I was in my element amongst all the pink (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

As someone who proudly has pink hair and a largely pink wardrobe, of course I jumped at the chance to visit Vilnius’ inaugural Pink Soup Festival.

Over the course of the summer, the Lithuanian capital took on a vivid shade of cerise, with artwork, tours and a range of events designed to celebrate the country’s love of šaltibarščiai (traditional pink soup).

Served cold with halved quail’s eggs and a side of hot roasted potatoes, the national dish gets its unique hue from beetroot. Add in cucumber, dill and a generous helping of high-fat kefir and you’ve got yourself an earthy-yet-refreshing concoction that’s ideal for cooling down on a warm afternoon.

It’s certainly an acquired taste, as the fermented dairy product adds a tang to the soup that may be unfamiliar to palates outside the Baltics. But from the plethora of signature recipes across different eateries to the high esteem in which Lithuanians hold šaltibarščiai, you’ll soon be drinking the savoury Kool-Aid right down.

Hundreds flocked to Bastion Hill for the festival (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Despite the long history of pink soup, this was the first year Go Vilnius has held a festival in its honour. The city’s Bastion Hill played host in the earlier portion of the day, bedecked in magenta with giant beetroot and kefir carton mascots entertaining the children.

From midday, braver locals dressed for the occasion and took part in a Šaltibarščiai Slip competition, barrelling down a massive slide into a pit of pink foam cubes (I had hoped it would be filled with soup, yet now realise this was a far less messy and smelly choice for all involved). Prizes ranged from pink merch to a hot air balloon flight, but most entrants just seemed happy to be part of the somewhat experience.

Brave locals took on the slip and slide (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Later on, the party moved to Tymo Market where a record was broken for the largest bowl of pink soup and contestants tested their taste buds to see who could manage the spiciest version.

All sorts of beetroot-studded delicacies were on offer around the city – including cocktails, ice cream and coffee – and, to round off the night, electronic music producer Leon Somov played for the crowds at Kūdrų park.

It was plenty of fun and well-worth a visit if you’re heading to Vilnius in June. Beyond the Barbiecore/beetroot-mania and Instagrammable food, though, is a city that has so much to offer.

Restaurants serve up their take on pink soup (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Saltibarščiai is Lithuania’s national dish (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

The history of the region in itself is fascinating. In 1323, the Grand Duke Gediminas sent letters to various heads of state in Western Europe inviting merchants, tradespeople, knights and religious figures to populate what was then known as Vilna.

Numerous occupation attempts were followed by a period of rapid expansion in the 16th century, where a city wall with nine gates and three towers (some of which still stands today) was built and much of Vilnius’ Renaissance architecture was restored.

During this time, people from all walks of life flocked to Lithuania, with the multicultural and multilingual population of the capital, as well as its prosperous industries like science and manufacturing, compared to Babylon.

There are over 50 Catholic churches throughout Vilnius (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Throughout subsequent centuries, Vilnius was was devastated by war and civil unrest, and although it retained an array of diverse inhabitants and stunning buildings, many communities were forced out and properties were destroyed.

Today, you’ll see imposing palaces once repurposed as garages for trucks by the USSR, bagel shops and Yiddish street signs put up in recognition of the 265,000-strong Jewish population in Lithuania murdered by the Nazis, and vast numbers of Catholic churches seemingly on every corner.

A walking tour is strongly advised to get a feel for the culture here, but the Vilnius Museum, Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights and Gediminas Castle Tower can give you a clearer picture of the capital’s storied past.

Cross the ‘border’ into bohemian Užupis (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

If the annexing and brutality of Vilnius gone by gets a bit much, Užupis is a great next spot. One of my favourite parts of the trip, this self-declared republic is a UNESCO World Heritage site that makes up less than one square kilometre in the old town.

Residents here (mainly artists and other bohemian types) declared Užupis’ independence in 1997; a seemingly tongue-in-cheek move that led to poet, musician and film director Romas Lileikis being made president and the new republic being given its first constitution. Carved into a wall, it features three conflicting mottos – Don’t Fight, Don’t Win, Don’t Surrender – and rules like ‘a dog has the right to be a dog’ and ‘everyone has the right to die, but this is not an obligation.’

The republic’s constitution (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

It’s silly and fun yet rooted in something deeper. An ornate fountain sits in the middle of Užupis, flowing with free beer on April 1 each year, while a ‘swing of fate’ beneath a bridge on the Vilnia river leading into the district (where you can have your passport stamped by border crossing) promises granted wishes.

Art adorns almost every surface, with the Dalai Lama and Frank Zappa considered heroes to the peace-loving creatives here – despite the fact the latter has never actually visited Lithuania. While away a day enjoying drinks and people-watching beside the Angel of Užupis statue, and remember to keep your eyes pealed for the myriad of details which can be spotted around you.

Hope you like pickles (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

And sausages (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Or, to experience the patchwork of cultures that call Vilnius home through its culinary scene, head to Halės Market.

Sweet old ladies thrust (delicious yet sickly sweet) spoonfuls of local honey at you to sample, supposedly every fruit and vegetable on planet earth sits pickling in enormous vats of brine, and slabs of fatty meat lay in wait to be carved up on the butcher’s block. Truly, I didn’t know that many varieties of sausage existed, so to see such an array under one roof was a revelation.

You can also take a cooking class at Beatos Studija, run by Lithuania’s answer to Nigella, Beata Nicholson. In a bright room in the city’s metropolitan area, we learned to make classic dishes like cepelinai, hearty potato dumplings filled with meat or curd cheese, and kepta duona, fried black bread sticks with a ridiculously moreish garlic dip traditionally eaten as a bar snack alongside beer.

When the weather turns in Vilnius, cepelinai is the ultimate comfort food (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

Kepta duona, however, are up their with top tier global bar snacks (Picture: Jessica Lindsay)

If you’re a real foodie, I’d recommend the tasting menu at Nineteen18 as well, where head chef Andrius Kubilius uses unexpected ingredients like veal brains and pike roe to celebrate local flavours beautifully.

If variety is the spice of life, Vilnius is as spicy as they come. From the residents to the gastronomy, there’s so much to explore.

Did I expect to come to a Baltic beetroot soup festival and end up in Little Tibet? Absolutely not, but I’m not complaining. So why not let this city surprise you too?

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