I went to the most underrated holiday destination in Europe and had the best time ever

I was very kindly invited by Go Vilnius to enjoy a four night stay in the capital of Lithuania.

I have never been to Lithuania before and didn’t exactly know what to expect. I think a lot of us here in the UK have a stereotypical perception of Eastern Europe which isn’t actually true, it’s actually not all just tower block, grey skies and cold weather.

Currently, there are no direct flights to Vilnius from Manchester Airport so I had to fly to Amsterdam for my connection. However, the journey isn’t long at all with it being around 1 hour and 40 minutes in the first leg and about 2 hours in the second.

What immediately struck me after landing in Vilnius is how green and flat the city is, this is certainly not a place for the skyscraper-lovers.

I stayed at Radisson Collection Astorija Hotel which is located directly in the centre of the old town and priced at around £170 per night. This was the perfect location to get around the city and was home to the most beautiful churches and buildings.

As for the hotel itself, the dark blue interior added a unique style and a sense of sophistication. The staff were incredibly kind and the continental hotel breakfast had everything you could possibly want.

On the night I arrived, I went to went to Augustin which was awarded The Bib Gourmand by Michelin. Here I enjoyed an Aperol Spritz and an aubergine filled with mushrooms, gravy, pine nuts and cranberries. The gravy was truly divine and certainly not the type you get from your local chippy.

Additionally, I had a meal of roasted pumpkin, yoghurt sauce, apricots, mango amba, dukkah and coriander. The pumpkin was delicious with the yoghurt and apricots, giving it that sweet edge. For my dessert, I had a raspberry and strawberry torte which was the most perfect end to our dining experience.

The real reason as to why I was invited to Vilnius was to enjoy their annual Pink Soup Festival. The celebrations started right away with a trip up the TV Tower (which sits at 326 metres) to make Lithuanian pink soup with a chef in a workshop. This was my first time both making and trying Šaltibarščiai, a signature dish that is eaten during hot summer days and accompanied with bread or potatoes. The pink soup includes: kefir, beetroot (this makes it pink), dill, chives, cucumber and egg.

I understand that it might seem a little strange to have an entire festival around pink soup, but once you try it you will understand why. This is such a refreshing and healthy meal for the summer season.

After our workshop, we went on a guided tour of Vilnius’s old town and I learnt so much about the history. The reason why you would think Vilnius was actually Italy is because one of Lithuania’s grand dukes married an Italian and she brought over Italian architecture and customs.

Lithuanians are often called ‘the Italians of the North’ because of their warmth and conversational nature (once they get to know you). I could certainly see that with the people here as they were so helpful.

For lunch we went to a traditional Lithuanian restaurant called ‘Lokys’. They served a whole range of food that I have never tried and some I probably will never try, for example they served beaver... yes like the furry animal. As a vegetarian, I gladly passed on that one.

Instead, I had traditional Lithuanian dumplings filled with cheese and herbs. This certainly had a hint of the Italian cuisine which has merged with Lithuanian cooking.

Afterwards, we went on a tour of Lukiškės prison which was a fully functioning prison up until 2019 when it closed after first opening in 1904. Our guide was brilliant and really brought all of the history and stories that happened within those prison walls alive.

The prison is now a mix of studios for artists and a music venue for bands to come and play from all around the world.

For dinner, we went to Džiaugsmas which was awarded a Michelin star in June 2024. The vibe of this restaurant is incredibly stripped back and dark, but the food was absolutely amazing. We had around six courses with two wines and a champagne paired with the meals. My favourite would have to be the potato and cheese pie that was specially made for me and the desserts.

Saturday was the most important day as this was The Pink Soup Festival! You have not seen patriotism until you see Lithuanians with their pink soup, they seriously love it. There was pink soup everything and I mean everything! A pink carpet through the city, pink soup outfits, pink parades, pink soup drinks, a waiters run with pink soup and a giant pink slide.

This festival ran for the entirety of the day with a concert ending the night. I have never seen anything like this but the whole day was so wholesome and unique.

For our last dinner, we went to Vilnius railway station for a pop-up restaurant that was made specifically to celebrate the festival. Despite being on the platform of a regular train station, the staff had decorated the table and area so beautifully with pink curtains that swayed in the wind around us.

Here we had a five course menu with, yes you guessed it... pink soup! The dishes also included a salad, pink risotto, mushroom with goats cheese and a pink pastry banana dessert.

On my final morning, I enjoyed the day by walking around the old town for the final time and visiting some churches to gaze at the beautiful design.

Overall, Vilnius is such a safe city, clean and unique. I feel so privileged to have been able to join in on the third Pink Soup Festival and enjoy all the wackiness that ensued.

I highly recommend this hidden gem of Europe, you certainly won’t regret it!

To find more information about Vilnius and The Pink Soup Festival, head to: https://www.govilnius.lt/homepage