Lithuania attracts many tourists form neighbouring countries and all the world.

Statistics

Lithuania experiences a constant increase of foreign visitors. As of the first half of 2006 the number of visitors (except from the EU Member States and EFTA Member States) has risen 11.1 percent compared to 2005 and reached 985.7 thousand. Lithuania attracts most foreign visitors from Russia, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Estonia and Finland. Druskininkai and Birštonas resorts experienced around 50 percent increase of occupiers in 2005 compared to 2004; while the increase of arrivals staying in Neringa and Palanga averaged 22 percent. The majority of visitors staying in hotels and lodging houses come from Germany, Poland, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Finland.

From January to September of 2006, Lithuanian hotels have experienced a 13,7 percent increase of occupiers compared to 2005, 51 percent of them being foreign visitors (nearly 620 000). Among them, a number of foreign occupiers in Druskininkai has increased 25,7 percent and 27,5 percent in Palanga. Almost a half of the foreign visitors were staying in the capital, Vilnius, that experienced an increase of 10,6 percent. More than twice as many foreigners had stayed in Birštonas' sanatories, compared to 2005.

Agrotourism has also gained extreme popularity in the country among the locals as well as foreigners.

Major cities

• Vilnius - capital of Lithuania
• Kaunas - temporary interbellum capital of Lithuania with prominent Functionalism architecture
• Klaipėda - sea port with an attractive old town and heritage of the German culture
• Panevėžys - capital of Aukštaitija
• Šiauliai - famous for nearby Hill of Crosses
• Kėdainiai - city in central Lithuania with prominent Renaissance architecture monuments

National parks

• Aukštaitija National Park
• Žemaitija National Park
• Kuršių Nerija National Park
• Dzūkija National Park
• Trakai Historical National Park

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Kernavė - a complex of historical hillforts and an archeological site, nicknamed "Lithuanian Troy"
• Curonian Spit
• Vilnius Old Town - the old capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, is among the largest in the Eastern Europe

Resorts

Seaside resorts

• Palanga - the summer capital of Lithuania with sandy beaches
• Nida - a world heritage site with unique heritage and nature
• Juodkrantė - a former German luxury resort

Spa towns

• Birštonas
• Druskininkai - a developed spa town with the largest water park in the Eastern Europe.

Pilgrimage sites in Lithuania

Lithuania is a perfect spot for people, who are looking for some spiritual energy and to come in peace with one self. It has many wholly sites, especially in Samogitia, which is worth visiting.

• Major pilgrimage sites
  • Gate of Dawn (Vilnius),
  • Hill of Crosses, (Samogitia),
  • Žemaičių Kalvarija, (Samogitia).

Militarism heritage tourism Lithuania

Due to former Soviet occupation of Lithuania, Country has many military sites left and may be very interesting place as a place of Militarism heritage tourism. It might be interesting for everyone to see, who is interested in history of the warfare or Cold War.

• Major militarism heritage sites in Lithuania:
  • Former Soviet Nuclear launch site near Žemaičių Kalvarija, Samogitia [1].

Fishing resources

• Rusnė.

See also

• List of national parks of Lithuania
• List of regional parks of Lithuania
• Castles in Lithuania
• List of landmarks in Lithuania

External links

• Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
• Žemaitija National Park’s website

Tourism
Types of tourism	Accessible tourism · Adventure tourism · Hiking · Tramping · Mountaineering · Agritourism · Archaeological tourism · Backpacker Tourism · Bicycle touring · Bookstore tourism · Cultural tourism · Dark tourism · Disaster tourism · Drug tourism · Ecotourism · Extreme tourism · Female sex tourism · Free Independent Traveler · Garden tourism · Heritage tourism · Literary tourism · Medical tourism  · Music tourism · Naked hiking · Neo tourism · Pop-culture tourism · Perpetual tourism · Pilgrimage · Sacred travel · Safaris · Sex tourism · Space tourism · Sustainable tourism · Virtual tourism · Volunteer vacation · Wine tourism
Tourism in	Australia (Sydney) · Argentina · Brazil · Colombia · Canada · Cuba  · Dubai · Mexico · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Papua New Guinea · USA
Africa	Burkina Faso · Cameroon · Namibia  · Nigeria · Rwanda · Sierra Leone
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Europe	Albania  · Andorra  · Austria · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria  · Croatia  · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Finland  · France  · Germany · Gibraltar  · Greece · Ireland · Isle of Man  · Italy · Lithuania · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal  · Romania  · Russia  · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine  · UK (England  · Scotland  · Wales) · Vatican City
Misc	Gift shop · Lonely Planet · Passport · Resort town · Roadside attraction · Transport · Tourist trap · Tourist apartheid · Tour guide · Travel agency · Tourist attraction
Hospitality	Hotel · Hostel · Hostelling International · Hospitality Services · List of vacation resorts · Package holiday
See also	World Tourism Organization · World Tourism Day  · Tourism in literature · Tourism geography · Tourism technology

Tourism in Europe
Sovereign states	Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan2 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England · Scotland · Northern Ireland · Wales) · Vatican City
Dependencies, autonomies, and other territories	Abkhazia2 · Adjara1 · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kosovo · Man, Isle of · Madeira4 · Nagorno-Karabakh1 · Nakhchivan1 · South Ossetia2 · Svalbard · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus1, 5
1 Entirely in Southwest Asia; included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. 3 Mostly in Asia. 4 Entirely in the African Plate, included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 5 Only recognised by Turkey.

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