Travel news: Drinking anxiety, food countries and medieval week

By: Editorial Office | Source: press material

Mondays mean travel news here at FREEDOMtravel, and that's why today we'll be sharing short excerpts from this week's press releases. This week, we'll be talking about everything from drinking anxiety and cheap camping countries to popular food countries and medieval week. Enjoy!

Drinking anxiety on vacation – Swedes don't want to appear stingy

Appearing stingy, paying too much, or getting stuck in a rigid discussion about who should pay what? When the bill lands on the table abroad, it's often about more than just money.

A new survey from hotel and travel search site momondo shows that nearly one in five Swedes (17 percent) say they would rather tip too much than risk appearing stingy. 14 percent prefer to be careful with the bill rather than pay more than necessary.

At the same time, the data shows that many people are taking it easy. 56 percent say they are relaxed about bills and tips abroad – especially baby boomers, where a full 77 percent are relaxed.

Among all respondents, the biggest concerns are that splitting the bill will be embarrassing (7 percent) and that someone in the party will not swish money afterwards (5 percent). Here's how to avoid a tense atmosphere when the bill arrives:

1. Agree before the bill lands – If there are several of you traveling together, talk on the first day about how you want to deal with bills and tips.
2. Do some research – Tipping varies greatly between countries and cultures. A quick check makes it easier to know what is reasonable.
3. Have change or cash ready – Where tipping is common, it can be nice to have smaller denominations on hand.
4. Don't let peer pressure control your wallet – Just because someone else leaves a generous tip doesn't mean you have to.

Portugal cheapest for a camping holiday with the family

A new study from car rental website DiscoverCars.com has compared the cost of a week's camping holiday for a family of four in different European countries. The calculation includes both camping fees and car rental.

Portugal tops the list as the most affordable destination, followed by Spain and Austria. Sweden comes in fifth place, while the Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway are the most expensive countries in the survey. The comparison is based on prices for a one-week stay between July 27 and August 2, 2026.

Italy remains the best food country – England once again the worst

Food has become an increasingly important part of the holiday experience. According to the latest survey by travel agency Ticket, 33 percent of those planning to travel this year say that food and restaurant experiences are one of the main reasons for their trip.

Almost four out of ten Swedes, 39 percent, rank Italy as the best food country to visit. At the same time, England once again receives a less flattering ranking. Swedes rank the country as having the worst food, just like in last year's survey.

The countries with the best food:

1. Italy
2. France
3. Japan

The countries with the worst food:

1. England
2. USA
3. Germany

Visby is filled with love as Medieval Week begins

For eight days, tens of thousands of enthusiasts traditionally meet on Gotland to do what they love. Now it's time for Medieval Week on Gotland 2026 with the theme Love Story.

During Medieval Week, love doesn't just mean romance - it's a web of relationships that bind people, places and times. In Visby's alleys and ruins, love for Gotland and its history can live side by side with love for another person.

Medieval Week is taking place on August 2–9, 2026 and transforms Visby into a living medieval town where history, imagination and public education meet.

Medieval bands (weekly/daily bands) and tickets are available at nortic.se and medeltidsveckan.se. Everyone is welcome to participate, just as you are in regular clothes, or dressed up in medieval costume.

Three international Pride festivals to discover

Hundreds of thousands of visitors recently gathered in Stockholm for the largest Pride festival in the Nordic region. But for those who want to continue the celebration, there are several international Pride events still on this year's calendar. TUI lists three colorful reasons to continue the celebration this autumn:

• Amsterdam Pride (July 25–August 8): The canal parade that attracts visitors from all over the world
• Copenhagen Pride (August 8–16, 2026): Late summer's big Pride festival in the Nordics
• Winter Pride in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria (November 2–8, 2026): Pride under the autumn sun

Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Celebrities, charters and the worst thing you can do on a plane