Siauliai Tourist Traps

4 more images

I couldn't get to know where to go and what to see in Siauliai and that way I skipped a few, maybe interesting, sights. Instead, I "wasted" time on easting and drinking haha. How could it happen?

At first I didn't plan to visit Siauliai. So, I didn't look for any information in the web. On the way I had two travel books on Lithuania:
1. Polish version of Rough Guide travel book to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Kaliningrad district (picture 1)
2. Polish version of German "Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania" travel book by Mairs Geographisher Verlag (picture 2)
Both books almost skipped Siauliai. They only mentioned cathedral and included some details on nearby Hill of Crosses. The first book at least had schematic map of downtown.

Locals and visitors I asked what to see in Siauliai either didn't know or they couldn't speak English and Russian. They all told me only about the Hill of Crosses and cathedral.

Opposite to most visitors' need the Siauliai Tourism Information Centre (Vilniaus Street 213) is closed on Sunday and open shorter on Saturday (10 am - 4 pm) than from Monday to Friday (10 am - 6 pm). You are warned! I found it back to a consumer approach very Soviet in style.



Unique Suggestions: Siauliai is not a touristy city, maybe I didn't skip anything worth seeing. Keep smiling and go to the Hill of Crosses located in a one-horse village called Naisiai, only 12 km (9 mi) north of Siauliai downtown. You will be impressed!



Fun Alternatives: Choose what to see from the following sights I didn't know about (at your risk, I have no idea whether they are worth your time):
1. Museum of Photography (140 Vilniaus St.; hours: Tue - Fri 10 am - 6 pm, Sat 11 am - 4 pm).
2. Museum of Bicycles (139 Vilniaus St.; hours: Tue - Fri 10 am - 6 pm, Sat 11 am - 4 pm).
3. The Palace of Ch. Frenkel (manor and exposition on local Jews; 74 Vilniaus St.; hours: Tue - Fri 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 11 am - 4 pm).
4. The Venclauskiai House (Lithuanian folk and fine art; 89 Vytauto St.; hours: Tue - Fri 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 10 am - 4 pm).
5. Museum Of Radio And Television (174 Vilniaus St.; hours: Tue - Fri 10 am - 6 pm, Sat 11 am - 4 pm).
6. Zaliukiai Mill (wooden windmill from 1875; 73 Architektu St.; May 15th until October 1st Tue - Sat 10 am - 5 pm).
7. The Palace of Ausra Avenue (historical and ethnographical exposition; 47 Ausra Avenue; hours: Tue - Fri 9 am - 5 pm, Sat 11 am - 4 pm).
8. Museum of Cats (Zuvininku 18; hours: Tue - Sat 11 am - 5 pm).
9. Siauliai Art Gallery (Vilniaus 245; hours: Mon - Fri 10 am - 6 pm, Sat 10 am - 5 pm).
10. Siauliai University Art Gallery (Vilniaus 141; hours: Mon - Fri 10 am - 6 pm, Sat 10 am - 3 pm).

The above sights are mostly located either along main pedestrian street (Vilniaus gatve) or nearby.