Šiauliai

Šiauliai is Lithuania's fourth-largest city and the main cultural and economic centre of the north, often called the City of the Sun. Its compact centre, pedestrian boulevard and relaxed pace make it an approachable base for exploring both the city and the nearby Hill of Crosses.

The city was first mentioned in 1236, the year of the Battle of the Sun, and its sun-related identity appears throughout public spaces. Landmarks include the Cathedral of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, Sundial Square with its gilded Golden Boy archer and the 19th-century Vilniaus Street boulevard, while the Hill of Crosses, about 12 km north, is the region's best-known pilgrimage site.

Šiauliai is strong on small, distinctive museums. Visitors can tour the Art Nouveau Chaim Frenkel Villa, see one of Europe's few Bicycle Museums, explore the Photography Museum and learn about confectionery at the Rūta Chocolate Museum, housed in a historic chocolate factory. The city's lakes, including Talkša and Rėkyva, offer green space close to the centre.

As a regional hub, Šiauliai supports manufacturing, logistics, bicycle production and food industries, and hosts the Šiauliai International Airport and a NATO air-policing base. Its food scene mixes traditional Lithuanian cooking, cafés along the boulevard and the local Rūta chocolate tradition, giving both leisure and business travellers a practical, welcoming base in northern Lithuania.