The Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) awarded the certification to 3 new “Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe” on the occasion of its 2022 meeting (5-6 May, Luxembourg), bringing the programme to 48 certified Cultural Routes:

• Historic Cafés Route
• European Fairy Tale Route
• Women Writers Route

HISTORIC CAFES ROUTE:

From the eighteenth century to the twentieth century, cafés expanded across the towns and cities of Europe and quickly became important centres of cultural and political exchanges, appreciated by the emerging middle classes. As part of our urban heritage, the preserved historic cafés of Europe have survived wars and major social changes. They display a rich tangible heritage, with an abundance of architectural styles from neo-baroque to art nouveau, art deco and the birth of modernism. Historic Cafés Route offers the traveller the opportunity to step back in time to enjoy the opulence of cafes developed in its golden age and to discover their important role in the cultural history of Europe. The network currently involves members in 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and Türkiye.

Find out more on the Historic Cafés Route, Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, here.

EUROPEAN FAIRY TALE ROUTE:

The European Fairy Tale Route is based on our common tangible and intangible heritage, bringing together fairy tale books and their renowned authors, vernacular stories and oral traditions of the past such as Pinocchio, Wild Man, Professor Balthazar and Struwwelpeter, among others. Fairy tales are an important part of European culture. They echo stories that Europeans have shared from ancient times to the present day, very often in a common context. The Route is a journey between imaginary spaces and real places. It explores the fairy tales that accompanied our childhood on the way to adulthood, and which are still present today in the minds of European children. The network currently involves members in 8 countries: Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania and Switzerland.

Find out more on the European Fairy Tale Route, Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, here.

WOMEN WRITERS ROUTE:

The Route invites visitors to follow in the footsteps of women writers and highlights their exceptional life stories and literary works that marked the struggle for human, women's and minority rights in the 20th century. The network brings together museums, memorial spaces and places dedicated to women writers and activities, such as workshops and productions for children. The Route fosters participative attitude towards literary and social heritage left behind by women writers, it strives to raise awareness and tries to shape new understanding of their importance and guarantees its conservation for future generations. The network currently involves members in 6 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Slovenia.

Find out more on the Women Writers Route, Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, here.