It's easy to mix the Baltic countries together and a pleasure to travel through these jewel like countries perched on the edge of Russia. But Lithuania has its very own qualities for the discerning traveller and autumn is a great time to appreciate the capital, Vilnius, and the surrounding countryside.
The largest of the Baltic states, with a population of 2.8 million, is also the southernmost, bordering Belarus, Latvia and Poland. This country, three times the size of Wales and a tenth the size of Texas, was once part of the largest state in Europe, the Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth, a land roughly 1.5 times bigger than Texas. This entity was systematically dismantled at the end of the 18th century and Lithuania did not re-establish its independence until 1918, only to be subsumed into the Soviet Empire, before finally emerging as the State of Lithuania in 1990.
Autumn is a magical romantic time in Lithuania with leaves turning golden brown and yellow and fireplaces lit in welcoming restaurants. Palanga, one of Lithuania's Baltic Sea resorts, may not be throbbing with tourists, but the sand dunes and long beaches make for great walking.
The ancient sea port of Klaipeda has wooden buildings dating from the 18th Century, a 19th century fort and a neoclassical Drama Theatre.
Vilnius is a vibrant capital city with over half a million people. Its mixture of architecture ranging from Baroque through Neoclassical to Gothic makes a walk through its cobble-stoned streets a delight.