What were the Balkans known as in Europe?

Balkans, also called Balkan Peninsula, easternmost of Europe’s three great southern peninsulas. Portions of Greece and Turkey are also located within the geographic region generally defined as the Balkan Peninsula, and many descriptions of the Balkans include those countries too.

Why are there so many countries in the Balkans?

Geographers and politicians divide the Balkan peninsula in a variety of ways due to a complicated history. The root cause of this is that a number of Balkan countries were once part of the former country of Yugoslavia, which formed at the end of World War II and separated into distinct countries in 1992.

What is special about the Balkans?

With its charming multicultural towns, impressive monasteries, citadels perched on hillsides, gorgeous mountains, forests and lakes, hearty food and traditional folk music, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a different world.

Why were the Balkans so unstable?

The Balkans have traditionally been an area of turmoil and political instability. The explosion of nationalism throughout the region and the intervention of the Great Powers in the 1800s earned the area the reputation as the powder keg of Europe.

Why is the Balkans called the Balkans?

The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the whole of Bulgaria. The Balkan Peninsula is bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the northwest, the Ionian Sea in the southwest, the Aegean Sea in the south, the Turkish Straits in the east, and the Black Sea in the northeast.

Why the Balkans are the best?

The Balkans are known for their immense natural beauty, which means wherever you look, you’ll find the most beautiful pristine scenes. Expect to see craggy mountain ranges, peaceful lakes, wide canyons, stunning seascapes and unreal waterfalls. The region is literally picture perfect and an Instragrammer’s mecca.

Why were the Balkans such a mess by 1914 explain?

Why were the Balkans a problem area in 1914? Within the Balkans, the intense nationalism of Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians, ​​and other ethnic groups led to demands for independence. The balkans had been controlled by the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire.

What are the Balkans like to travel?

When travelling across the Balkans, you’ll notice that there are certain features that you encounter again and again no matter what country you’re in. Based on a common past, language roots, and heritage, Balkan people share much in terms of culture, superstitions, traditions, and lifestyle. Here are a few highlights.

How do Balkan people spend their free time?

Take a walk along any Balkan city’s main pedestrian street and you will see hundreds of people leisurely sipping coffee and talking, or just people-watching on any random working day. Even if they have remained jobless for some time, they rarely take it to heart and instead, they make the most of their free time – they thoroughly enjoy it.

What are the most popular foods in the Balkans?

Here are a few highlights. No matter whether you call it ajvar, lyutenitsa or pinjur, preserves are a big deal in the Balkans. At least once a year, people here will spend a weekend cooking huge amounts of vegetable-based delights and conserving them in jars for the winter – the same goes for all kinds of pickles, meat, jams, and jellies.