Kaunas offers two free walking tours based on a tip for the guide: a comprehensive tour of the Old Town and the historic center, and a dedicated tour to the Baroque Pažaislis Monastery outside the city. Participation is open to everyone without any upfront payment, and payment at the end is at the personal discretion of each participant depending on the quality of the tour.

Local guides, usually city residents or history students with in-depth knowledge, lead the groups through the cobblestone streets of the old city and tell about the Lithuanian, Polish, German, and Soviet past that left its mark on it.

Those planning a visit to Kaunas can combine the two tours: one day to the old quarter and Freedom Avenue, and a separate trip to the Pažaislis Monastery, which requires a little advance transportation coordination.

Why go on a walking tour in Kaunas?

Why explore Kaunas on foot?

Kaunas was built on the spit of land between the Nemunas and Neris rivers, and walking is the most natural way to discover the dense fabric of the old town: the Town Hall Square with the white town hall known as the "White Swan", the Gothic Vytautas the Great Church on the riverbank, and alleys built by Nemean and German merchants in the 14th to 16th centuries.

Beyond the Old Town stretches Freedom Avenue (Laisvės alėja), one of the longest pedestrian boulevards in Europe, along which are the buildings of the interwar period, thanks to which Kaunas was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City. A local guide knows how to point out details that are easy to miss on your own: architects' signatures, Soviet symbols that have been hidden over the years, and houses that served as foreign embassies during the period when Kaunas was the temporary capital of Lithuania between the two world wars.

Kaunas's historical story is made up of layers: medieval battles, the years of the temporary capital, the Nazi occupation, and the Soviet era, all connected by one street. A guided tour helps to organize these layers into a coherent narrative, rather than a list of disconnected sites.

Areas and starting points of the tours

The areas that the tours cover

The Old Town (Senamiestis) is the starting point for the main sightseeing tour: Town Hall Square, Kaunas Cathedral, and the river district where the Nemunas and Neris meet near the remains of Kaunas Castle.

Freedom Avenue connects the old town to the newer center, and along it are cafes, shops, and modernist buildings from the 1920s and 1930s that gave Kaunas the unofficial nickname "the interwar city."

The second tour goes outside the boundaries of the historic center, to the Pažaislis Monastery - a 17th-century Baroque monastery complex located on the banks of the Kaunas Reservoir, surrounded by gardens and a park, and providing a quiet and spacious contrast to the crowded streets of the old town.

Important tips before you go out

Tips before going on a tour

• Pre-registration through GuruWalk is recommended even when participation itself is free, so that the guide can anticipate the size of the group.
• The language of instruction varies from tour to tour, and most tours in Kaunas are conducted in English; it is worth checking the booking page for each tour to see which languages are available on the requested date.
• It is recommended to arrive a few minutes before the tour begins, wear comfortable shoes for walking on interlocking stone, and check the weather in advance - summer in Lithuania is pleasant but occasionally rainy, and winter is cold and snowy.
• At the end of the tour, it is customary to give the guide a cash tip, in euros, according to satisfaction and personal feeling - there is no fixed amount, and this is exactly the idea behind the "free tour" model.
• The Old Town tour is mostly accessible to families with children; the Pažaislis Monastery tour requires a little more transportation coordination as the monastery is outside the city center.
• Kaunas is considered a safe city to walk in, like most of Lithuania, but as with any urban destination, it is recommended to keep an eye on personal belongings in areas crowded with tourists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the free tours in Kaunas really free?

Yes, participation in the tour itself is free of charge in advance, but at the end it is customary to give the guide a tip at your discretion and according to the quality of the tour - this is exactly the model on which the "free tour" is based.

Do I need to register in advance?

It is highly recommended to register through GuruWalk, even though registration itself is free, to guarantee a place and allow the guide to plan the group size in advance.

In what languages are the tours held?

Most tours in Kaunas are conducted in English; additional languages may be available on certain dates, so please check the booking page for the specific tour.

Are the tours suitable for families with children?

The Old Town tour is generally suitable for families due to the short distance and easy walking; the Pažaislis Monastery tour requires a little more planning due to the distance from the city center.

How much should you tip the guide?

There is no fixed amount - the tip is a personal expression of appreciation for the tour, and it is customary to pay it in cash and euros at the end of the walk.

What is the difference between the two tours offered in Kaunas?

The Old Town tour focuses on the historic center, Town Hall Square, and Liberty Avenue; the Pažaislis Monastery tour ventures out to the Baroque complex outside the city and offers a quieter, more pastoral experience.