In short: for a first weekend in Kaunas stay in the Old Town; for a concert or a Žalgiris game, between the Old Town and Laisvės alėja, within walking distance of the arena; for business, in the centre; and with a family, pick a roomy apartment with a kitchen. Kaunas is compact: Town Hall Square, Kaunas Castle and Vilniaus gatvė are 5–10 minutes on foot from each other. So the real question is not "how far", but what you want to see when you step outside in the morning: a cobbled lane, a linden-lined avenue or the river.
Kaunas areas: which suits whom
Old Town: cobbles, a castle and two rivers
The historic core sits between the Nemunas and the Neris. Vilniaus gatvė runs from Town Hall Square to Laisvės alėja, Kaunas Castle is a few minutes from the square, and on Saturday mornings a farmers' market sets up by the castle. Dinner, museums and cellar bars are all on your doorstep. The trade-offs are just as clear: cobbles that make suitcase wheels rattle like a train, parking in the core that is paid around the clock, and a few bars that stay open until the small hours at weekends.
Best for: first-time visitors, couples, weekend breaks and anyone travelling without a car.
Laisvės alėja and the centre: the working city
A pedestrian avenue split by a strip of linden trees, running from Vilniaus gatvė to St Michael the Archangel's Church: the showcase of interwar Kaunas. The modernist buildings around it were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. The Kaunas State Musical Theatre and the National Kaunas Drama Theatre are on the avenue, with shops and cafés all around. From its western end it is about 1.9 km to the bus station and about 2.5 km to the railway station.
One catch: from the eastern end it is a 35–40 minute walk to the castle and the rivers. If you want both the centre and the Old Town, look for a place at the western end, where the avenue meets Vilniaus gatvė.
Best for: business trips, theatre-goers, arrivals by bus or train, and longer stays.
Žalgiris Arena and Nemunas Island: the events quarter
Žalgiris Arena stands on Nemunas Island at Karaliaus Mindaugo pr. 50. It holds up to 15,415 spectators for basketball and up to 20,000 for concerts. The Akropolis shopping centre is across the street, and the island also has a riverside park and Science Island. Sleeping right by the arena works for a single night, but on event evenings it gets crowded and there are fewer restaurants. Town Hall Square is about 25 minutes away on foot.
Best for: a one-night trip to an event. More in our guide to where to stay near Žalgiris Arena.
Santaka: evenings where the rivers meet
At the western tip of the Old Town the Neris flows into the Nemunas. Santaka Park is meadows and paths, with Kaunas Castle right beside it. Nothing here happens in a hurry: people come to stroll, watch the sunset and sit by the water, and it is at its most beautiful in the evening. Santaka is part of the Old Town, so if you stay near the castle the confluence is only a few steps away.
Best for: couples, evening walkers and anyone who would rather have a river than shops.
How to choose by type of trip
| Trip | Where to stay | Our example |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend for two or with friends | Old Town | Picturesque Old Town Apartment |
| Concert or basketball | Old Town or the Laisvės alėja junction | Underground Kingdom Boutique |
| Business trip | Centre, western end of Laisvės alėja | Underground Kingdom Boutique |
| Family with children | Old Town, apartment with a kitchen | Old Town Pearl Suite |
A weekend
For two or three nights the Old Town has no real rival. Friday evening is dinner and cellar bars, Saturday morning the market by the castle, the afternoon Laisvės alėja and a funicular up to Žaliakalnis or Aleksotas. There is a ready-made route in Kaunas Old Town in 48 hours, and the full list of ideas in things to do in Kaunas.
A concert or a game
Don't book next to the arena; book somewhere you can walk to it from and where a kitchen is still open after the final whistle. The Old Town and the Laisvės alėja junction win here: dinner before the show, a walk there and back, no taxi queue. Upcoming concerts and games are in our events in Kaunas listing.
A business trip
The centre around Laisvės alėja is handy if you arrive by bus or train, and there is a theatre or a café on hand in the evening. If a good night's sleep before a meeting matters most, choose a room where street noise doesn't reach. Flying in? See Vilnius Airport to Kaunas and Kaunas Airport to the Old Town.
A family trip
With children, space, a kitchen and a washing machine matter more than the view, and with a pushchair so does a lift. In the Old Town everything is walkable, and Science Island and the museums are there for a rainy day. More ideas in Kaunas with kids.
Our three stays, three different sides of Kaunas
Underground Kingdom Boutique, Savanorių pr. 1
Underground Kingdom Boutique sits where Laisvės alėja meets Vilniaus gatvė and the Old Town meets the centre and Žaliakalnis. Four private rooms, each for two, with a double bed and their own shower and WC, are set in the brick vaults of a 1908 building below street level. No windows, but no street noise either; there is ventilation and air conditioning. The shared 35 m² lounge is lit by candles, and the whole place sleeps up to 8. Both Town Hall Square and Žalgiris Arena are within walking distance.
Picturesque Old Town Apartment, M. Valančiaus g. 12
The Picturesque Old Town Apartment is in the heart of the Old Town, about 300 m from Town Hall Square and 250 m from Kaunas Castle. The 45 m² flat has two separate bedrooms and a sofa bed and sleeps up to 5. The balcony looks over a cobbled Old Town street; the kitchen has a dishwasher and an espresso machine, and there is a washer-dryer and air conditioning.
Old Town Pearl Suite, Šv. Gertrūdos g. 51A
The Old Town Pearl Suite is on the edge of the Old Town, about 250 m from Kaunas Castle and 350 m from Town Hall Square. The 84 m² apartment has two bedrooms and sleeps up to 4. The 2024 building has a lift, the apartment is wheelchair accessible and has a bathtub and a shower, a washing machine and a balcony with a view over the centre and the river. Minimum stay is two nights.
Header photo: Vytautas the Great Bridge and the Old Town riverside at night. Photo: Mindaugas Danys / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Kaunas for a first visit?
The Old Town. Town Hall Square, Kaunas Castle and Vilniaus gatvė are 5–10 minutes on foot from each other, and most museums, restaurants and bars are round the corner.
Where should I stay for a concert or a basketball game at Žalgiris Arena?
In the Old Town or at the Laisvės alėja junction: you can walk to the arena and there are far more places to eat afterwards than next to the arena itself. From Town Hall Square it is about 25 minutes on foot.
Where should I stay on a business trip?
In the centre along Laisvės alėja: theatres, cafés and shops are close by, and from the western end of the avenue it is about 1.9 km to the bus station and about 2.5 km to the railway station.
Where should I stay in Kaunas with children?
Choose an apartment with a kitchen and a washing machine. The Old Town Pearl Suite has two bedrooms, a bathtub and a lift and is wheelchair accessible; the Picturesque Old Town Apartment sleeps up to 5.
Where is the quietest place to sleep in Kaunas?
The rooms at Underground Kingdom Boutique are in the vaults of a 1908 building below street level, so no street noise reaches them. Of the districts, Žaliakalnis is the calmest, but it is hilly and further from the Old Town.
Can I get by in Kaunas without a car?
Yes. The Old Town, Laisvės alėja and most sights are walkable, and funiculars climb to Žaliakalnis and Aleksotas.
How do I get from Vilnius Airport to Kaunas?
The fastest options are the direct Ollex bus (about 1 h 15 min) or a car on the A1 motorway (about 100 km). The cheaper but longer route is the train via Vilnius railway station.
Can I book MyKaunas stays directly?
Yes. Booking on mykaunas.com carries no booking fees, and cleaning and city tax are included in the price.
