Lukiškių kalėjimas 2.0

What they’ve done with this place is honestly shocking in the best possible way. I still can’t get over how recently this prison was closed and how powerfully the atmosphere of the place is preserved. We joined a paid guided tour and it turned out to be an incredible experience. The sense of history, weight, and presence is overwhelming. You really feel where you are, and that feeling stays with you long after you leave. We were so impressed that we decided to spend New Year’s Eve and the entire New Year’s party there. It was absolutely unreal. The contrast between celebration, music, and joy and the raw, heavy history of the space creates a constant sense of dissonance that stays with you. I still think about this place days later and can’t quite put that feeling into words. It’s intense, moving, and strangely beautiful at the same time. Even if you don’t do the tour, it’s worth stopping by just for a beer or a coffee. Today it’s a vibrant space for culture and art, and it works incredibly well in that role. For me, this is a must visit spot in Vilnius. The aura of this place is so strong that it simply cannot be fully described. You have to experience it yourself 🖤✨

Visiting Lukiškių kalėjimas was one of those experiences that truly stays with you. The place is split into two contrasting worlds — the old historical prison and the modern Lukiškės 2.0 cultural space — and both are equally fascinating. The historical part takes you deep into Lithuania’s past. Walking through cold corridors and narrow cells, you can almost feel the stories of those who were imprisoned here — from political prisoners to ordinary people caught in history’s storms. The guide shared powerful, human details that made everything come alive. It’s eerie but unforgettable. Make sure to book your tour in advance, wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes, and give yourself time to absorb the atmosphere. Then, stepping into the second part feels like crossing from darkness into light. The former prison yard is now a vibrant art and music hub where creativity has replaced fear. You can enjoy exhibitions, concerts, and even grab a drink in one of the old cell-block bars. Check their Instagram or website before going — events change weekly — and try to visit around sunset, when the light hits the old walls beautifully. Overall, it’s a powerful and emotional journey — a place that perfectly shows how something dark and painful can be reborn into art and inspiration. For anyone visiting Vilnius, Lukiškės is an absolute must-see: raw, real, and unforgettable.

Recently enjoyed a comprehensive tour of Lukiskes Prison. The prison has a fascinating history dating back to the days of the Russian occupation of Lithuania in the 19th century which was demonstrated very quickly with a visit to the Orthodox Church on site (now an event space). It’s amazing to think the prison was still in use up to 2019. Lina (our guide) was excellent in explaining both the history of the prison and prison life for more recent inmates, had answers to all our questions, and a great sense of humour! A must-see attraction when visiting Vilnius.

This tour was truly remarkable. Only part of it lies in the fact that the site itself has interesting history and it's current use is fascinating as well. The tour was....executed to perfection by Jonas, our guide, whose public speaking skills are excellent. Well done!

I visited there during winter, it was quite cold so wear warm socks! It was very interesting to walk around, see the place. I went to the history walk, which gave a lot of historical facts, can't wait to go to the other two tours to get more spooky and day to day info!

Wanted to visit this place as I'm so into history. The surroundings of the place and the place itself is impressive, it's hard to believe that a prison that was built in soviet times, right in the city centre was housing inmates till 2019, 6 years ago. We went to a tour prearranged in the website. The tour was conducted by a tall, blonde guy who was funny and entertaining. He told us about many things which happened behind those walls, the way inmates and prisoners used to live and what life used to be like behind bars over there. The tour was great but, from my view, what I missed was a bit of a bigger picture in terms of history, the difference between how life was over there during soviet times and when Lthuania became independent. In that way, I found some comments and some facts about the prison a bit repetitive, something that I already heard like 10 minutes before. On the other hand, it seems that this former prison is now a place to go when it comes to concerts, drinks and so on...we went on a tuesday, and to be fair the place was lacking atmosphere, so if you want to enjoy your time at the bar and going for a drink over there after the tour I'd really recommend to book a tour on friday/saturday evening. On top of that, the tour was 22 euros per person, which I found a bit pricey for what it is, as there´s no written explanations, nothing about how life was like over there. So, in that way, I felt that we visited an empty prison (with a bar and a restaurant on the ground floor) that could have had way more interesting remarks in terms of history in a tour and that´s it. It´s worthy if you´re staying in Vilnius, and you´re so into history.

An interesting, but pricey experience. Online advertised that the tour takes two hours, but with a smaller group it takes 1,5h and the guide seems to be rushing you a little bit. The guide offers interesting insights and is knowledgeable about anything you ask, shows pictures on his phone, interacts with the visitors. Lacked a little bit more of the prison itself, it seems huge and interesting to look around, but we didn’t end up visiting all of its facilities, felt a little underwhelming for 22e. (The English tour costs 2e more than the Lithuanian?) You do get a nice souvenir at the end, a Polaroid picture.

Very disappointing and could really be great but was not. Too expensive, 98% no pictures and seeing a couple cells.....so sad with SO much more that could be added in to make this worth the time and money. I am not sure who is giving this 5 stars because it is not worthy of that rating. The guide was good, she did her best but, we spent a lot of time sitting or standing in one place hearing stories. Stories are good and she had a balanced approach not hiding the horrible things that happened there throughout its long history but also explaining some positive things for some inmates that actually were over all "happy" living there away from society. For the money and the size of the place, the 1.5 hrs it took (should have been 2 hours) felt flat and was left feeling like we could have seen more. This is obviously just a stupid tourist pay money, come see quickly - what we chose to show you and move along. Some of these reviews incorrectly state no pictures due to some movie being filmed there, NO, that is not the reason and has been the process for a long time. Looking at some of the posted pictures in some of the reviews we sure didn't see some of those areas........ I would pass for now or if you do go see, actually put pressure on them to do a better tour and not accepting a very bare bones show and tell.