Last year, more than 82 thousand German tourists visited Vilnius, securing the second place in the top ten foreign tourists. In order to attract even more of these travelers to the city, perhaps our most famous gastronomic asset – cold borscht – was presented to journalists and opinion leaders from Hamburg and Berlin. They and their audiences were invited to the third annual Vilnius Cold Borscht Festival, which will take place on May 31.
"Last year, 16 percent more German tourists visited Vilnius than in 2023. Such growth not only shows growing interest, but also actually creates economic value for the city. It is in Germany that our strongest communication focus is gastronomy. We believe that unique experiences, such as cold borscht, can become a real cultural bridge between the guest and the city, and maybe even turn into one of the most prominent symbols of the capital abroad," says Eglė Girdzijauskaitė, Communications Manager at Go Vilnius.
She notes that last year the Vilnius Cold Borscht Festival attracted over 42 thousand participants, 17 percent of whom were foreigners, so this festival is certainly loved not only by Lithuanians.
According to photographer and food reviewer Elissavet Patrikiou, who participated in the event in Hamburg, Vilnius is a must-visit destination for food photographers at the end of May.
"As a photographer, cold borscht fascinates me not only for its taste, but also visually - this bright color catches the eye in any photo. What is everyday in Lithuania seems like a culinary discovery to us Germans. The Cold Borscht Festival in Vilnius skillfully combines tradition with Instagram-worthy aesthetics and shows how a regional dish can become an international phenomenon. For food photographers, Vilnius at the end of May is definitely the place to be," says E. Patrikiou.
According to E. Girdzijauskaitė, efforts to promote Vilnius in foreign markets through the festival are already bearing fruit and strengthening the city's international reputation.
"Last year, the Vilnius Cold Borscht Festival was mentioned in 245 foreign publications and reports and potentially reached an audience of 425 million people. We continue to use various means to ensure that the world one day knows about the Vilnius Cold Borscht Festival as well as about the German Oktoberfest," says E. Girdzijauskaitė.
Lithuanian and German food cultures merged
At events organized in Germany, participants were treated to both recipes steeped in tradition and flavors familiar to even a rare Lithuanian, and many are already preparing to experience these flavors very soon in Vilnius and are decorating themselves with pink accents for the occasion.
Denise Snieguolė Wachter, one of the organizers of the events in Hamburg and Berlin and a food journalist for the German magazine Stern, notes that cold borscht has the potential to win the hearts of a large German audience.
"With these cold borscht events in Berlin and Hamburg, we are bringing a piece of Lithuanian culture to Germany. Cold borscht is not just a dish, it is an experience – colorful, unexpected and as unique as Vilnius itself. The reaction of the German audience shows that this cold soup has the potential to become the hottest food trend of the summer," she says.
For her part, Maria-Silva Villbrandt, a journalist for the lifestyle magazine Herz und Blut, draws most attention to how the festival combines tradition and modernity.
“Vilnius is turning into a pink island, where cold beetroot soup can be found on every corner. Ever since I discovered cold borscht, I have become addicted to this refreshing taste. A great festival, a wonderful city and the most delicious cold borscht. Of course, it was invented by Lithuanians – that’s obvious. The Cold borscht Festival – a perfect synthesis of tradition, design and modern lifestyle – is truly my thing,” says Maria-Silva Villbrandt.
The city of Hamburg, with its deep maritime traditions, also gave Lithuanian gastronomy a slightly different twist. In cooperation with the local seafood restaurant "XO Seafoodbar", participants were introduced to different variations of our pink soup, and the highlight of the entire event was the "North Sea" cold borscht with herring, combining the traditions of Hamburg and Vilnius.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, the event participants were greeted by an interactive cooking session and stories from German and Lithuanian families. Alexandra Laubrinius, one of the organizers of one of Germany's largest food festivals, Berlin Food Week, who participated in the event, predicts that cold borscht could become a new sensation in Berlin and throughout Germany.
“Berlin’s food scene is always looking for authentic culinary experiences with character. Vilnius loves its pink soup so much that they even organize a festival to celebrate it. And we, Berliners, adore such a passion for food and traditions with a modern interpretation. Lithuanian cuisine in Germany is still like a secret recommendation – but not for long!” says A. Laubrinius.
