Travels: Vilnius Named European Hospitality City 2025

 

The jury of the European Hotel Awards grants Vilnius a rare Honorary Award for its creativity, openness, and steady growth of the city’s hospitality sector. Photo: Go Vilnius Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has been named the European Hospitality City 2025 by the European Hotel Awards – a prestigious annual event that recognizes excellence in the European hospitality industry. This special Honorary Award, conferred by the award’s international jury, acknowledges Vilnius for its creative energy, openness, and steady growth in the tourism and hospitality sectors. The announcement was made during a gala event held on November 17 at the Grand Hotel in the heart of Vilnius, where industry leaders from across the continent gathered to celebrate excellence in hospitality. “Our hospitality ecosystem, which consists not only of top-class hotels but also every tourism service provider in Vilnius, has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. This recognition is an important sign to the international community that Vilnius is not only an authentic historical city, but also a dynamic European capital with a unique culture of hospitality,” said Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas. The European Hotel Awards this year recognized laureates from 15 European countries, ranging from Italy, France, and Spain to the Baltic States and Central Europe. Vilnius – new narrative for Europe The European Hospitality City award holds a particular significance, as it is not presented every year. The jury reserves it for cities that truly embody and inspire the ideals of European hospitality – sincerity, openness, excellence, and human warmth. According to the organizers of the awards, “beyond its architectural beauty and heritage, Vilnius represents a new narrative for Europe – a capital where tradition and innovation coexist naturally. This award, therefore, carries both a symbolic and supportive dimension: a gesture of recognition and encouragement, expressing our wish to see Vilnius and Lithuania continue to flourish as shining examples of authentic European hospitality.” In addition to the city-wide award, 4 representatives from Vilnius hospitality sector were recognized among this year’s laureates: -         Radisson Collection Astorija was voted as the 2025 Hotel of the Year in Lithuania -         Telegrafas head chef Donatas Šatkauskas was named Chef of the Year -         Grand Hotel Vilnius – Curio Collection by Hilton general manager Sigita Rudzevičiėnė was awarded the Hotel director of the Year award. -         Lithuanian Hotels and Restaurants Association president Evalda Šiškauskienė was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the hotels and restaurants industry. The European Hotel Awards are prestigious accolades that celebrate excellence in hospitality, usually in Europe’s major tourism destinations. In 2024, the Grand Hotel Vilnius, Curio Collection by Hilton, became the first establishment from the Baltic countries to make the list as the Historic Hotel of the Year. This year’s multiple awards reflect the continuing development of Vilnius’ high-end hospitality sector. Vilnius strengthens its profile on the European travel map The latest recognitions further confirm Vilnius’ emergence as a hub for international hospitality professionals, with the city hosting major industry events. In addition to the European Hotel Awards, the Future Hospitality & Tourism Forum took place in Vilnius this April, while the Baltic Gastro Summit 2025 launched an annual tradition in the Lithuanian capital. The city is also preparing to welcome the General Assembly of HOTREC – an umbrella association representing the hospitality sector in Europe – next year. With all this, Vilnius is poised to strengthen its profile on the European travel map. The city is already seeing increased interest from industry leaders, event organizers, and travellers seeking destinations that offer both authenticity and a high standard of service. Easy to Reach from London   Short flight from London, Vilnius is an ideal holiday escape for British travellers. Vilnius is easily accessible with direct flights from London Stansted, London City, and London Luton several times a week.

From Coolcation to Culinary Discoveries: Vilnius Checks All Boxes for 2025 Travel Trends

                   

 

Travel trends will take a strong shift in 2025, according to most recent reports, such as Expedia and Booking.com.

Trend reports show vacationers are exchanging costly trips to global hot spots in favor of quieter trips to places that are more off-beaten-track, cooler in the summer, sustainable and affordable. Culinary travel, of course, has its own followers as the top luxury travel trend for 2025.

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, stands out in all of these categories - after all, it has been named as one of the favorite places for coolcation, it’s becoming European Green Capital in 2025, and UK’s City Costs Barometer has picked it as a favorite for affordability. No wonder that the 2024 World Happiness Report named Vilnius as the happiest city in the world for people under 30.

Here are some major global travel trends where Vilnius takes lead:

Experience Vilnius car-free: European Green Capital of 2025. More than three quarters of global travelers wanted to travel sustainably in 2024, and 90% looked for sustainable options when traveling. Each year, the European Green Capital Award is given to a city with an established commitment to improve the environment and quality of life for residents and visitors. In 2025, Vilnius will be this city. Boasting 140 km of biking paths, 1,490 km of walking trails, and one of the most walkable Old Towns in Europe, Vilnius is ready to welcome tourists who want to explore the city car-free.

The hot spot for coolcation. As Southern Europe gets increasingly hot and crowded in the summer, the new trend has just emerged: coolcation. Coolcation seekers are looking for fresher ambience and cooler climates, and Nordic countries have hit their radar. Average August temperatures in Vilnius are around 22C, and the city offers not only milder summers, but also an abundance of lakes, beaches and surrounding forests. 

Don’t overspend and relax. The most popular destinations of the world are also becoming the most expensive, and people are looking for superior experience for less money, according to Expedia. In May 2024, the UK’s Post Office released its annual City Costs Barometer, which highlighted Vilnius as Europe’s most affordable city break, where even luxury is accessible. According to the Metro.co.uk writer exploring the affordability aspect, an average traveller can easily afford tasting dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants, hotels and flight tickets to Vilnius for a city break. To fulfill the relaxation promise, Vilnius also offers a mix of serene parks, yoga-friendly spaces, and nearby hiking adventures cater to health-conscious travelers. 

Off-beaten track destination. 63% of travelers  are likely to visit an off-the-beaten-track destination on their next trip, according to Expedia’s “Unpack ’25” travel trend report. Destinations such as Reims, France or Brescia, Italy topped the list, making it likely for the capitals of Baltic states, which are located in the lesser-explored part of Europe, to significantly increase the number of tourists. Laura Chubb in Conde Nast Traveler says: “a warm and with-it European city break that’s still mercifully off the radar? Go east. Vilnius has been cool for a while now.” She mentions MO Modern Art Museum, “dreamt up by Daniel Libeskind,” and “the Old Town’s Instagram-ready blend of brutalist and baroque to discover”.

Culinary travel. Culinary travel has become the fastest growing trend in luxury travel segment, with travelers prioritizing food as a way to experience culture. Marriott International’s Luxe Landscapes Report identified luxury culinary tourism as the leading driver of travel in 2025. Vilnius newly-rewarded Michelin restaurant scene is relaxed and cosy, often not requiring one-month in-advance reservation. Among highlights, there is Džiaugsmas, serving re-invented local and seasonal favorites, with the menu changing each season, Nineteen18 that offers exquisite tasting menus from locally-sourced seasonal ingredients, and others. 

 

ABOUT GO VILNIUS

Go Vilnius is the official tourism and business development agency of the City of Vilnius. The agency provides visitors, investors, and businesses with all the essential information about the Lithuanian capital.

VILNIUS – EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL 2025

The European Commission announced Vilnius as the winner of the 2025 European Green Capital Award, recognizing the city's remarkable ability to integrate sustainability efforts with the well-being of its residents. Vilnius has successfully connected various initiatives aimed at achieving clean air, clean water, biodiversity preservation, green spaces, and more. One of Vilnius' innovative approaches to citizen engagement involves the use of a dedicated app, allowing residents to participate in various aspects of city management and planning.

The European Green Capital Awards program has been in operation since 2008, and Green Capitals across Europe continue to coll

Travels: Pink Soup Fest in Vilnius Invites to Celebrate Lithuania’s National Gastro Pride

                

Cold beetroot soup, a beloved staple in every Lithuanian household throughout the summer months and famous for its bright pink color, is getting a grand celebration in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Pink Soup Fest will be sweeping over the city center all day long on June 10th.

The soup, similar to the Spanish gazpacho because it is also served chilled, is the cult-favorite dish of Lithuanian cuisine. Bright in color and refreshing in taste, the dish combines unexpected ingredients like beetroot, cucumber, fresh dill, eggs, and buttermilk with a side of hot potatoes to create an unmatched flavor burst. Since it is cold, the soup is featured heavily on Lithuanian menus during the heat waves and has been seeping into pop culture as well, turning up on clothing items or in various snacks. 

Vilnius’s gastro scene has skyrocketed in the past few years—the entire ecosystem was awarded real stars in the sky that symbolize a Michelin-like award, while renowned chefs offer delicacies from fresh seasonal produce and local farms. Residents and visitors of Vilnius are keen on unearthing new tastes in highly popular food courts or exploring the multicultural fusion cuisine that features Jewish, Polish, and Lithuanian nobles’ dishes and flavors from Lebanon, Japan, India, Nepal, France, and other countries. Since the cold beetroot soup is inseparable from warm season treats in Lithuania and is one of the draws for visiting travelers, the festival will, therefore, start the tradition of celebrating the beginning of the summer.

The occasion will unite the members of Vilnius community—restaurants, cafes, pubs, nightclubs, guides, businesses, performers, automotive communities, and many others. Restaurants and cafes will offer special deals on the soup, inviting festivalgoers to try unique variations of the dish. More than that, festival visitors will have the chance to bring the pink soup home scents back with them and feast their eyes on the soup-themed graffiti. One of the artistic highlights will be a mural of the pink soup by the artist Eglė Žvirblytė near Bernardine Garden in the heart of Vilnius.

Pink craze all over town 

The craziness of the fuchsia-colored dish will also reflect on the event—everyone in attendance will be asked to put on a fancy dress costume that relates to the soup, be it a beetroot, an egg, or a carton of buttermilk, and slide down the Barbakanas Bastion hill—which offers panoramic views of the Užupis, the bohemian district, and the self-proclaimed separate Republic—straight into a specially made artificial soup bowl.  

After the hill slide, the Pink Soup King or Queen will be elected, visitors will be invited to roam around food trucks offering a refreshing bowl of the dish, relax in the local park, and enjoy musical performances, while children will get the chance to try out trampolines. Since the fest aligns with Vilnius’ 700th anniversary year, visitors will have the chance to soak up the festive atmosphere and visit other cultural events.

More information: https://www.govilnius.lt/pink-soup-fest.  

Vilnius Launches Christmas Tourism Campaign Based on Incorrect Answers of Where It Is

 

 

 Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is no stranger to making bold statements with its most famous tourism campaign “The G-spot of Europe” sweeping over Europe a few years ago. Likewise, another campaign “Vilnius: Amazing Wherever You Think It Is” received international recognition at “City Nation Place Awards 2020” as the best communications strategy.

Following the global recognition of previous campaigns, Vilnius is ready to once again boost its visibility with a remake of the Christmas classic “Merry Christmas” and a cheeky tourism marketing video. Both the song and the video are a part of the Christmas campaign “Christmas in Vilnius: Amazing, Wherever You Think It Is” by Vilnius City and Go Vilnius, the official tourism and business development agency of Vilnius. Launched today, October 20^th, the campaign beacons foreign visitors to discover the charms of the Lithuanian capital during the holiday season.

The campaign drew the inspiration from “Where Is Vilnius?” website where visitors were asked to indicate the location of Vilnius. The answers were generated into a heat map, displaying that Vilnius is mostly considered to be in Finland, Romania, and even Kazakhstan. A similar experiment was also conducted in Berlin last year where people on the streets were asked if they knew where Vilnius was. As it turned out, the passers-by located Vilnius all over Europe—in Italy, Austria, Sweden—and even South America. Now the updated campaign website once again invites visitors to take a guess as to the location of Vilnius, and find out the best ways to explore Vilnius during the holidays.

As a playful way to acknowledge the so-called city’s obscurity, the new Christmas campaign video features Vilnius municipal choir Jauna Muzika singing out “It’s Sweden, no it’s not Sweden” to the soundtrack of “Merry Christmas,” chosen for its long-lasting popularity across the world. The new lyrics playfully suggest that, although Vilnius is not in Sweden, France, Germany, or a number of other top-visited countries, it is definitely worth a second thought.

The camera also spans around the urban landscape, showing the most defining aspects of the city. For instance, hot-air balloon flocks hover in the skyline, as Vilnius is the only European capital to allow regular hot-air balloon rides over it. The last shot of the video revolves around Vilnius TV tower—the tallest building in the entire country (326.5 m) with a restaurant 180 m above the ground.

According to Inga Romanovskienė, Director at Go Vilnius, the campaign is an extension of their former campaign “Vilnius: Amazing Wherever You Think It Is,” which spun the so-called city’s obscurity into a tool for attracting more visitors. The current campaign, similarly, shows the potential guests that this Christmas season in Vilnius is bound to leave an impression, wherever the city might be.

“Like every year, Vilnius will transform into a winter wonderland for the delight of all the guests and residents,” said Romanovskienė. “Although sometimes there’s still some confusion among foreigners over where Vilnius actually is, our campaign endeavours to show that, all confusion aside, our capital has some tricks up its sleeve to make Christmas a truly memorable experience.”

When it comes to the Christmas season, the capital goes all in: its Christmas trees wow Europe each year, while last year the city organized an initiative where residents could preserve their potted holiday trees and later plant them in a freshly created Christmas Forest.

This holiday season, Vilnius will light up its Christmas Tree on November 27^th. The holiday celebrations in the capital are usually accompanied by the Christmas Tree, surrounded by a Christmas fair with artisanal stalls, a Christmas Tree unveiling event, activities for the whole family, such as a 3D fairy tale displayed in the Cathedral square, and far-out decorations. Although the global pandemic might still prevent some visitors from experiencing Christmas in Vilnius this year, travellers are also welcome to come to Vilnius for the next holiday season, which is bound to be just as amazing.