r/AskEasternEurope

I'm trying to decide where to travel and spend around 2–3 months (Starting this mid August). I currently live in the UK, but I'm originally from Chile.

Right now, I'm looking for places where I can rent a private room for under £600 per month. I'm especially interested in places with rich folklore and history, not just beautiful landscapes, but also interesting people, architecture, and local myths. I'm an artist, and I want to paint these places and learn about their stories.

I've already spent a month in Japan 5 years ago, and it was beautiful. I'd love to go back someday, but I'm not sure my current lifestyle and the kind of trip I want right now really fit Japan.

Scotland has really caught my attention, especially because of the weather and Edinburgh.

Eastern Europe also interests me a lot, mainly because I'm fascinated by Brutalist architecture, and it seems like it could be much more affordable.

I'm open to any suggestions! If you know of a place with a strong folklore tradition, beautiful architecture, and a reasonable cost of living, I'd love to hear about it.

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for books (in English or Spanish) about the different peoples and cultures within the Russian Federation.

I'm not so much interested in books that focus solely on ethnic Russians, but rather on the many other ethnic groups that make up Russia. I'd love to learn more about their history, cultures, religions, languages, traditions, and how they fit into the broader history of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and modern Russia.

I'm especially interested in groups such as Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvash, Mari, Udmurts, Komis, Karelians, Mordvins (Erzya and Moksha), Buryats, Tuvans, Yakuts (Sakha), Kalmyks, Khakas, Altaians, Nenets, Khanty, Mansi, Evenks, Chukchi, Nivkhs, the peoples of the North Caucasus (Chechens, Ingush, Avars, Circassians, Ossetians, Lezgins, etc.), the indigenous peoples of Siberia and the Russian Far East, and other lesser-known communities.

I'm open to pretty much anything:

• academic books
• accessible nonfiction
• ethnographies
• history
• cultural studies
• regional overviews
• atlases or encyclopedic reference works

I'd especially appreciate books that take a broad look at Russia as a multiethnic state rather than focusing on a single group.

I'm also happy to receive recommendations for historical literature (fiction) if it's well researched and offers a good portrayal of any of these peoples or regions.

Bonus points if the book includes maps, illustrations, or discusses Russia's federal republics and autonomous regions.

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I'm a solo female traveler from Boston USA (BOS) treating myself to a birthday trip through Eastern Europe. Budget is a real priority right now, but safety and comfort matter too — private rooms only, no dorms.

I tried solo travel once but no more. I need a small group tour with an English-speaking guide where I'll actually connect with people, not just sightsee alone in a crowd.

I want to go beyond the Budapest/Vienna/Prague/Berlin circuit — Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, and the Balkans are all calling my name. The more countries the better.

Looking for:
- Small group tour, English guide, solo-friendly (no or low single supplement)
- Budget-friendly, reliable, high-rated
- Any European-based operators cheaper than G Adventures/Intrepid?

**Questions:**

1. Which tour gave you the best social experience — where you actually made friends?
2. Hidden gem cities worth adding?
3. Solo women — which cities felt safest and most welcoming?
4. Best cheap routing from Boston into this region?

DM me if you want to swap notes. Thanks! 🙏

Hey guys, I need a brutal reality check from US-based sellers or buyers.
I’m a Business Analytics and UX/UI student from Europe, and I’m planning to launch my first digital product shop on Etsy (focused on Gut Health trackers, food diaries, and wellness Notion templates).
Instead of making another basic, pink, or pastel minimalist planner that everyone else is selling, I wanted to use my roots and design everything in a Slavic / Folk / Deep Earthy aesthetic (deep forest greens, botanical illustrations, ancient herbalism vibe).
My question to the US audience is: Does the "Slavic/Folk Wellness" concept make any sense to an average American buyer, or is it too exotic/weird? Do people in the US care about European folk traditions in the wellness space, or should I just rebrand it completely into generic "Cottagecore / Witchy Aesthetic" to get any sales?
I have the data logic and UX ready, but I don't want to fail on the visual positioning. Please be as brutal as possible, I want to save my time if this is a dead end. Thanks for any advice!

As per question.