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Culture

Explore the Rich Culture & History of 3Seas Region

A Curious Case of Mummy Identity Theft

by Weronika Edmunds
13 March 2025
Poland/Culture

We are all fascinated by ancient cultures. We try to recreate how people dressed, lived, and looked. But what if we were getting it horribly wrong…?

Martenitsa or Martisor on a bouquet of yellow daffodils on a green wooden table top view

Spring Is Here. Say It With a Martenitsa

by Galina Ganeva
9 March 2025
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

It’s the one accessory that goes with everything and never goes out of style. On March 1st of each year, Bulgarians adorn their clothing and wrists with martenitsas. The ancient bracelet, usually made of twisted red and white woolen or cotton threads, announces the end of winter. And so much more.

Lila Lapanja of USA during the first run of the Audi FIS Ski World Snow Queen Trophy Woman's Salom

What Can You Do When It (Gasp!) Snows in Croatia?

by Weronika Edmunds
4 February 2025
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

Croatia is undoubtedly one of the most popular summer holiday destinations in the Three Seas Region. Fascinating history, lush food, and glorious sun have the power to attract anyone dreaming of a perfect summer break. But have you considered Croatia as a winter destination, too?

Buso carnival, traditional hungarian winter closing festival

How to Scare Away the Winter – the Hungarian Approach

by Weronika Edmunds
4 February 2025
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

After a long period of short, cold days and endless, dark nights, there comes a time when something has to be done about it. In Hungary, the people of Mohács might just have the answer.

Bela Lugosi Dracula

The Secret to Being a Convincing Vampire (Hint: Accent Matters)

by Przemysław Bociąga
14 October 2024
Culture/Hungary

When he created the iconic "Count Dracula" accent that endures today, Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi had a secret weapon: simply not speaking English well. The myth is that he memorized sentences he couldn't understand. However, the truth is more of a grey area.

heaviest building in the world

The Secrets Behind the World’s Heaviest Building

by Naomi Gherman
13 October 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Over 10 Churches and 10,000 households were demolished in the making of what is today the world's heaviest building – a monstrosity of a palace built to provide a home for Communist Romania’s leader, Nicolae Ceausescu.

still from Inglourious basterds movie with August Diehl, Gedeon Burkhard, Diane Kruger, Michael Fassbender

Gestures Loaded with History That You Should Best Avoid

by Weronika Edmunds
10 October 2024
Croatia/Slovakia/Czechia/Hungary/Culture

History has its way of creeping into the present as it is fused with certain images, sounds, gestures, or customs. For locals, they’re quite obvious (or culturally embedded), but they may not be as clear to those visiting.

archeological discovery of "female vampire"

Newfound Burial in Northern Poland: Not a Vampire, But Close

by Przemysław Bociąga
8 October 2024
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

The recent archeological discovery of a 17th C. woman’s corpse buried with a sickle around her neck points directly to her being suspected of some undead activity. However, her moniker, the vampiress, isn’t entirely fitting. It’s not that she wasn’t suspected of being undead (she was), but the term “vampire” doesn’t fit her time and place.

French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman announces the plan to found the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in front of the national assembly at the foreign ministry at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris, France, 9 May 1950. The goal of the ECSC was to create an agency to oversee German and French coal and steel production and invite other countries to participate. The so-called "Schuman plan" was signed on 18 April 1951 in Paris and came into effect on 23 July 1952 for a duration of 50 years.

Yelling, “Europe!” Means Nothing

by Agaton Koziński
4 June 2024
Three Seas Initiative/Business/Culture

In Central Europe, the acceptance of traditional EU policies is high. The situation is already different in Western European countries. These two trends will determine the future of the EU.

Woman under shower

Czech-Austrian Shower Inventor’s Name Became a Household

by Przemysław Bociąga
3 June 2024
Czechia/Culture/People

The idea of washing in water that pours down from above your head was introduced by controversial balneology and alternative medicine pioneer Vincenz Priessnitz.

Juan Vucetic developed the concept of fingerprint analysis

Bloody Fingerprint No Match for This Croatian-Born Policeman

by Przemysław Bociąga
2 June 2024
Czechia/Culture/People

With the advent of modern science, there also came modern detectives. One of the first was Juan Vučetić, born in Hvar, Croatia, who pioneered dactyloscopy and was the first person in history to identify a killer based on a bloody fingerprint.

slovenian restaurants restaurant owner with flowers in hands

The Slovenian Food Scene: An Unexpected Marvel

by Przemysław Bociąga
28 May 2024
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

With two million people, Slovenia is among the smallest nations in Central and Eastern Europe. However, when it comes to internationally recognized cuisine, it is one of the biggest powerhouses. What is the recipe for their amazing culinary success?

Variety & WWD Stylemakers Presented by Anastasia Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA - 17 Nov 2016. Anastasia Soare.

Anastasia Beverly Hills: California-Made, Romanian-Born

by Naomi Gherman
26 May 2024
Culture/People/Romania

Anastasia Soare fled communist Romania in search of her “American dream.” The road to success was paved with obstacles and hardships, but the Romanian-born Anastasia never gave up on building her beauty empire.

Day of Slavonic alphabet. Parade of the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture, and Slavonic Alphabet, on May 24, 2016, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

5 Words to Celebrate Bulgaria’s Most Important Holiday

by Galina Ganeva
24 May 2024
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

On May 24, Bulgaria is set to celebrate its biggest national holiday dedicated to the saints of the Bulgarian alphabet, education, culture, and of the Slavonic literature. We asked five Bulgarians working with words on an everyday basis to give us their favorite distinctively Bulgarian words.

Stone Forest of Siedliska

The Polish Forest Where the Trees Have Turned to Stone

by Przemysław Bociąga
23 May 2024
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Medieval Polish historian Jan Długosz once claimed that trees in the Roztocze Forest turned to stone just a few years after death. The reality is just a bit more complicated.

Young boy elected to play the King attends the Ride of the Kings folklore festival

Ride of the Kings – Pentecostal UNESCO Festival Storms Moravia

by Marek Koten
22 May 2024
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

Every year, the inhabitants of Vlčnov pick a young boy who will become the King for that year. And like any other King, he must ride through the town with his knights. Vlčnov Kings has done so for the last 200 years, and there are no signs of stopping.

Yarmouth stone

Were Hungarians in America Before Columbus? 

by Przemysław Bociąga
19 May 2024
Culture/Hungary

A 200 kg stone with curious inscriptions found in Canada's Nova Scotia has scientists and historians wondering if perhaps this stone bears proof that a Hungarian set foot on North American soil centuries before Christopher Columbus.

Ludvic Lazarus Zamenhof (right) an ophthalmologist, philologist, and the inventor of Esperanto, a constructed language designed for international communication in 1910

Esperanto: More Than Just a Language

by Weronika Edmunds
18 May 2024
Poland/Culture/People

The previous century was a time of abundant changes. To live in early 20th-century Poland was to be stuck in the middle of a diverse society with influences from at least three different cultures - with multiple differing languages. This is where Ludwik Zamenhof comes in.

Promotion balls season kick starts in Bulgaria. A young couple walks hand in hand during the high school graduates parade through the Bulgarian town of Svilengrad, Bulgaria on May 26, 2015.

Where More Is More – Welcome to the Bulgarian Prom

by Galina Ganeva
16 May 2024
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

It's that time of the year again. In the second half of May, main streets in big cities and small towns across Bulgaria turn into a catwalk. But no, this is not Bulgaria Fashion Week.

A model of the sculpture "Jara Cimrman in the fog" by Petr Suta during the veiling before the unveiling ceremony and the launch of the collection for the creation of the life-size work on 13th June in Tanvald, Jablonec region. Jara Cimrman, a fictional genius from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, has had his own cycle path in the Jizera Mountains for three years. It also leads to the places where the Jara Cimrman Theatre set its famous plays. The authors called the cycle path "On the bike around Liptakov" and tourists will find nine stops on it.

The Most Prominent Czech Who Never Lived

by Marek Koten
15 May 2024
Czechia/Culture/People

Playwright, poet, musician, teacher, traveler, philosopher, inventor, scientist, criminal, and sportsman. This is just a short list of what Jára Cimrman was in his lifetime. Too bad he never lived.

National junior individual championships 2023, serious atmosphere in the room.. Photo: courtesy of Romanian Chess Federation

Where Learning Chess Is More Than a Hobby

by Naomi Gherman
14 May 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Known for its intellectual properties and unanimously referred to as a mind game, chess is a board game that stimulates mental and psychological development. Which is precisely why in Romania, it is an official curriculum subject that you can study in school.

An exhibition room with the sculpture "Charakterkopf Nr. 31: Geruch, der zum Niesen reizt", by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, from about 1775 photographed in the new exhibition "The face. A search for clues" ("Das Gesicht. Eine Spurensuche") in the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden, Germany, 17 August 2017.

The Sensational Faces of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 May 2024
Austria/Culture/People

Active mainly in Vienna and Bratislava, this 18th-century sculptor left an unusual oeuvre of marble busts depicting distorted facial expressions. His inspiration could have been mental illness or belief in the paranormal.

Down Town Mill Colonnade-an iconic structure with hot springs-in western Bohemia. Not just the architecture but also the health spas of the city in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Where You Can Relax in Aristocratic Style

by Marek Koten
8 May 2024
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

The European aristocracy and artists loved the Czech Spas. The fame of Czech healing waters has gradually spread worldwide. The result is the 2021 inscription of the Czech Spa triangle to UNESCO.

The Hall of Honor - sliding ceiling. Photo: courtesy of Muzeul National Peles

Peleș Castle Is a Historic Beauty With a Modern Touch

by Naomi Gherman
6 May 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

This fascinating royal residence is one of Romania's most splendid castles and one of Europe's most modern palaces. Featuring its very own power plant, an elevator, and a central heating system, Peleș is the perfect blend between vintage and contemporary.

Hvar, Croatia, July 29, 2020: Stage of historical theatre in Arsenal building at Hvar, Croatia

The Oldest Public Theater in Europe

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
5 May 2024
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

"All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players," Shakespeare wrote in “As You Like It.” What if we took a break from the roles in our daily lives to go to a real theater? Perhaps to oldest theater in Europe?

Artist Christo unveils his first UK outdoor work, a 20m high installation on Serpentine Lake, with accompanying exhibition at at The Serpentine Gallery on June 18, 2018 in London, England

It’s a Wrap: The World of the Bulgarian-Born Christo

by Galina Ganeva
4 May 2024
Bulgaria/Culture/People

In the 1950s, one student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia was dispatched to Bulgaria's countryside to help farmers whose land was located along the route of the Orient Express. This state-ordered visit might have given the world one of the greatest artists of the late 20th and early 21st century.

Hala Gasienicowa, Tatra Mountains Zakopane, Poland.

The Man Who Bought the Tatra Mountains

by Weronika Edmunds
3 May 2024
Culture/People/Poland/Travel & Food

We take so many things for granted. And although we are theoretically aware that country borders (and what's within them) have shifted over centuries, the story of how Poland kept its Tatra Mountains is bound to be one of a kind.

Justine Lupe as Willa and Alan Ruck as Connor Roy in the HBO series : Succession - season 4 (2023). Plot: The Roy family saga continues in the final season of the show.

Connor Roy Was Right About Slovenia

by Przemysław Bociąga
28 April 2024
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

"Vienna for lunch, Venice for dinner... and Dubrovnik for breakfast," contemplate Mr. and Mrs. Connor Roy in the recent episode of "Succession" about a possible stay in Slovenia. However, once they see what the country has to offer, we think they'll want to stay closer to their Ljubljana base for their three square meals.

3 may constitution day

A Clash of Two Holidays Gives Poland a May Vacation Appetizer

by Przemysław Bociąga
27 April 2024
Travel & Food/Culture/Poland

On a May day some 250 years ago, Poland declared its first-ever constitution. Along with the communist-propagated Labor Day, also in May, the celebrations for two long and storied traditions give just the right excuse for majówka - extended spring celebrations.

Legionnaires of the Czechoslovak Corps

The Czechoslovak Legionnaires Who Conquered Russia

by Marek Koten
26 April 2024
Czechia/Culture

When Czechoslovakia came to be in 1918, a large part of its army was left in Soviet Russia. The Soviets didn't want to let Legionnaires back home, so they fought their way through. Very successfully!

8 Aug 1992: Team Lithuania celebrates after winning the bronze at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

Why Does Lithuania Love Basketball So Much?

by Augustas Kalinauskas
25 April 2024
Travel & Food/Culture/Romania

Lithuania is one of the few European countries where football does not reign supreme. There are many reasons for this, but the most important is that basketball here has always been closely related to its historical ups and downs.

Voronet is a monastery in Romania, located in the town of Gura Humorului. It is one of the famous painted monasteries from southern Bukovina, in Suceava County. Between May and September 1488, Stephen III of Moldavia built the Voronet Monastery to commemorate the victory at Battle of Vaslui. Often known as the Sistine Chapel of the East, the frescoes at Voronet feature an intense shade of blue known in Romania as Voronet blue. (Aufnahmedatum kann abweichen)

The Most Unique Shade of Blue – Art’s Greatest Mystery

by Naomi Gherman
24 April 2024
Travel & Food/Culture/Romania

One of Romania’s most alluring monasteries is not known just for its beauty. The fascinating frescos painted in this unique, bright shade of blue, called Voroneț blue, have amazed an entire world. The color mix is still a mystery to this day.

A Voice for Freedom in the Heart of Europe

by Marek Koten
20 April 2024
Czechia/Culture

Under socialism, Radio Free Europe's radio station brought information and culture from the free world to the Eastern Bloc. Today, it broadcasts from Prague and still sends hope via radio waves.

Charles University in Prague, Czechia’s Old Town.

Living History – The Story of Czech Universities

by Marek Koten
16 April 2024
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

Two important Czech universities are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. But how old are Czech Universities, and what is the outlook for them in the coming years?

Esotiq summer 23 campaign with Marcelina Zawadzka

The Latvian Capital of Lingerie 

by Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
15 April 2024
Latvia/Business/Culture

People all over the world wear pants, bras, and pajamas made in Latvia. A lot of the garments originate from Liepāja. How did this coastal city become the Northern country’s unofficial capital of lingerie?

The image shows the lighthouse located on the southern tip of the peninsula on the island of Saaremaa, aerial view

Saaremaa, the Livonian Knights’ Island – As Poetic As It Sounds

by Przemysław Bociąga
14 April 2024
Estonia/Travel & Food/Culture

The largest of the Estonian islands was already inhabited thousands of years ago. In the 21st century, it’s still thriving, and its expansive heritage is just the cherry on top.

Traditional Lithuanian dish Zeppelin, boiled potato dumplings stuffed with minced pork, on a colored ceramic plate on a gray concrete background

The National Dish Named After an Airship

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 April 2024
Culture/People/Czechia

Cepelinai dumplings, the fist-sized Lithuanian delicacies, derive their name from Zeppelins - the long, cylindrical airships of the early 20th century to which they bear a striking resemblance. And like their dirigible counterparts, cepelinai will leave you high... on carbs.

New Settlers on Shores of Jamestown. Landing At Jamestown. Illustration depicting the landing of the settlers at Jamestown, Virginia in 160

The First Workers to Strike in America Were 17th-Century Poles

by Przemysław Bociąga
11 April 2024
Poland/Culture

Polish woodworkers in the colony of Virginia were skilled in producing materials for shipbuilding but were not allowed to vote in the colony's first election. So they went on strike, and they won.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger among Thonet chairs in "Chicago" Musical

The Central European Roots of the Iconic Bentwood Chair

by Przemysław Bociąga
6 April 2024
Austria/Czechia/Culture

Thonet, an almost two-century-old Central European furniture manufacturer, is best known for its No. 14 Chair,  which can be seen in the paintings of many French Impressionist café dwellers.

Vivid painted wooden tombstones at Merry Cemetery, Famous graveyard in Sapanta, county of Maramures, Romania

Exploring the Merry Cemetery

by Naomi Gherman
5 April 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

We know. “Merry” and “cemetery” aren’t two words that usually go together. So what makes this graveyard, literally, merry? Is it the lively-colored gravestones? Or the humorous poems inscribed on them? Take a look and decide for yourself.

General plan from the House of Prayer of bombed Mariupolis in smoke.

Lithuanian Director Died Filming Best European Documentary

by Przemysław Bociąga
4 April 2024
Lithuania/Culture/People

"Mariupolis 2," a documentary film by Mantas Kvedaravičius, was named the Best in Europe in 2022. Mantas was murdered by the Russian Army in Mariupol while shooting it.

1924 - Karol Hala the first winner of the Peace Marathon stands surrounded by people posing for the camera.

The Košice Peace Marathon – The Oldest in Europe

by Martin Hochel
30 March 2024
Slovakia/Travel & Food/Culture

The annual International Peace Marathon in Košice, known as Košice Marathon, is the oldest in Europe and the fourth oldest in the world. In what began as a race with eight runners, today, this marathon series attracts over 10 thousand participants each year, with roughly 1500 running in the main event.

Rip Mountain - popular pilgrimage place, central Bohemian region. Czech Republic.

Czechia’s Magic Hill

by Marek Koten
29 March 2024
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

Říp Mountain rises proudly to the sky in Central Bohemia. In good weather, you can see Prague. What is the history of this Czech mountain, which has been attracting people since prehistoric times?

Equilibrists Siegmund Breitbart who is 'the living quarry' in Busch's Circus, Berlin - 1921

Poland’s Real-Life Superman

by Weronika Edmunds
28 March 2024
Poland/Culture/People

Behind every superhero, there is an inspiration. One Polish Jew was probably more than that. He is claimed to have been a real-life prototype of Superman.

Mozartkugeln in Salzburg

Austria, Home to Mozart and His Kugeln 

by Przemysław Bociąga
24 March 2024
Austria/Travel & Food/Culture

In honor of one of the world's greatest composers, his homeland's confectioners created Mozartkugeln – spherical chocolates and Austria's top souvenir for over a century now.

Constantin Brancusi Standing Next to Sculpture archive photo

Constantin Brâncuși: The Patriarch of Modern Sculpture

by Naomi Gherman
23 March 2024
Culture/Hungary

His sculpture La Jeune Fille Sophistiquée is the fifth most expensive sculpture ever sold. His work is adored and coveted all over the world. Discover the life of Constantin Brâncuși, a pioneer of modernism and one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century.

Huge tourism balloon floats very close to a church rooftop, in the city of Vilnius

Lithuania’s Airborne Love

by Weronika Edmunds
15 March 2024
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

What do a paper bag, a sheep, a duck, a rooster, and hot air have to do with Lithuania's most beloved hobby?

folk dancers from Transylvania

A Matchmaker’s Paradise: Romania’s Maiden Fair

by Naomi Gherman
14 March 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Back in the days before dating apps, people had to improvise. Romanians, merchants by nature, found a way to bring together young people from over 80 villages with a “maiden market,” which, contrary to its name, did not imply any exchange of money but marriage proposals.

The Baltic Way

The Longest Chain of People Holding Hands Extended 600 Kilometers

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 March 2024
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

On one day in 1989, two million people formed Baltic Way: the longest human chain in history. It connected three capitals and represented unity and freedom.

Pernik, Bulgaria - January 28, 2023: International masquerade festival Surva

A Joke Mine? This Bulgarian City Is Done Being a Laughing Stock

by Galina Ganeva
10 March 2024
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

For years, the residents of Pernik, a city of 70,000 near the Bulgarian capital Sofia, have been a subject of countless jokes told about them. What started this endless trove of jokes and how are the people of Pernik fighting back?

Still from Pocahontas, Disney movie from 1995

Captain Smith Was a Central European Hero

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 March 2024
People/Culture

Remember that guy from Pocahontas? He was a real thing, and before colonizing the Americas, he was a swashbuckler in Central Europe.

The Sea organ at sunrise, an architectural sound art object which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble

Wind and Water Play on This Incredible Sea Organ in Croatia

by Przemysław Bociąga
8 March 2024
Culture/Tech/Croatia

As you walk along the seaside in Zadar, Croatia, the air is filled with the melancholic sounds of the sea. The notes might not mirror any type of classical composition, but they nonetheless create a sound that is in perfect in its harmony.

Prague, Czech Republic. Detail of vintage Skoda car radiator and mascot

Winged Arrow: The Story of Škoda Auto

by Marek Koten
6 March 2024
Czechia/Business/Culture/Tech

Standing on the street corner, you see a car pass next to you on the road. With a glance, you see a winged arrow logo - a clear sign of a car manufactured by Škoda, an automotive company based in Czechia, which sells cars across the globe.

statue of Jan Zizka near Vitkov

Raising the Chalice Banner

by Marek Koten
5 March 2024
Czechia/Culture/People

The Czech Kingdom of the 15th Century became the birthplace of what we would later know as Protestantism. It was thanks to Hussites, an armed religious group that vowed to reform the Catholic Church.

Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen.

Klis Fortress and “Game of Thrones”

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
4 March 2024
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

Want to see one of the three great cities of the Bay of Dragons? In that case, you won't want to miss the majestic Klis Fortress, a prominent filming location for "Game of Thrones". It was here that the fictional village of Mereen was built.

A man participates in village celebrations in Feistritz an der Gail, in the Austrian province of Carinthia, May 28, 2012. The annual celebrations are centered around an alpine farming custom called "Kufenstechen" which, according to the first written records, dates back to 1630. In turn the unmarried young men ride bareback on Noriker horses, beating a wooden barrel with an iron club until the last wooden splinter has fallen down, followed by a dance "under the lime trees" with the unmarried women wearing traditional "Gailtaler" costumes.

Kirchtags of Kärnten: South Austria’s Rowdy Village Festivals

by Sam Baldwin
2 March 2024
Austria/Travel & Food/Culture

Translated as 'Church Day,' these rowdy, rural festivals are anything but holy. Expect maidens dressed in dirndl, club-wielding men riding horses bareback, and a lot of beer.

Carnival in Central Europe - Celebrated In Bohemian-Moravian Highlands

Carnival in Central Europe – What Sets It Apart

by Weronika Edmunds
28 February 2024
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

By late February, everyone is sick and tired of winter, especially as the eternal cycle of the seasons promises the soon arrival of spring. For millennia, the human race was celebrating that time, trying to scare away the death of winter and invite the season of rebirth and fertility.

Portrait of Jan Amos Comenius (Komensky) (1592-1670). Czech humanist and educator. Expelled as predecessor of the Moravian or Bohemian Brethren Church and settled in Amsterdam since 1656.

The Teacher of Nations

by Marek Koten
25 February 2024
People/Czechia/Culture

"School by Play" is one of the most famous thoughts of the Czech philosopher and pedagogue nicknamed The Teacher of Nations. Although Jan Ámos Komenský was Czech, he influenced the whole of Europe.

Bride Fatme Inus, her face painted white and decorated with sequins, emerges to present herself to villagers towards at her wedding to Mustafa Sirakov on January 12, 2014 in Ribnovo, Bulgaria. The practice of painting the bride's face white and decorating it with sequins and coloured paint is called "gelena" in Bulgarian, is unique to Ribnovo and is a tradition going back centuries. Ribnovo weddings only take place in the winter and the entire village participates with group dances on the main square. Ribnovo, located in the mountains of southern Bulgaria, is predominantly inhabited by Pomaks.

Bulgaria’s Mysteriously Painted “White Brides”

by Galina Ganeva
24 February 2024
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

In a remote corner of Bulgaria, in a village deep in the Rhodope Mountains, the virginity of a bride is celebrated with a literal bang. Don't be afraid, you're safe.

Poland, Warsaw, 08.1955. 5th World Festival of Youth and Students (31.07 - 15.08.1955). On photo: festival participants.

The Polish Socialist Woodstock Was a Party to Remember

by Przemysław Bociąga
23 February 2024
Poland/Culture

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Warsaw in the Summer of 1955 for the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students – a Socialist peace initiative that vastly influenced the city, art in the Eastern Bloc, and the youth culture of Central Europe.

Nobel

Central Europe Is Full of Nobel Prizes

by Agaton Koziński
21 February 2024
Three Seas Initiative/Culture/People

Representatives of 13 Three Seas Initiative countries have won a total of 43 Nobel Prizes over time. Add this to the dozens of laureates who have roots in the region.

Bolt car park on the street people crossing

A Bolt in the Sky: The Rapid Rise of an Estonian Mobility Company

by Filip Rey
20 February 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

One of Uber’s main rivals started off modestly, but quickly turned its creator into Europe’s youngest founder of a billion-dollar company.

Albin Polasek

Albín Polášek, America’s Most Famous Sculptor

by Marek Koten
17 February 2024
Czechia/Culture/People

Although he was born and began his career in the Czech Republic, Americans consider Albín Polášek to be their most important sculptor.

khan krum sits at the table

Drinking Wine from Your Enemy’s Skull in Medieval Bulgaria

by Krasimir Cheshmedzhiev
16 February 2024
Bulgaria/Culture

Have you heard of body shots? It’s a thing mostly at college parties where the exposed stomach of a partygoer substitutes as the vessel for a shot of alcohol. The same kind of thing happened in medieval Bulgaria, but with a much more macabre twist.

The Central Andean Railroad. LIMA, PERU - JUNE 29: View of the train at the top of the way during a trip in the world famous Railroad 'Ferrocarril Central Andino' on June 29, 2018 in Lima, Peru. The Ferrocarril Central Andino crosses the highest railway point in America and second in the world, crossing a height of 4782 msn in the Peruvian Andes.

Ernest Malinowski – Taking Railway to a Whole New Level

by Weronika Edmunds
13 February 2024
People/Poland/Culture

He was one of the dreamers who seriously took to heart the saying that the sky is the limit. Educated as an engineer and damn good at his job, Ernest became a national hero for two countries. It's time the world was reminded about his achievements.

20 CZK coin.

The Fight for Czech Crowns

by Marek Koten
12 February 2024
Czechia/Business/Culture

The debate seems never-ending: to accept the Euro or keep the Czech Crown? What do Czech people, economists, and politicians think, and is the Czech Republic to get the common currency of the EU?

to the First International Trade Fair at Brno, admire a Czech-made "Tatra -603" car on show in one of the three large engineering exhibitions.

Tatra: The Czech Family Silver That Has No Problem Getting Dirty

by Marek Koten
11 February 2024
Culture/Czechia/Business

The second oldest car manufacturer, Czech company Tatra, has a long history of making cars, trucks, and even railway wagons. They were also crazy enough to try this crazy idea: an aerodynamic car!

Hands holding tea cup over the breakfast table

Drinking Tea in Bulgaria: It’s Complicated

by Galina Ganeva
9 February 2024
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

"I am Bulgarian, not English. I only drink coffee, not tea." Some nine years ago, Jonathan Allen, then British ambassador to Bulgaria, made a statement most Bulgarians easily support. And while Ambassador Allen might have gone back to drinking tea, Bulgaria's relationship with this beverage remains somewhat lukewarm.

fat thursday poland

Fat Thursday or Mardi Gras? In Poland, We Say, Why Not Both?

by Przemysław Bociąga
8 February 2024
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Used to fasting and celebrating Easter as a time of penance, many Poles limit indulgences to only a few special occasions each year. But when it’s time to feast time, they do it 100%. Or, in this case, 200%.

portrait of Ivo Boscarol in plane

Pipistrel: A Slovenian Success Story

by Vid Sosic
6 February 2024
Romania/Culture/People

Ivo Boscarol is a Slovenian entrepreneur and aircraft designer with a great success story. Throughout his continuing success, he has remained true to his birthplace and dedicated a lot of made money to local causes.

man blows the glass in the Kvetna 1794 glassworks

The Czech Glass Class

by Marek Koten
3 February 2024
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

There are many things the Czech Republic is very well known for, one of them being Czech Glass. To be more specific, Bohemian Crystal. The production of Bohemian Crystal, from the Bohemia and Silesia regions, is a rich centuries-old tradition that is still thriving today.

Vilhelms Purvītis. In Spring (Springtime). Ca 1933–1934. Oil on cardboard. Collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art.

Vilhelms Purvītis: the Latvian Philosopher of Snow

by Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
28 January 2024
Latvia/Culture/People

Vilhelms Purvītis laid the foundations for Latvian landscape painting. His emotive works capture the fragile beauty of nature throughout the seasons in unrivaled detail. Still today, he is a revered cultural figure.

Members of Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares perform at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England.

Bulgaria’s Polyphonic Singing Takes the Stage

by Galina Ganeva
27 January 2024
Bulgaria/Culture/People

Ask Google "Why is Bulgarian music so good?" and you'll find out that "Bulgarian folk music is unique in Europe for its "asymmetrical" rhythms, where the musical time is not split in even beats, but in longer and shorter." Thanks, Google, but this is only part of the story.

Anthony Procopi

Clothes Make the Man

by Marek Koten
24 January 2024
Czechia/Business/Culture

Businessman, Olympic athlete, or polar explorer. All of them are dressed by Czech companies. And as the old Czech song says: "It's an age-old truth, clothes make the man."

Dr. George E. Palade, who pioneered research into the structure and functions of a cell

The Charmed Life of George Emil Palade

by Naomi Gherman
20 January 2024
Culture/People/Romania

The Independent called him “the most influential cell biologist ever.” He was the first Romanian to win the Nobel Prize. George Emil Palade, the founder of modern molecular biology, was not just a genius - he was a very lucky man, too.

1960s SMILING COUPLE WITH ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER WOMAN HOLDING PEN & MAN HOLDING BLANK CARD

No More Inkblots! How a Hungarian Revolutionized Writing

by Weronika Edmunds
18 January 2024
Hungary/Culture/People

The frustration that boils your blood when a computer crashes just as you were to save the work you have been sweating over the past hour is known to all. Our great grandfathers could relate, as an inkblot could ruin a carefully written page of a letter. Someone had to put an end to it!

boy bathing and swimming in the cold water of a lake or river among the ducks, cold therapy, ice swim with forest trees on background

Dive On In! The Water’s Just… Freezing

by Weronika Edmunds
14 January 2024
Travel & Food/Culture

In the middle of the summer, as we are stocking up on that lush, sun-generated heat, it seems safer to think about the growing trend of swimming in icy-cold water in the middle of winter. A sport that unites some of the Baltic countries. Which ones?

group of spectators sitting in a movie theater wearing 3-D glasses

From 3D Movies to Microwave Ovens: Romania’s Famous Inventor

by Naomi Gherman
6 January 2024
People/Romania/Culture

Do you enjoy the experience of watching a 3D movie and getting to “live” every minute of it? It is all thanks to the Romanian inventor Theodor Ionescu who brought 3D images to TV and cinema and created one of the biggest industries in the world.

Kingsize movie set

The Polish Communist Cola That Turns You Into a Giant Dwarf

by Przemysław Bociąga
30 December 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Communist countries were jealous of a few things from the West, and one of them was the famous "capitalist" soft drink. A Polish copy became the symbol of attempts at escaping communism – but in a very unexpected way.

A re-enactment of the coronation of Charles IV as king of Bohemia was staged in Prague's St Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic, September 4, 2016 at the close of two-day festivity the City of Prague and Charles University jointly organised to mark the Holy Roman emperor's 700th birth anniversary

The Path of Greatness – Prague’s Royal Road

by Marek Koten
27 December 2023
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

It is a route that Czech Kings took upon their coronation for centuries. And while there are no kings in Czechia these days, the Royal Road is still a crucial sightseeing trail through Prague.

winter sleigh ride in Beskid Żywiecki

Come, Sleigh With Me! In Poland, It’s a Tradition

by Weronika Edmunds
25 December 2023
Culture/Poland/Travel & Food

When frosty winter hits, people tend to stay home and warm themselves up with a nice cuppa… not! Not when they're Polish, anyway. Winter at the end of the carnival was considered by the nobles as the best time to hit each other's pads and party.

Stylish christmas gift in hands under christmas tree with lights. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Woman in cozy sweater putting wrapped christmas present in atmospheric festive room

Festive Gift-Giving Craze in Central Eastern Europe Explained

by Weronika Edmunds
24 December 2023
Culture

To: Mum, From: Nicky – is what you may find written on your Christmas present, for example, in the UK or the USA. However, Central Europeans are adamant that the gifts have a more otherwordly origin. So what is it about all this gift-giving tradition?

Panoramic shot of a plywood Christmas scene under arc made by wood and lights

The Cornucopia of Hidden Meanings in Polish Christmas Carols

by Weronika Edmunds
23 December 2023
Poland/Culture

World-famous Polish ski jumper, Adam Małysz, was once asked what he did to relax when sitting on the bench, waiting to jump. He answered – "I hum Christmas carols." His answer might have astonished everyone but Poles. Poles smiled and understood.

A vibrant red Christmas wreath made of small wild red rowan berries. The decoration is hanging on a black colored door. In the center of the door is a brass door knocker, in the shape of a fish

We All Eat Carp – Central European Christmas Traditions

by Weronika Edmunds
22 December 2023
Travel & Food/Culture

It is peculiar how people in every country tend to imagine their traditions must be very national. As much as it is true about some, the common roots of the Three Seas States result in many practices we all share. Do you know which ones?

Travel planning

The Power of Paper

by Galina Ganeva
18 December 2023
Culture/People/Three Seas Initiative

How strong is your 3Seas region country passport? Very.

Tea vs chai - etymology and differences

What’s in a Name? More Than You Think When It Comes to Tea

by Przemysław Bociąga
17 December 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture/Lithuania

The whole of Europe can be divided into two parts, just based on the name of this staple drink - tea. The only countries that escape this division are the former members of the Polish-Lithuania commonwealth. So, what can we glean from this fact?

People run during the sauna marathon

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful… Let’s Hit the Sauna!

by Weronika Edmunds
16 December 2023
Estonia/Travel & Food/Culture

During the longest, cold winter nights, you may want to curl up under your blanket with a cup of hot cocoa and a favorite film. But why not try something different? Estonians did. And now, each year, they host the European Sauna Marathon!

Happy friends with sparklers celebrating christmas at home feast over snow.

Polish Christmas Eve Explained – 12 Dishes, White Bread, and Hay

by Weronika Edmunds
15 December 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

As Christmas Day is right around the corner, it is interesting to see how countries of the Three Seas region celebrate that time. Poland's Christmas Eve celebration is rather elaborate and has not changed much over centuries.

couple walking on the street with winter decoration

Vilnius: The City of Low-Flying Angels

by Weronika Edmunds
14 December 2023
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

A city foretold by an iron wolf, built by a pagan Duke, developed by Christian kings, drowning in green vegetation, and home to hundreds of angels – Vilnius might just be the most exceptional European capital.

Austrian postbox

“Missent to Austria… Again.” Name Confusion and Strange Journeys

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 December 2023
Austria/Business/Culture

Yes, the Austrian Post has a special stamp that says "Missent to Austria" for Australian packages. One recent package was finally delivered with five such stamps all lined up in a nice row.

Christmas winter snow family contemplative dad mum child night evening Oberndorf

Turning Christmas Carol Into a Worldwide Hit Song

by Weronika Edmunds
9 December 2023
Austria/Travel & Food/Culture

During Christmas, one melody is sure to unite the world. This carol has been sung for over two hundred years by Christians all over the world. Do you know it? Where does it come from?

portrait of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in hat

Meet the Bulgarian Designer Dressing Kate Middleton

by Galina Ganeva
8 December 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Czechia

The impeccable style of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has been well-documented. But a closer look behind the scenes at Eponine London, one of the high-end brands favored by the Duchess, unexpectedly takes us to a sleepy Bulgarian town of 12,000 people.

Santa Claus

When Does Saint Nick Really Pay a Visit?

by Weronika Edmunds
6 December 2023
Travel & Food/Culture

We seem to take it for granted that Christmas presents are brought by Father Christmas in his sleigh. That's down to C.C. Moore, but what came before and is still practiced in many Three Seas States?

Beginner Greek language learner writing Hello word in greek alphabet on a notebook

Is It All Greek to You? There’s an App for That.

by Galina Ganeva
5 December 2023
Greece/Culture

The Greek language is among the most popular to learn on Duolingo out of the languages in the 3Seas region. But does the fascination with the language go beyond the occasional exercise on the go?

Woodcut portrait of Michał Boym by Athanasius Kircher

The First Expert on China – The Polish Marco Polo

by Weronika Edmunds
2 December 2023
Poland/Culture/People

It is a little crazy to imagine that Chinese civilization, which came up with many great inventions that changed the course of the history of mankind, was largely enveloped in mystery. Enter Michał Boym.

Tasty Hungarian goulash soup

Goulash: The King of Stews

by Weronika Edmunds
1 December 2023
Culture/Romania/Travel & Food

Pepper, onions, some meat, paprika, and one pot make for a steaming, hot goodness. This world-famous dish does have its own story to tell.

St. Andrew’s Eve Fortune Telling

St. Andrew’s Eve Fortune Telling – The Original Tinder

by Przemysław Bociąga
29 November 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

A national holiday in Romania and a popular customary feast in more countries of Central Europe, the commemoration of St. Andrews Day on November 30 is an occasion to witness ghostly activities and get them to share insights from the future.

Gellert Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool

The World’s Spa Capital

by Weronika Edmunds
25 November 2023
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

Hungary is known to have more thermal spas than any other country. With over 1300 springs nationwide, a staggering 123 are found in Budapest alone. Fancy a spa getaway? This is the place to go!

Timisoara, Romania.

How Many Cultural Capitals Can Europe Have?

by Weronika Edmunds
23 November 2023
Hungary/Culture/Romania

Of course, we are not talking about state capitals, but, on this occasion, the European Capitals of Culture. With a nearly 40-year-long tradition, the initiative promotes the best and most revered cultural treasures across the EU. Where should you go this year?

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese’s Undying Love of Polish Cinematic Masterpieces

by Przemysław Bociąga
18 November 2023
Poland/Culture/People

One of the most famous Hollywood directors and a vocal admirer of the art of the cinema is openly in love with the Polish film school of the 1960s and 1970s.

Aerial drone view of small beautiful church on top of a mountain in Slovenia at dawn. Beautiful autumn morning landscape

Slovenia – The Land of Chapels

by Vid Sosic
15 November 2023
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

Slovenia has a rich tradition of building chapels. You can see them everywhere, in any shape and form, old and new. Although visitors to the lands would point to this extraordinary fact, it is unclear why the tradition was so alive among Slovenes.

Circus and street art festival RE RIGA! The street performance “Arrived” by Spanish street theater artist Adrian Schvarzstein and Lithuanian dancer and actor Jūratė Sirvytė-Rukstelė.

The Riga Circus Is More Than a Show

by Przemysław Bociąga
12 November 2023
Culture/Latvia/Travel & Food

This classical building in the center of Riga is very much alive, still serving its main objective: developing the (now-nearly forgotten) art of the circus.

Painting depicting the signature of the armistice in the railway carriage

What’s All the Fuss About November 11?

by Weronika Edmunds
11 November 2023
Culture/Travel & Food

The 11th of November is a day of remembrance virtually within all European countries scarred by the First World War. How exactly did this day shape Europe as we know it?

Roast goose in a roasting tin

Goose, Wine, and Sweets – Saint Martin’s Feast in Central Europe

by Weronika Edmunds
10 November 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Sometimes referred to as the European Thanksgiving, Sant Martin’s day is a feast that unites many countries in the region. Like every good party, it is marked with traditional specialties – wine, goose, and sweet pastries.

Covers of Bajtek Magazine, issue 7/86 and 2/86.

Bajtek: the Iconic Polish Socialist Gaming Magazine

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 November 2023
Poland/Culture

Back when personal computing was just a few thousand white pixels against an emerald background, young Polish early adopters had an oasis of modernity in the midst of a technically neglected industry.

Photo of the image of the country of Romania taken by people. Guinness World Record "Largest human image of a country/continent".

Getting the Big Picture (Literally)

by Naomi Gherman
7 November 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

One of the most contested Guinness records, "Largest human image of a country/continent," has been held by Romania since 2018 when, on the occasion of the country's centenary, more than 4000 people joined hands in framing the shape of their homeland.

Kihnu family on a motorcycle ride

The Real-Life Island of Estonian Amazons

by Przemysław Bociąga
5 November 2023
Estonia/Travel & Food/Culture

Kihnu is known in Estonia as the land of women and is even called Europe's last matriarchy.

Christopher Harant Baron of Polzicz and Bedruzicz and in Pecka S. C. M. Councilor and Chamberlain

Kryštof Harant: Explorer and Renaissance Gentleman

by Marek Koten
3 November 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

For some, travel is not so much a once a year luxury, but rather a way of life. For one 16th-century Czech explorer, his passion for travel was so great, he spent his life exploring what the world had to offer. And then his last trip cost him his head.

Night Cemetery at All Saints' Day in Slovakia

All the Dearly Departed

by Weronika Edmunds
1 November 2023
Travel & Food/Culture

Throughout millennia, humans have always paid respects to their dead and laid them to rest with elaborate burial styles. Gradually, these were replaced by rituals. Are you sure you know how they developed and what remains of them today?

Postcard with scene from Dziady

Spirits Awakened During This Slavic-Style Halloween Precursor

by Przemysław Bociąga
28 October 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

In Halloween costumes, light-hearted witchcraft, and door-to-door trick-or-treating, many conservatives in Central Europe see Satanism, postmodernism, and westernization. But in times past, the spirit of Halloween was summoned even here on Forefather's Eve.

Detail of Slovenian 10 Tolar banknote (1992) showing portrait of Primoz Trubar, author of 1st Slovene language book; 1508-1586.

Reformation in Slovenia: More Than Just a Religious Change

by Vid Sosic
22 October 2023
Slovenia/Culture

In Slovenia, the Reformation was more than just a religious change. It started a revolution in Slovenian culture, leading to the creation of its written language, complete with influential and impactful literature. It even established the nation's fundaments, including its name.

saragossa manuscript movie

The Convoluted 18th-Century Novel Made Clear by Modern Hyperlinks

by Przemysław Bociąga
21 October 2023
Poland/Culture

The Manuscript Found in Saragossa, a cult novel about Spain, written in French by a Polish aristocrat and an intellectual genius, got transcribed to hypertext, shedding new light on its content.

The Heads of Wawel

A View From the Top: The Heads of Wawel

by Przemysław Bociąga
15 October 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

One ceiling in Kraków's Wawel Royal Castle is uniquely adorned with busts of Polish rulers, a collection that was lost, found, and later expanded.

Prague, Czech Republic, 3 august 2023. Metro statioin pictogram. Mustek M1.

The Story of Prague’s Metro

by Marek Koten
14 October 2023
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

Serving as a primary means of transportation for the city and nuclear shelter in the past, the new vision of Prague Metro introduces a fully autonomous modern intra-city connection.

Friday The 13th Alert

Are You As Superstitious As a Pole?

by Weronika Edmunds
13 October 2023
Poland/Culture

Every country has its superstitions. Some of them are still popular, while others bring a smile of disbelief that someone could have treated them seriously. And it looks like they are still alive and well in Poland.

Tourists in front of the Giants Gate (aka Wrestling Giants) in Prague Castle. Prague, Czech Republic

Trust Issues in Czechia

by Marek Koten
11 October 2023
Culture/Czechia

Czechia has recently experienced a crisis of trust. Citizens do not trust their politicians and public representatives. Is the situation as dire as it seems, and is there a possibility of addressing it?

Pažanga company and Party Headquarters (1934) by Feliksas Vizbaras.

Kaunas’s Architecture of Optimism

by Augustas Kalinauskas
8 October 2023
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

There is no other city in Lithuania where social, political, and cultural trends are reflected in architecture to such an extent. The history of the past few centuries becomes crystal clear in Kaunas as the city gained its modern form only recently.

portrait of Marian Eile

The Socialist Lifestyle Magazine With a “Civilizing” Mission 

by Przemysław Bociąga
7 October 2023
Poland/Culture/People

Established in 1946, Poland's "Przekrój" was a unique concept for an opinion and lifestyle magazine in a country where opinions were suppressed, and lack of style was due to scarcity. 

Leszek Lichota as Antoni Kosiba

Polish Cult Movie Remake Coming to Netflix Near You!

by Przemysław Bociąga
27 September 2023
Poland/Culture

A new adaptation of a classic Polish-novel-turned-cult-film was just announced by Netflix, sending the Internet into a frenzy. While younger generations seem open, fans of the original film are up in arms over the remake of a beloved masterpiece.

Tour of Slovenia 2018

Breaking Away from the Pack: The Slovene Passion for Cycling

by Agnieszka Sawala
23 September 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Cycling is one of the Slovenes' national superpowers. For several years their peloton has been running away from the rest of the world. Who will finally overtake them (and why it won't be that easy)?

A student holds a placard with a portrait of Milada Horakova while commemorating the 70th anniversary of her execution, on Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, 25 June 2020. Horakova, a Czech lawyer and politician who opposed the single-party communist system, was the victim of judicial murder during the communist political show trials in the 1950s. She was convicted on fabricated charges of conspiracy and treason and executed on 27 June 1950.

4 Czech Women Who Have Left Giant Marks on History

by Marek Koten
21 September 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

Lawyers, singers, and writers. Those are some of the roles that four of the most influential women in Czech history have played. And even though they are often overshadowed by their male counterparts, their roles are equally significant.

Monument to Aleksander Fredro (1793-1876), Polish playwright and poet, 1897, night view, bronze statue by Leonard Marconi (1836-1899), Wroclaw, Poland.

The Pedestal That Got a New Tenant

by Przemysław Bociąga
20 September 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

After World War Two, all the German culture was forced out of Wrocław, and Polish culture swept in. This included the residents switching out the most important monument in the main square.

Hand drawing "Do you speak English?" on green chalkboard.

Austrians’ Excellent English Makes Life Easier for Non-Natives

by Sam Baldwin
19 September 2023
Austria/Travel & Food/Culture

Sprechen Sie Englisch? In the most recent English Proficiency Index, Austria ranks second best in Europe. For those not yet fluent in German, it makes adapting to Austrian life that little bit easier.

Illustration o f The Pietroasele Treasure, or the Petrossa Treasure, found in Pietroasele, Buzau, Romania, so-called treasure of Athanarich.

Lost, Found, and Never Returned – Romania’s Missing Treasure

by Christopher Radovici
17 September 2023
Romania/Culture

For Romania, one of the Great War's most significant losses was its extensive treasure of over 120 tons of gold and numerous other valuables, all sent to Russia under the guise of "safekeeping." A century later, it still hasn't been returned.

Enthusiasts Commemorate Liberation Of West Bohemia During World War II. DNESICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - MAY 04: A history enthusiast dressed in WWII U.S. Army uniform poses during stop over the 'Convoy of Liberty' event which drive through west Bohemian cities and villages near Pilsen on. May 4, 2013 in Dnesice, Czech Republic. 'Convoy of Liberty' commemorates the 68th anniversary of the World War II ending in Europe and when in 1945 the western part of the Czech Republic was liberated by the U.S. Army from Nazi oppression.

Stars and Stripes Over Pilsen

by Marek Koten
15 September 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Czechia

Pilsen was the only major Czech city liberated by the American army during World War II. How did this happen, why did the Americans not go further, and how do Pilseners still celebrate this fact today?

Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales, 2013.

Your Majesty, Meet the Bednarczyks

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 September 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

When Charles Windsor became King Charles III, the internet resurfaced the photo of his 1993 visit to a Polish provincial family. It still amuses Poles to this day.

Man hiking at mountains with heavy backpack Travel Lifestyle wanderlust adventure concept summer vacations outdoor alone into the wild. Tatra National Park, Poland.

The Unplugged Tourist Shelters of the Polish Mountainside

by Przemysław Bociąga
3 September 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Poland

In the Polish mountainside, you can still find tourist shelters so unplugged that you have to chop your own wood and use a well to get a cup of hot tea.

The City Of Gorizia Is Divided In Two. Sasha gives Blaz a bag of flour through the wire mesh that divides Piazza Transalpina (Transalpina Square) on May 8, 2020 in Gorizia, Italy. Piazza Transalpina is a square divided between the municipalities of Gorizia in Italy and Nova Gorica in Slovenia. In 1947, the new border created between Italy and Yugoslavia was traced by dividing the square in two, crossed by the so-called "Muro di Gorizia". From May 1, 2004, with the entry of Slovenia into the European Union, the wall dividing the square was removed, but from March 11, 2020 the Slovenian government closed its borders with Italy to counter the spread of the coronavirus. A wire mesh has been positioned on the square to delimit the border between Italy and Slovenia, dividing many families, friends and couples.

Blended Regions, Blended Borders

by Agnieszka Sawala
15 August 2023
Croatia/Slovenia/Culture

The Istria region is divided between three countries - Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. It was always a bit of "someone else's" - the tug of war took decades. And the scars are still visible.

Board game "Breeding Animals" created by Karol Borsuk. The re-edition of the game can be purchased from the Warsaw Uprising Museum.

The Polish Board Game That Saved a Man From German Occupation

by Przemysław Bociąga
14 August 2023
Culture/People/Poland

Super Farmer is a new edition of the 1940s cult classic created to teach children to count and allow a math professor to survive unemployment under Nazi rule in Warsaw.

American Actor Telly Savalas Stars in the TV series 'Kojak', 1986.

Romanian Cult Lollipop Brand Named After Detective Kojak

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 August 2023
Romania/Culture/People

The bald Greek-American detective played by Telly Savalas was so famous in Romania that his favorite sweet treat was named after him.

Elblag, 1960s. Polish sculptors prepare their works at the Zamech factory, n/z on the left Magdalena Więcek-Wnuk. The sculpture by Magdalena Więcek-Wnuk was created during the Second Biennial of Spatial Forms in 1967. The form was designed for the surroundings of the stadium of the "Olimpia" sports club, but was eventually set up in Dworcowy Square, opposite the railroad station. In the 1990s, the composition was moved to the courtyard of the EL Gallery. In this work, the author was interested in the problem of extracting spherical forms from space and confronting them in space.

Elbląg’s Biennale Turned the City Into an Open-Air Gallery

by Przemysław Bociąga
12 August 2023
Culture/Poland/Travel & Food

An unusual artist project from the 1960s and 70s turned a medium-sized Polish city's public squares into the exposition of the country's best sculptors.

Dragons in Love sculpture in the Sea Garden at the coast of Black Sea in Varna, Bulgaria.

A Celebration of Varna, Bulgaria

by Galina Ganeva
11 August 2023
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture/People

Ahead of Varna Day, celebrated on 15 August, 3Seas Europe talks to four local residents about what makes their city so special.

Youths Demonstrating with Signs.

The Czechoslovakian Dream

by Marek Koten
8 August 2023
Slovakia/Czechia/Culture

It was the dream of socialism without censorship and political prisoners. It was the dream of a society motivated by the future, not fear. It was a dream that was killed by an invasion in 1968.

Alien spacecraft is hovering over the trees

The Polish Monument Marking a UFO Landing

by Przemysław Bociąga
6 August 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

In 1978, a man from the village of Emilcin, Poland, made contact with beings from outer space. And it must be true because there's proof: a monument that says so!

Still from Stuart Little movie, 1999. Geena Davis as Mrs. Little, Hugh Laurie as Mr. Little and Jonathan Lipnicki as George Little.

Hungarian Masterpiece Found as a Movie Prop

by Przemysław Bociąga
5 August 2023
Hungary/Culture

Hungarian painter Róbert Berény's "Sleeping Lady with Black Vase", was considered missing for almost a century. That is, until an art historian found it... in a scene from a popular family movie.

Trendy woman with short hair in headphones listening to music outdoors. Beautiful girl in cool denim jacket and bright glasses holding phone

How a Croat Revolutionized the Way We Listen to Music

by Danijel Bačan
3 August 2023
Croatia/Business/Culture

Long gone are the days when making a beloved mix tape involved hours of sitting at your computer trying to download a single song that half the time still ended in an error message. You can thank a genius Croatian invention born from a master's thesis for that.

Decorative sticks in the the park.

The Iconic Sigulda Walking Stick

by Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
2 August 2023
Latvia/Travel & Food/Culture

While still a practical mobility aid for seniors and hikers, the generously patterned and colorful wooden walking stick has also become a symbol of the Latvian town of Sigulda. It is a much-loved souvenir item, and you can even make your own version.

Poster with Billy Gladstone. Screenshot from youtube.com

Billy Gladstone Marched to the Beat of His Own Drum

by Naomi Gherman
1 August 2023
Romania/Culture/People

He was more than a drummer. He was a multi-instrumentalist, a fine percussionist, a revolutionary inventor, and a visionary. This Romania-born ‘jack of all trades’ mastered it all and was considered the world’s greatest snare drummer.

Close up of the traditional istrian huts - Kazun. With blue sky in background.

Kažuni – Croatia’s Igloo-Shaped Stone Houses

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
31 July 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

Hidden among pastures and vineyards, these igloo-like stone houses, forged through skill, determination, and great patience, are an inseparable part of the landscape of Istria and Dalmatia in Croatia.

Malcolm McDowell as Alex in the 1971 film "A Clockwork Orange" directed by Stanley Kubrick from the novel by Anthony Burgess.

Two and a Half Polish Translations of “A Clockwork Orange”

by Przemysław Bociąga
30 July 2023
Poland/Culture/People

Anthony Burgess' masterpiece models the English language as it could sound were it overwhelmingly influenced by Russian. Polish translator Robert Stiller recreated the experiment in Polish in multiple versions.

After frequent and intense negotiations about co-existence of two equal nations in a common state, the Czechoslovak Federal Republic (CSFR) was peacefully dissolved on December 31, 1992. Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar (left) and Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus during their talks about dissolution of Czechoslovakia in the garden of Tugendhat Villa in Brno, August 26,1992.

The Roots of Czechoslovakia

by Marek Koten
29 July 2023
Czechia/Business/Culture

After living together for 69 years, a divorce came. Czechs and Slovaks shared many ups and downs throughout modern history, and the split surprised many. But was it really a surprise?

Eurovision 2023. Poland entrant Blanka during the grand opening of the grand final for the Eurovision Song Contest final at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. Picture date: Saturday May 13, 2023.

Bulgaria’s Polish Connection

by Galina Ganeva
28 July 2023
Poland/Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

Located at the opposite ends of the three seas region, Bulgaria and Poland are connected in myriad ways. But with new countries competing for attention, are traditional cultural ties still going strong?

Portrait of Frederic Chopin

Żelazowa Wola, the Birthplace of Chopin’s Romantic Style

by Przemysław Bociąga
27 July 2023
Poland/Culture/People

One of the most internationally famous Poles began his career at his parent’s manor just an hour outside of Warsaw. Given the scale of folk inspiration in Chopin’s music, Żelazowa Wola (The Iron Village) is the likely source of the “musical ore” he refined.

poster for the

Lake Bohinj “Is Too Beautiful for Murder”

by Agnieszka Sawala
27 July 2023
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

What do Agata Christie, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Ulay, Jackie Chan, and Nick Cave have in common? A Slovenian episode!

Professor Erno Rubik With Daughter

The Hungarian Who Famously Puzzled the World

by Przemysław Bociąga
26 July 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Ernő Rubik, the inventor of the world’s famous Rubik’s Cube, with a background in building and furniture design, is now a STEM promotor, game designer, and an acclaimed symbol of Hungary.

Man lose brown wallet on the road in tourist attraction. Losing wallet concept. Focus on wallet.

Are We That Honest? Maybe More Than You Think

by Jakub Warzecha
25 July 2023
Czechia/Culture/Poland/Romania

What would you do if you found a wallet full of money? Would you give it away or keep it for yourself? Researchers analyzed this dilemma and came up with the fairest societies.

Pine marten, detail portrait of forest animal. Small predator sitting on the beautiful green moss stone in the forest. Wildlife scene.

The Pine Marten, Croatia’s Unofficial National Animal

by Danijel Bačan
23 July 2023
Croatia/Culture

Most countries worldwide have declared national animals, with eagles and lions favored by many. Although Croatia has not explicitly declared a national animal, most Croatians (and a Google search) will tell you it's the pine marten. What is so special about this beloved creature?

bryndza cheese

Tracing the Slovak Origins of Bryndza

by Martin Hochel
23 July 2023
Slovakia/Travel & Food/Culture

Bryndza is a phenomenon in the Slovak food industry. The origins of this soft cheese can be traced back to the 18th century’s recipe, which was probably developed by the Vlach population. Family businesses were the key to its promotion and export, and their legacy continues to this day.

Saint Dominic’s Fair

Gdańsk Has St. Dominic to Thank For its Best-Known Event

by Weronika Edmunds
22 July 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Business/Culture

The oldest fair in the world has been held in Frankfurt since 1240. How does the Saint Dominic’s fair, held annually in Gdańsk, compare to that result? You might be surprised.

Nikifor Drowniak, 1963.

A World-Class Artist With a First-Grader’s Artbox

by Weronika Edmunds
22 July 2023
Poland/Culture/People

At some point in their lives, every child grabs hold of a pencil, crayon, and perhaps paintbrush, and they begin to create. Some become classically educated artists, but only a small handful are able to teach themselves and still find acclaim. Such is the case of Nikifor Krynicki.

Ceska sanitka - Czech ambulance car - Zdravotní záchranná služba, 2018.

Prague’s Ambulance Service: Saving Lives Since 1857

by Marek Koten
21 July 2023
Czechia/Culture

It is not unusual to see a rescue car driving through Prague. Ambulances operate all over the world. But did you know Prague's ambulance service is the oldest in Europe?

Behind the desk, University of Bucharest. Photo: courtesy of Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, IFIN-HH, Romania

Horia Hulubei – Master Physicist and Jack of All Trades  

by Naomi Gherman
20 July 2023
Romania/Culture/People

A physicist by nature, a military pilot, a diplomat, and a rector by choice. Or talent, as many would say. This Romanian 4-in-1 scientist did not let anything get in the way of achieving his dream of making the name of Romania stand tall worldwide.

Hiking in forest

The Green Heart of Europe

by Agnieszka Sawala
19 July 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Slovenia

Slovenia is not only literally one of the greenest countries in the European Union. Here you can live, travel, and even eat and drink eco-friendly!

Still from the movie "Mr. Car and the Knights Templar", on photo Mateusz Janicki as Mr. Tomasz "Car"

Mr. Car – the Polish All-in-One Scooby Doo Team

by Przemysław Bociąga
18 July 2023
Poland/Culture

A new Netflix original movie makes yet another attempt at screen adaptation of one of the most known Polish youth adventure fiction series. Its popularity in the country is undeniable, but the backstory may be even more interesting.

Crew of Soyuz-28 Cosmonauts Alexei Gubarev, Vladimir Remek climb into the ship before the start in 1978

The Central European Space Crew of the Past

by Przemysław Bociąga
17 July 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Lithuania

Bertalan Farkas (Hungarian), Mirosław Hermaszewski (Polish), Vladimir Remek (Czechoslovakian), and Franz Viehböck (Austrian) were among the first astronauts, or cosmonauts as they were called in the Soviet space program, from Central Europe.

Siege of Albazin by the Qing army in the 1780s, late 17th century Chinese drawing from the collection of the US Congress

Jaxa – A Polish Revenge-Colony in the Far East

by Weronika Edmunds
16 July 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

A good piece of advice – never anger a Pole. Better yet – never anger a Pole by attacking his loved ones. Regardless of how important you may be, chances are you risk one going, "[Polish] Medieval on your ass."

This posthumous portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was painted by Barbara Kraft at the request of Joseph Sonnleithner in 1819, long after Mozart died.

Mozart – The Austrian Genius Everyone Knows. Or Do They?

by Weronika Edmunds
14 July 2023
Austria/Culture/People

Who was the greatest musician ever alive? A celebrity by today's definition – famous, talented, and wealthy? Whose compositions are known to practically every human, even if they have no idea about classical music? There is only one answer – Mozart!

Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby in "Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One", 2023

Mission Not-So-Impossible for Poland, After All

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 July 2023
Poland/Culture

The latest "Mission: Impossible" caused a huge stir in Poland before filming even started, thanks to plans to blow up a historic railway bridge. Now that the controversy has faded, there is still buzz - thanks to the visible role of Polish actor Marcin Dorociński.

The founders of the dobro&dobro coffee shop chain Oleg (left) and Inna (right) Yarovy.

Polish Streets Are Teeming With Ukrainian Chefs

by Przemysław Bociąga
11 July 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

With millions of Ukrainians in Poland, workers and refugees alike, the Polish culinary scene has witnessed a pivot from sushi to potato dumplings.

Programme of mass compositions. Photo: sokol.eu

Exercise, Nature, and Love for the Homeland

by Marek Koten
10 July 2023
Czechia/Culture

This is how one could summarize the teachings of the physical education association, which became one of the most influential Czech organizations through physical education and patriotism.

Cesky sen, on the photo directors Vit Klusak and Filip Remunda.

The Czech Dream and Its Legacy

by Martin Hochel
9 July 2023
Czechia/Culture

Two decades ago, a Czech documentary film hit the headlines when it presented the opening campaign for a new hypermarket when the country was on the brink of joining the European Union. The documentary has become one of the most important recent productions in Czech cinematography.

November 19-20, 2022 (Krakow) Programming competition. Photo: courtesy of Proidea

Turning Poland’s Long Paper Trail Into a Digital One

by Jakub Warzecha
7 July 2023
Poland/Business/Culture

Finally! It's hard to believe, but the Polish administration is increasingly relying on digital solutions. The idea of GovTech is breaking the typical bureaucratic inertia in innovating and digitizing the public sector.

Members of Roma community parade through Old Town of Prague during the Khamoro World Roma Festival

Central European Romani Culture Is Vibrant and Distinctive

by Przemysław Bociąga
7 July 2023
Travel & Food/Culture

You may call them nation with no country, but several Central European countries are home to this colorful and original nomadic people.

Jan Hus at the Council of Constance

Jan Hus: The First Reformer in Central Europe

by Marek Koten
6 July 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

The story of Jan Hus is the story of perseverance, courage, and staying true to your beliefs and principles. Jan Hus never backed down on his beliefs, which resulted in him being jailed and executed by the Catholic Church.

Aerial view of Kernave Archaeological site, a medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kernave – A Lithuanian Pompeii

by Augustas Kalinauskas
5 July 2023
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

Anyone who grew up in the early 2000s knows "Gladiator" by Ridley Scott. Yet another Hollywood movie that came out only a year later also tapped into the sword-and-sandals success of its Golden Globe-winning predecessor - but with a Central European twist.

Apropos Architects win the architectural competition for the design of the Czech pavilion for EXPO 2025 with a glass spiral. On photo Nikoleta Slovaková and Tereza Šváchová.

Czechs Ready to Show Off at EXPO 2025

by Marek Koten
4 July 2023
Business/Culture/Czechia

The next World EXPO is approaching fast. This time Osaka, Japan, will host it. What will Czechia present to impress the land of the rising sun with?

Eugene Ionesco, writer, 01 May 1972.

Eugen Ionescu, Pioneer of the Theatre of the Absurd

by Naomi Gherman
3 July 2023
Romania/Culture/People

Often seen as the Dadaism of the theatre, Absurdism plays were initially confusing for the general public. But it didn’t take long for critics and enthusiasts to find sense in the seemingly meaningless life portrayed by Ionescu’s characters.

medieval feast

One of the First Polish Poems Was a Table Etiquette Guide

by Przemysław Bociąga
2 July 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

The first non-religious sample of long-form written Polish language is a poem giving some genuinely sage advice: wash your hands before dinner.

Dr Leo Szilard was one of the Martians

These Hungarian Scientists Were Nicknamed the Martians

by Przemysław Bociąga
2 July 2023
Culture/Hungary

When speaking about certain prolific figures in Hungarian science in the early 1900s, some of their western colleagues suggested that they might as well be from Mars with their heavily accented English and superhuman intellect.

A very close up of a Bucovina shepherd dog.

Bukovina Shepherd, the Romanian Household and Livestock Protector

by Naomi Gherman
1 July 2023
Romania/Culture

This breed of dog, native to the historical region of Bukovina, is not only man’s best friend but sheep’s as well. But don’t let its friendly appearance fool you! It is sure to risk its life to protect you, your family, and everything in your pen.

Riga, Latvia - July 12, 2015: XI Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival. Concert in Mezaparks “You in my song”. Two young participant boys and girls are posing for the camera. The girls are holding each other.

A Brief History of Latvia

by Weronika Edmunds
1 July 2023
Latvia/Culture

The central Baltic State has for centuries remained under foreign rule. But the strong spirit of Latvians enveloped the land giving it its wild, unfading character.

Red Poppies of Monte performed in Italy 1944

The Theater on the Frontline

by Weronika Edmunds
29 June 2023
Poland/Culture

We are all familiar with the shows prepared by the US soldiers serving abroad, especially during the Vietnam War that are so popularized in mass culture But did you know Poles also took theatre to war?

Slovakia Czech Republic Sign Flags Concept

A Diminishing Connection of Czechs and Slovaks

by Marek Koten
29 June 2023
Slovakia/Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

Sociological surveys consistently show that young Czechs and Slovaks are losing their understanding of each other. Two nations that lived together for almost 70 years in a federation and have similar languages might not understand each other in the future.

Garden view

The Birthplace of the First Smart Home

by Marek Koten
26 June 2023
Czechia/Culture/Tech

While appearing discreet from the outside, Černopolní Street Number 45 is a breathtaking engineering jewel of the 20th Century and is considered the first smart home. It even is on the UNESCO list!

Wroclaw December 1978. Wroclaw-based Elwro electronic plant existing since 1959. The plant produces Odra and Riad computers and computer accessorites including ferrite core storage. Pictured: Polish 3rd generation Odra 1305 computer made by Elwro

The Early Days of Poland’s IT Industry

by Jakub Warzecha
26 June 2023
Poland/Business/Culture/Tech

In the second half of the 20th century, Poland was an IT rarity in the Eastern Bloc. Under the conditions of a centrally planned economy, Polish engineers created successive generations of industrial and personal computers from scratch.

View of the exhibition "In the Near Future" (14.02-31.08.2014) at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Photo shows the project of a monument to victims of fascism in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Abandoned Project to Cross Out Auschwitz

by Przemysław Bociąga
25 June 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture/People

Architect Oskar Hansen's winning bid for the 1958 commemoration of Holocaust victims was a plan to let the concentration campsite degrade to allow our psychological recovery from the horrors of World War II.

The great chamber of Coliboaia cave.

Paleolithic Art, Unique to Central Europe, Found in Romania

by Naomi Gherman
24 June 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Romania

Forms of art created during the oldest era in human history have been found in Apuseni, Romania. The cave paintings, believed to be over 30,000 years old, represent the oldest form of cave art ever discovered in Central Europe.

Archangel Gabriel Statue on top of the Heroes Square Column in Budapest.

The Symbol Found Across Central Europe

by Weronika Edmunds
24 June 2023
Culture

Take a look at the flag of the Intermarium region. Now, look closely at several coats of arms representing countries of the region. Can you spot a similarity?

Goa's idyllic beach, India

Was Dubrovnik a Colonial Power?

by Danijel Bačan
24 June 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

British, French, and Spanish colonies are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of colonialism, but other European countries also ventured abroad. How did the famous Dubrovnik Republic establish its colony in distant India?

parachutes silhouette in a light of sunrise

The Slovak Inventor of the Parachute and the Rebirth of a Legacy

by Martin Hochel
22 June 2023
Slovakia/Culture/Tech/People

For a long time, little was known about the Slovak inventor of the parachute, whose life reveals a fascinating story almost forgotten.

Speedometer of a car close-up, with the arrow frozen at a speed of 120 km/h. Details and interior of a black luxury car. Stock photo.

When the Pedal Hits the Metal, Thank Goodness for the Speedometer

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
21 June 2023
Croatia/Culture/Tech/People

We've all had that moment on an open stretch of highway when the speed starts creeping up. Luckily, these days we've got handy speedometers to help us avoid awkward meetings with the local police officers. You can thank Croatian inventor Josip Belušić for that.

Croatian fans from San Pedro, California cheer as Andre Agassi (USA) losses to Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) during the first round of the Davis Cup at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on March 4, 2005.

The Croatian Suburb of Los Angeles

by Danijel Bačan
19 June 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

At the turn of the 20th century, Croatians who were driven out of their own land by poverty tried to find a place of opportunity that would remind them of their homeland. But how exactly did that lead them to the Los Angeles suburbs?

Vinor rondel next to blocks of flats. Photo: Jana Plavec, Tomas Kopecky, External Relations Division Centre of Administration and Operations of the CAS

The Older Sibling of Stonehenge

by Marek Koten
18 June 2023
Culture/Czechia/Travel & Food

Recently discovered prehistoric excavations in the outskirts of Prague have revealed a site similar to the one at Stonehenge in England. Only much older.

Matinee at Liszt's home. (Composer Hector Berlioz, the composer Carl Czerny and the violinist Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst), 1846.

Could Chopin Rock It Like Liszt Did?

by Weronika Edmunds
17 June 2023
People/Austria/Hungary/Culture

The answer is – probably not. Franz Liszt was more than just a brilliant piano virtuoso and gifted composer. He became what we would call a pop icon in his lifetime. But was he as flamboyant as Mozart, and did he really build his name on plagiarism?

Cara Delevingne in a scene from the ©Columbia Pictures new film : Life in a Year (2020). PLOT: The movie follows 17-year-old Daryn who finds out that his girlfriend is dying. He sets out to give her an entire life in the last year she has left.

Applause, Please: How a Slovene Became a Polish Filmmaker

by Agnieszka Sawala
17 June 2023
Poland/Slovenia/Culture/People

If a perfectionist skates but doesn't think they're good enough, they have three options - give up, try harder, or... become a filmmaker!

Bulgaria’s Little-Known Forefathers

by Galina Ganeva
17 June 2023
Bulgaria/Culture

At first sight, Pliska, a town in northeastern Bulgaria with a population of just over 1,000, is exactly what you’d expect from a small town, with its main street housing a few administrative buildings and a coffee shop. And yet, it is not a town like any other. Welcome to Bulgaria’s first capital.

Poland's Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz happily claims the victory of gold after clearing the best height and setting a new world record in the Olympic pole vault event on Wednesday, July 30, 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union. The new world record was 5.78 meters ( 18 feet 11 1/2 inches).

The Polish Offensive Arm Gesture With a Political Subtext

by Przemysław Bociąga
16 June 2023
Poland/Culture/People

Not technically a middle finger, a gesture named after Polish sportsman Władysław Kozakiewicz was simultaneously a celebration of victory and an important political claim.

View of the forest from the highest Baltic mountain Suur-Munamagi

Battle of the Baltic Peaks

by Przemysław Bociąga
15 June 2023
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

We can call this episode "That time when Latvians built a tower to have a higher highest point than their neighbor." In reality, the highest Latvian and Estonian peaks just barely classify as "mountains." And at one point, Latvia even built a tower on top of its highest peak just to surpass its Estonian rival.

The Sweet Sounds of Freedom: How Estonia Overthrew Soviet Rule

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 June 2023
Lithuania/Culture

The revolution against the Soviets took different and unique forms in each country in the Eastern Bloc. In Estonia - it took the form of choirs.

Members of the Czechoslovak Legion in Russia (the 6th Rifle Regiment "Hanácký")

Czechoslovakia: Undefeated Naval Power

by Marek Koten
12 June 2023
Czechia/Culture

If you know that Czechia is a landlocked country, the title of this article probably gave you pause. But it has indeed won every naval battle it has ever fought—all (one) of them.

kashubian strawberries in bowl

The Wild Shrub That Became The Ultimate Strawberry

by Weronika Edmunds
11 June 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

You won’t taste it during Wimbledon, served with a dollop of cream. Nor will you experience its sweetness on a hot afternoon in Huelva. But believe me – no strawberry in the world is equal to Kashubian strawberries. And there is a paper to prove it!

Berlin Protests Romania's Rosia Montana Mine. For the seventh Sunday in a row, people from Berlin gather in front of the Romanian Embassy to protest against the Rosia Montana gold mining project that plans to use cyanide in the extraction process. Protestors called for the 2,000 year-old site, where the open-cast mine will be located, to be listed as a UNESCO heritage site. The mine is believed to contain 314 tons of gold and 1,500 tons of silver. October 13, 2013.

Roșia Montană, a Land of Hope, Spirit, and Gold

by Naomi Gherman
11 June 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

When the world's largest, most diverse underground mining complex was set to become Europe's biggest open-pit mine, the people had a word to say against it. How much are Romanians willing to fight to protect Roșia Montană?

Womem in traditoonal orange-color cothes with flower crown. Photo: Dzintars Leja

The Suiti: A Catholic Island in a Lutheran Sea 

by Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
10 June 2023
Latvia/Travel & Food/Culture

A 17th-century love story between a German nobleman and a Polish aristocrat sparked the formation of a unique Catholic community that still exists in Latvia today. The Suiti are a remarkable and hardy people.

Joy Division at the YMCA in London in August 1979

The World-Famous Punk Band That Was Almost Named “Warsaw”

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 June 2023
Culture/People/Poland

Before love tore apart Joy Division, its leader Ian Curtis named his band Warsaw, which correlated with his impression of the Polish capital.

Unique exhibition of Alphonse Mucha "iMUCHA – A Famous Collection in Motion".

Alfons Mucha and the Slavic Epic

by Marek Koten
10 June 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

Alfons Mucha is known primarily as the spiritual father of the Art Nouveau style. But he is also the father of 20 giant canvases depicting the history of the Slavic people.

The Gric tunnel was decorated on the occasion of the beginning of Advent in the city in Zagreb, Croatia on November 27, 2022. This year's Advent theme in the Gric tunnel is "Polar dream".

Between Myth and Reality: Underground Tunnels in Zagreb

by Danijel Bačan
8 June 2023
Culture/Croatia/Travel & Food

Have you ever wanted your own private underground tunnel so you could leave your house without anyone noticing? This is precisely what some prominent people from Zagreb demanded - and received.

A visitor looks on the posters with a Cyrillic letters during a opening special exhibition of a International triennial of stage poster "The letters of Bulgaria, alphabet of Europe" at Bulgaria's National Gallery of Foreign Art in Sofia 24 May 2008. Bulgarians are celebrating one of the country's most important national holidays - May 24, the Day of the Slavic Script and Bulgarian Culture. According to the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, May 24 is the official Day of Holy Brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius - the Byzantine scholars who wrote the first Slavic alphabet in 855 A.D. and translated into Old Bulgarian the Bible and the religious literature of Orthodox Christianity.

Is It All Bulgarian to You? We Can Help.

by Galina Ganeva
7 June 2023
Bulgaria/Culture

Used today as the official script of their national languages by some 250 million people around the world, Cyrillic script is particularly celebrated in Bulgaria - and for good reason.

Lavender on island Hvar Croatia, meadow brown butterfly

The Lavender Fields of Croatia

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
5 June 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Croatia

Lavender seekers should definitely head to the island of Hvar in Croatia. The small village of Velo Grablje has beautiful lavender fields that look like a spreading purple carpet in late June and early July.

Map of Europe

Translation Gaps Between Eastern and Western Europe

by Agaton Koziński
5 June 2023
Business/Culture

Understanding of countries from Eastern Europe is more often seen in the countries of the central part of the continent than in other regions of the EU.

Antis rock band on stage during the first edition of the Rock March. Vilnius, Lithuania, 1987.

The Rock Band That Helped to Free Lithuania

by Augustas Kalinauskas
4 June 2023
Lithuania/Culture

What led to the collapse of the Soviet Union? There are many possible answers – rock and jeans, the Pope, Americans, hippies, Gorbachev, and nationalism. But what first comes to the minds of those who lived through these times are two terms – perestroika and glasnost.

The Baptism of Lithuania, painting by Władysław Ciesielski, 1900. The multi-character historical scene, composed like a "living painting" or theatrical performance, depicts a historical event - the acceptance of baptism by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1387. The baptism takes place in a sacred grove, under crowns of green trees and its main figures are the royal couple Jadwiga Andegawenska and Ladislaus II Jagiello, surrounded by the court. In the depth on the left, Bishop of Vilnius Andrzej Jastrzębiec blesses the people with his right hand.

How Lithuanian Was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?

by Augustas Kalinauskas
4 June 2023
Lithuania/Poland/Culture

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was one of the largest states in 17th-century Europe. But despite being a confederation, it is most widely regarded as a primarily Polish entity. So just how important was the role of Lithuania in the union?

nestinar man and woman are walking on fire

Playing With Fire in Bulgaria

by Galina Ganeva
3 June 2023
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

In Balgari, a small village in Bulgaria’s Strandzha Mountains, the air is thick with anticipation. Embers are spread around in a large circle. High above the circle sit icons of the two saints, Constantine and Helena, who are being honored today. The fire dance is about to begin.

Still from the film "On the Silver Globe," directed by Andrzej Zulawski, 1987.

The Difficulties in Getting Poles to the Moon

by Przemysław Bociąga
23 May 2023
Poland/Culture/People

A 120-year-old Polish book about people in space was supposed to make one of the most important Polish movies. Instead, it turned into decades of vicissitudes with peculiar effects.

Time to Slow Your Roll? There’s a Bulgarian Saying for That.

by Galina Ganeva
20 May 2023
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

For centuries, generations of Bulgarians have resorted to a trove of proverbs and saying with clear negative undertones. Why is their pessimism still around?

East European Comic Con is an international Multi Genre pop culture convention held in Bucharest, Romania. One of the largest in Europe.

East European Comic Con Celebrates Its 10-Year Anniversary

by Naomi Gherman
19 May 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

Ten years, ten editions, and over 100,000 visitors. These are the stats of Central and Eastern Europe's most influential comic book convention in numbers. But what does it like behind the doors?

Lysa Gora, Swiety Krzyz mount hilltop with gate to medieval Benedictive Abbey and sanctuary in Swietokrzyskie Mountains near Nowa Slupia village in Poland.

How Polish Church Expelled Pagans from Witches’ Mountain

by Przemysław Bociąga
18 May 2023
Poland/Culture

Not technically a mountain, but a hill in central Poland is a souvenir after the Christianization of the country. It is symbolized even in the hill's coexisting two names: Witch Mountain and Holy Cross.

Old couple are sitting on a bench in the park, illustration photo

Czechia, an Aging Republic

by Marek Koten
15 May 2023
Czechia/Business/Culture

The Czech population is gradually aging, and pension reform is nowhere in sight. Will the state be able to cope with the wave of pensioners, or will the title of the Cohen brothers' film apply: "No Country for Old Men"?

Statues of Wenceslas IV, St Vitus and Emperor Charles IV on the Old Town Bridge Tower at Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

Czechia – A Country of Seized Opportunities 

by Weronika Edmunds
14 May 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

The history of Central Europe is one that weaves together stories of countries and peoples, present and past, drawn to these lands. Among them, Czechia has its own. Ready to hear it?

Jaroslaw Juszkiewicz - radio personality , whose voice is used by car navigation

Polish Voiceover Actors: Undercover Celebrities

by Przemysław Bociąga
13 May 2023
Poland/Culture

In a somewhat strange custom, Polish movies are interpreted by a single voiceover speaker instead of the more typical dubbing. The most famous lectors have become omnipresent celebrities, even announcing subway stations and giving directions in Google Maps.

Model on New York street wearing Romanian fashion clothes

Traditional Romanian Fashion With an International Appeal

by Ioana Marandici
13 May 2023
People/Romania/Culture

Romanian motifs and symbols are recognizable around the world. The traditional outfits, bright and intricately embellished, are even inspiring big fashion houses like Yves Saint Laurent and Dior.

Battle on Ice scene from the time of Alexander Nevsky, Duke of Novgorod - pastel by Alexander Viktorovich Moravov

The Frozen Estonian Battlefield – or Perhaps Battle Lake

by Przemysław Bociąga
12 May 2023
Estonia/Culture

In the 13th century, Lake Peipus in Eastern Estonia was a site of a major battle between the Livonian Order and the Republic of Novgorod. It was a medieval show on ice, as the action happened on a frozen lake.

Portrait of David Cerny

The Artist Who Insulted All of Europe

by Marek Koten
9 May 2023
Austria/Culture/People

Czech artist and sculptor David Černý is seen by many as a controversial figure. This controversy goes beyond Czechia, as does his art. His “Black Babies” invaded Prague, his “Golem” Poznan, and his “Bus” London.

Illustration from a book by Waclaw Seweryn Rzewuski

The Emir With a Polish Birth Certificate

by Weronika Edmunds
8 May 2023
Poland/Culture

The dunes, the heat, and the desert lifestyle is not something we necessarily connect with Poland. Let alone Polish people living at the turn of the 18th century. Yet Polish history has a mark left on it by its own personal, real-life Emir!

portrait of Tristan Tzara

The “Da” in Dadaism

by Naomi Gherman
7 May 2023
Romania/Culture/People

You may have heard of the somewhat controversial and much-disputed art movement called Dadaism. But do you know what it is? What does “Dada” mean, and what does Romania have to do with it?

Close-up of woman receiving greeting card from her daughter on Mother's day.

The Mother’s Days of Central Europe

by Przemysław Bociąga
7 May 2023
Travel & Food/Culture

People across the countries of Central Europe embrace the spring by celebrating their nearest and dearest – parents, in a series of more or less official holidays. What are the dates to look forward to?

Raimonds Pauls

Raimonds Pauls: The Latvian Master of Melody

by Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
6 May 2023
Latvia/Culture/People

A man of many talents, Raimonds Pauls is best known for his work as a composer and pianist. Fast approaching 90 years of age, the acclaimed Latvian musician still performs, charming audiences with his catchy melodies.

1965, still from the film "Pharaoh," directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, with Barbara Brylska oh the photo.

The Story of an Epic Movie Filmed Behind Iron Curtain

by Weronika Edmunds
5 May 2023
Culture/People/Poland

The 1960s cinema saw two great films set amidst the backdrop of ancient Egypt. One was the famous 1963 American production "Cleopatra". What was the other?

Fausto Veranzio's illustration

The 17th Century Croatian Version of Leonardo da Vinci

by Przemysław Bociąga
4 May 2023
Croatia/Culture/People

Although his colleagues, such as Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe, are more remembered today, Šibenik-born Fausto Veranzio can be credited with many inventions, including the suspension bridge, parachute, and wind turbine - all in the 17th Century.

Thanks to the firemen hang under the statue of St. Floriana at the fire station of the Volunteer Fire Department in Goniadz

How a Roman Legionnaire Became the Saint Patron of Firefighters

by Przemysław Bociąga
4 May 2023
Poland/Austria/Culture

The true career of a Roman legionnaire, Saint Florian, was launched over a thousand years after his death when it turned out that, even though deceased for centuries, he had been doing miracles as a Krakow firefighter.

Florentina Mosora in Post restant

Florentina Mosora: From Beloved Actress to Formidable Biochemist

by Naomi Gherman
3 May 2023
Romania/Culture/People

Florentina loved to be in the spotlight, but even more than that, she loved being in the laboratory studying chemistry and nuclear physics. And unlike in the cinema world, she did not need spotlights to shine - her talent and hard work were enough to have all eyes on her.

Main building of Tartu University

University of Tartu Founded Three Times by Three Different Rulers

by Przemysław Bociąga
3 May 2023
Czechia/Travel & Food/Culture

The Estonian city home to the University of Tartu has had multiple names and belonged to numerous countries. Despite the constant change, the university has managed to turn its varied heritage into a positive, now known internationally for its high level of education and openness to forward-thinking academic pursuits.

U.S.S.R. Lithuania. Vilnius. Soviet Intervention. 1991. Toy guns over a photo of Mikhael GORBATCHEV behind bars in the building of the Supreme Council. 1991.

How Unarmed People Withstood Soviet Aggression

by Augustas Kalinauskas
28 April 2023
Lithuania/Culture

The fall of the Soviet Union seemed like a miracle for those that lived through the 70s and 80s. Many people could not believe what was happening until it happened – on 11 March 1990, Lithuania declared independence.

Minox b camera with a box

Spies of the World Owe Much to This Tiny Latvian Invention

by Przemysław Bociąga
27 April 2023
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

In 1937 Walter Zapp developed the Minox subminiature camera, a boon to real-life 007s across the world. His invention opened up the possibility of quickly and covertly smuggling countless thousands of pages of secret materials out from behind enemy lines.

Group of business people discussing in a conference room.

The Three Seas Countries – An Oasis of Economic Freedom

by Agaton Koziński
27 April 2023
Three Seas Initiative/Business/Culture

The countries in the Central European region are very serious about economic freedom and supporting entrepreneurship. This is confirmed by the Index of Economic Freedom.

Close up of Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Romania

Romania and Its Dual Identity

by Naomi Gherman
25 April 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

As the only Orthodox Latin country and the only one located so far east from the cluster, Romania is often referred to as a "cousin" of the Romance family. How close is Romania to its Latin roots, and how much was it influenced by the Slavic and Balkan culture?

Drone is taking off from man hands. Young man releasing aerial copter to fly with small digital camera. Modern technology in our life.

The Sky Is the Limit for the Three Seas Drone Project

by Filip Rey
25 April 2023
Culture/Tech/Poland/Business

Poland is taking steps to position Central Eastern Europe in pole position ahead of the coming competition for market shares in a new sector of the economy.

People from the Armenian community carry torches in memory of the victims of the Ottoman atrocities

How Bulgaria Became a Second Homeland for Armenians

by Galina Ganeva
24 April 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Business/Culture

On April 24, known as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, Armenians in Bulgaria will pay their respects to the victims of the systematic murder of up to 1.5 million Armenians, which took place in the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century.

Official outfits of Czech Olympic team for Tokyo 2020. Czech athletes Tomas Babek, Katerina Safrankova, Miroslav Trunda, Aneta Holasova and Miloslav Prihoda pose for photographs in the official dresses for the opening ceremony during the presentation of the outfits for Czech Olympic team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, designed by Zuzana Osako, in Prague, Czech Republic, 22 June 2021. The dresses are partly created in traditional Czech blueprint technique. The Summer Olympic Games, rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, are set to start on 23 July 2021.

Rhapsody in Blueprint

by Marek Koten
23 April 2023
Czechia/Culture

Modrotisk, or Blueprinting, is an old Czech craft passed on by generations since the 16th century. It may look easy: printing white ornaments on blue fabric. But it is far more complicated than that.

171 / 5 000 Wyniki tłumaczenia Tłumaczenie Honey harvesting during honey harvesting in the Augustowska Forest. Foresters implement a project to restore traditional bee-keeping to save wild bees living in forests

Pooh Was Onto Something – Bears Really Do Love Polish Honey

by Weronika Edmunds
23 April 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! I wonder why he does. Perhaps because the honey of Polish forest bees has, for centuries, been cherished for its superb quality. Judge for yourself!

Vienna view of St. Charle's church

Vienna, a City With the Highest Standards of Living 

by Przemysław Bociąga
22 April 2023
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

Yes, there is a way to measure it - many, actually, depending on who is doing the assessment. For many years now, whenever standards of living are measured, Vienna has managed to snag one of the top spots.

European bison in forest

No Animals Harmed in the Production of Polish Bisongrass Vodka

by Przemysław Bociąga
21 April 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

As mezcal famously has its worm, this Polish vodka gets its specific yellowish tint from a straw of grass, the same that feeds bison in Eastern Poland.

Sofia Fashion Week marriage proposal on catwalk

Say Yes to the (Bulgarian) Dress

by Galina Ganeva
20 April 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

The question was popped, and the answer is yes. Now what? For many Bulgarian brides-to-be, this question has an easy answer, at least when it comes to finding a bridal gown. It involves a road trip to Asenovgrad, a town in the south of Bulgaria.

Baron Roman Nikolai Maximilian von Ungern-Sternberg, White Russian commander of anti-bolshevik forces in Mongolia and Lake Baikal region, 1886-1921, captured in Irkutsk and executed by the Bolsheviks, The Mad Baron, The Bloody Baron, russian civil war. Ungern-Sternberg in Irkutsk under interrogation at the headquarters of the 5th Red Army. Ungern-Sternberg in a Mongolian deel uniform with Russian Order of St. George 4th Class

Roman von Ungern-Sternberg: The Last European Rabble Rouser

by Przemysław Bociąga
16 April 2023
Culture/People

Born in Austria and Raised in Estonia, this czarist officer ended up as a self-appointed anti-communist Mongolian leader; his story is mind-boggling.

Still from “The Substitute” film

The 1962 Animation That Inspired an Iconic “Simpsons” Moment

by Danijel Bačan
16 April 2023
Croatia/Culture

Despite being part of only one episode of “The Simpsons,” a 19-second show-within-a-show became legendary. Few people know that the inspiration for it came from an Oscar-winning animated short from Zagreb.

pyramid of rapa in poland in the forest

A Pyramid Shrouded in Mystery – in Poland

by Przemysław Bociąga
15 April 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Poland

A small pyramid in northeastern Poland holds the final resting place for several members of a wealthy family. But to some it's a places as mysterious and mystical as the pyramids of Egypt.

eggs with a horseshoe in hands

An Egg Adorned With a Horseshoe: A Unique Kind of Art

by Ioana Marandici
15 April 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

It is well known that any traditional Romanian family usually has eggs on its Easter table. However, some take this tradition to the next level, adorning them with an unexpected accessory.

john vincent atanasoff inventor of first computer

The Little-Known Inventor of the Computer, Faithful to His Bulgarian Roots

by Galina Ganeva
14 April 2023
Bulgaria/Culture/People

Look closer at this monument in a village in southern Bulgaria, and an inevitable question arises. Why is Prof. John Atanasoff, the American-born scientist credited with the invention of the first electronic digital computer, being honored here of all places?

Popeye, the cartoon character created by EC Segar.

The Real-Life Popeye Sailed From Poland

by Weronika Edmunds
10 April 2023
Poland/Culture/People

We bet you're familiar with the famous sailor who gets superhuman strength from downing cans of his ever-present favorite snack - spinach. Generations of people are. However, not everyone knows that he was based on a real person.

old illustration of pomlazka from 1910 year

An Easter Tradition with the Christian Grey Seal of Approval

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 April 2023
Poland/Culture

When it comes to Easter traditions that might get lost in translation, Czechia and Slovakia have a solid example. In many villages throughout both countries, it is an Easter Monday custom for boys to spank girls with braided whips. Women can even return the "favor" with presents.

map of easter in European languages

Central Europe is a Melting Pot for Easter Names

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 April 2023
Culture/Romania/Travel & Food

Perhaps nothing illustrates the diversity of Central Europe better than the richness of its languages. The perfect example is the way the region's countries approach naming the Easter holiday. The diversity is quite telling.

A.S. Bytom Zaklady Pogrzebowe - a deadly funny meme page

The Most Famous Funeral Home in Poland a Social Media Prank

by Przemysław Bociąga
8 April 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

The A.S. Bytom Funeral Home found a thousand ways to ridicule the fear of death. It’s among the most prevalent Polish memes on the internet, and thousands perhaps still believe (or hope) it exists. 

Remains of historic church in Trzesacz village on the Baltic Sea coast, Poland

The Gothic Church (Nearly) Overtaken by the Baltic Sea

by Przemysław Bociąga
8 April 2023
Poland/Culture

Only one wall remained of this work of medieval architecture as sea encroached on its foundations. Then people joined the struggle and saved the remnants.

Portrait of Professor Leon Danaila

Leon Dănăilă, Devoted to Neurosurgery for 89 Years and Counting

by Naomi Gherman
7 April 2023
Romania/Culture/People

Who is Romania's most skilled neurosurgeon – and the most internationally admired for his abilities and heart of gold? The story of Europe's best surgeon, who often operates free of charge, is quite phenomenal.

Equestrian portrait of Elisabeth at Possenhofen Castle, age 15, 1853

The A-List Celebrity of 19th Century Vienna

by Przemysław Bociąga
5 April 2023
People/Austria/Culture

Rebel Empress Elizabeth of Austria is well-remembered in "her" city of Vienna, but with the release of her new biopic movie, word of her unusual nature is going global.

easter palm

The Polish Village With 30 Meter-Long Easter Palms

by Przemysław Bociąga
2 April 2023
Culture/Poland/Travel & Food

Several locally famous families participate in a peculiar contest for the tallest Easter palm each year.

woman laying on bed with fountain pen in hand

A Fountain of Genius: The Romanian Who Invented the Pen

by Ioana Marandici
1 April 2023
Romania/Culture/People

Have you ever wondered to whom you owe the fact that you can write every day with that tool that you call a pen? The answer might just surprise you.

asprete rarest fish in the world

Europe’s Oldest and Rarest Fish Alive and Well in Romanian Waters

by Naomi Gherman
1 April 2023
Romania/Culture

Ever wondered what a fish presumably as old as dinosaurs would look like? Or if there are any alive? And if so, where? The answer to these questions can all be found in the Asprete, the specimen believed to be Europe’s rarest freshwater fish.

Sreenshot of Minecraft Brno Cathedral

Brno Squared Away, Minecraft-Style

by Marek Koten
31 March 2023
Czechia/Business/Culture/Tech

An innovative student project aimed to bring Brno online, and it succeeded. Not only can you roam the city, but you can also build in it! All thanks to a group of students and Minecraft.

Vojtech Dyk as Josef Myslivecek. Movie still

The Miller Who Inspired Mozart

by Marek Koten
28 March 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

The story feels like a Hollywood movie script: a trained miller-turned-composer inspires musical master Mozart. This is the story of a man who was nicknamed Il Divino Boemo – The Divine Czech.

Stoyanka Mutafova on stage

The Bad Girl of the Bulgarian Theatre

by Galina Ganeva
27 March 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

The loss of a beloved artist is always a painful loss. The loss of Stoyanka Mutafova in 2019, who, at 97 years old, was one of the oldest actors in the world still working, shook Bulgaria profoundly. After all, the country lost its uncontested "Queen of Comedy."

Puppets of Spejbl and Hurvínek

The Family That Pulls All the Strings

by Marek Koten
26 March 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

Every Czech child knows Mr. Spejbl, his son Hurvínek, and their dog Žeryk. What does it matter that they are puppets? Their humor has entertained generations and will, no doubt, entertain more to come.

A traditional Romanian wooden monastery surrounded by forest. The image was taken in Maramures, in the far north of Romania, and probably the most traditional region. Horizontal color image with copy space

Romania’s Iconic Wooden Churches

by Naomi Gherman
26 March 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Hidden among the calloused patches of the evergreen forests or in plain sight, these eight UNESCO-recognized wooden churches stand tall – quite literally - as symbols of faith and determination, emblems of architectural artistry and historical resistance.

Aerial view of Slonevian hills with a church on the hilltop

Slovenia: Where the Grass Really Is Greener

by Przemysław Bociąga
26 March 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Slovenia

Don't be overwhelmed by the word "green" that appears everywhere Slovenia is concerned. "Green" is such a deeply ingrained concept in every aspect of the country that you might get the feeling that even the bricks in Ljubljana's houses will be green. (For the record, they're not).

pedestrian crossing lights in vilnius Lithuania get a wardrobe change from men to women

Crossing Lights in Vilnius Get the Glow Up Treatment

by Przemysław Bociąga
25 March 2023
Lithuania/Travel & Food/Culture

In Lithuania's capital, pedestrian crossing lights recently got a makeover as part of the celebration to commemorate 100 years of women’s right to vote in the country. Lights featuring figures wearing skirts now dot the intersections of a bustling Vilnius neighborhood.

Papcio Chmiel with his comic picture

Comic Book Author & Warsaw Uprising Combatant Papcio Chmiel

by Przemysław Bociąga
24 March 2023
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

"Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek" was the longest-running Polish comic book series. But its creator's biography extended beyond the adventures of a monkey born from an inkblot.

Melex: A Polish Electric Export Hit

by Jakub Warzecha
24 March 2023
Poland/Business/Culture/Tech

For 50 years, the Polish company Melex has been creating EVs, which sell like hot cakes all over the world - long before electric vehicles became fashionable.

Magdalena Abakanowicz Exhibition: Every Tangle Of Thread And Rope

Famous Polish Sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz Takes Over London’s Tate Modern

by Przemysław Bociąga
22 March 2023
Poland/Culture/People

"Every Tangle of Thread and Rope" is the title of Magdalena Abakanowicz's retrospective in the most notable British modern art museum. The late artist's relationship with her body takes the form of unusual sculptures.

Paprika: red chili peppers

Hungary is the Central European Capital of Chili Peppers 

by Przemysław Bociąga
19 March 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

In Hungary, paprika is a staple food ingredient, an icon, and a matter of national identity. 

Couple in front of large map of Livonia from The Palmse Manor

Estonia – the Story of the Most Northern Central European Nation

by Weronika Edmunds
19 March 2023
Estonia/Travel & Food/Culture

Every good story has intriguing protagonists who make you want to figure out who they are and where they came from. In the Three Seas Region, there is a country whose history causes a lot of “I didn’t know that!” reactions. Want to know which one?

Couple in yellow raincoats holding polish flag in front of lake in Tatra mountains

Born Abroad? Better Check –You Might Be Polish!

by Weronika Edmunds
18 March 2023
Poland/Culture

It should be fairly straightforward. You are born in a country, which means you are its citizen. If someone moves abroad, then after some time, the original connection is lost. Simple? Not when it comes to Poland! We'll tell you why.

US President Joe Biden Visits Warsaw. The US President, Joe Biden arrives to deliver a speech at the Royal Castle Arcades on February 21, 2023 in Warsaw, Poland. The US President is in Warsaw for his second visit to the country in less than a year. It comes after his surprise trip to Kyiv on February 20 to reinforce US support for Ukraine almost a year after Russia's large-scale invasion

In Wartime, Central Europe Is Rising to the Task

by Agaton Koziński
16 March 2023
Business/Culture

The past year of the war in Ukraine was also a year of forging an awareness of the common destiny of Central Europe.

Aritst mark Rothko standing in front of his paintings

Mark Rothko: The Latvian Artist Who Pioneered a Movement

by Przemysław Bociąga
16 March 2023
Bulgaria/Culture/People

Latvia's second-largest city, Daugavpils, is home to the Mark Rothko Art Center, named after one of the most famous artists in the world, who was born in the city in 1903.

Warsaw, Poland. Main Square of the Old Town. Warsaw Mermaid - symbol of the city - in front on the right side, many tourists looking visiting the place and feeding pigeons on the left side, and the colorful antique tenements in the background.

Warsaw Voted European Best Destination for 2023

by Przemysław Bociąga
14 March 2023
Three Seas Initiative/Culture/People

Is it the city's beauty or just the collateral benefit from Poland’s role in the most important historical event in years, namely the war on Ukraine? Regardless, it suffices to say that Warsaw deserves its title of the European Best Destination of 2023.

The Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic

The Czech-Vietnamese Connection

by Marek Koten
12 March 2023
Czechia/Culture

Vietnamese are the third largest national minority in the Czech Republic. What brought these emigrants to Czechia, and how have they assimilated into Czech culture?

Victor Babes, young, after he published the first Treaty of Bacteriology

The World-Changing Destiny of Victor Babeș

by Naomi Gherman
12 March 2023
Romania/Culture/People

Romania’s most renowned bacteriologist, Victor Babeș, dreamt of being an artist – until a tragic event changed the path of his life forever.

oil painting from 1845 depicting people in front of an inn

The Importance of the Jewish Tavernkeeper in Early Modern Poland

by Przemysław Bociąga
12 March 2023
Culture/Poland/Travel & Food

The Jew as a tavernkeeper remains a staple of any historical narrative based in early modern Poland. And there's a reason for that, as the occupation was virtually reserved for members of this closed society.

A statue of ruler Charles IV stands next to the Charles Bridge

Ruling Europe From Prague: The Story of Charles IV

by Marek Koten
11 March 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV is considered the most influential ruler of the High Middle Ages. Despite his education in France, he always remembered where he was born: Prague.

Top view of baklava desserts served on light blue background

Bulgaria’s Reigning King of Baklava

by Galina Ganeva
11 March 2023
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

Most of the shops on this beautiful street in the center of Shumen in northeastern Bulgaria have seen better days. Except for one bakery still bustling with life.

Woman swimming in beautiful clear water in Croatia

Fjaka: The Croatian Secret to Happiness

by Ewelina Sadura Marinović
10 March 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

Do you want to be a happier person with nothing standing in your way? All you have to do is learn the Croatian practice of fjaka. The people of Croatia have found their own foolproof recipe for happiness and joy every day – and it’s something that anyone can bring home with them.

Glass of fresh dark podpiwek in male hand close up

Poles Call This Traditional Refreshing Soft-Drink The ‘Underbeer’

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 March 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Podpiwek, which can be peculiarly translated as 'underbeer', is a traditional beverage made from cereal coffee, hops, and yeast. Not unlike malt beer, it provides refreshment on hot summer days.

1971 - Fiddler On The Roof - Movie Set, pictured Chaim Topol as Tewje

Searching for “Our Little Anatevka” as Chaim Topol Dies at 87

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 March 2023
Culture/Lithuania/Poland

When the Fiddler on the Roof praised his home village, what part of Central Europe did he have in mind?

Marie Sklodowska Curie

The Alternative Career of Marie Skłodowska-Curie 

by Przemysław Bociąga
9 March 2023
Business/Culture/Tech/People/Poland

Before becoming a genius physicist, Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a Polish language teacher and a national-democratic activist. 

The European Capital of Culture kaunas lithuania

Lithuania’s ‘Little Paris’ Ready to Show Off Its Cultural Prowess

by Cynthia Sklodowski
9 March 2023
Romania/Hungary/Culture

On a Saturday in January, over 40,000 spectators crowded into the streets of Kaunas, despite the freezing temperatures, to take part in a music, video, dance, and light-filled kick-off celebration of the city’s year as a European Capital of Culture 2022.

Left: Circa 1038, King Stephen I of Hungary (979 - 1038), canonized by the Pope in 1083. Right: Saint Stephen painting by Luis de Morales

The Saint Stephens Confusion – Who’s Who?

by Przemysław Bociąga
5 March 2023
Hungary/Culture

Under the English name Stephen come two different saints. Depending on where in Central Europe you are, it's important not to confuse them.

The interior court of the eastern Orthodox Stavropoleos Church in the old city area in Bucharest, Romania

How Romania Created Its Unique National Architectural Style

by Naomi Gherman
5 March 2023
Croatia/Travel & Food/Culture

At a time when European states were looking to establish and reaffirm their culture, Romania decided the best way to cement its identity was through… architecture! Cue the birth of Romanian Revival style that, to this day, continues to brighten up the streets of Bucharest.

Giant figure of Saint Casimir carrying by people at traditional theatrical Kaziukas

Saint Casimir’s Fair – A Tradition Uniting Poland and Lithuania

by Weronika Edmunds
4 March 2023
Austria/Travel & Food/Culture

Everyone loves their birthday. In some countries where the Catholic Faith is prevalent, people also tend to celebrate the day of their patron saint. The people of Vilnius make sure the day of Saint Casimir is a party no one wants to miss.

Tourist woman eating bagel obwarzanek traditional polish cuisine snack waling on Market square in Krakow. Traveling Europe in autumn

The Centuries-Old Trademarked Delicacy With Just Six Ingredients

by Weronika Edmunds
3 March 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

If you are planning a trip to Cracow, Poland (if you are not – then you should do), we want to help you avoid one of the most terrible culinary faux pas anyone can commit while in this gorgeous city. One that the locals would not forgive.

Blossoming tree branch and martisor against the blue sky

Romanian Mărțișor – the Celebration of Spring

by Weronika Edmunds
1 March 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

These days much is being said about the carnival season and various celebrations that take place as the Earth prepares for its rebirth. Romania tops it with its very unique take on the welcoming of Spring.

European Union flags are pictured outside the European Commission building

A Slowly Eroding Sense of Importance of the EU in Central Europe

by Agaton Koziński
28 February 2023
Three Seas Initiative/Business/Culture

Due to its history, Central Europe is very sensitive about its own security. That is why since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the importance of the EU in the eyes of the people of CEE states has started declining.

A worker cleans the gold Vienna Philharmonic coining die in the Austrian Mint Muenze Oesterreich headquarters in Vienna

Vienna Philharmonic Coin Is Among the Most Prized Forms of Gold

by Przemysław Bociąga
27 February 2023
Austria/Business/Culture

Many countries have their own versions of one-ounce gold coins treated as a form of investment. But globally, the most important commemorates Vienna’s dedication to music.

Mural in Mangalia

The Mangalia Mural So Controversial Its Creator Had to Flee

by Przemysław Bociąga
26 February 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

One of the largest and most elaborate murals from Communist Europe consists of three million porcelain pieces and makes a huge impression. In fact, it had such an impact upon its unveiling that its creator was forced to flee Romania.

good luck fairies

Bippity Boppity Boo: Fairy Godmothers and Romanian Birth Fetes

by Naomi Gherman
26 February 2023
Romania/Culture

Should the Romanian Ursitoare have been present at the birth of Sleeping Beauty, she may not have ended up cursed, as it is the job of these creatures to protect and bless the newborn baby. Who, or what, are these mythological fairies, and why are they so important in Romanian culture?

A June 29, 1898, editorial cartoon by Leon Barritt depicts Pulitzer and Hearst each pushing for war with Spain

The Pulitzer Prize Is Named After a Hungarian Journalist 

by Przemysław Bociąga
26 February 2023
People/Bulgaria/Culture

The founder of the most prestigious awards in journalism was a lifelong rival of William Randolph Hearst. It was this rivalry that set the stage for modern journalism.

The Court House in Sofia, Bulgaria

When Lions Roared in Bulgaria

by Galina Ganeva
25 February 2023
Bulgaria/Culture

Once upon a time, lions roamed parts of the Balkan Peninsula. Excavations show that the last lions were spotted in Bulgaria somewhere around the 3rd or 4th century BC. And while lions were not around to witness the birth of Bulgaria or its struggles, they remain one of the country’s symbols. Why?

Couple in traditional costume in Bistrita Valley on archive black and white photo

Romanians’ Perfect Excuse for Forgetting About Valentine’s Day

by Naomi Gherman
24 February 2023
Romania/Culture

Cupid and Eros had nothing on Romania’s Dragobete - a young demigod whose sole purpose was to remind people to love and appreciate one another. Celebrated on the 24 February, the holiday has become Romania’s version of Valentine’s Day.

Mariacka Street in the old city of Gdansk is the kingdom of the workshops and goldsmiths of amber jewels

Poland’s Rich Amber Shores

by Weronika Edmunds
23 February 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

About 40 million years ago, a large pine forest was growing on land now long gone. As the Earth was rapidly changing, the forest saw its time was coming to an end. Resigned to its fate, sure of being lost and forgotten for all eternity, it… cried.

group of bisons in the morning

European Bison – Return From the Other Side

by Weronika Edmunds
21 February 2023
Culture/Poland

The population of the American Bison was severely hit after the arrival of the settlers. From an estimated 60,000,000 animals living on the land prior to 1800, only about 300 lived in the US in 1900. Its European cousin wasn’t that lucky.

"Just Married" sign and cans attached to convertible car's trunk. Horizontal shot

The Knots of Marriage Still Holding Tight in Central Europe

by Agaton Koziński
20 February 2023
Business/Culture

The decline in the number of marriages and the rise in the number of divorces are ongoing trends in Europe. But in CEE countries, this trend is taking a much slower path. And there are examples of countries where it is even reversing.

Atractive woman in traditional romanian costume on mountain green blurred background. Outdoor photo. Traditions and cultural diversity

Traditional Romanian Woman’s Blouse Gains UNESCO Recognition

by Naomi Gherman
20 February 2023
Romania/Culture

The traditional Romanian woman’s blouse, known as ie, the symbol of authenticity and unity, has recently been recognized as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

Hikers on a bridge over river Soca

The Slovenian-Italian River (Possibly) Fortified by Da Vinci

by Przemysław Bociąga
19 February 2023
Slovenia/Travel & Food/Culture

Spanning 140 kilometers, the Soča may not be the longest or largest European river. Still, it is among the most important and – last but not least – the most stunningly beautiful on the continent.

budapest name origin

Budapest Was Almost Named Pestbuda After a Long Debate

by Przemysław Bociąga
18 February 2023
Hungary/Travel & Food/Culture

It turns out it was far easier to unite the city made up of several different towns than to come up with a proper name for it.

archive photo from 1959 shows students running out of school

Poland Celebrated 1000 Years of Christianity with… 1000 Schools

by Przemysław Bociąga
17 February 2023
Poland/Culture/People

Known as the "Millennium Schools," characteristic buildings made with one ingenious design are still the most prevalent of their kind in Poland.

Bulgarians pours a vine with a red wine as dressed with national traditional clothes people play a dance as part of the celebrating of the wine feast called St. Trifon day

Can the God of Wine Help Bulgaria’s Wine Industry?

by Galina Ganeva
14 February 2023
Culture/Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Business

Bulgaria and wine, it’s serious. So serious that Bulgarians honor Saint Tryphon, patron of vine growers and winemakers, not once but twice a year. But is this enough to help Bulgarian wines conquer demanding markets abroad?

view of the medieval fortress Ovech near Provadia Bulgaria europe

Salt, Gold & History: the Competition to Be Europe’s Oldest City

by Krasimir Cheshmedzhiev
13 February 2023
Bulgaria/Travel & Food/Culture

Europe is not called “the old continent” by chance. Civilizations here have spawned for millennia. But three cities in Bulgaria are competing to be Europe’s oldest city.

sezatoarea - Young women spinning and sewing in Bistrita Valley, north-east Romania, photo taken between 1920 and 1945

The Ultimate Romanian Social Gathering Event

by Naomi Gherman
13 February 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

Winter is coming, and for Romanian peasants, that is good news: they can now indulge in the much-beloved șezătoare, where anything can happen. From song learning to marriage planning, șezătoarea was the place where to catch up on village life.

Lithuanian book smuggler Vincas Juska

The World‘s Only Book Smuggling Ring

by Augustas Kalinauskas
12 February 2023
Lithuania/Culture

Books are probably the last things that come to mind when you hear the word “illegal.” Crazy as it sounds, this was once the reality in Lithuania. And it wasn’t just books – it was everything from newspapers to shop signs - which sparked a lucrative smuggling trade.

The living fires of Buzau county in Romania

The Living Fire That Can Foretell Earthquakes

by Naomi Gherman
11 February 2023
Romania/Travel & Food/Culture

If the phenomenon of a self-burning fire is not mind-blowing enough already, know that the living fire of Vrancea is more than just pretty flames. It is an indicator that the disaster that lies underneath is about to erupt.

karl ernst von baer Walpurgis Night

The Estonian Statue With The Champagne Treatment

by Przemysław Bociąga
11 February 2023
Czechia/Culture/People

One of Estonia’s most famous scientists is the founder of embryology, Karl Ernst von Baer. Each year, Estonian students honor his life and achievements by giving his monument in Tartu Park a bubble bath to remember - with champagne and beer.

Beehive panel

Where Artistic Expression Flows Like Honey

by Vid Sosic
10 February 2023
Travel & Food/Culture/Slovenia

A unique aspect of Slovenian folk art is the way it intermingles with everyday farm life in the form of artfully decorated beehives. It is not only an excellent example of how creativity takes shape in all environments but also how seriously the culture of beekeeping is taken in this country.

top night view of the Hotel Kasprowy in Zakopane

Hotel Kasprowy – The Lux Socialist Hotel in the Polish Tatras

by Przemysław Bociąga
10 February 2023
Poland/Travel & Food/Culture

Socialism’s great hotel investment in the heart of Polish Tatra Mountains is glamorous again. And it gets one hell of an (unofficial) product placement in the latest production of the most famous Polish opera.

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