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Saunas are more than just places to sweat; they're sanctuaries of relaxation, culture, and rejuvenation. From the ethereal landscapes of Scandinavia to the depths of Estonian tradition, each sauna offers a unique experience worth travelling for. Here, we unveil some of the world's most exceptional saunas that redefine the art of sweating.

Nestled in the picturesque vineyards south of Gothenburg, Ästad Vingård stands as a testament to Swedish excellence in wine, cuisine, and sauna culture. Amidst

4FR, Jacob Wackerhausen,RAndrey

Annually since 1985, the cultural poobahs of the European Union have designated one or more of the continent's cities (and as of 2022 it's been three rather than two), as Capitals of Culture, focusing on their own cultural offerings and allowing them to organize a series of wider cultural events (many with a strong pan-European dimension) - which bring in considerable additional revenue; foster urban renewal; and raise their international profiles and images. Sin

Photos: David Paul Appell


Nearly 20 years ago I visited Norge for the first time – on a press trip sponsored by Visit Norway to capital Oslo, historic second city Bergen, and a Hurtigruten cruise to the fjords and up to far-northern Svalbard. It was all beautiful, of course, but it was in summertime, and over this past Christmas and New Year´s I had to privilege of coming back in winter. Naturally, it was a whole different – and a chilling yet in many ways even more enchanting – experience.

MatthiasKabel

All across the world, all sorts of holiday activities– both religious and secular, age-old and relatively new – are in full swing during this season, including festive lights, special street markets, trees, Santa and elves everywhere, and the rest of it.  But a handful of places feature oddities which range from whimsical to scary to occasionally potentially offensive. Here´s a particularly memorable top ten:

Austria & Germany: Demonic Doings

December 5 is celebrated as St. Nicho

Norway's beautiful capital is a major global hub, yet only around 20 percent of its extension is truly urbanized, so in addition to city streets it's possible to spend time in parks, woodlands, hills, and lakes. Oslo's major avenue, Karl Johans gate, is lined with pedestrian-friendly areas. Oslo's main pedestrian boulevard begins at Oslo Central Station on the waterfront and winds its way past several prominent tourist attractions, including the Royal Palace and National Theatre, as well as a

At an art gallery in Eden Prairie, Minnesota about 1995, there was a painting that caught my eye, that would lead me to a magical place in Norway many years later. Passionate about the cruise industry, I have been on over 300 cruises around the world and have even worked on the ships as a Cruise Director and Entertainer. Today, as a Cruise Industry Journalist, I set out to find creative and fascinating cruises and itineraries that will be of interest to the listeners of my talk show and viewers

The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are one of the most breathtaking sights one can ever experience. The mixture of unearthly colors display including magenta, emerald green and turquoise is so worth watching. You would be lucky enough if you get to see pink, red and purple also.

It´s not at all easy to spot the northern lights, however the best time to see them is from late September to late March. During these months the nights are longest and skies are darkest. Seeing th

Recently I had the chance to get an all-too-brief taste of Norway’s second city before boarding a weeklong Hurtigruten cruise up the coast, and OMG what a right little gem I found Bergen to be. Well, if you can call a city of 266,000 “little” – but honestly, how the locals describe it really does feel totally true: essentially,you could think of it as the world’s biggest small town (for me, the German term gemütlich comes to mind).

Surrounded by forest-clad hills on Norway’s southwestern coa