Top 5 shopping malls in Kaunas

#1 Akropolis

Location is quite often a deciding factor when it comes to shopping malls, and this one has by far the best location for tourists. Located within walking distance of most hotels in the city centre, and equipped with a large parking area that rarely gets crowded. In addition to the standard selection of shops, it also has a large number of restaurants, cinema, bowling alley and ice skating rink. And it has a great location.

 

None of the shops are particularly exciting, but they do cover the needs of most people. With a couple of exceptions. Currently it is for instance without an electronics store, and as far as I know it has never had any hardware stores. In my mind this is kind of an outrage, but then again...did I mention that it has great location?

#2 Urmas

Here you can get everything from a tombstone to cotton candy. This is the place to go if you want something out of the ordinary. Something that you can`t also find in any given shopping mall anywhere in Europe (because lets face it – they mostly sell the same crap everywhere). Also, this is a place that is not commonly visited by tourists.

There are even specialized shops for such things as treecakes, wallpaper, fur clothes, bathroom tiles etc. This variation gives a much more rewarding shopping experience than a visit to your average shopping centre. Particularly if combined with a good meal at the many small restaurants, og from one of the market-like shops that sell fresh produce. The only problem is that the place can be a bit hard to find for tourists, since it is located a bit on outskirts of the city. One should also make sure not to go too late in the day, since many of the smaller shops close rather early in the evening.

#3 Mega

This mall has two things that the winner lack; Senukai and Rimi hypermarket. Two stores that may not be of importance to the average tourist, but should anyway be visited by every traveler aspiring to be a more advanced shopper, since they offer a number or products not available in other shops. Like for instance shady Lego imitations, inexpensive Lithuanian plumbing parts or rare Georgian brandies.

 

  

Mega also boasts a shark tank stretching over several stories, and a plaster monument to its eccentric founder integrated into the ceiling. Those things, and the fact that the whole place is designed as something of an indoor shopping street, makes shopping here a pleasant experience.

Oh, and there is also a rather annoying train for children.

#4 Prisma

This is rather a new shopping mall, but still I have visited the place several times. None of them were however memorable. As far as I recall there were some shops that sold some stuff, but nothing that made an impression. Not even a bad one.

 

 

And a place that leaves no impression can hardly expect a good rating. I do vaguely recall there being a drug store, but then again those can for some reason be found all over Lithuania.

#5 Molas

Aside from the ridiculous name, which I only can assume is a poor attempt to Lithuanize the American term “mall”, the biggest problem this shopping center has is its lack of main attractions. It has nothing you can`t find anywhere else. None of the shops are the biggest of their kind, and none of them are specialized shops that other shopping centers do not have.

Everything here can be purchased elsewhere and probably also closer to where you are staying. There is nothing wrong with the shops or restaurants, it`s just that there is no reason to go there if you have other and more attractive options. Shoppers here are probably mostly locals. Tourists are few and far between. For good reasons.