M L TRAVEL
11 REASONS YOU SHOULD VISIT ' STRANGER THINGS ' FILMING LOCATION - VILNIUS
By Tom Woods
If you ’ ve not heard of Stranger Things , where on Earth have you been ?
Netflix ’ s critically-acclaimed sci-fi horror drama has been grabbing headlines recently after its fourth season was released – in two parts – on the streaming platform .
Within its first 28 days of being live , the show amassed over ONE BILLION viewing hours , propelled Kate Bush ’ s epic song Running Up That Hill to the top of the charts in more than 10 countries including the UK , and had my attention in a vice-like grip throughout .
Aside from the incredible characters , acting , soundtrack and visual effects , something I found particularly intriguing was how the producers split up the main characters and filmed across several locations .
The majority of the filming was in the US , but some of Stranger Things 4 took place a little closer to home .
Scenes predominantly featuring an attempted escape from a Soviet prison in Siberia were filmed in and around Lithuania ’ s charming capital , Vilnius .
I didn ’ t pick up on this during my initial watch through , only finding out when seeing an interview with the Stranger Things actors – one of whom mentioned that they had been shooting there .
As if I couldn ’ t love the show any more , I ’ d now found out that part of it was filmed in one of my favourite cities on the continent . Yet , despite my love for this Baltic gem , with Vilnius being somewhere I ’ ve visited four times previously , its reputation rarely ranks it amongst Europe ’ s great city breaks .
However , Vilnius is somewhere that anyone with a penchant for travel should try , and with a link to Stranger Things , its popularity is likely to soar . So , here are 11 reasons why you should jump on the bandwagon and plan yourself a trip to Vilnius .
1 . To visit Lukiškės Prison Finding a prison in the middle of a city is not commonplace , but in Vilnius it ’ s reality . It was also the main filming location that the Stranger Things crew used during the making of their fourth season , as the scene of Hopper ’ s jailbreak . But in the real world , Lukiškės Prison ( lukiskiukalejimas . lt ) is no longer functioning as a confinement facility and is an alternative venue for musical , cultural and artistic events , with over 250 artists , musicians and creators setting up shop inside the building . Three years ago it opened its doors to the public , who can now pay to visit on a guided tour , recounting the prison ’ s 115 years of history .
2 . Day trips to Lithuania ’ s other filming locations Admittedly , this isn ’ t something I have done myself , but taking a trip to the other Lithuanian locations that hosted the cast and crew of Stranger Things is certainly on the list for my next visit . Neither site is well served by public transport , so you ’ ll want to either hire a car or driver to get there , but both are close enough that you can do them in a day . The Church of St Nicholas , used in the show as Yuri ’ s warehouse , is in a small town called Semeliškės , which is 45 minutes west of Vilnius by road . Whilst Kyviškės Aerodrome in the town of Kyviškės , 25 minutes east of the capital , is the fictional Fish ‘ n ’ Fly – the hangar owned by Yuri . Although you won ’ t be able to go inside , you can head up to the perimeter fence , taking your fandom that bit further .
3 . A fascinating Soviet past Sovietness is a controversial topic , but to really get an understanding for the local culture and people , it is worth diving into its modern history . As recently as 1990 , Lithuania was part of the USSR and its experiences during that period have certainly shaped the country that it is today .
Many of its major visitor attractions paint a vivid picture of Soviet Life , perhaps none more so than the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights ( genocid . lt ). Housed inside the former headquarters of the KGB , here you ’ ll find out about Lithuania ’ s loss of independence , repression by the Soviet authorities and fight to regain sovereignty . I ’ d also recommend stopping by Vilnius
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