Published on Dec, 2022
What a brilliant experience! I am so glad that I booked this tour with Simas. It was everything I hoped for and more!
I contacted Simas via his website and we had fixed a date for the tour within hours.
On the day, I took the train from Vilnius to Šiauliai and Simas met me at the station. As a solo female traveller, I very much appreciated the fact that Simas told me in advance what car he would be driving and how to recognise him at the station. (Šiauliai is by no means unsafe - but when you're organising trips online, safety details like this are great.) During the drive to the Hill of Crosses, I learnt lots about the area. Simas then took me around the Hill of Crosses and pointed out features I would never have seen on my own and provided excellent context. I was then given all the time I wanted to discover the site on my own. I never felt rushed and, having learnt from Simas about the site first, I could (re)visit areas of particular interest.
Afterwards, you can be taken to a drop-off point of your choice. I HIGHLY recommend taking up Simas' offer of an orientation drive around Šiauliai. He drove me round the town and pointed out not only locations and great tips for the afternoon, but details I would never, ever have spotted on my own (for example, architectural points). I visited the (very helpful) tourist information afterwards and they have great maps and leaflets - but there were details from Simas' that weren't in the literature. (As an aside, the Lonely Planet guide is no help at all.)
The tour is exceptionally good value. Thank you for a wonderful experience, Simas!
