Resenyheter: Ställplatser, musik och sommarprognos

By: Editorial Office | Source: press material

It was Monday again, which as usual means travel news here at FREEDOMtravel. This week there is a big focus on Sweden – mixed with Swedes' travel plans abroad.

Table of contents

First Camp rolls into Älmhult's trading place

First Camp is growing in Älmhult. A 17,000 square meter area of land is now being prepared at Älmhult's trading post to welcome passersby and tourists with camper vans who want to discover Älmhult, shop, visit IKEA and eat well.

The new 17,000 square meter area is located directly adjacent to road 23 and will offer parking spaces for daily rental. A dumping station is also planned for the summer season. Once the building permit process is complete, work will begin on completing the area, with the goal of welcoming summer tourists.

Älmhult trading place. Photo: Björnsson Media.

Finnlines and Långnäs Port open new cruise terminal in Åland

On Friday, May 8, 2026, Finnlines, together with the Port of Långnäs, inaugurated a new cruise terminal at Åland. The new terminal makes it possible to accommodate more travelers and makes it easier to get between the ship and the terminal.

The terminal is used by Finnlines Superstar class ships, M/S Finnsirius and M/S Finncanopus, which operates the Kapellskär–Långnäs–Nådendal route. Since the new ships were put into service, the number of passengers on the line has increased significantly.

Inauguration of the new terminal. Press photo from Finnlines.

Hotels.com's summer forecast 2026: Swedes choose culturally rich destinations

Ahead of summer, more Swedish travelers are choosing to swap hot Mediterranean beaches for cooler destinations in northern Europe and the Alps. New data from Hotels.com shows that the trend picked up already during Ascension Day.

The preference for cooler destinations continues during the peak summer (July-August), with Swedish searches for Alpine destinations showing strong growth compared to the previous year. French Alpine towns lead the way, with Annecy (the Venice of the Alps) and Swiss Interlaken. Alpine travel destinations with the largest search increase among Swedes this summer:

Annecy, France: +70 %
Interlaken, Switzerland: +35 %
Berchtesgaden, Germany: +10 %
Salzburg, Austria: +5 %
Merano, Italy: +5 %

Brienzsjön - Naturupplevelser i Schweiz — Lake Brienz at Interlaken, Switzerland

Opera by the sea during the Birgit Nilsson Festival in Båstad

In August, Båstad will once again be transformed into an international opera center during the Birgit Nilsson Festival. The highlight of the festival is Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, which will be staged at the Tennis Stadium on August 8th with the Kattegat as a backdrop.

At the same time, Hotel Skansen is launching several experience packages for visitors who want to combine world-class opera with gastronomy and accommodation by the sea.

Göteborgskalaset releases the year's first artists

Göteborgskalaset is now releasing the first artists for this year's folk festival. Miriam Bryant, Teddybears, Sahara Hotnights and Arvingarna are ready for the festival's main stage at Götaplatsen.

They are complemented by recent Grammis winner Yukimi and rock veterans LOK, both of whom will perform on stage at Kungstorget. Gothenburg's own city festival takes place this year on August 27–30.

Teddybears. Press photo from the Gothenburg party.

Wilderness Train autumn trip expanded

Once again, the opportunity to experience the spectacular nature of northern Sweden is given aboard the Wilderness Train. An exclusive and romantic train journey that takes travelers from Stockholm through the inland to Kiruna, with a return journey south along the coast. This autumn's edition of the Wilderness Train has also been expanded with an additional day on the rails.

The nine-day trip, September 10-18, offers a holistic experience where comfort, nature and culture meet. The trip includes hotel accommodation at carefully selected destinations, all meals, experienced tour management and a varied program with unique experiences along the way.

The Wilderness Train. Photo: Julius Aspman.

Reflection of the week

It's great that alpine destinations are becoming more popular in the summer as well. We have actually mainly visited the Alps in the summer – both Austria and Switzerland is fantastic in the summertime.

Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Airport beer, booking frustration and popular national parks