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Lithuania Litas
Lithuania has the Lithuanian litas as its currency. The litas is then divided into 100 centas, making this a decimal currency. The plural of litas is either litu or litai and the plural of centas is centai.
The currency is issued by the Bank of Lithuania and comes in the form of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 centai and 1, 2 and 5 litai. Notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 litai.
The currency is denoted by the letters LTL on international markets and it is pegged to the euro. Each euro is worth 3.45 litai, approximately.
History of the Litas
Initially the litas was brought in as a Lithuanian currency in 1922. Prior to this the ostruble and ostmark had been the currencies in use, after the
Germans had invaded Lithuania in the First World War. So the litas was a currency that was independent and symbolised the fact that Lithuania was no longer an occupied country.
The litas survived for almost 20 years, but in 1941, it was replaced by the Soviet ruble, as Lithuania became part of the USSR.
Then after the fall of the Soviet Union, the litas was once more brought into being. Initially in the immediate period after the Soviet Union collapsed, the currency used was the talonas, but the litas replaced this in 1993.
Interestingly, the initial litas notes that were printed were of exceptionally poor quality and as a result, they were subject to mass counterfeiting, but this situation now appears to have been remedied.
The litas will not be a currency that is in use forever though, as it is about to be replaced by the euro in 2010 or possibly later than that, with some experts predicting that it will be nearer to 2012. However, one thing is for sure and that is, that the euro will replace the litas and it is only a matter of time.
Getting Hold of Litas
Lithuania is a relatively developed country and as a result, it is quite easy to get hold of money. Nearly every city will have at least some ATMs that will accept foreign cards, but you may struggle to find ATMs in the small towns/villages.
Credit cards will also be accepted in nearly all hotels (apart from very basic ones) and if you eat in restaurants of a reasonable quality, then you will also be able to use your credit card there.
Traveller's cheques cannot be used to pay for items in shops, or even hotels. You will have to take them to a bank or a bureau de change in order to cash them. If you can, take cheques in euros, since the transaction will then be easier. If it is difficult to take them in euros, then the next preferred currency is in US dollars.
Banks and bureaux de change tend to open quite late, with most of the banks only shutting at 7 pm and the bureaux de change open even later.
In cities, some banks may even open on Saturday mornings, closing at around 1 pm.
Cash can also be exchanged easily, using either a bank or bureau de change. Again, the most preferred currency is euros, but failing that US dollars. You should also try to take notes that are quite new, so that you won't have any problems exchanging them. Staff in a bank or bureau de change may be suspicious that a note is counterfeit, if it is old and tatty.
Safety Issues
Lithuania is a relatively safe country to visit, although like everywhere, it has its share of petty criminals, it is not judged to be a high risk destination. There are a few problems with pick pocketing and recently there have been more incidents of people being robbed when they are drunk, so they will be targeted as 'soft options' since they are not really able to defend themselves.
Travellers are also advised to avoid using ATMs after dark and to exercise care when out and about, just to ensure that personal items are not at risk from being stolen.
Care should also be taken by anyone who is black or Asian, since there has been an increase in the number of racially motivated incidents over the last few years, with people who are black/Asian, being particularly vulnerable to this kind of incident.
However, there is no great risk of terrorism and there have been no terrorist attacks carried out in Lithuania.
Spending Lithuanian Litai
Lithuania has recently seen a sustained period of economic growth, but it also has a relatively serious problem with inflation, which is one of the reasons why it was not able to adopt the euro in 2007. These two factors mean that Lithuania is not as cheap a destination as you may perceive it to be. However, that is in comparison to other post-Soviet Union countries, if looked at in terms of Europe, it still offers very good value for money.
There is one thing that has to be said about Lithuania and that is that counterfeit goods are rife in the whole of the country. So if you are offered a Rolex watch or designer items for an absolute bargain, then you will be buying counterfeit goods, which will often be of quite poor quality and may fall apart after only a short period.
Some countries also take a dim view of buying counterfeit goods abroad and it is possible, that if they are found when you return to your home country, they may be seized and in addition, you may have to pay a fine. But that being said, the choice is yours as to whether or not you buy fake designer goods. Just remember that they may not be a terrific bargain after you get them home.
Eating and drinking in Lithuania is still something that can be done quite cheaply. If you want to eat for very little money, you will find that it is possible, but if you are on a medium sized budget, then you will find that you can probably eat and drink like a king.
Caviar is exceptionally good value in Lithuania and is of very good quality. Washed down with some local beer, it still won't cost the earth but you will have a great meal! When in Lithuania, make sure that you try not just the beer, but also the local vodka. Unlike most other former Soviet Union countries, Lithuania is not awash with vodka, but it is of good quality, generally, but if locals ask you to drink the Samane, then you are better off politely refusing it, because it can be lethal, due to its strength which seems to vary between strong and exceptionally strong.
There is also a lot to see and do in Lithuania. If you are into shopping then you will adore Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. It has, in particular, a very atmospheric market that takes place every weekend, with traders not just from Lithuania, but from all over the region who come to trade their wares. The prices are certainly cheap, but many items are counterfeit and the quality can be a little circumspect.
Vilnius also has a very enchanting 'Old Town' which is full of ancient buildings, some of which date back to the 13th century, so culture vultures will certainly get their fix here. In addition, there is a fair amount of museums as well as a fantastic range of bars, restaurants and quite chic establishments, giving the Old Town a real feeling of vibrancy and youthful exuberance: despite the age of the buildings.
Klaipeda is also another Mecca for shoppers and offers a really good range of shops, all at very competitive prices, so much so that people from Latvia even come here to do their shopping. So you will probably be able to find some good bargains here.
Due to the fact that Lithuania has a coastline, it is possible to have a beach holiday and if you go to Klaipeda for the shopping you should make time to get down to the beach and enjoy all that this area has to offer. The town itself is quite touristy, but it has a good range of museums, as well as tourist facilities, which makes it a nice place just to rest and unwind in.
Another popular tourist site is the city of Siauliai which dates back to the 14th Century and has a hill that is called the Hill of Crosses and is of particular interest to Christians, many of whom visit here from all over the world. The city itself has various sculptures and churches and is one that is an interesting place to visit, at any time of the year.
Overview
Lithuania is a country that seems to have emerged from the shadows of the Soviet Union and is now all set to completely embrace the European way of life, yet still retaining its history and culture, of which it is quite proud.
It also seems to have distanced itself from the Soviet Union and is now very much a country in its own right. As a whole the people are quite warm and friendly and they enjoy meeting people from the west. Many have aspirations to come over to Europe and so they view Europeans as potential friends, not as any former enemies. So they are friendly and keen to be welcoming, on a sincere basis, as opposed to simply regarding you as just another tourist.
There is something rather enchanting about the country as a whole and the fact that it is so very close to Europe by air, means that more and more people are discovering its joys. In some ways this has and will continue to boost the local economy, but in other ways, there is a real danger that Lithuania will lose some of its charm, even some of its national identity and simply become European. However, it can only be hoped that this will not happen.
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