In the capital and largest city of Vilnius, southeastern Lithuania

 "When it comes to attracting the modern tourist we’re dealing with a very high level of competition with other European cities and countries investing heavily in destination marketing. The young creatives who came up with 'Vilnius; the G-spot of Europe' presented an extremely engaging idea to drive interest in the city."

-- Inga Romanovskienė
===================================================================
(in southeastern Lithuania) Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania (and the Baltic states). It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and the Vilnius District Municipality. Vilnius is known, among other things, for the architecture of its Old Town, one of the largest and best preserved such towns in Europe; it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The city was noted for its multicultural population in the time of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with sources comparing it to Babylon. Before World War II, Vilnius was one of the most important Jewish centers in Europe, which led to its nickname "the Jerusalem of Lithuania."

+ Vilnius lies at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers. In 1323 the town became capital of Lithuania under Grand Duke Gediminas; it was destroyed in 1377 by the Teutonic Knights. Subsequently rebuilt, Vilnius achieved self-government in 1387, and a Roman Catholic bishopric was established here. The town and its trade flourished; in 1525 a printing press was set up, and in 1579 a Jesuit academy was opened. The city underwent many calamities: Russian occupation (from 1655–60), Swedish capture in 1702 (and 1706), French occupation in 1812, and recurrent fires and plagues. In 1795 Vilnius passed to Russia in the Third Partition of Poland. It was occupied by the Germans in World Wars I and II and suffered heavy damage. From 1920 to 1939 it was included in Poland; it was taken by Soviet troops in 1939 and restored to Lithuania. The Soviets annexed Lithuania, including Vilnius, in June 1940. Soviet rule brought mass deportations (in the 1940s) of ethnic Lithuanians from Vilnius, and many Russians moved into the city. In 1970 Vilnius' population was 43 percent ethnically Lithuanian (up from 34 percent in 1959) and 18 percent Polish. (In 1991 Vilnius again became the capital of independent Lithuania.)

+ There is a dreamy quality to Vilnius these days (especially in the golden glow of a midsummer evening). Lithuania's capital does have an Old Town of rare authenticity: marvelously intact, its pebbly streets are lined with weather-worn buildings that hide cafes, boutiques, and dainty guesthouses.

+ Vilnius still has plenty of "battle scars;" its Jewish community was largely destroyed in WWII. Reminders of loss are seen everywhere: museums dedicated to the Holocaust, former ghettos, preserved KGB torture chambers, and cemeteries filled with the war dead. Though a capital city it feels more like an overgrown village. It is carpeted with green spaces (which cover about 40% of its area), and studded with venerable Catholic and Orthodox church spires.