Top 10 Lifestyle Channels from Eastern Europe

It would be a mistake to assume that all residents of Eastern European countries either live in fairy-tale-like medieval houses, covered in atmospheric mould, or in cheap Khrushchyovka-style panel buildings or other barely habitable social housing. In fact, the lifestyles of people in Eastern Europe are incredibly diverse – and here are 10 striking examples of this.

A young artist, an aspiring director, the father of a large family, a devout believer, a downshifter, a rural romantic, a seasoned sailor, an emigrant, a vegan, a new mother, and even a highlander living in a remote mountainous area – everyone can find inspiration and admiration among the following popular Eastern European lifestyle bloggers.

Luiza Milovanova

At the age of 12, Luiza Milovanova from Vinnytsia became famous across the country by collecting a kilogram of silver to make medals for ATO heroes. As she grew up, the girl, who had always loved to draw, became a makeup artist and beauty blogger, but her content has continued to evolve. Today, she creates videos about cooking, interesting travels, vegetarianism, visits to museums, moving from her parents’ house to her first rented apartment, and much more. Luiza Milovanova’s channel will definitely appeal to anyone who wants to make their daily routine more comfortable, learn how to enjoy the quiet moments of life, and find joy even in the grey aspects of everyday existence. 

LoJournal

If you love autumn, the melancholic songs of Lana Del Rey, the compositionally perfect films of Wes Anderson, and petite brunettes with fringes who resemble Amélie Poulain and enjoy dressing like characters from French New Wave films – then you can regularly indulge in all of this by watching the short cinematic sketches on LoJournal, a channel run by Polish creator Laura Nadolska. Aesthetic hipster-philosophical videos with a vintage film effect – some people find this nauseating, while others absolutely adore it. If you fall into the latter category, you’ll love this. 

Familia Mateș

Paul Mateș from Brașov, Romania, initially pursued a musical career but eventually set aside the guitar he had devoted ten years of his life to in order to fully focus on his family, faith in God, and the development of his YouTube channel centred around family values. It all started with a simple travel video, which Mateș didn’t have high hopes for, but soon – video after video – he immersed himself and his entire family into lifestyle blogging. Today, over 700,000 Romanians follow the Mateș family’s life, and their videos have amassed over 300 million views. If you share the belief that religious and family values are central to a fulfilling life, you’ll find this channel incredibly engaging. 

Ivanka Dyachuk

City life and rural life are two distinct forms of art, two philosophical universes. Therefore, people who, in adulthood, choose to leave the convenience of a shop under their house, as well as shopping centres, kindergartens, schools, hospitals, and offices nearby, to instead start restoring an abandoned house in, say, the Ukrainian Carpathians, often feel like pioneers on an unfamiliar distant planet. But it seems they like it. Ivanka Dyachuk creates documentaries for her channel about such enthusiasts of rural downshifting, promoting a peaceful, healthy, and joyful life surrounded by nature. 

Mrs Maria and Family

However, some people have no need to move to the countryside, as they’ve lived there since childhood. Mrs Maria from the village of Staryi Dobrotvir in Lviv Oblast decided to start blogging during the 2020 pandemic. The woman adores rural romance, humour, and her family, so that’s what her first videos were about. At first, she appeared on camera alone, then she involved her husband, and eventually, her entire family. You won’t find aesthetic shots, precise angles, or artistic editing on her channel – Maria films everything mostly in one take – whatever comes out, comes out. She quickly edits and stitches it together and then uploads the content for the viewers’ amusement, without any unnecessary embellishments.

Viața De Navigator

How about some maritime romance? Radu Dimitriu from Romania has worked as a navigator and chief engineer on cargo ships transporting gas around the world for over 15 years. The lifestyle of a true sailor might not serve as a role model for someone living a settled life in a city or village, but getting a glimpse of the daily life and adventures of people in such unusual professions can be quite interesting. In addition to his work on board, Dimitriu shares stories about the places they visit, shark fishing, Somali pirates, ocean storms, and more. 

Canadian Mark

The life of an emigrant is usually difficult and turbulent, but one thing’s for sure – boredom is not part of the experience when facing the challenges of life abroad. Markiyan, a native of Lviv, moved to Edmonton, Canada, where he runs a video blog about his emigrant routine, telling it as it is – the good and the bad. For example, did you know that many people in Canada live in basements? Or that there’s a place in Canada where you can get $30,000 just for moving there? Or that Canadians are increasingly rejecting electric cars? Or that even in a city where winter temperatures drop to -20 or even -30 degrees, you can still grow a fruitful Ukrainian garden? Mark shares all of this in detail on his channel. 

Karolina Sobańska

Polish creator Karolina Sobańska began her YouTube channel in 2013 while still a high school student, immediately facing criticism about her supposedly inadequate weight, with comments suggesting she should “eat more porridge instead of making videos.” However, internet trolls didn’t stop Karolina from pursuing her goal – promoting an eco-friendly, conscious, healthy, and stylish way of life for the modern young woman. Today, she has over 100,000 subscribers and, in addition to regular videos, runs a popular weekly podcast where she talks with similarly energetic and conscious women, building a large motivational community. 

Kamčalinda

Many people think that once a woman becomes a mother, her lifestyle inevitably turns into endless child care, with diapers, bottles, scattered toys, near-daily pediatrician visits, and reading bedtime stories. However, in reality, if you have the desire, you can live stylishly and beautifully even with small children who need attention 24/7. And the time spent together with the little ones is best documented in detail, creating inspiring blogs for other young mothers. This is exactly what Czech blogger Kamčalinda does on her channel. 

Village Life in Mountains

This is a Ukrainian channel about people, mostly elderly, who live in the Carpathian Mountains and engage in agriculture. You won’t see this lifestyle in glossy magazines, but somehow these people, tired from daily hard work, wouldn’t trade their mountain life for anything else. What do they eat, what plants do they grow, what animals do they raise, how do they entertain themselves after work, what traditions do they keep, and how do they adapt to life in extremely harsh conditions? You’ll find out all this in the form of atmospheric documentaries here.