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Monday, 01 December 2008

Featured Destination


Albania: Monastery at Mesopotam, Photographed by Massimiliano Fusari

Albania might not have the highest standard of living of all the Balkan states, but it is the most mysterious country on the peninsula. Besides being travelled through and written about quite... Full Story



Bulgaria
Three Weekend Getaway Destinations in Bulgaria

Never spend a free day in a place you've already been is a rule many of us abide by – forcing us to take risky roads and end up in places we never knew existed, to get involved in conversations with strangers we never thought we'll be having one... Full Story


Bulgaria
Perperikon, Bulgaria's Delphi: the Ancient City of Excessive Pleasures

A rival of Delphi or the fruit of archaeologists’ fantasies, the half-ruined Thracian city of Perperikon is one of Bulgaria’s most interesting destinations. Discovered 20 years ago, it is still undergoing excavations and every consecutive step of... Full Story


Bulgaria
From Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia to the Village of Lakatnik in an Old Locomotive

About a century after Ivan Vazov wrote his short story “To Zhaluysha with Iron Train Cars,” in which he remarked on the great strides in railroad progress and development, present-day journalist, writer and photographer Stefan Galibov also took a... Full Story


Turkey
Intimations of Byzantium: Hidden History of Turkey’s Caucasus and Eastern Anatolia

Forty-five minutes from Trabzon, on the temperate Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey, Sumela rose out of a cliff, surrounded by lush verdure. The best Byzantine monasteries always take effort to reach, and this one was no exception. Visiting... Full Story


Romania
Stunning Landscapes, Outdoor Activities and Plum Brandy in North-Western Romania

As part of the Transylvania region, the north-western part of Romania is usually associated with Count Dracula. But in actuality the area is free of vampires and rich in stunning scenery and opportunities for outdoor activities. The karst... Full Story


Balkans
Hidden Spots in the Balkans to Visit this October

As the hot, beach-perfect summer days are behind us and the winter with its enticing opportunities for playing in the snow is still far away, BalkanTravellers.com provides you with five places throughout the Balkans that warrant a visit during... Full Story


Bulgaria
Tryavna, Central Bulgaria: A Picturesque Study in Contrasts

The town of Tryavna is one of Bulgaria’s top 100 tourist sites and, as such, it attracts tourists from around the country and abroad with its well-maintained architecture, quaint streets and traditional crafts workshops.

But, as...
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Albania
The Blue Eye Water Spring in Southern Albania Beckons with Coolness

Once reserved for the communist élite, the Blue Eye water spring in southern Albania now beckons all visitors, regardless of their political leanings, with its cool waters and the shady grounds that surround it.

As BalkanTravellers.com...
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Turkey
Five Nostalgic Places to Visit in Turkey in September

Amazingly diverse and rich with natural and historical wonders, undiscovered and cheap, Turkey is one of the best destinations for any adventurer at any time. Even more so – in September.

At this time of the year the summer heat and the... Full Story




Epicure


Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Top 20 Wines

Bulgaria’s top 20 wines were selected in a historical competition – a first of its kind in the country, organised by Bacchus Magazine.
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Curiosity Chest


Greece
Greek Noses Unappreciated in Greece

If various facial features were to be associated with particular countries, Greece would surely get the nose. But – despite having given the name to one of the most popular nose shapes, many Greeks seem to dislike their own.
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Useful Reads


Greece
Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese (2004) | By Patrick Leigh Fermor

2008 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication of Patrick Leigh Fermor’s Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese, considered one of the most important travelogues of the twentieth century by many critics. Although the book is now often described as a ‘companion text’ to the author’s later account of travels in Northern Greece, Roumeli (1966), the author reveals that he originally meant it to be ‘a single chapter among many’ that would cumulatively encompass his long travels and experience throughout Greek lands.
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Annoyances in the Balkans


Balkans
Relentless Homophobia Rages in the Balkans

Be IN-tolerant! Be normal!, appeals a poster (pictured above) that recently flooded the streets of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.

As the first gay pride parade in Bulgaria is about to take place, amid strong opposition by nationalistic organisations and a large part of society, the high levels of persistent homophobia in the country and the Full Story


Insiders' Advice


If the relentless homophobia is already that bad, what's the attitude in general towards HIV/AIDS, given the rather worrying HIV-prevalence in Eastern Europe and Russia?
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Is it easy to drive in the Balkans? Depends. If you are looking for adrenalin, this is a cheap way to get it. Expats say the best tactics is not to get annoyed.
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How to pick the right time to go? Winter is beautiful in the high mountains, the problem is, it can be so cold! Then again, who cares how cold it is - the locals have a cheap cure: heavy red wine. Sometimes warmed up.
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You can't trust local maps. Nor some international travel guides. One of them, for instance, says, that Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina flows FROM the Adriatic towards the inland of the Balkans, never reaching the sea. OK, how about the Neretva delta and channel in Croatia?
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The Big Book of Travelling


United States
The Rise of Burlesque in New York: Tassels and the City

Burlesque – the more audacious relative of commedia dell'arte, is in revival. A reality in “upside down style”, this creative, witty and softer version of striptease is back on stage, following an absence of nearly 80 years. In New York, Anjeza Bojku scoped out several burlesqee venues for BalkanTravellers.com. Full Story

Thailand
A Short Guide to the Peculiarities of Thai Food