In winter Kaunas comes alive in the evenings: in December there is the Christmas village on Town Hall Square and New Year's Eve, in January and February Žalgiris basketball, 16 February and Užgavėnės, while the days belong to museums, cafés and saunas. In mid-December the sun sets at around four, so plan your days indoors and give your evenings to the city. That is when Kaunas looks its best: the castle lit up, the bridge glowing over the Nemunas, the warm brick arches of the cellar bars. So you don't have to leave it all behind to catch the last bus, a winter trip to Kaunas deserves at least one night.
December: the Christmas village and New Year
The winter season starts in late November, when the city's main Christmas tree is lit on Town Hall Square; in 2026 that happens on 27 November. These are the first holidays on the fully renovated square. We have covered the tree-lighting programme, the Christmas village opening hours and the ice rink on Vienybės Square in our Kaunas Christmas market 2026 guide, and the night of 31 December in New Year's Eve in Kaunas. Žalgiris Arena also hosts Christmas concerts in December; see concerts at Žalgiris Arena in November–December.
One tip: go to the Christmas village after dark, not during the day. Then warm up in an Old Town café or down in a vaulted cellar.
January–February: Žalgiris basketball
When the holidays end, the city doesn't slow down; it simply moves to Žalgiris Arena. Basketball in Kaunas is less a sport than an evening ritual: a crowd in green, noise that makes the stands shake, the anthem sung in unison. According to the schedule as of late October 2026, Žalgiris play EuroLeague home games on 4, 10 and 23 December, and after the holidays on 7 January against Paris Basketball, 14 January against Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, 22 January against Virtus Bologna, 4 February against Beşiktaş and 12 February against Real Madrid. On 20–21 February the arena hosts the King Mindaugas Cup Final Four.
All dates, ticket links and tips on getting to the arena and back are in our guide where to stay near Žalgiris Arena. Games finish late, and the Old Town stays awake long after; one more reason to stay the night.
16 February in Kaunas
Kaunas celebrates the Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania with special feeling: between the wars it was the temporary capital, and the garden of the Vytautas the Great War Museum was the city's ceremonial heart. In 2026 a carillon concert rang out in the garden at 11:30, at noon the flag of the Order of the Cross of Vytis was raised and wreaths were laid, followed by a festive concert. The War Museum and its branches admitted visitors free of charge that day, as did the Kaunas City Museum branches at the Town Hall and Kaunas Castle.
In 2027, 16 February is a Tuesday. The city usually publishes the programme in early February.
Užgavėnės 2027
In 2027 Užgavėnės, Lithuania's Shrovetide carnival, falls on Tuesday 9 February. It is the loudest festival of the winter: masks, pancakes and the burning of Morė, an effigy that drives winter away. The biggest celebration in the country is held at the Lithuanian Ethnographic Museum (formerly the Open-Air Museum of Lithuania) in Rumšiškės, near Kaunas, on the Saturday before Užgavėnės: in 2026 it was on 14 February, for the 45th time. The museum has yet to announce the 2027 date. The biggest crowds arrive around midday, so come early and head back to Kaunas for dinner.
When it's cold outside: museums, cafés and saunas
Museums. The M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum holds the largest collection of the painter and composer's work, the Devils' Museum has thousands of devils from around the world, and the Vytautas the Great War Museum tells the story of the state. Science Island on the Nemunas island suits families and long afternoons. On the last Sunday of each month most Kaunas museums waive admission to their permanent exhibitions, and many are closed on Mondays.
Cafés. Start the morning at Kasdienybės Bakehouse near the junction of Laisvės alėja and Vilniaus Street or at Pinavija, and spend the afternoon over curd doughnuts at Spurginė. More addresses in our guide where to eat in Kaunas Old Town.
Saunas. The renovated sauna area at Girstutis pool (Kovo 11-osios g. 26) has eight different saunas. It is outside the Old Town, so take a taxi or bus, and come back warmed through for dinner.
For the evening. Kaunas has its own winter refuge: brick-vaulted cellars beneath the Old Town, home to bars and restaurants. More in cellar bars and nightlife.
Winter walks
Town Hall Square after dark. The white Town Hall, which locals call the "White Swan", and the Christmas tree. From here it is a short walk to the castle.
Santaka. At the western tip of the Old Town the Neris flows into the Nemunas. In winter Santaka Park is empty and quiet, and the floodlit Kaunas Castle next to it looks like a postcard.
The Nemunas embankment. Walk along the river to Vytautas the Great Bridge: its lights reflected in the water at night are one of the finest views of winter Kaunas. Across the river, from the Aleksotas viewing platform, the whole Old Town lies below you.
Ąžuolynas. One of the largest urban oak parks in Europe, in Žaliakalnis. On a snowy or frosty morning its paths between old oaks are a real break from the city.
How to prepare
- Clothing. A warm coat, hat, gloves and scarf. Above all, waterproof shoes with non-slip soles: the Old Town cobbles can be icy in winter. More on the weather in Kaunas through the seasons.
- Daylight. See outdoor sights such as the castle, the funiculars and the viewpoints before lunch, while it is light.
- Parking. The Old Town zone is paid around the clock, and a low-emission zone fee also applies. On public holidays, including 1 January and 16 February, street parking is free in all zones. Full details in our Kaunas Old Town parking guide.
- Opening hours. Over the holidays some museums and restaurants keep shorter hours or close, so check before you head out.
Where to stay in winter
In winter what matters is not the view from the window but how quickly you can be somewhere warm after an evening out. All three of our stays are in or next to the Old Town, so the holiday events, museums and the arena are all within walking distance.
Underground Kingdom Boutique (Savanorių pr. 1) has four rooms in the brick vaults of a 1908 building, where Laisvės alėja meets Vilniaus Street. Each has a double bed and a private shower and WC. There are no windows here, which means no street noise and no winter draughts; the rooms are heated by heat pumps, so even on the coldest night it is quiet and warm inside. After an evening in town you can settle into the shared candle-lit lounge.
Old Town Pearl Suite (Šv. Gertrūdos g. 51A) is an 84 m² flat with two bedrooms, a bathtub and a balcony overlooking the centre and the river, about 250 m from Kaunas Castle. After a cold walk at Santaka, that bathtub is worth more than anything. The minimum stay is two nights, just right for a long winter weekend.
Picturesque Old Town Apartment (M. Valančiaus g. 12) sits in the heart of the Old Town, about 300 m from Town Hall Square. Two bedrooms, room for up to 5 guests, a kitchen with an espresso machine and a balcony over a cobbled street, from which you can watch the Old Town light up in the evening.
Event dates were checked in early November 2026 and may change; check the organisers' pages before you travel. Header photo: Christmas decorations on Laisvės alėja. Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kaunas worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you plan your days indoors and your evenings in town. In December the Christmas village fills Town Hall Square, in January and February Žalgiris play at Žalgiris Arena, 16 February is Lithuania's Statehood Restoration Day, and museums, cafés and cellar bars stay open all winter.
How cold is Kaunas in winter?
From December to February the average daily high hovers around zero, and the average night-time low in January drops to −6.1 °C. On 21 December there are only about seven hours of daylight.
When is Užgavėnės in 2027?
Užgavėnės, the Lithuanian Shrovetide carnival, falls on Tuesday 9 February 2027. The biggest celebration is held at the Lithuanian Ethnographic Museum in Rumšiškės near Kaunas, usually on the Saturday before; in 2026 it took place on 14 February. The museum has yet to announce the 2027 date.
What happens in Kaunas on 16 February?
The main ceremony takes place in the garden of the Vytautas the Great War Museum: in 2026 the flag of the Order of the Cross of Vytis was raised at noon after a carillon concert. That day the War Museum and branches of the Kaunas City Museum admitted visitors free of charge. In 2027, 16 February is a Tuesday.
When do Žalgiris play at home in winter?
According to the schedule as of late October 2026, EuroLeague home games at Žalgiris Arena are on 4, 10 and 23 December, 7, 14 and 22 January, and 4 and 12 February. The King Mindaugas Cup Final Four is at the arena on 20–21 February. Check the ticket page before you travel.
What to do in Kaunas on a cold day?
Visit the M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum, the Devils' Museum, the Vytautas the Great War Museum or Science Island, warm up in a café near Laisvės alėja or in the saunas at Girstutis pool, and spend the evening in the Old Town's cellar bars.
Is parking free in Kaunas on public holidays?
Yes. On public holidays such as 1 January and 16 February, street parking is free in all zones. On other days the Old Town zone is paid around the clock.
Where to stay in Kaunas in winter?
In the Old Town or by Laisvės alėja, within walking distance of the holiday events, museums and Žalgiris Arena. Underground Kingdom Boutique has rooms in quiet, warm 1908 vaults; Old Town Pearl Suite and Picturesque Old Town Apartment are spacious flats in the Old Town.
