Last updated: October 2026
Is making friends in Lithuania hard?
Honestly, it can take time. In our experience, people in Lithuania can seem reserved at first. Small talk with strangers is less common than in many African countries, and nobody will be offended if you keep to yourself, which means nobody will push you to join in either. Once you get to know people, though, many turn out to be warm, loyal and generous friends.
So the secret to making friends in Lithuania is not charm. It is showing up, again and again, in the same places, until faces become familiar. The tips below are practical ways to do that. Some of these tips for making friends as a foreigner suit students, others suit people coming to work, and many work for both. If you are still in the early, confusing weeks, our guide to the five phases of moving abroad explains why the dip in mood is normal and why it passes.
1. Say yes to welcome events and buddy programmes
If you are a student, your university is the easiest place to start making friends in Lithuania. Most universities have a section of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), a volunteer student organisation that runs welcome weeks, parties, game nights and trips for international students.
Many universities also pair new international students with a current student. At Vilnius University, the ESNbuddy programme matches you with a volunteer who meets you when you arrive, shows you the dormitory and the city, and helps with paperwork. VILNIUS TECH runs a mentor programme where a current student usually gets in touch about a month before you arrive. In Kaunas, Vytautas Magnus University has run a mentors programme since 2003, and ESN KTU organises trips around Lithuania, parties and social events such as blood donations and shelter visits.
Sign up early, because there are not always enough buddies for everyone. And go to the welcome events even if you feel tired or shy. Much of the international student community in Lithuania meets at these events. Everyone in that room is new and looking for friends too, which makes it the easiest crowd you will ever meet.
2. Join international groups online, then meet offline
A good way to meet people in Vilnius is to start online. International House Vilnius, a free relocation and integration service for foreigners, keeps a list of communities on its website. It includes Foreigners in Vilnius (an English-speaking Facebook group for questions and tips), International People in Vilnius (social events, nightlife and networking), the International Women’s Association of Vilnius, Girl Gone International, the InterNations community and the Joiner app, which helps people find others to do things with.
Joining is the easy part. The trick to making friends in Lithuania through these groups is to turn online contact into real meetings. People in these groups regularly post things like “anyone want to watch the game tonight?” Say yes. Turn on event notifications for your area on Facebook and Meetup so you hear about language evenings, board game nights and hikes.
One caution: be careful with anyone in an online group who offers jobs, flats or visa help for money upfront.
3. Play sport, especially basketball
Basketball is often called Lithuania’s “second religion”, even by the country’s official tourism site, and it is a brilliant icebreaker. Ask a colleague or classmate which team they support, or join friends to watch a big national team match. You do not need to understand every rule to enjoy it.
Sport is one of the quickest routes to making friends in Lithuania. If you prefer to play, join a gym, a running club or a university sports team. A simple way to start a conversation at the gym is to ask someone about a workout or a machine. Seeing the same people at the same time each week does most of the work for you. After a few weeks, a nod becomes a chat, and a chat becomes an invitation.
4. Make the shared kitchen your living room
If you live in a dormitory or a shared flat, the kitchen is where making friends in Lithuania often begins. Cook at normal times rather than late at night, leave your door open when you can, and start conversations while you wait for the kettle. Ask what your flatmates are making and offer a taste of yours.
Food is one of the best ways of making friends as a foreigner. Sharing jollof rice, sadza, ndolé or chapati is a natural way to share your culture, and people are usually curious. You will probably be offered cepelinai or šaltibarščiai (the bright pink cold beetroot soup) in return. If you are still choosing where to live, our guide to student accommodation in Lithuania covers your options. Shared housing is worth considering for the social side alone.
5. Learn some Lithuanian and try language exchanges
In our experience, many young people in Vilnius and Kaunas speak English, so you can get by without Lithuanian at first. But even a few words change how people respond to you. A simple “labas” (hello) or “ačiū” (thank you) shows respect, and people notice the effort.
Language events are also good places for making friends in Lithuania, because everyone comes to talk. International House Vilnius and SPEAK have run free “Aš (ne)kalbu lietuviškai” meetups that take Lithuanian practice into cafés, parks and museums. Vilnius University has hosted a weekly Lithuanian Language Café for its students and staff. Ask your university’s international office or other foreigners about current language exchanges, and look for conversation evenings on social media.
If you are wondering where to begin, our tips on how to learn a new language will help you build a routine that sticks.
6. Volunteer your time
Volunteering is an underrated way of making friends in Lithuania. You meet locals who care about the same things you do, and it looks good on a CV. In Vilnius, the House of Cultures run by Caritas is a community centre for migrants, refugees, third-country nationals and foreign students. According to its official page, it offers free English classes and events, and volunteers help with events, teach English to refugees or help with children under supervision.
The Lithuanian Red Cross also works with volunteers, including on programmes supporting migrants and refugees. Contact them directly to ask what roles are open to foreigners and which languages are useful. Student organisations such as ESN also run charity events, which are an easy first step. Volunteering abroad is meant to be unpaid, so never pay a fee to “volunteer” through an unknown agent.
7. Go where the whole city goes
Lithuanian festivals are one of the easiest ways to meet people in Vilnius and other cities, because everyone is outside and in a good mood. A few to put in your calendar:
| Event | When | Why it helps you make friends |
|---|---|---|
| Kaziukas Fair (St Casimir’s Fair) | Early March | A huge crafts and food fair in central Vilnius; go with classmates and try everything |
| Street Music Day | A day in May | Musicians play on street corners all over the city; easy to join a group and wander |
| Joninės (Midsummer) | Night of 23 June; 24 June is a public holiday | Bonfires, flower wreaths and music; friends often invite newcomers along |
| Vilnius City Fiesta | First weekend of September | Concerts and street events just as the new academic year starts |
Exact dates change every year, so check the official Go Vilnius events calendar or your city’s tourism site before you plan. Our Lithuania travel guide has more ideas for exploring the country with new friends.
8. Host small gatherings
Do not wait to be invited. Hosting is one of the most reliable ways of making friends in Lithuania, and it does not need to be fancy. Invite two or three classmates or colleagues for dinner, a film night or a games evening. Small groups are less intimidating than parties, and people who seem quiet in class often open up over food at someone’s home.
Be patient and persistent. Not everyone will say yes the first time, and that is rarely personal. Keep inviting. In our experience, the people who keep organising small things are the ones who end up with a real circle of friends a year later.
9. Find your own community as well
Making friends in Lithuania does not have to mean only Lithuanian friends. Local friends are wonderful, but so is spending time with people who share your background. Many international students find community through English-language church services, student associations for their country or region, and informal groups of Africans living in Vilnius and Kaunas. Ask other students from home, your university’s international office or the groups listed by International House Vilnius.
The international student community in Lithuania is mixed, and friends from Nigeria, India, Ukraine or Brazil can be just as important as local ones. Do not feel you have to choose. A healthy social life abroad usually includes both.
10. Stay kind, curious and open
It sounds simple, but when it comes to making friends as a foreigner, attitude matters most. Ask people about their country and their traditions, listen properly and remember details. Accept invitations even when the plan sounds unusual. Saying yes is half of making friends in Lithuania.
Try not to judge Lithuania too quickly in the first months. Reserved does not mean unfriendly. Smile, say hello to your neighbours and give people time. Making friends in Lithuania is slower than in some places, but the friendships tend to last.
Where to start making friends in Lithuania: students vs workers
Your starting point depends on why you came. Use this checklist to pick two or three things to try in your first month.
| If you are a student | If you came to work |
|---|---|
| Register for your university’s buddy or mentor programme before you arrive | Say yes to team lunches and after-work events, even short ones |
| Go to every welcome-week event, even the awkward ones | Join the international groups listed by International House Vilnius |
| Join ESN and at least one student club or sports team | Join a gym, running group or amateur sports league |
| Cook in the shared kitchen at busy times | Book a Lithuanian course or language meetup |
| Volunteer at a charity event with your student organisation | Volunteer at a community centre at weekends |
For the practical side of your first weeks, read our guide on how to settle in Lithuania after arrival.
Loneliness, winter and where to get support
If making friends in Lithuania is taking longer than you hoped, you are not alone. Winter here is cold and the days are short. Many newcomers, especially from warmer countries, feel low between November and February. That is normal, and it is a good reason to build your routine of clubs, sport and meetups in the autumn, before the dark months arrive.
If loneliness starts to affect your sleep, studies or mood, talk to someone. Universities offer free counselling. Vilnius University gives students four free individual sessions with a psychologist, plus free crisis consultations, and VILNIUS TECH offers free, confidential counselling in Lithuanian and English. Ask your own university’s student services what they offer.
Outside university, two free helplines listed by Vilnius University are the Youth Line (Jaunimo linija) on 0 800 28888 and the Line of Hope (Vilties linija) on 116 123, both open 24/7. In an emergency, call 112.
Frequently asked questions
Is making friends in Lithuania difficult for foreigners?
It can be slow at the start, because people can seem reserved with strangers. It gets much easier once you join regular activities such as clubs, sport, language meetups or volunteering, where you see the same people every week.
Where can I meet people in Vilnius?
Good places include ESN events (where much of the international student community gathers), university clubs, the communities listed by International House Vilnius, language meetups, gyms and sports clubs, and city festivals such as Kaziukas Fair and Street Music Day.
Do I need to speak Lithuanian to make friends?
No. Many young people speak English, especially in Vilnius and Kaunas. Learning even basic Lithuanian helps, though, and language exchanges are a friendly place to meet locals.
Is there an African community in Lithuania?
There are African students and workers in the bigger cities, and many connect through student associations, churches with English services and online groups. Ask your university’s international office or other students from home how to find them.
What should I do if I feel lonely as an international student?
Keep a routine, join at least one regular activity and talk to someone. Most universities offer free psychological counselling, and the Youth Line (0 800 28888) and Line of Hope (116 123) are free and open 24/7.
Making friends in Lithuania takes a little courage and a lot of showing up, but you do not have to work it all out alone. If you are planning your move and want help with the study, work or settling-in side, book a free consultation with us and we will share what we learned when we made the move ourselves.
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