Visiting Hill of the Crosses in Lithuania: Ultimate Guide (2024)

Planning to visit Hill of the Crosses in Lithuania? You’re in the right place.

Hill of the Crosses (Kryžių Kalnas in Lithuanian) is one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited. It’s far from everything and remote, which makes the phenomena of people leaving crosses there even more random.

Nobody knows why people began leaving crosses on this isolated hill in northern Lithuania (which is hours away from any major city too) but it has turned into one of the most fascinating, and unusual places to visit.

There are over 200,000 crosses at the site as of 2024, and people have been leaving them there since the middle ages.

There are pathways in between the piles of crosses that make it easy to walk through, and its surrounded by a large wide open area that you can walk around, taking pictures from afar.

There’s also a visitor centre with washrooms, a parking lot and a gift shop on-site.

I’m going to share with you tips for visiting Hill of Crosses, including:

• if it’s worth a visit, and how long you’ll spend here
• best ways to get to Hill of Crosses
• other useful things to know before making your way here

So, let’s jump in – tips for Hill of Crosses in Lithuania!

What You Need to Know About Visiting Hill of Crosses

Hill of Crosses is a fascinating historical phenomenon that is said to go back centuries. Here is what you need to know about heading there

• Entrance to Hill of Crosses is free of charge (there is just a small fee of equivalent to $1 USD if you’re parking in their parking lot)
• The hill itself is open 24/7. There are no gates or fences, so you can visit anytime.
• The visitor’s centre, gift shop and washrooms next to the Hill of Crosses is open from 9 am-6 pm daily
• Anyone of all ages can visit Hill of Crosses. There are some stairs, and some narrow pathways so you may not be able to navigate the entire site with a stroller or a wheelchair
• Hill of Crosses has become very popular, you can expect to see lots of other tourists during the summer months (we visited in winter, and there were only a few other people there)
• There is some walking involved, as you need to walk up to the hill from the parking lot, and back again. I would estimate there to be about an hour of walking around.

• The gift shop inside the souvenir store mainly sells Christian-based souvenirs, but you can find some unique Lithuanian souvenirs too.
• There is no restaurant on-site at the Hill of the Crosses, but the city of Šiauliai isn’t too far if you’re hungry. Otherwise, I recommend packing a snack or lunch

Is Hill of Crosses worth visiting?

Hill of Crosses is worth visiting, especially if you’re intrigued by the photos. If the pictures of it make you want to visit here, walking around looking at such a variety of crosses – then it’s worth it.

Hill of Crosses is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been featured in Atlas Obscura as one of the most unusual destinations.

One thing to keep in mind about Hill of Crosses though is that it’s far from any of the major cities where you’re likely to be staying, for example:

• Vilnius – 2.5 hour drive
• Kaunas – just over 2-hour drive
• Riga – just under 2 hours

So, you are going to be going way out of your way to come here, it’s worth it to know that there isn’t a lot to do in the area surrounding Hill of Crosses.

Most likely, you’d be driving out here (or taking a tour) and then heading back, and you’ll need to allocate a full day to visiting, because of how long it takes to get here.

The city of Šiauliai is only about a 15-minute drive from Hill of Crosses – and may also be worth visiting, while you’re in the area.

Is the nearby city of Šiauliai worth visiting?

Šiauliai (pronounced “show-lay”) is the 4th largest city in Lithuania, and only about 12 km (7.5 miles) from Hill of Crosses.

Aside from being close to Hill or Crosses, Šiauliai has a few gems that might be worth checking out:

• St. Apostles Peter and Paul’s Cathedral – the tallest tour in Lithuania (229 feet)
• A large fox structure, which you’ll definitely want to get a photo of
• Several museums – a chocolate museum, a Cat Museum (has cat figurines, not real cats) a bike museum, and several more
• St. George’s Church – a beautiful looking church from the exterior

Read more about things to do in Šiauliai here.

In our case, we were driving from Vilnius to Tallinn, so we didn’t stop in Šiauliai. Hill of Crosses wasn’t too far out of our way when going in that direction, but I would have wanted to see it regardless.

So, overall – just keep in mind that unless you’re interested in visiting Šiauliai, you’re probably going to spend more time in the commute to get to Hill of Crosses actually spending there.

And this is perfectly fine if you’re ok with that. I’m glad we saw Hill of Crosses and if the photos and videos captivate you, then I think you should see it too.

How long does it take to see Hill of Crosses?

It doesn’t take long to see Hill of Crosses – I would give it at least an hour, but likely less than 2 hours. The entire area that Hill of Crosses covers is only the size of maybe a football field.

The amount of walking you’ll do at Hill of Crosses is probably comparable to walking around an 800-metre track field twice. This includes walking up to the ‘hill’ from the parking lot, walking around it, exploring everything, and then checking out the visitor centre and the gift shop.

How to Get to Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

Here’s what you need to know about getting to the Hill of Crosses from all of the major cities

1. Take a tour

There are many tours that head to Hill of Crosses from all the nearest major cities (Vilnius, Riga and Kaunas)

The tours tend to cost around $100 USD per person, include hotel pick-up and entrance fee, and teach you about some of Lithuania’s history.

Regardless of which tour you book, you should set aside a full day for the excursion to Hill of Crosses, as tours can last anywhere from 5-7 hours, and driving time takes at least 4 hours round trip from any of the main cities.

• Hill of Crosses from Riga – 5.5 hour tour, for ages 5+, and about $100 per person
  
• Hill of Crosses from Vilnius – 7 hours long, roughly $100 per person
  
• Hill of Crosses from Kaunas – 7 hours, and 100 Euros per person

2. Public transit

If you want to visit Hill of Crosses on a budget, then taking public transit would be cheaper than booking one of the tours.

• Getting to Hill of Crosses via public transit from Vilnius, Riga or Kaunas – If you’re any of the other major Baltic cities, then you can take a train from any of them to Šiauliai. Once you’re in Šiauliai, you would take a bus to Hill of Crosses. The bus station is about a 10-minute walk from the train station in Šiauliai.
• Getting to Hill of Crosses via public transit from Šiauliai – Hill of Crosses is about a 15-minute bus ride from Šiauliai. The bus lets you off right outside the main entrance. From there, you would walk down a long driveway that leads to the parking lot and visitor centre. Entrance to Hill of Crosses is free (no need to buy tickets.) See details on taking the bus from Šiauliai here

Pro Tip: You could also take a bus to Šiauliai from any of the other Baltic cities, but the bus ride is much longer than a train ride – It’s only a 2.5 hour train ride from Vilnius to Šiauliai, but it would take 3.5 hours if you took the vus. Getting there and back to your original destination on the same day would be very tricky.

3. Drive

We rented a car in Vilnius, and then drove to Hill of Crosses (on our way to our next stop, which was Riga.)

You can find a car rental in any of the major Baltic cities. We went with Autocom Car Rental, based in Vilnius and had a good experience.

You can find several more options in Riga, Tallinn or anywhere else – find the big brands and compare prices on Discover Cars or Expedia.

Hill of Crosses has a large parking lot, with a visitor centre. There is a small charge to park in the Hill of Crosses parking lot. (€ 0.90 which is only about $1 USD.)

From the parking lot, it’s a short walk (about 5 minutes) to where the crosses are.

Where to Stay Near the Hill of the Crosses

Thinking of taking your time to see the area surrounding Hill of Crosses? The best place to stay would be Šiauliai, because there are some interesting things to see there too – and you can stay overnight in Šiauliai at some pretty nice hotels for just $75 USD (or less) per night!

• Super Budget (around $60-$70 USD per night) AN Hotel – located right in the city centre, in simple but comfy rooms with AC in the summer, and wifi
• Mid-Range (around $75 USD per night) Žvejų užeiga – spacious and comy hotel with cute, bright and airy rooms and serves breakfast. It would be a short, 5 minute drive to the Šiauliai city centre
• More Expensive ($100 USD or so per night): Park Hotel Šiauliai – spacious rooms, self-serve coffee, fitness rooms, great breakfast, and right in the city centre – only 700 metres to the tallest tower in Lithuania

Hill of Crosses FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions asked about Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

How to visit Hill of Crosses, Lithuania?

There are many ways to get to Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. If you’re in Vilnius, Riga or Kaunaus, then you can choose between driving, taking a tour, or public transit that will bring you to the nearest city. From the nearest city Šiauliai, you can take a bus in just 15 minutes.

What is the story behind the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania?

It is believed that the history of Hill of Crosses dates back as far as the 1300s, when there was a .The tradition of leaving crosses there began in the Uprising of 1831, and it peaked in the 1960s due to resistance of Soviet Rule.

How many crosses are on the Hill of Crosses in 2024?

You will see different estimates online with regard to how many crosses are at Hill of the Crosses in Lithuania. Lonely Planet reported that there were 100,000 in 2007, but the number of crosses as risen since then. Vilnius City Tours shares that there are now over 200,000. Either way, there are a LOT of crosses – more than you could possibly count.

Final Thoughts on Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

By now, you know all the details that prepare you for visiting Hill of the Crosses. It’s a unique spot, with a very unusual history, and definitely worth seeing if you’re visiting or living in the Baltic countries.

Most people visit Hill of Crosses from Vilnius, since it’s the main city in Lithuania. Whether you’re there on your own or with kids, I’d recommend making the trip. Hill of Crosses is open year-round, summer and winter. We visited in winter, and there were very few other people. It was a haunting experience that we had almost fully to ourselves.

Regardless of what time of year you go, I hope you’re impressed by the shear number of unique and varied crosses. Whether you’re Christian or not, I’m sure its an experience that will stick out to you for a lifetime.