pleaseNorėčiau sumokėti, prašau[noh-reh-chiau soo-moh-keh-tee, prah-shau]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Pagalba![pah-gahl-bah]
Go away!Išeik![ee-sheik]
Call the Police!Paskambinkite policijai![pah-skahm-been-kee-teh poh-lee-tsee-yai]
Call a doctor!Paskambinkite gydytojui![pah-skahm-been-kee-teh gih-dih-toh-yoo-ee]
I'm lostAš pasiklydau[ahsh pah-see-kluh-dow]
I'm illAš sergu[ahsh sehr-goo]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Norėčiau pirkti...[noh-reh-chiau peerk-tee]
I'm just lookingAš tik žiūriu[ahsh teek zhyoo-ree-oo]
How much is it?Kiek tai kainuoja?[kyek tahy kai-noo-yah]
That's too expensiveTai per brangu[tai pehr brahn-goo]
Can you lower the price?Ar galite sumažinti kainą?[ahr gah-lee-teh soo-mah-zin-tee kai-nah]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Kiek valandų?[kyek vah-lahn-doo]
It's one o'clockVienas valandas[vyeh-nahs vah-lahn-dahs]
Half past (10)Pusė dešimtai[poo-seh deh-shim-tai]
MorningRytas[ree-tahs]
AfternoonPopietė[poh-pyeh-teh]
EveningVakaras[vah-kah-rahs]
YesterdayVakar[vah-kahr]
TodayŠiandien[shyah-n-dyehn]
TomorrowRytoj[ree-toy]
1Vienas[vyeh-nahs]
2Du[doo]
3Trys[treese]
4Keturi[keh-too-ree]
5Penki[pehn-kee]
6Šeši[sheh-shi]
7Septyni[sehp-tee-nee]
8Aštuoni[ahs-too-oh-nee]
9Devyni[deh-vee-nee]
10Dešimt[deh-shimt]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Kur yra...[koor yra]
What's the address?Koks adresas?[kohks ah-dreh-sahs]
Can you show me (on the map)?Ar galite man parodyti (žemėlapyje)?[ahr gah-lee-teh mahn pah-roh-dy-tee zheh-meh-lah-pi-yeh]
When's the next (bus)?Kada yra kitas (autobusas)?[kah-dah yra kee-tahs ow-toh-boo-sahs]
A ticket (to ....)Bilietas (į ....)[bee-lyeh-tahs ee]

History of Naujamiestis

Beyond the Medieval Walls

Naujamiestis developed outside Vilnius’s medieval fortified core, on land that gradually became urbanised as the city expanded west and south. Its name distinguishes it from the Old Town, although the area was not created as a single planned settlement at one moment. Roads leading away from the historic centre, including the route that became Gedimino Avenue, encouraged houses, religious institutions and small businesses to appear beyond the old defensive limits. The district’s later street pattern retained traces of this gradual growth, with broad formal avenues standing alongside irregular lanes and courtyards.

Railways and Nineteenth-Century Expansion

The arrival of the railway at Vilnius in the nineteenth century accelerated the city’s outward growth and strengthened Naujamiestis’s connection with trade, industry and migration. New streets were laid out between the historic core and the railway approaches, while apartment houses, commercial premises and public institutions replaced or absorbed earlier suburban land uses. The district acquired much of its mixed architectural character during this period: representative buildings appeared along principal avenues, while workshops and service businesses occupied more modest plots behind them. This expansion helped establish Naujamiestis as an urban transition zone rather than a purely residential quarter.

Institutions, Industry and Lukiškės

By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Naujamiestis contained major civic institutions as well as workplaces and densely occupied housing. Lukiškės Square became an important open space in the expanding city, and the prison complex on Lukiškės Street formed part of the district’s institutional landscape from the nineteenth century. Commercial and industrial activity grew along routes leading towards the railway, while streets such as J. Basanavičiaus and Naugarduko acquired a mixture of housing, retail and small-scale production. The result was a socially varied district whose identity was tied to movement, administration and work.

Twentieth-Century Change

Naujamiestis experienced the political and demographic changes that reshaped Vilnius during the twentieth century. The city’s interwar period under Polish administration, the Second World War and the Soviet era each affected property ownership, institutions and population patterns, while new state buildings and housing altered parts of the streetscape. The district’s older urban fabric survived in places, though courtyards, commercial premises and industrial sites were repeatedly adapted. After Lithuania restored independence in 1990, former workplaces and institutional buildings began to attract offices, studios, restaurants, galleries and cultural organisations, adding a contemporary layer without erasing the area’s working-city character.

Naujamiestis in Photos

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