Latest Features from the Balkans
Cultural Gems Worth Seeking on the Balkan Trail
There’s much more to Balkan holidays than beaches. Here are a few of our tips for discerning tourists seeking a richer experience of the lands through which they are travelling.
Albania’s Last Stone Villages Await New Lease of Life
Two projects financed by the World Bank aim to preserve the vernacular architecture of the villages of Albania’s Rivera - though locals doubt that such projects can rebuild a long-lost sense of community.
Dangerous Life of Stefica Galic, Ljubuski’s Oskar Schindler
Almost two decades may have passed since the end of the Bosnian war but in the small town of Ljubuski, it is still smarter to keep silent about the war injustices, as the recent beating of journalist Stefica Galic showed.
Serb Murders Strike Fear Into Kosovo Village
The murder of a well-respected Serbian couple has left their once peaceful village in rural Kosovo in shock.
Literary Prize Holdup Feeds Albanian Writers’ Suspicions
Albania’s national literary prizes have been delayed by months – adding to writers’ angst about the little attention they receive from the state.
Serbian Dragon Trail Awaits Discovery
Serbian mythology is teeming with dragon tales – but tourist buffs have yet to link the many sites connected to these mysterious creatures into a visitors’ trail.
Unbearable Heat Easier By The Pools
As summer heat melts the asphalt, Belgraders seek shelter in some of the aqua parks that offer a lot of fun besides cooling pool water.
Zemun:City Within a City
The folk of Zemun have a deep sense of belonging to their “hometown”, which is actually one of Belgrade’s most culturally significant and vibrant urban municipalities.
Marchers Form ‘Living Monument’ to Horror of Srebrenica
About 7,000 people, including hundreds of survivors of the original march in 1995, joined an emotional pilgrimage to the eastern Bosnian town where they will rebury 520 more victims in the memorial centre.
Albanians who Saved Jews From Nazis Honoured in Film
New film challenges hoary clichés about Muslims by recalling the heroic Albanians who kept 2,000 Jews safe in the Holocaust.
‘Of Four Households, One man Survived’
Sehida Abdurahmanovic recalls the fate of her extended family following the fall of Srebrenica, when the slaughter of men at the hands of the Bosnian Serb army began.
Pop Star Urges Albanians to Have More Kids
Albanian pop star pleads with her compatriots to regain their taste for babies, as evidence shows that family sizes are shrinking fast.
Novi Sad: Charms of Serbia’s Athens
Most foreigners nowadays only know Novi Sad as the nearest city to the world famous Exit music festival, but the ‘Serbian Athens’ has its own discrete charms.
Gay Pride Prises Open Split’s Closet Door
Opponents of gay rights in Croatia’s second city may be as noisy as ever - but this year’s Pride parade showed that more people are losing their fear of being open about their sexual identity.
Srem Keeps Its Treasures Well Hidden
Fine fare and masses of mysterious ruins make Srem an intriguing and pleasant place to visit.
