Russian outposts 3

Summary

cruising on an icebreaker to Franz Josef Land and the North Pole

hidden europe 1 / Snippet / By hidden europe

One of the truly remote corners of the Russian Arctic is Franz Josef Land (Zemlya Frantsa Iosifa). It was only discovered in 1873, when Austro-Hungarian explorers aboard their wooden hull steamship Tegetthoff chanced upon this land of majestic cliffs, mountains and glaciers. The islands were named in honour of Austrian emperor Franz Josef.

Nowadays, each summer some six hundred intrepid travellers get the chance to visit this Arctic wilderness where polar bears and white whales still roam free.

As member with online access, you can sign in to read the rest of this article online.

Editorial hidden europe 1
Editorial

By hidden europe

Welcome to hidden europe! Join us on a journey that in this issue will lead from rural Russia to the Scottish Hebrides, from Poland to Piedmont, and from Lithuania to Albania. hidden europe evokes the spirit of Europe's diverse landscapes, conjures up a sense of place and probes the curiosities of our continent's diverse cultures.

Read on
Streetwise in the middle of Europe
Introduction

So where does hidden europe actually come from? From a garret in Reykjavík perhaps? Or a basement in Kiev? No, hidden europe is produced in the very middle of Europe just a stone's throw from the erstwhile border between West Berlin and the former German Democratic Republic (the DDR). We are more or less at the junction of two of Europe's truly great highways, the E30 and the E55. Well, not actually right at the junction but merely a few kilometres away.

Read on
Sicilian Vespers
Feature

By Nicky Gardner

we chase the scent of the Mafia in the hills of western Siciliy and visit Albanian speaking villages in the same region

Read on
Sea fever
Feature

By Nicky Gardner

When one time English poet laureate John Masefield extolled the lure of the ocean ("I must down to the seas again..."), he clearly didn't have Cunard's luxury Queen Elizabeth II ship or the same company's new super liner Queen Mary in mind.

Read on
Steel, Stalin and socialism
Feature

By Nicky Gardner

The erstwhile steeltowns of Russia and eastern Europe may not seem obvious tourist destinations, but hidden europe takes a look at four such cities.

Read on
Cigarettes and serviettes: a report from Mescherin
Feature

By Nicky Gardner

some curious business on the Polish-German border, and the tale of how Berlin's dirty washing gets laundered in a foreign land

Read on
Europe's small states
Feature

By Nicky Gardner

territorial tiddlers: a look at the small nations that dot the map of Europe

Read on
Eriskay 1935
Message in a bottle

By Nicky Gardner

hidden europe explores a little moment in cinematic history that led to a Hebridean island getting its first proper road

Read on
Indian summer in Vilnius
Festivals

By Nicky Gardner

festival time in the Lithuanian capital: arts, music, fire sculptures and more

Read on
Bohemia's four quarters: exploring beyond Prague
Off limits

By Nicky Gardner

It is hard to tire of Prague, but there is more to Bohemia than the Czech capital; we map out four excursions beyond Prague's city limits

Read on
The slow train
Real travel

By Nicky Gardner

evoking the flavour of a hot summer afternoon in the Bohemian hills, hidden europe takes the slow train from Liberec to Decín

Read on
Will the real Maria please stand up?
People

By Nicky Gardner

bed & breakfast with a difference in the Romanian city of Brasov

Read on
Europe: a Balkan view
Perspective

By Nicky Gardner

hidden europe argues that the European Union needs the Balkans just as much as the Balkans need the EU

Read on
Budget airlines expand into eastern Europe
Flightscan

By Nicky Gardner

EU expansion has presaged the enormous growth of budget air travel in Eastern Europe; we give an overview of key trends and identify some of the up and coming carriers that now serve this region

Read on
From Poland to Piedmont: in search of slow food
Consuming matters

By Nicky Gardner

speciality beers and boutique cheeses: Poland's entrée into the Slow Food movement

Read on
The streets with no names
Snippet

By hidden europe

a navigational dilemma in the Albanian capital Tirana

Read on
Russian outposts 1
Snippet

By hidden europe

rail links to Kaliningrad

Read on
Russian outposts 2
Snippet

By hidden europe

a travelling Orthodox church in Russia: religion on rails

Read on
Russian outposts 3
Snippet

By hidden europe

cruising on an icebreaker to Franz Josef Land and the North Pole

Read on
Islanders on celluloid
Snippet

By hidden europe

mapping the special appeal that remote island communities have held for filmmakers: Whisky Galore!, Stromboli and more

Read on
Unfair fares
Snippet

By hidden europe

great rail rip-off: how US travel agents make a tidy profit in selling European rail tickets

Read on
When a border is not a border
Snippet

By hidden europe

hidden europe tracks down some curious cases of European border crossings which are not open to all

Read on

hidden europe 1

Russian outposts 3

Summary

Editorial

Introduction

Feature

Feature

Feature

Feature

Feature

Message in a bottle

Festivals

Off limits

Real travel

People

Perspective

Flightscan

Consuming matters

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

From Prussia to Russia: Kaliningrad

Marking Time: New Train Services for 2020

When a border is not a border