The best podcasts for European podcasts

If you’re a fan of fiction podcasts or an audio nerd like myself, do yourself a favour and check this out. The podcast is an audio thriller where “technology changes the rules of the game.” The sound design is top-notch and the acting absolutely lures you in. It’s a must-listen with headphones on to do it justice. The production is originally in Spanish and it made absolute waves in the Spanish-speaking world. Titania won many well-deserved awards: “Best Podcast” in Premios Ondas 2023 and “Best Branded” in Premios Ondas Globales del Podcast 2023. The Spanish version wrapped season 2, and the English version was released in 2024. Goes to show how creative these kinds of partnerships can get if brands are open to the possibilities of audio. I started listening to both the English and Spanish versions so I can practice my language skills, and it’s working!

Europod has some of the best cross-border storytelling I’ve heard. Sea of Rage is co-produced by Podium Podcast and Chora Media. It was released this year in Spanish and Italian, and just recently started releasing English versions of the episodes. This podcast follows the streets of Barbate and Gioia Tauro to uncover their inhabitants’ real stories. They are almost 2,000 km apart but share high unemployment rates, complaints against institutions, and another connecting link: drug trafficking. The on-the-ground reporting, mixed with historical research and storytelling, makes it a fascinating listen. The issue is always more complex than it seems on the surface.

After reading Podimo’s 2024 Global Trend Report, I started digging through some of their past productions. One of my absolute favorites I uncovered is Where’s Home Really with Jimi Famurewa. The last episode was published December 2023 but don’t worry. There is a lengthy catalogue available to go through. I listened to the conversation with Adjoa Andoh and the one with Nish Kumar. I’m not the most well-versed in UK public personalities, although I am absolutely in love with Adjoa from her character in Bridgerton, of course. It was also very interesting to hear Nish Kumar’s experience as a comedian almost having been cancelled in 2019. More than anything, I truly loved learning about their cultural backgrounds, reflections on what home truly means (it’s always a mixed bag) and generally, the banter. A wonderful thing about Europe is how diverse it is and I think we should all spend more time educating ourselves on that and celebrating it.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards are such a precious resource and space to celebrate the industry’s best! One of the 2024 runner-ups was Born Greek - Made American. This show explores Greek-American history, international adoptions and broken families, espionage and treason. But ultimately, it’s a human story. I absolutely love how the podcast is structured, narrated and how it keeps you on your toes. This is also a fantastic example of how cross-cultural podcasts can be tailored and help listeners of seemingly very different backgrounds come together and learn from one another. Amazing!

When Kollo Media reached out about their new show, it instantly grabbed my attention. This is a heavy topic but such a deeply important one. Europe’s history of colonization has an impact until present day. It must be addressed. This three-part podcast investigates ancestral remains held in Berlin institutions. It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear the stories of people and communities whose ancestors were ripped away from them. The podcast talks with experts, researchers, activists, filmmakers, and museum directors. It’s aiming to contribute to the conversation of the ongoing fight for repatriation. I appreciate that the narrative puts focus on the people who were most impacted by these horrendous events.