Nothing reveals more about the soul of a country than its folklore. This is where traditions are born, shaping national culture, social order, and those unique traits that make each country its own entity. Folklore festivals are designed to preserve these traditions, to keep alive the spirit of the ancestors, and to reveal the cultural identity of a country in a way that few other tourist attractions can.
Lithuania will host a special folk festival this year, Baltica, that, despite the name that suggests strictly Baltic participation, features folk groups from all over the world, including Italy, Georgia, Mexico, Moldova, Tanzania, Russia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and, of course, Lithuania.
The 24th international folklore festival Baltica 2011 will be held July 1-6 in Vilnius, the beautiful capital of the country, known for its architectural treasures, and postcard beauty.
The Baltica festival has always enjoyed good popularity, although it’s rather slow paced, and the location changes for year to year between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. But the diversity of the programme has always attracted a large number of spectators.
There’s a good reason for this popularity, other than a genuine love for national folklore, and that’s an opportunity to see and understand traditions from other countries. A celebration of song and popular art, the Baltica festival may as well be one of the best reasons to visit Lithuania this summer.
If you miss the festival, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Vilnius. The old part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage protected site, and quiet an impressive sight if you enjoy 13th-19th centuries architecture. Other attractions in Vilnius include the Gediminas Castle, the Vilnius Cathedral, the artsy Uzupis District, the stunning European Park which features works of sculptors from more than 70 countries worldwide, and even the city’s cemeteries with their majestic funerary monuments.
Accommodation in Vilnius begins at less than 25€ – another reason to visit this beautiful city – a destination as interesting as some of the most popular Eastern European counterparts, including historic Prague and Budapest.
Images illustrating this article: Wikipedia and Baltica festival.