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Balkans

Four Balkans Countries Will Bid for 2030 World Cup

2018-11-05 by Aleksandr Shatskih

World Cup South Africa

The prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania and the president of Serbia say their countries will bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Tags: Balkans, Balkans countries, Balkans events, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia World Cup, Serbia, soccer, World Cup, World Cup 2030, world cup soccer

Greece’s Tsipras and Serb President Vucic Announce Cooperations

2017-07-14 by Aleksandr Shatskih

Aleksandar Vučić

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hailed historic ties with Serbia in a televised exchange with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic yesterday. The meetup was part of a Western Balkans conference promoting bilateral relations between the Balkans nations.

Tags: Aleksandar Vucic, Alexis Tsipras, Balkans, Greece, macedonia, Serbia

Balkans Roaming Rates to Be Scrapped

2014-09-02 by Aleksandr Shatskih

Roaming charges

If you’re thinking of traveling to the Balkans soon, you’re roaming charges may just go down. According to news from Montenegrin Ministry of Telecommunications, ministers there are set to sign an agreement for establishing a “roaming free” zone across the region.

Tags: Balkans, mobile charges, mobile traveller, roaming, travel advisory, travelers, WiFi

Albania: A Look at Peripheral #Ukraine Effects

2014-03-08 by Phil Butler

Edi Rama

The crisis in Ukraine now threatens western Balkans nations like Albania with further stalled economies and more. Even despite the recent announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Urban Development and Tourism of Albania to commit to working together to promote tourism in Albania, the gridlocked detentes in between the US, EU, Britain, and Russia over Ukraine may well spell disaster for all Balkan’s travel.

Tags: Albania growth, Albania Tourism, Albania Travel, Balkans, Edi Rama, EU, Europe crisis, Obama, Putin, Russia, Ukraine

Book Review: The Balkan Odyssey

2013-09-16 by Aleksandr Shatskih

The Balkan Odyssey

Jason Smart invites us to accompany him in a journey in the Balkan countries, discovering them with a traveler’s eye: The Balkan Odyssey: Travels around the former Yugoslavia…oh, and Albania too! He makes this trip along with his friends, Michael and Phil. “Phil simply couldn’t understand my fascination with visiting foreign lands. To him, a […]

Tags: Balkans, balkans book, book review, jason smart, The Balkan Odyssey

SpiceRoads Cycle Tours Launches “Bike the Balkans”

2013-02-22 by Aleksandr Shatskih

The old fortress of Kotor

Starting today SpiceRoads Cycle Tours adds incentive for those who would love to Bike the Balkans. Their continuing program to promote touristic destinations in emerging countries reveals Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro with $150 savings on first time departures there via the tours.

Tags: Albania Travel, Balkans, Balkans touring, bike tours, biking the Balkans, Macedonia tours, Montenegro touring

Croatia Airlines Eyes Adria Merger

2012-05-29 by Aleksandr Shatskih

Croatia Airlines

In news from the Balkans, it seems likely there may be a merger in the offing, with reports suggesting that Croatia’s national air carrier Croatia Airlines are set to hold talks with their Slovenian counterparts Adria Airways to form a new pan-Balkan carrier.

Tags: Adria Airways, Airbus A319, Balkans, Croatia Airlines, Jat Airways, Kresimir Kucko, Montenegro Airlines, Sinisa Hajdas Doncic, Zoran Djurišić

Macedonia’s Winter Tourism Boom

2012-03-20 by Aleksandr Shatskih

The Balkans may have been deluged by one of the most extreme cold snaps in living memory this winter, but that hasn’t done anything to harm local tourism industries across the region, least of all in Macedonia

Tags: Balkans, Iguana Tours, macedonia, ski resorts, ski tourism, Valon Saraquin, Visa liberalization, winter tourism

Grisha Ganchev and the Great Wall of Bulgaria

2011-01-05 by Phil Butler

Grisha Ganchev

Bulgaria’s Grisha Ganchev is a controversial figure to say the least. One thing is certain however, the industrialist believes in helping the people of his country climb out of the current economic crevass. A €100 million auto plant in the remote village of Bahovitsa will produce 120o jobs and 50,000 inexpensive autos for people in the Balkans.

Tags: auto industry, Bahovitsa, Balkans, Bulgaria, Bulgaria commerce, Bulgaria labor, Bulgarian Minister, Great Wall Motors, Grisha Ganchev, Litex, Ministry of Economy, Sergey Stanishev, tourism, Visit Bulgaria

Winter in Kosovo: Hiking in the Šar Mountains

2011-01-05 by Aleksandr Shatskih

Brezovica

When visiting Kosovo during the Winter months, one of the top activities worth pursuing is hiking in the Sar Mountains. This Balkans mountain range offers almost unparalleled challenge and breathtaking vistas for the newcomer and veteran hiker alike. The Kosovo Valley below, and Šar Mountains National Park also offer rare encounters with some 20 unusual wildlife species.

Tags: albania, backpack Kosovo, Balkans, hiking, Kosovo, Kosovo Mountains, Kosovo travel, mountain hiking, mountain species, Sar Mountains

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Featured Stories

€52M Greek Fisheries Scandal

European Public Prosecutor’s Office Investigates €52M EU Fisheries Fund Scandal in Greece

Heraklion old cold-storage warehouse

Heraklion’s Old Cold-Storage Warehouse Gets Green Light for Hotel Conversion

Special Olympics Kayaking Games AI illustration

Crete to Host European Special Olympics Kayaking Games at Lake Kournas

Heraklion Fishermen Protest

Cretan Fishermen Stage Black-Flag Protest Over Fuel Costs and Regulations

greek bakeries

Greece’s Bakeries Warn of Higher Bread Prices

Why We Embrace AI

At Argophilia, we believe in using every tool at our disposal to bring you the stories that matter. You may notice a certain precision in our data analysis, a specific flair in our visuals, or a rapid turnaround on complex topics. That is no accident—it is the result of our rampant use of artificial intelligence.

We use Gemini to help synthesize data, structure our reporting, and ensure our news remains as sharp as the reality we cover. When it comes to our imagery, we rely on the creative power of Midjourney and NightCafe, unless otherwise noted in our editorial credits.

We are not apologetic for this. In a fast-moving world, these tools allow us to focus on what really counts: investigating the issues, giving a voice to the marginalized, and maintaining the journalistic integrity you expect from us. We see AI not as a replacement for human judgment, but as an engine that amplifies our ability to inform, analyze, and tell the truth about our island and beyond.

We are writers and journalists first—but we are proud to be tech-enabled ones, too.

Lovage, The Kitchen of Venus

Your go-to guide for foraging cretan horta

Stories of Interest

Chania Recycling Cooking Oil

Chania Launches €310K Smart Sanitation and Rewarding Cooking Oil Recycling Initiative

2026-10-16 By Victoria Udrea

Chania unveils a €310K smart sanitation and reward-based cooking oil recycling program, setting a high standard that should be adopted island-wide across Crete.

27-year-old man arrested

27-Year-Old Arrested at Heraklion Port Trying to Buy Piraeus Ferry Ticket Without Travel Papers

2026-10-16 By Argophilia Travel News

Coast Guard officers arrest a 27-year-old man at Heraklion port for attempting to buy a Piraeus ferry ticket without papers and verbally abusing officers.

Crete Car Rental Market

Crete Accounts for 18.1% of Greece’s Car Rental Market

2026-10-15 By Kostas Raptis

Crete has Greece’s second-largest short-term car rental market, as tourists increasingly rent vehicles to explore beaches, villages, and mountain routes.

strong tourism season

Strong October Finishes Robust Tourism Season in Crete

2026-10-15 By Arthur Butler

Cretan hotels report 80-90% occupancy in October as the tourism season extends through mid-November, supported by sustained flight connections and winter city demand.

Malevizi road collapse

School Bus Tilts After Road Gives Way in Crete’s Agia Marina

2026-10-15 By Iorgos Pappas

Students were safely evacuated after a school bus tilted on a washed-out road in Malevizi, prompting essential driving safety advice for visitors on Crete’s roads.

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