Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Eastern Europe

8th Annual Wild Flower Festival Starts This Month in Bohinj, Slovenia

Aleksandr Shatskih

This month, May 24th, the 8th International Wild Flower Festival comes to Bohinj, Slovenia. This alpine flower festival shows off one of the country’s most treasured nature attractions, some of the most beautiful wild flowers in all Europe, AND one of Slovenia’s most fascinating towns.

Saranda, Albania Tourist Season Open

Aleksandr Shatskih

Saranda, Albania has officially kicked off this year’s tourist season. Saturday, the traditional feast of mussels singals another season of seaside festivals, sports, and sightseeing experiences.

Hungary’s 4th TeSzedd Mozgalom (YouPick Campaign)

Aleksandr Shatskih

This weekend Budapest kicks off their part of the Europe-wide Let’s Clean Up Europe initiative with it’s own TeSzedd Mozgalom (YouPick) campaign. Organized by Hungary’s National Waste Management Agency is running the 4th segment of anti-litter initiative with this year’s. An all volunteer event running 9-11 May, the campaign descended on the City Park.

Next Week the Budapest Pálinka Festival is Served

Aleksandr Shatskih

Coming to Budapest May 15th thru 18th, the Budapest Pálinka Festival is a unique gastronomic event for locals and guests of the city. Some 300 plus varietes of pálinka, a special Hungarian brandy, are the main attraction. Major producers offer their best distilled spirits.

Bulgaria Sees Drop in Early Bookings On Ukraine Unrest

Aleksandr Shatskih

According to the President of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents, Bayko Baikov, Bulgaria has seen a 20% decline in western European bookings. According to Baikov, tourists form Germany, Britain, and Scandinavia just aren’t aiming to travel to the country this Spring.

Oktogu.ru Reveals Top Russian Traveler Destinations for May

Aleksandr Shatskih

Russian online hotel reservations service Oktogo.ru has announced the most popular CIS cities for Russian travelers for May holidays. The top cities, Minsk, Tashkent, Almaty, Baku, Kiev, Yerevan, Kishinev, Astana, Bishkek and Lvov beat out Georgia’s Tbilisi.

Weight of Ukraine Unrest, Sanctions, Threaten EU Economies

Phil Butler

The Ukraine unrest unfolding, US and NATO versus Russia challenges and sanctions, threaten to unravel any hope of continued EU economic recovery. This, according to an ITAR-TASS report, must be weighed against European Commission contentions. Whatever the case for western EU nations, tourism and other sectors in eastern Europe will certainly be stifled.

Germany’s Steinmeier Warns of War in Ukraine

Aleksandr Shatskih

The situation in Ukraine has the world on pins and needles as chaos prevails almost nationwide there. Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has gone so far as to warn that the crisis may turn into war in eastern Europe.

Estonia’s Tallink Grupp Reports Shipping Traffic

Aleksandr Shatskih

Cruise passenger traffic by Estonia’s largest passenger shipping company AS Tallink Grupp increased more than 9% in April over last year, according to the company. Tallink Grupp transported some 709,931 passengers, and 79,932 vehicles even with one vessel out of service for 11 days.

Bad News For Croatia Tourism: Dead Last Economics

Aleksandr Shatskih

In Croatia, not many people or officials could have predicted finally achieving EU member status would find the country worse off. This Reuters report shows the ugly side of today’s European Union economics, Croatia and other states wallowing at the bottom of the coalition’s heap.