Bad reviews, trendy destination and the most bang for your buck

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It's Monday again! That means travel news here on FREEDOMtravel, with short extracts from this week's press releases. This week it's all about everything from buns to Thailand. By the way, have you eaten any buns yet?

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Where you get the best value for money

Did you know that there can be a difference of over 60 grams depending on the semla you choose for Fat Tuesday? Sambla has looked at the price per kilo at some of our biggest bakeries and cafés to see where you'll get the most bang for your buck this year.

Our beloved semlor has become more expensive than ever. According to Nordea's "semmelindex", a pastry in Stockholm now costs an average of SEK 59 - an increase of 30 per cent since 2020.

Three million have travelled with Viking Glory

Viking Line's flagship Viking Glory, which departs every evening from Stockholm to Mariehamn and TurkuThree years later, the ship has carried three million passengers, filled every cabin for E-type's gigs and made nearly two million beds. Here are some figures from Viking Glory's first three years:

• 92,000 Fazer chocolate bars sold
• 21 000 seafood platters served
• 103,000 prawn sandwiches sold
• 191 000 pizzas baked

These Swedish tourist attractions received the most bad reviews

Which Swedish tourist attractions are the most disappointing? To find out, language learning provider Preply analysed over 35,000 reviews of the most popular attractions in Sweden to see how often words like 'overrated', 'disappointing' and 'tourist trap' were used by tourists to sum up their experience. Skansen leads the list, with over 180 negative reviews.

1. Skansen
2. ABBA - The Museum
3. Vasa Museum
4. Photographic Centre
5. Drottningholm Castle
6. The Royal Palace
7. Universeum, Gothenburg
8. Lilla Torg in Malmö
9. Öresund Bridge / Stockholm City Hall
10. Historical Museum

Lots of ski and music events at SkiStar this spring

During March and April, SkiStar invites you to a range of different events at all ski destinations in Sweden and Norway. From spectacular skiing competitions to great music experiences. Here are some of the spring events:

Åre:

• Audi Fis Ski World Cup (8-9 March) 
• Rix FM in Åre (27-29 March)
• The interceptor (28-30 March) 
• Red Bull Homerun (17-20 April) 
• Åre Sessions 2025 (30 April-4 May)

Vemdalen:

• Steilhang Race by EQPE in Klövsjö (27-29 March) 
• The Vemdals final (24-27 April) 

Sälen:

• The Dream Mountains (27-29 March, Högfjällshotellet)
• Star FM in Sälen (3-6 April) 
• SkiStar Winter Games Sälen (10-13 April) 
• Up the Wall by EQPE (19 April) 
• Ski & Rock (24-27 April)

Hemsedal:

• Snowboard NM (5-6 April)
• SkiStar Winter Games (24-27 April) 
• Wintering Hemsedal (2-4 May) 

Trysil:

• European Cup in slopestyle (2-5 April) 
• Winter end Trysil (24-27 April)
• BUSI Tour by Birk Ruud (26 April)
• Banked Slalom by Helene Olafsen (26 April) 

Thailand trendier than ever - TV series fuelling demand

At TUI, bookings to Thailand have increased by 20 per cent this winter compared to last year. For winter 25/26, bookings are already up 63 per cent compared to last year. Since the premiere of the third season of the TV series The White Lotus TUI has seen an increase in traffic to the product pages for Koh Samui by 44 per cent.

The travel company has also seen a surge in Google searches for the series' filming locations. Those who want to stay close to the filming locations can choose TUI BLUE The Passage.

How to find the best price for your summer holiday - according to Ticket

Dreaming of a sunny summer holiday but worried about the cost? The travel experts at travel agency Ticket share their top tips for finding affordable holidays. 5 smart ways to travel cheaper this summer according to Ticket:

1. Travel before the end of the school year - Temperatures are already pleasant in the Mediterranean, but prices are still lower.
2. Aim for August - Prices often fall when school starts.
3. Keep track of campaigns - Many airlines and charter operators offer discounts and promotions.
4. Book last minute when the weather is good - When the weather is good in Sweden, fewer people book holidays, which can push prices down.
5. Consider alternative destinations - Look at travelling to, for example Albania, Bulgaria or lesser known Greek islands.

Reflection of the week

Most bad reviews? Well, maybe, but that's probably also because these attractions are big and get a lot of reviews... right?

”Res före skolavslutningen” … ja, då pratar vi om dem som inte har barn i skolåldern väl?

Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Lighthouse cruise, festival train and sports capital

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