hidden europe is an English language print-on-paper magazine. Over a span of almost two decades, seventy issues were published in all. The final issue appeared in summer 2023 - its sunset having been carefully planned and announced long in advance. This was a project with a start, a middle and an end. Every part of it was carefully staged. The spirit of hidden europe lives on with this website and with the ongoing work of the magazine's founders and publishers, Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner.
The magazine is dedicated to good travel writing that evokes the spirit of Europe’s diverse landscapes, conjures up a sense of place and probes the curiosities of the continent’s diverse cultures. Whether we are reporting from a small town in Belarus, a remote Mediterranean island or from the slow train through rural Bosnia, we approach every topic with passion, insight, conviction and authority.
All sounds a bit serious perhaps? Fear not. Every issue of the magazine comes with a hefty dose of irony and quirky frivolity. We are after all eccentrics and like nothing more than the challenge of tracking down Europe's slowest train or English's shortest motorway. Our brief is Europe wide, and we criss-cross the continent to bring our readers the very best of what's new, what's overlooked, what's odd and what's fun.
Final issue in Summer 2023
hidden europe 70 marks a milestone in a project which has run over two decades. For this seventieth issue is the final offering of hidden europe. A collection of ‘threescore and ten’ issues feels nicely biblical and we think it’s a good place to stop. As we make a dignified exit, we reflect on the years with hidden europe and bring reports from Bologna in northern Italy, from western Slovenia and East Anglia.
We also visit a village split by an international frontier, discover the quiet appeal of Friedrichstadt and say a big thank you to the writers and subscribers who have supported the magazine. Among the writers is Paul Scraton who nicely recalls his journey with hidden europe in this issue.
Pure content rather than distracting ads
Okay, so we know that there are already magazines aplenty about far flung places. And even the regular newspapers deluge us with travel supplements that extol the merits of the latest hip ski resort, detail what's new in Caribbean chic, or encourage us to go llama trekking in the back of beyond.
hidden europe is different. We don't take paid advertisements. Our work is value driven, so the magazine is another world from the ad-led content that fills the regular travel pages. So by taking out a sub you are supporting a creative venture which showcases genuinely independent travel writing.
Who is behind hidden europe magazine
hidden europe magazine comes from Berlin, the very heart of Europe. And that's not chance. We live in a city that for half a century straddled a deeply divided Europe. And us? Two women, who between us have travelled more miles around Europe than most. We are not tour operators, not travel agents, nor do we have any multinational backers. If you want to find out what we do besides publishing hidden europe magazine, have a look here.
Sounds good. How can I get it?
You can purchase hidden europe magazine via our online shop, where you can take out a subscription or buy back issues.
Our free electronic newsletter (called Letter from Europe) allows you to keep and touch and delivers a dose of hidden europe to your inbox between issues of the printed magazine.