Regular walking tour of Soviet Vilnius
Recommended by 98% of travelers
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Vilnius, Lithuania
- 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get an overview of Soviet rule in Vilnius during this 2 to 2.5-hour walking tour of the Lithuanian capital. See highlights such as Lukiškių Square, the Gediminas Monument, and the former KGB headquarters while listening to your guide's commentary on what life was like there under Soviet rule. You'll also see famous Soviet-era buildings, including the former Palace of Concerts and Sport, Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the House of Scientists.
- Explore the streets and parks of Vilnius with a guide
- Learn all about the city’s Soviet-era history
- See top attractions such as the former KGB headquarters and the Palace of Concerts and Sport
- Gain insight into the city’s history and traditions
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Monument to Grand Duke GediminasKatedros a., 01143 Vilnius, Lithuania
Look for the guide with a yellow bag/ yellow sign in front of monument to Gediminas ( a man standing next to a horse) at the Cathedral square
End points
This activity ends in a different location. See details below:
Operating hours.3:00 pm
Itinerary
Meet your guide in front of the Gediminas Monument in Cathedral Square, located in the Old Town. Your tour will focus on the history of Vilnius, an area that developed during the Soviet period. Pass the Green Bridge, the Planetarium, Lukiskiu Square, and the former KGB headquarters. As you go, hear tales about KGB spies, and learn about the role that basketball played in Lithuania's independence and how Lithuania and Vilnius were incorporated into the USSR.
You'll also stop to see the most iconic Soviet-era buildings, such as the former Palace of Concerts and Sport, Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the House of Scientists.
Your tour will conclude in Kudirkos Square, a 5-minute walk from your original departure point.
You'll also stop to see the most iconic Soviet-era buildings, such as the former Palace of Concerts and Sport, Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the House of Scientists.
Your tour will conclude in Kudirkos Square, a 5-minute walk from your original departure point.
1
Vilnius With Locals Tours
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Gediminas Monument
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Zaliasis Tiltas
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- This tour operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately
- There is a lot of walking involved, so please wear comfortable shoes
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 261 reviews
MariaTeresa_H, Dec 2025
Our guide was amazing. She shared a lot of info and the tour was great despite the very cold weather. A must if it’s your first time in the city.
Joanne_L, Nov 2025
It was an eye opener to see the Jewish streets and learn about the history on the way. I love the knowledge from the guide and interaction with the guide and the other tour mates.
Tomasz_N, Nov 2025
A wonderful tour with an excellent guide who opened up a new world for me — an experience I believe is essential for better understanding modern Lithuania.
Margaret_A, Sep 2025
The walk is led by a vert knowledgeable leader with direct experience of the subject and a passionate interest. He interacted well with a diverse group which only enhanced an already positive experience.
The walk is long and quite tiring.
Maury_N, Aug 2025
A lot of walking and would have been helpful to know in advance how much walking we were going to have.
Lisa_E, Aug 2025
When reading the information it made it seem like we were actually going to go into the KGB museum instead of just walking past it, I mean, what good is that? We got to the meeting point and double check the guy who told us know that we are not going into the museum. We only had one day in Lithuania and really wanted to see this exhibit. Everything else he said we would cover we already covered that morning in the Jewish walking tour. I then asked him if he would kindly use his phone to call us a taxi and we would go on our own, we do not have International call our phone plan. He was very hesitant to do this until I reminded him that Viator already had our money and now his group load would be easier by two people. I offered to also give him a few USD For his efforts. At that point, he agreed to cause a taxi, and we went to the KGB museum on our own. He offered no apologies for the misunderstanding. We were very disappointed in the write up on your website and think it should be more specific.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry you did not join the tour itself, as you may have enjoyed many unique sites and stories along the way. This is why we would really like to know where you found the information you are referring to — if there is an unclear or misleading source, we want to fix it. This is the first time something like this has happened, and we strive to be as clear as possible in our descriptions.
We truly regret that your limited time in Vilnius was not as you hoped, and we appreciate your comments as they help us improve both our descriptions and communication with future guests.
Linda_J, Aug 2025
Excellent full.of history. Great guide. Lots of information. Took us to areas we wouldn't have found on our own.
David_S, Jul 2025
Be prepared to walk, listen and learn.
Our tour guide was quite good.
We followed up the next day with a tour of the old kgb headquarters where the your ended.
Elza_C, Jun 2025
I love history and this guided tour gave me some wonderful information. Our guide Tadas, was very knowledgeable about Soviet occupancy here in Vilnius. This made the tour much more enjoyable, lots of walking so bring comfy shoes.
Gary_D, Jun 2025
Very good tour and explanation of Vilnius during Soviet times. Got a much better appreciation for life and events then.
Linda_S, Jun 2025
We had an interesting walk with Ieva. Despite the serious undertone, the atmosphere was light. It covered many sides of life under Soviet rule as well as the way to independence for Lithuania.
Ouliana_R, Jun 2025
The tour was interesting and informative. The guide gave us a lot of insights and prospectives as a local. We recommend the tour.
Filip_M, May 2025
This is a must for anyone interested in the history of lithuania and the soviet union. They guide was also very knowledgeable and friendly.
Rebel_R, May 2025
Great view of life in Lithuania as a Republic of the Soviet Union. The architecture and the stories of everyday life were very interesting.
Rob_S, Mar 2025
Great tour and very informative - guide was able to deliver his information and respond to any questions confidently - a very enjoyable tour and recommended!
Trevor_W, Mar 2025
The tour lacks content. Apart from the, derelict and fenced off, palace of culture there is not a great deal to see. The tour lasts for just under 3 hours and there really isn’t enough to justify this time.
The information provided by the guide was repetitive and superficial. If you have any prior knowledge of the Cold War/ Soviet occupation of the Baltic states it is not an informative experience.
Mark_A, Dec 2024
My high School-aged daughter and I loved this tour. We’re both history buffs, so it was right up our alley.
Nina_c, Oct 2024
A fun experience, finding out lots of interesting facts and stories. Our guide, Tadas knew his stuff. The pace was good too.
alexandramclendon, Oct 2024
This tour gave me a better understanding of life in Vilnius during its Soviet occupation. This was a great opportunity to better understand Soviet architecture beyond the typical brutalist buildings.
Having a tour guide who was local to Vilnius truly enriched this experience as he was able to provide stories from his family and their experience as well as historical facts.
Altogether, I was really happy with this tour.
Douglas_B, Sep 2024
Guide provided very clear descriptions of what life was really like in the Soviet years. His honest and direct observations provided a damning indictment on the true and horrific reality of life under Communism.
Micki_S, Sep 2024
Indrie was a great guide. She was accessible and open to questions. It was eye-opening to learn about Vilnius during the Communist period and I followed up with a recommended visit to the KGB Museum (harrowing!)
Roman_J, Aug 2024
Very educational tour covering interesting sites. The tour guide did a great job explaining the country’s history and describing life in Lithuania during USSR. Loved the stop at Skalvija cinema, unchanged since the Soviet times.
Michelle_H, Aug 2024
We were so pleased to join the tour, get out of the city and learn new things! And, we did. The tour is a "walk, stop, see the sight, share history, walk", very methodical. The hardest part for me was the guide wasn't even alive during the Soviet times. Not that someone younger cannot learn history and share it, but a part of the tour was how people lived during that time, what was life like and someone else from our tour ended up sharing their experience, which brought it to life much more. What I did appreciate was that we walked a great deal, covered ground and were shown places to go investigate more.
Kathleen_L, Aug 2024
Very interesting tour that highlights Soviet history in Lithuania. Our guide, Indres, was very knowledgeable and shared many personal stories that added to the experience.
Aisling_G, Aug 2024
Nice to get a feel of the city. More personal stories on what life was like for the people would be valued.
Peter_V, Jul 2024
Very thorough, great exercise! Highly recommend.
Need 100 characters... Very thorough, great exercise! Highly recommend!
Nana_A, Jun 2024
Tadas did an outstanding and informative tour of city of Vilnius. He is a wealth of information and quite engaging! Vilnius is a rich city in culture, heritage and people
Amiya_G, Jun 2024
Our tour guide was a student of history born in the year Lithuania achieved independence for the second time in the 20th century. We were taken on a historical journey, stopping at various landmarks large and small. Along the way we learned about the major events in Vilnius and Lithuania in the Soviet era as well as what daily life looked like for the average Lithuanian.
Our group was fortunate enough to also have an attendee of Lithuanian origin who grew up in that era which made for an even more fascinating discussion.
The tour was well-paced and the guide had a great deal of knowledge and patiently answered our questions. The tour concluded with the fascinating story of how the Soviet era ended in Lithuania when it became the first country to gain independence from the USSR.
Mary_G, Jan 2024
Great tour with tour guide Vilius! He was very knowledgeable and was able to share stories of his families experiences through the Soviet occupation of Vilnius which made the tour feel more personal.
KristiA_G, Oct 2023
This was a great tour from the guide (Tadas) who personally lived through the experience. He was very personable, knowledgeable and fun to be with, showing us important locations, telling us stories and generally making the day fun!
From $23.90
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Regular walking tour of Soviet Vilnius
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