BEST Kaunas
Survival guide
BEST quality tastes
better than
quantity!!!
Spring course
Kaunas, Lithuania
7th of March – 14th of March
If you need any help, call us 7days
per week, 24hours per day 
Marija Maneiko
+370 67 421564
marija.maneiko@best.eu.org
Sabrina Vyšniauskaitė
+370 67 114606
vsabre@gmail.com
Gabija Gružinskaitė
+370 61 441493
gabija.gruzinskaite@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Index
Our country: Lithuania…………………………………………………….………….…..3
o About Lithuania……………………..……………………………………….…....3
Our city: Kaunas……………………………………………………………………….….4
How to get to Kaunas:…………………………………………………………………….4
o If you are coming to Kaunas from Vilnius airport……………………………..…4
o If you are coming to Kaunas airport……………………………………………....5
o Arrival from other cities…………………………………………...……………...5
Prices in Lithuania………………………………………………………………………...6
o Shopping……………………………………………………………………….….6
o Sample prices…………………...……………..…………………………….…….7
What to do………………………………………………………………………………...7
Meals……………………………………………………………….……………………...7
Weather……………………………………………………………………………….…...8
Documentation…………………………………………………………………………….8
o Insurance. Medical treatment………………………..…………………………….8
What to bring with you…………………………………………………………………....9
Electricity………………………………………………………………………….………9
Language……………………………………………………………………………….….9
o Pronunciation…...…………………………………………………………….….10
o Some Sentences…………………………………………....………..…………...10
o More useful sentences………………………………………………………...….11
o Numbers……………………………………………...…………………….....….11
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Our country: Lithuania
Lithuania is the southernmost of the three Baltic states – and the largest
and most populous of them.
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the
next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of
present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century
Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in
1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a
common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a
single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity
survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained
its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never
recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the
Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until
September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in
1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European
institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
The Lithuanian landscape is predominantly flat, with a few low hills in the western uplands and
eastern highlands. The highest point is Aukštasis at 294
metres. Lithuania has 758 rivers, more
than 2 800 lakes and 99 km of the
Baltic Sea coastline, which are mostly
devoted to recreation and nature
preservation. Forests cover just over
30% of the country.
About Lithuania:
The State of Lithuania is an independent and democratic republic. In Lithuania, the powers
of the State are exercised by the Seimas (the Parliament), the President of the Republic, the
Government, and the Judiciary.;
State Emblem: white Vytis against a red background;
National Flag. The colours are yellow, green, and red;
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Total area: 65,300 sq. km.
Population: 3.43 million;
Ethnic Composition: Lithuanians – 83.5%, Polish – 6.7%, Russians –
6.3%, Belarusians – 1.2%, others – 2.3%;
Religion: Roman Catholic (approximately 80% of the total population);
Language: Lithuanian;
Capital: Vilnius. The city was officially established in 1323. The Old Town of Vilnius is one
of the largest (360 ha) and prettiest in the Eastern and Central Europe included on the UNESCO
World Heritage List;
Currency: Litas (EUR 1 = LTL 3.4528).
Climate: oceanic/continental. Average temperature in July is +17°C, in January – -4.9°C;
Local Time: GMT + 2 hours;
Coastline: 99 km;
International phone code: +370;
Our city: Kaunas
Kaunas with nearly 400 thousand inhabitants is one of the most significant cities of Lithuania. It
is not only a city of old traditions, but also a large centre of business
and industry. It can also lay claim to be a city of young people with
over 35,000 students studying at one of the seven universities here.
Meet 3000 devils in the heart of Lithuania. Enjoy Jazz Festival
or Classical music during the Pazaislis music festival. Be the first to
discover the bird flight from the roof of Resurrection church, feel
free and be brave to try professional acrobatic flights, wake a pilot
inside yourself. Believe in the second “religion”- basketball and shake the famous Europe basketball
players by the hand. Indulge water activities like yacht regattas or water biking. That is what you can
do here, in our city Kaunas 
How to get to Kaunas:
If you are coming to Kaunas from Vilnius airport
Official Vilius airport webpage:
http://www.vilnius-airport.lt/en/
FROM AIRPORT: You can choose on two possibilities:
BEST Kaunas
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Kaunas, Lietuva
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BEST Kaunas
 The bus No.1 goes to the train/bus station (the fare is 2.00Lt).
 The train which goes to Vilnius railway station (the fare is about 2.00Lt-2.50Lt). (It is
recommended to go by train, the trip would take only 7 minutes and the train goes directly to Vilnius
railway station without stop)
TO KAUNAS:
 You can take a bus. Bus station is across the street from Train station.
The fare is 22.00 LT with student’s card 11.00 LT.
Bus starts from 5:40 and the last one at 22:45, you can check
http://www.autobusubilietai.lt/index.php?cl=select&lang=1
 You can take a train. Train station where you come with train or bus.
The fare is 7.00 – 10.00 LT with student’s card.
Train starts from 5:20 and the last one at 19:20, you can check
http://www.litrail.lt/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3h3C2N_VzcPI
wMDH3NHAyNTU69gPyd_wyB_Q_1wkA6zeAMcwNEAIo_DBKdQM7zyxiGG-n4e-bmpsGpefqR-lHmON1iYqYfUZaZWq4foh_prFQnR1k4eLqCABTnY5R/dl2/d1/L0lDU0lKSmhtL0lGU0FDSWlNeUNKQUtNb2tBb2chL1lBNDU0
NTAtNUZ3IS83X0c4M09FRkgyMDBMN0EwMjU1SlNOQk8xUjQ2L1drX19fMTA!/#7_G83OEF
H200L7A0255JSNBO1R46/#
TO OUR OFFICE:
Take a trolleybus no 5, 6, 7, 13, 16 get out in second stop Pašilės.
If you are coming to Kaunas airport
Official Kaunas airport webpage:
http://www.kaunasair.lt/index.php?lang=2&m=2&p=200
FROM AIRPORT:
A city bus line No.29 serves the airport going on the route Kaunas Airport (Karmelava) –
Savanoriu Ave. – Bus station – Panemune – Viciunai. Get out in Bus station stop.
You can check the schedule of bus line No.29 here:
http://www.marsrutai.lt/kaunas/en/#Routes/Bus,1804,15404,15404,5213
TO OUR OFFICE:
Cross the street and take a trolleybus no 5, 7 get out in stop Pašilės.
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Arrival from other cities:
Warsaw - Kaunas by bus:
http://www.ecolines.net/index.php?s=83
Warsaw - Kaunas by train:
http://www.litrail.lt/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3h3C2N
_VzcPIwMDH3NHAyNTU69gPyd_wyB_Q_1wkA6zeAMcwNEAIo_DBKdQM7zyxiGGn4e-bmp-sGpefqR-lHmON1iYqYfUZaZWq4foh_prFQnR1k4eLqCABTnY5R/dl2/d1/L0lDU0lKSmhtL0lGU0FDSWlNeUNKQUtNb2tBb2chL1l
BNDU0NTAtNUZ3IS83X0c4M09FRkgyMDBMN0EwMjU1SlNOQk8xUjQ2L1drX19fMT
A!/#7_G83OEFH200L7A0255JSNBO1R46/#
Warsaw - Kaunas by air:
http://www.kaunasair.lt/index.php?lang=2&m=2&p=212
Riga - Kaunas by bus:
Direct bus http://www.eurolines.lt/english/lentele1_eng.asp?lentele=latv_kns_rig_kautra
If you go by bus Riga - Vilnius the cheapest way is to go by bus from Riga to
Panevezys (Lithuanian city in north) and there change the bus to local bus Panevezys Kaunas.
So:
Riga- Panevezys - Vilnius by bus:
http://www.eurolines.lt/english/lentele1_eng.asp?lentele=latv_kns_rig_kautra
http://www.eurolines.lt/english/lentele1_eng.asp?lentele=latv_vln_rig_bal18:00
http://www.eurolines.lt/english/lentele2_eng.asp?lentele=vil_ryg_tal_motor
Panevezys - Kaunas by bus:
http://www.panevezioautobusai.lt/info.php?mp=21 (information only in lithuanian but
you need to check KAUNAS where "isv."-"departure, "atv." - arrival)
Good luck in planning your trips!
Very important: let us know when and how you will arrive!!!
Prices in Lithuania
1 Euro = 3,45 Litas
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Shopping:
Most shops in Kaunas open from 8-10 in the morning to 20:00-23:00 every day of the week. One
big supermarket is working 24 hours per day. There are from shops in the city centre and there are
many shopping centers in and all around the city. Alcohol you can buy only form 8.00 till 22.00
Sample prices:
Supermarkets
LT
€
0,5 liter beer
1.80Lt...2.90Lt
0,52 – 0,84 €
0,5 liter coke
~ 2Lt
0,58 €
0,5 liter water
~ 1,50 Lt
0,43 €
0,5 liter vodka
~ 16 - 22 Lt
4,50 – 6,50 €
Chips
~2 Lt
0,58 €
1kg apples
~ 2 Lt
0,58 €
1kg bananas
~ 4 Lt
1,20 €
1kg oranges
~ 3.5 Lt
1€
Cigaretters
~ 6-7 Lt
1,70 – 2 €
Pubs or pizzerias
5 – 6Lt
1,45 – 1,80 €
Dinner
15 – 25Lt
4–8€
Pizza
8 – 15Lt
2,30 – 4 €
5,50 – 10 Lt
1,45 – 3,50 €
A cup of coffee
2,50 – 6,00 Lt
0,70 – 1,80 €
A cup of tea
2,50 - 3,50 Lt
0,70 – 1 €
7 – 12 Lt
2–5€
0,5 liter beer
Deserts
Cocktails
What to do:
Some information about places to visit in Kaunas:
http://visit.kaunas.lt/W3/titulinis?lang=en
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Meals
Lithuanians are an agricultural society. Winters are very long here.
These two things will help to understand why it is that every time you sit down to a Lithuanian meal
you are faced with a plate of food full of meat and grease. Lithuanians use much brown bread as well.
It is delicious, dark, heavy, fragrant and remains fresh for long. Traditional food in Lithuania is: Cold
beet soup (šaltibarščiai – [shaltibarshtchiai]), potato vėdarai, Cepelinai (potato zeppelins).
Weather
The days are generally mild in Lithuania in spring. In middle of March melting snow is turning to
slush, ground starts to thaw, but the weather is still wet and a little bit windy. Besides, rivers get
flooded because of the huge blocks of melting ice. The middle of March, can be very cold, with heavy
snowfalls.
Documentation
EU citizens can visit Lithuania just bringing their national ID cards. People from other countries
should bring their passport and might need a visa. If this is your situation and you need some
certificate to justify your assistance to the course, please let as know as soon as possible. Sometimes
there are problems with mail and a fax is not enough.
 Insurance. Medical treatment
When you visit Lithuania, please hold with you one of these documents confirming your
entitlement to reimbursement of health care services:

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC)

Certificate E 106

Certificate E 109
This will grant medical coverage in case of emergency. People coming
from non - EU countries should ask before leaving at their local insurance
company or social security of their countries to see if there is any kind of
arrangement with Lithuania. If you are traveling with a travel agency check if
there is any insurance included (some companies do). If you need to buy any
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
medicine you will be able to find it in a pharmacy (vaistine) that can be
identified by a green sign with a snake.
What to bring with you
 Passport
 Travel insurance
 Student card (ISIC)
 Sleeping bag – in case you need
 Photo camera and cable for it
 some good music from your country (in any form)
 any music instrument you can play (no pianos!)
 money (plastic or cash)
 towel and stuff for personal hygiene
 Warm clothes!!! (Read about weather in previews topic)
 Medicines, (something specific that you have to take and you are not sure you will find here).
Lithuanian pharmacies are well provided with condoms of many kinds. Anyway, if you intend to use
them, bring them in advance… if you are not sure, bring them too!! Who knows… :P
 Alcohol, to keep normal body temperature
 For International Evening: ingredients of the national dish you're making, typical alcohol of
your country, something to present your country with (a flag or something).

A printout of this Survival Guide. It could be useful!
 And the most important thing, we need is... YOU with your good mood and will to work hard
and party hard!
Electricity
The voltage in Lithuania as well as the socket and plug sizes is identical to the most of European
countries (220V / 50Hz).
Language
Lithuanian (lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of
Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the
European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian
speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to
Latvian, although they are not mutually intelligible.
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
Pronunciation
Reading Lithuanian is a bit complicated. Mostly you pronounce words as they are written. There
are some exceptions, and differences with other languages:
Ą – ą – pronounce like normal A, but much longer
Č – č - as in “chair”
E – e - as in “elephant”
Ę – ę - as in “elephant”, but pronounce much longer
Ė – ė - There is no word that begins with the letter Ė in English
Y – y – as in “eagle”
Į – į - as in “eagle”
Š – š – as in “share”
Ų – ų – as in “roof”
Ū – ū – as in “roof”
Ž – ž – There is no word that begins with the letter Ž in English
Some Sentences:
- Labas rytas - Good morning
- Laba diena - Good afternoon
- Labas vakaras - Good evening
- Labanakt - Good night
- Labas - Hello
- Viso gero - Goodbye.
- Prašau - Please.
- Ačiū - Thank you.
- Sveiki atvykę - You are welcome.
- Atsipašau - Sorry.
- Kiek tai kainuoja? - How much is it?
- Ką tokia/toks mergina/vaikinas daro tokioje vietoje? - What´s a (girl/boy) like you doing in a
place like this?
- Koks tavo zodiako ženklas? - What’s your sign (of the zodiac)?
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org
BEST Kaunas
More useful sentences:
- Aš braškė, valgyk mane! - I’m a strawberry, eat me!!
- Aš tave myliu! - I love you!
- Man patinka tavo užpakaliukas - I like your ass!
- Ar tiki meile iš pirmo žvilgsnio, ar turėčiau pro tave praeiti du kartus? - Do you believe in first
look love or I have to walk in front of you twice?
- Lietuviškas alus yra geriausias pasaulyje! - Lithuanian beer is the BEST beer of the world.
- Prisigerti. - To get really drunk.
- Tu tokia graži… - You’re so beautiful...
- Tu toks gražus… - You’re so handsome...
Numbers:
Vienas - one
Vienuolis – eleven
Du – two
Dvylika – twelve
Trys – three
Trylika – thirteen
Keturi – four
Keturiolika – fourteen
Penki – five
Penkiolika – fifteen
Šeši – six
Šešiolika – sixteen
Septyni – seven
Septyniolika – seventeen
Aštuoni – eight
Aštuoniolika - eighteen
Devyni – nine
Devyniolika – ninteen
Dešimt - ten
Dvidešimt - twenty
BEST Kaunas
Studentų g. 69 - 112
Kaunas, Lietuva
El. Paštas: kaunas@best.eu.org