Have you ever heard of the Republic of Uzupis? No? Welcome to the club! We didn’t know this tiny republic existed until we travelled to Vilnius. Uzupis declared its independence in 1998 and even though it is not officially recognised as a country by anyone, the republic has its own government, constitution and even currency.

And of course, to get there, you have to cross a border. Well, border. You have to cross a bridge with a sign that states that you’re entering Uzupis. Not very different from many other European borders, to be honest. If you want to, right after the bridge, you can have your passport stamped.…