Ukmerge

Ukmergė was first mentioned in 1225 as "Vilkmergė". This might mean "farm girl" or "she-wolf" - the eponymous brewery and football team somehow prefer the latter explanation. It had a dozen different spellings and the present "Ukmergė" was adopted at Lithuanian independence in 1918. It stands in slightly rolling farmland with no natural boundaries - its river is small - and for centuries has suffered the standard Lithuanian toll of warfare, plague, massacres and deportations. Its traditional wooden buildings burned again and again; with the benefit of hindsight it was probably a mistake to establish a match factory.

Local industries today are reinforced concrete, metal-working, timber, furniture and textiles. Although the population is stable, Ukmergė town council are anxious about sustaining it, and would like to attract workers and settlers who promise to be fertile.

Ukmergė is 73 km north of Vilnius on Highway E272, and 68 km northeast of Kaunas on A6 / E262. Either will take an hour to drive.

Buses from Vilnius run roughly hourly, taking 65 min. They continue north to Panevėžys then fan out to Šiauliai, Mažeikiai or Biržai.

Buses from Kaunas run every hour or two, taking 90 min and mostly continuing east to Visaginas or Rokiškis.

The main bus lines are Toks and Kautra. For timetables and fares see Autobusubilieta.

1 Autobusų stotis is the bus station, 2 km east of the centre. It's reasonably clean with a supermarket next door but no cafes.