Photo: Scotch Mist, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Jewish Vilnius: the Jerusalem of the North
Your local guide
Rūta Kazlauskienė
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Highlights
- The Vilna Gaon monument in the old quarter
- Streets where the wartime ghettos were drawn
- The open ground where the Great Synagogue stood
- The Choral Synagogue, still active today
- The Green House, seen from outside
About this tour
This session follows Jewish Vilnius from the Vilna Gaon monument through the old quarter to the site of the Great Synagogue and the Choral Synagogue, the one still in use. You see the narrow streets where the wartime ghettos were drawn, the open ground where a major synagogue once stood, and hear how one building survived when most did not. The Green House, which holds the city's Holocaust exhibition, is pointed out along the way.
After the sound check, the guide walks the old quarter point by point, pausing at each site for your questions and allowing time to sit with the harder parts of the history. A short list of what was covered is sent once the call ends.
This suits anyone with an interest in Jewish history, particularly the community once called the Jerusalem of the North.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Vilnius before heading out.
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The Vilna Gaon monument and old quarter 21 min
Standing by the monument to the Vilna Gaon, the guide walks into the narrow streets of the old Jewish quarter, tracing where the wartime ghettos were later drawn around the same blocks.
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The site of the Great Synagogue 21 min
On the open ground where the Great Synagogue once stood, the guide describes the building destroyed in the war and demolished afterward, and what has been found beneath the site since.
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The Choral Synagogue 21 min
Outside the only synagogue in Vilnius still active today, the guide explains how it survived when so many others did not, and points toward the Green House, which holds the city's Holocaust exhibition.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Vilnius: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Beetroot soup (šaltibarščiai) and Naujamiestis, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Vilnius time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Vilnius, showing you Užupis and Vilnius Cathedral live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Vilnius live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Vilnius time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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