Kaunas city days, festival / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Lee Fenner

1. Sea Festival: Klaipėda

The city of Klaipėda is the only city in Lithuania which is right on the ocean. So it comes as no great surprise to find out that an annual sea festival is held here. The Klaipėda sea festival was started in 1934, and it currently attracts over half a million people who participate in three-days of non-stop action.

It’s usually held at the end of July or beginning of August and the streets are filled with markets, street concerts, children’s performances, and even a special carnival where attendees dress as mythological sea creatures. There are also several competitions related to fishing and sport, as well as an international sailing event. The pubs and bars are open much later during this period, and a free fireworks display is given on the last day of the festival.

2. Film Festival: Vilnius “Kino pavasaris” – Cinema Spring

This film festival was started in 2005 and is now an annual event, with attendance growing every year. The point of this festival is to showcase new non-commercial films, from other popular film festivals such as the Berlin, Toronto and Venice, as well as to give new directors from Eastern and Central Europe a chance to debut.

The film festival in 2011 saw over 60,000 attendees, compared to the original 4,000 only 6 years earlier. The event is held annually between March and April. Cinemas around the city of Vilnius showcase a wide variety of films, and the programme line-up includes talks from well-known directors, along with movie-making workshops, short film competitions as well as film debates.

3. Folk Festival: “Mėnuo Juodaragis” – Black Horned Moon

This contemporary Baltic culture festival hosts the largest number of foreign visitors, with over twenty-five countries represented in the last few years. The music played here is incredibly varied and styles include avant-garde, ethno, post-folk, gothic, neo-folk, and ambient, to name but a few. The festival runs for three days, all day and night, and focuses on the Baltic culture and the heritage of pagan traditions.

Music isn’t all that’s on offer, as there are many activities and training seminars on offer, focused on a variety of subject matter including folk dances, sports, arty films, DJ parties, traditional rites and tribal workshops.

4. Music Festival: Tamsa Music

This highly acclaimed music festival was first held in 2009, and has become a much-loved annual event. The festival is held each year on an isle in the Valley of Songs (Dainų slėnis), with the main focus being on live performances and Lithuanian music, although several foreign artists such as Little Dragon from Sweden also perform annually.

If you want to attend, you’d best book your tickets early, as visitor numbers are limited to preserve the natural beauty of Dainų slėnis.

5. Theatre Festival: “Sirenos” – Sirens International Theatre Festival

Held annually in October in the city of Vilnius, the international theatre festival is called “Sirenos” (Sirens) and is a week-and-a-bit long affair, with a different theme every year. Why the mythological name you wonder? Well in Greek mythology, Sirens were half-bird, half women (not mermaids) who sang and tempted sailors into joining them on the rocky coast, which more often than not led to the death of the crew.

The festival is promoted as a temptation, “an invitation, a magical spell impossible to overcome” and for most theatre-goers it delivers on that promise. Contemporary European performances, as well as comedy skits, dramatic and ironic plays, and even some whimsical imaginings are presented to an ever growing audience.

Author Bio: Roseanna McBain is the blogger for the accommodation website, TravelGround.com – which specialises in accommodation in the Drakensberg. In her spare time she enjoys writing poetry, gardening, and visiting local farmers markets.

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Prešov features Observatory and Planetarium where you can enjoy a variety of audio-visual programs, lectures, video projections, exhibitions, but also observing the evening sky with a telescope.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Janos Korom Dr.

Prešov region was already inhabited in prehistoric times. Settlements have been here already at the time of the Roman Empire. Slavs migrated here in the 6th century. The first written document about the city dating back to 1247, and in 1347 Prešov was a free royal city. During this period, the major trade routes crossed here, so the city grew up. Its first decline came around the 16th to 17th centuries. Further development of the city came with the establishment of Czechoslovakia.

The historic city centre is a national cultural monument, where are situated all architectural landmarks of Prešov. The most significant historical landmark of Prešov is undoubtedly the Church of St. Nicholas, which is also the oldest and only surviving Gothic building in the city. During the 18th century, its interior was completed with several Baroque fragments.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Janos Korom Dr.

Neptune Fountain is the only surviving original urban tank. It has a statue of Neptune with a trident, surrounded by sea creatures, whose author is a stonemason and sculptor from Košice – Vincet Staviarský (1784 – 1847). The statue of Neptune was ordered in the early 19th century by Jewish businessman Mark Holländer as an expression of gratitude for the city council allowed him to settle and do business in Prešov.

If you spend more than just a day in Prešov, you can visit Sigord, which is the best known holiday resort and a good starting point for hikes in Prešov surroundings. Not far from Prešov, you can also visit extensive ruins of Šariš Castle, which is one of the largest Slovak castles.

Prešov is also a birthplace of many famous Slovak singers and bands, like Ivan Tásler (I.M.T. Smile), Katka Knechtová (Peha), Peter Nagy, Chiki Liki Tu-a, Komajota and others.

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