Where to live and start an eco business in Lithuania?

Stasys-Girskis

We will be moving from the US to Lithuania later in the year and are doing some research on where would be a good place to live and start a business.

I do have some relatives in Siauliai but it does not mean we want or need to live there. I was trying to find some more information about the city and looking for green shops and businesses there, but almost everything I find in English about it is about the hill of crosses.

Most businesses and green shops and attractions seem to be concentrated in Vilnius and Kaunas so maybe these are the best places to live, or are there actually some also in other cities that I am not finding the information about?

I know the country is not so big compared to the States but still we would like to find the right part of it to base ourselves in. I'd be happy to hear any thoughts or suggestions?

Piri

Stasys-Girskis well Vilnius and Kaunas are the biggest cities. And potential is probably bigger in Klaipeda, Siauliai or even smaller towns.

It depends what you would like to start up, what living conditions to have and ect. If you already have some specific area maybe we could advise or share experience a bit more.

About shops - to me personally the best green shops are online and delivery super fast! I kind of like things in one place. Cafes and restaurants of course mainly in cities, probably Vilnius is the best for it.

Do you speak any Lithuanian?

Treebeard

Stasys-Girskis We will be moving from the US to Lithuania later in the year and are doing some research on where would be a good place to live and start a business.

Avoid Kaunas and Vilnius unless you need to be in the city. The forest and lake areas are beautiful and you get a lot of space for the price compared to the city or the coast.

Arvīds

I live in Latvia but visited Lithuania a lot and if you want to live in the city then I think Klaipeda or Kaunas are the nicest from my memory.

But like in Latvia there are many really beautiful places outside of the big towns. Lots of lakes and forests so it depends what you are looking for and what you want to do.

Julie Brooks-Girskiene

Arvīds if you want to live in the city then I think Klaipeda or Kaunas are the nicest from my memory.

I am curious, is there a reason you do not list Vilnius, is there something you like about these other cities that is missing there?

Piri

Arvīds I am not from Kaunas, but I lived some years and now we are moving back to Lithuania, but Kaunas is out of the list because I didn't feel good in this city. 🙂 But sure it has many pluses.

Aiga

Julie Brooks-Girskiene

If you want to live in a bigger city, but hey remember there is no BIG city in Lithuania or Latvia then I would take Klaipeda or Vilnius.

Probably, for me, I would choose to live in some smaller place that is not too far from a city and get the nature as well as the nice things of not being too far away from shops and facilities.

Arvīds

Julie Brooks-Girskiene No, I just did not make so many visits to Vilnius and I really liked Kaunas.

Vilte

We took a trip once along the coast. Pervalka, Juodkrante, Preila and Neringa are beautiful and would be an amazing place to live, and for people to come and visit.

Arvīds

Vilte Yes they are beautiful places but very expensive and there are not many businesses you can run there except for tourism probably.

If the point is to be at the coast then you can find much less expensive places that are easier to get to all of the year if you go further to the north by Palanga or in to Latvia towards Liepāja

Egle-K

Vilte We took a trip once along the coast. Pervalka, Juodkrante, Preila and Neringa are beautiful and would be an amazing place to live, and for people to come and visit.

Only if you love tourists and want to spend the entire summer with them everywhere round you.

Vilte

Arvīds go further to the north by Palanga or in to Latvia towards Liepāja

We didn't go up to Latvia but I think we stayed for a night in Sventoji or something like that, it was very nice as well.

Piri

Kuršių Nerijos it is one of the most beautiful areas in Lithuania. But it is a quite restricted, there is a challenge to find a place to live permanently (high prices, not so many places), but great for eco tourism business, a bit off grid because of ferry ( gets a bit pricy, but probably the locals gets some discounts). Coastline in Lithuania is a bit pricey if you are looking for building the property (well depends of you want to have a piece of land) comparing with other areas.

Šventoji or Palanga used to be just summer destination and now it is great in the winter time aswell.

Anyway it all depends what is going to be the area of the business. Maybe Vineyards? 😁 It is becoming quite a thing. The newest one is in the North - Biržai not far away from Latvia!

Vilte

Piri Šventoji or Palanga used to be just summer destination and now it is great in the winter time aswell.

These are nice to get around from as well I think. Isn't is that you can take ferries to Sweden and Germany from somewhere there and then there is an airport in Palanga?

Stasys-Girskis

Piri Kuršių Nerijos it is one of the most beautiful areas in Lithuania.

It sounds beautiful but not so expensive would be better than expensive, and I'm not so big on the idea of needing to take a ferry to get anywhere else.

Piri

Vilte

Yes it is an airport in Palanga, not so many destinations, but still good. Not so many ferries like from Riga, but still something. You can get a train from Klaipėda to Vilnius via Šiauliai, it is very handy. 🙂

For sure these are amazing places, just it depends what you are going to do in the daily basis. I love this area, but I would not chose to live around, because simple I don't have finances for it and I prefer to have some land.

I don't know why it was suggested to avoid Kaunas or Vilnius in general these two cities are nice and green, there are a lot of action going on as well. I prefer Vilnius, but I lived in Kaunas for some time. I guess we all recommend and choose the places we liked while visiting, but to live and visit is different.

I would love to live next to the sea, but it is too expensive for me, so looking fo the place surrounded by lakes and forests (Ignalina and Zarasai) I believe that my husband would like to live closer to Vilnius ir Kaunas. As well we are kind of self employed so it is easier.

Piri

Arvīds

Actually last couple time we had been during summer time in Kuršių Nerija, it was more busy than to t used to be a decade ago, but still very peaceful.

It still costs to take a ferry if you are by car and fees, accomodation is not cheap.

Piri

Stasys-Girskis

You know 'expensive' depends on so many factors 🙂 if you want to rent a living space or you want to buy, if you want to have a land around or you don't, do you want to be surrounded by shops or cafes or no, rural or urban….public transportation factor, noisy or not and many more. 🙂 I believe you will choose a great place after spending some time and finding where it feels good.

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