The top 5 family activites in Vilnius

Lithuania has been described as one of Europe's best-kept secrets, and once you arrive in Vilnius, you'll soon understand why. With its Baroque old town and quaint cobbled streets, it's best discovered on foot, making a tour guided by an enthusiastic local the ideal introduction to this fascinating city.

There's no better way to get to know somewhere than to ask a local to show you around, so it's no surprise that Vilnius with Locals' tours have been so successful.

Jurate, one of the company tour guides, explains, "The main idea of our tours is providing a friendly and positive atmosphere. We offer a variety of different tours, from traditional old town tours to alternative ones like Soviet Vilnius. Even though we provide a decent amount of history, we believe that the most interesting part is the stories from locals' daily life, which is why we try to combine both history and story telling."

For families visiting with young children, Jurate told us all about the five places that should be included in any tour of the city:

Located a ten-minute drive from our Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, Vilnius, you'll find a land where "summer never ends!" Jurate suggests that you spend the day "sliding down one of the nine modern water slides, swimming in a lazy river, or even relaxing in saunas and Jacuzzis." Smaller children can play on Game Island, while older kids will love hurtling down the Maori Yell ride.

Jurate acknowledges that this might sound a bit serious – "but wait ‘til you get inside!" The museum is based inside the country's first power station, and lots of the original equipment remains inside, including steam turbines, generators, boilers and the control panel. Other exhibitions show off vintage cars and motorbikes, while the top floor has been taken over by interactive kids' exhibits. Jurate's verdict? "Science has never been more interesting!"

This enchanting park was heavily renovated between 2009 and 2013, although the original park dates back to 1469. Today, Jurate tells us that "a peaceful stroll along the Vilnia River is the perfect activity for a sunny day – there is a playground for kids, and a carousel." Visitors can also watch a performance by the musical fountain, with both classical and modern soundtracks, and view the oldest oak tree in Vilnius.