Utena

Utena is a city in Aukštaitija in northeast Lithuania, with a population of 25,608 in 2023. It's industrial but set in a landscape of forests and lakes.

Understand

Utena is first documented in 1261. It was a provincial capital and market town which grew from the 1830s when the St Petersburg-Warsaw highway was built this way, now the A6. It industrialised, and was rebuilt in stone after two fires ravaged its wooden structures in the 1890s. Utena was occupied by Germany from 1915 to 1918 then by the Soviets until 1919. It had a Jewish population of 2000 until 1941, when the Nazis wiped them out. Since World War II the town industries have been food processing, brewing, knitware and engineering.

Tourist information centre is at Bažnyčios g 1, just off Utenio Aikštė the main square, open M-F 09:00-18:00.

Get in

Utena is 92 km north of Vilnius, take A14 north past Molėtai. From Kaunas take A6 northeast past Ukmergė; this road continues to Zarasai and across the border to Daugavpils in Latvia.

Buses from Vilnius run every hour or two, taking 1 hr 40 min via Molėtai and continuing to either Obeliai and Rokiškis, or to Kupiškis and Biržai, or to Zarasai.

From Kaunas three direct buses daily take 2 hr 30 min, otherwise go via Vilnius. For times and fares see Autobusu Bilieitai.

1 Autobusų stotis the bus station is on A Baranausko g, 500 west of town centre.

Get around

The central sights are within walking distance. Local buses criss-cross the town.

Taxi firms are Ausros taksi (+370 389 53555), Aukstakalnio taksi, (+370 389 71819), A Kazicko (+370 389 61111) and Iki pasimatymo (+370 389 51555).

See

• 1 Utena Regional Museum (Utenos Krastotyros Muziejus), Utenio a 3, ☏ +370 389 61637. Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Su 10:00-17:00. Local museum with archaeological, ethnographic and religious exhibits. Signage is only in Lithuanian. Adult €2. (updated Feb 2024)
• 2 Church of the Ascension of Christ (Kristaus Žengimo į dangų bažnyčia), Vytauto a 1, ☏ +370 389 55745. RC parish church built in red brick in 1884 after its wooden predecessor burned down. It has a free-standing bell tower, and a much older cemetery. (updated Feb 2024)
• 3 Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Viešpaties Pakilimo į dangų cerkvė), Maironio g 6, ☏ +370 684 59888. A small Orthodox church built in 1989, looking like a Dutch barn. The town's Orthodox congregation number about 30. (updated Feb 2024)
• 4 Dauniškis Lake is a pleasant area for strolling and relaxing. "Musical fountains" by its pier are supposed to play the tune of your choice if you text them, but they're often broken.
• 5 Chapel of the Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Martyrs (Šv Mergelės Marijos, Kankinių Karalienės koplyčia), Užpalių g 26. Striking modern building from 1992, on the "Hill of Suffering" where many partisans lie buried. On its east flank is a Soviet WWII military cemetery. There are regular Sunday services. (updated Feb 2024)

Church of the Ascension of Christ

• 6 Church of Divine Providence (Dievo Apvaizdos bažnyčia) on Aušros g is the town's second RC church, completed in 2005 when the congregation grew so large that it made sense to divide the parish. It's red brick.
• 7 Old Railway Station (Laisvės kovų muziejus), Stoties g 39, ☏ +370 670 79217. Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00. This small museum is the wooden station house and water tower of the narrow-gauge railway, dismantled in 1972. (updated Feb 2024)
• 8 St Michael Old Believers Church (Šv Mykolo sentikių cerkvė), Joneliškio g 12. Built of wood in 1991 in Russian traditional style. From 1652 the Russian orthodox church re-aligned its liturgy and rites with the Greek orthodox. There was a furious reaction and schism, and those who wouldn't accept the changes were persecuted. These "Old Believers" scattered across the Tsarist domains, decrying the Antichrists who'd taken over, and insisting on making the Sign of the Cross the traditional way so not the ungodly new way so. In Utena an Old Believer congregation coalesced from the 1950s as they abandoned farming for town life, and by Independence they numbered 1000 and had enough money for their own church. (updated Feb 2024)
• 9 Narkūnų mound is an earthwork once topped by a wooden castle. Rickety wooden steps lead to the top: not much view as the area is overgrown.

Do

• Football: FK Utenis Utena play soccer in II Lyga, the third tier. Their home ground Utenis Stadium (capacity 3000) is 2 km north of town centre.
• Basketball: Juventus play in Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL), the top tier, at Utenis Stadium.
• City Anniversary is held on the first weekend in September.

Buy

• Iki is the downtown supermarket, at J Bartašiaus 1, open daily 08:00-21:00.
• Maxima have a branch at J Basanavičiaus g 3 near the museum, open daily 08:00-22:00, and another on Aušros g next to the Church of Providence.

Eat

• Along Basanavičiaus gatve the main street are Food Lab, Burgundija, Seklycha, Canteen Sanlora and Pizza Verde.
• Skonių Fontanas north at Aušros g 37 is Japanese, just for a change.

Drink

Church of Divine Providence

• Bar Kontaktai at Aušros g 11A and Palletts Bar at Maironio 4 are the most central.
• Brewery: Švyturys-Utenos Alus make a variety of ales at Pramonės g, 3 km east of town centre. They're nowadays part of Carlsberg.

Sleep

• 1 Komfortita, Utenio a 12, ☏ +370 686 79922. Clean and central. B&B double €50. (updated Feb 2024)
• 2 Utrana, Aušros g 36A, ☏ +370 612 59468. Pleasant small place near the lake. (updated Feb 2024)
• 3 Hotel Angelas, Aukštaičių g 2, ☏ +370 646 08063. Clean simple place 1 km from town centre, tiny rooms, pricey for what you get. B&B double €70. (updated Feb 2024)

Connect

As of Feb 2024, Utena has 4G from Bite and Tele2, and 5G from Telia.

Go next

• Vilnius is a must-see for its extensive old town.
• Daugavpils in Latvia has an old centre ranged around its fortress.