Šiauliai is a city for walking. The centre is flat, the main boulevard is pedestrian, and the main sights sit within about 1.5 km of each other. You do not need a guide, and the tourist office at Vilniaus g. 213-90 (+370 41 523 110) lists official routes if you want a plan. Wear comfortable shoes, and in winter bring grips, as the paths around Lake Talkša can be icy.

Šiauliai has no old town in the usual sense. Its sights are spread along a 1.28 km pedestrian boulevard, around Sundial Square and beside Lake Talkša, with the Hill of Crosses a short drive to the north. Most are within about 1.5 km of one another, so a day on foot covers them. Prices are in euros. Hill of Crosses About 12 km north of the city, the Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) is a Catholic pilgrimage site and a national symbol of Lithuanian resistance, protected as a cultural monument since 1998.

Šiauliai is a modest city, and its romance is a quiet, outdoor kind. Think gardens, lakesides and evening walks rather than spa breaks, a handful of places that suit a slow day for two. Allow a weekend at most, and pair it with a longer Baltic trip. Prices are in euros. The rose park at Frenkel Villa The park at Vilniaus g. 74 is free and open daily from 10:00 to 22:00.

Šiauliai works well as a base for two or three nights. It lies on the rail and road line between Vilnius, 215 km to the south-east, and Riga, 137 km to the north, and it is the natural overnight stop between the two capitals. This page outlines three ways to use a longer stay. Prices are in euros. Getting there and away Fly into Riga, Kaunas, Palanga or Vilnius, because Šiauliai’s own airport is a military air base.

Šiauliai is an easy city for a family stay. Distances are short, the main street is pedestrian, and most attractions are small enough to suit children’s attention spans. Most museum visits take one to two hours, which leaves room for playgrounds and the lakeside in the same day. Prices are in euros. Bicycle Museum The Bicycle Museum at Vilniaus g. 139 is the most hands-on stop. Visitors can try modern and antique bicycles, ride a velomobile and rest in a recreation area.

Šiauliai sits in the north of Lithuania, close to the Latvian border, so a wide ring of sights is reachable in a day. Most of the trips below are easiest by car, since regional buses are infrequent. Distances are by road and approximate. Prices are in euros. Hill of Crosses, 12 km north The Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) is the closest and most visited. It is a Catholic pilgrimage site with over 100,000 crosses, and a national cultural monument since 1998.

Organised sightseeing in Šiauliai is small in scale. The city has no open-top bus and no large tour operators of its own. What it does have is a set of guided visits run by museums and venues, plus day tours to the Hill of Crosses that are sold from Riga and Vilnius. This page lists what can be arranged, with prices from the venues themselves. Aušra Museum guided tours The Aušra Museum runs branches along the boulevard Vilniaus gatvė.

Šiauliai is Lithuania’s fourth-largest city, called the City of the Sun after a battle fought in 1236. It sits on the Vilnius to Riga road and rail line, and most visitors spend one or two days here. The centre is compact: the long pedestrian boulevard Vilniaus gatvė, Sundial Square and Lake Talkša all lie within about 1.5 km of each other. Prices are in euros. Getting here Šiauliai’s own airport is a Lithuanian Air Force and NATO base, so plan to fly into Riga (137 km), Kaunas (146 km), Palanga (160 km) or Vilnius (216 km) and continue by train or bus.