Walking the Boulevard and Lakeshore in Siauliai

Everything central in Šiauliai can be reached on foot. The sights lie along a single pedestrian street and around two nearby open spaces, a square and a lake. This page gives a walking order, with distances, so you can fit it into a morning, an afternoon or a full day. Prices are in euros.

Step 1: the boulevard

Vilniaus gatvė is closed to traffic for 1.28 km between Žemaitės g. and Draugystės pr. The pedestrian zone dates from 1975. You will pass bronze figures, fountains such as the Pelicans, the Bell of Love sculpture and the Cockerel Clock. The clock performs at 12:00 and 18:00, greeting passers-by in 14 languages, so time your stroll to meet one of those moments. The Photography Museum at no. 140 has a roof terrace with a camera obscura, priced at 1 EUR and open from 1 March to 31 October. In summer a “Šiauliai” board game is set up along the street, and the tourist office gives out a free paper version.

Step 2: Sundial Square and the cathedral

At the square you will see an 18 m obelisk, the gnomon of the tallest sundial in Lithuania, with a gilded Archer on top. The cathedral stands on the south side. Its Renaissance exterior and 70 m tower are worth a slow look, though the tower itself is open only with a guide.

Step 3: the lakeshore

The Iron Fox, about 7 tonnes of metal on the edge of Lake Talkša, is only a few hundred metres from the square. From there the Talkša eco trail runs for 5 km past 19 information stands, in three languages, and the Gate of Love and the Place for Dreams. It ends at the Salduvė hillfort, about 5 km from the centre. A separate 1.8 km bike path runs along the shore. Swimming in the lake is not recommended.

Longer official routes

The tourist office at Vilniaus g. 213-90 (+370 41 523 110) lists three routes:

  • Top 10 Places: about 6 km and nine hours, taking in the cathedral, Sundial Square, the Iron Fox, the Cats Museum, Frenkel Villa, the boulevard, the Rūta museum and the Botanical Garden.
  • Top 10 Experiences: a themed list that includes the rose park, the Cockerel Clock and the Rūta museum.
  • Šiauliai From Above: 5 km and around five hours, including the Sun Terrace playground, Resurrection Square and a guided climb of the cathedral tower.

The Rūta museum on Tilžės g. is about 1.9 km from the Frenkel Villa end of the boulevard.

A place for quiet remembrance

On the corner of Traku g. and Ežero g., where the entrance to the Šiauliai ghetto once stood, a memorial stone was erected in 1993. The ghetto was established in July 1941, and the Jewish population of the city fell from about 8,000 to about 500. Visitors are welcome at any hour. Stop for a moment, but do not treat it as a photo location.

Practical points

  • Wear sturdy shoes, because the lakeshore paths can ice over from December to March.
  • Aušra Museum branches charge 8 EUR, and entry is free on the last Sunday of the month.
  • The tower climb needs a guide arranged in advance.

Read more: solo activities in Siauliai and attraction tours .

The route descriptions are on Visit Šiauliai and the eco trail is on Baltų kelias . Guided walks can be compared on GetYourGuide .