The Longest Day......

Tuesday was the longest day of our trip to Lithuania.
To be more precise, Tuesday was actually 13 days long as I went to visit and walk across the longest bridge in the world.
In order to cross the Vytautas* The Great Bridge (to give it its formal name) from one bank of the Nemunas to the other took 13 days, because Kaunas belonged to the Russian Empire and Aleksotas to the Prussian kingdom up to 1807. The different sides of the river had different calendars, which included a 13-day difference. During World War II, the bridge was blown up twice, only to be reborn in 1948 (architect Levas Kazarinskis); the bridge retraction mechanism is still of use today. Having crossed the Nemunas, you can try the funicular and climb to the Aleksotas area where you will see a breathtaking panorama of Kaunas.
Once across the river, you can embark on a funicular journey, which is a unique experience in Kaunas, as this is the only city in the Baltic states where this means of transport is available. The Aleksotas Funicular; built in 1934, is much sought for the view you'll get (of the Old Town) once you reach the hill of the same name and stand on the observation platform.
After walking down the steps back to the bridge, I made my way across the bridge back into Kaunas and walked towards the castle 🏰

Vytautas*, also known as Vytautas the Great from the late 14th century onwards, was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the prince of Grodno, prince of Lutsk, and the postulated king of the Hussites.Read more