Lifestyle
Scenic road trip from Stockholm to Örebro’s historic heart
After spending a couple of hours in Stockholm, Karin Schill, my Swedish host and guide, alerted me about our next trip.
Stockholm is a historic, vibrant, and photogenic city. I had already planned to spend a Sunday exploring the city, so after a few hours wandering through Stockholm’s city center, we left for Örebro as twilight set in.
Obviously, it’s wise to schedule the itinerary carefully. The road to Örebro offers plenty of sightseeing opportunities. Karin knew photography was my weak spot, so she had thoughtfully planned several stopovers.
Swedish law does not prohibit taking pictures of people and places in public, but it is still courteous to ask politely or alert them before capturing an image.
Karin resumed talking about nearby historic places, mainly focusing on Örebro, her hometown, “where history and contemporary culture converge.” Observing her enthusiasm, I realized that Örebro would be a fantastic destination.
Indeed, the lush green landscapes, blue lakes and oak tree-lined avenues alongside the tidy motorway deserve a lyrical presentation. Karin briefed me about the history of oak trees and their royal connections. Coincidentally, I learned that recently King Charles and the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf planted a beautiful oak tree at Windsor.
Finally, as we stepped into Örebro, a rainy and dark night welcomed us. Luckily, I had booked an Airbnb with a convivial elderly woman living close to Örebro University in an extraordinarily clean flat. Europeans generally prefer living alone nowadays, as family units are less common.
Normally, I struggle to sleep upon arriving at a new place, but that rainy night, something unusual happened – I fell into a deep sleep immediately. The next morning, after having an English breakfast, Karin arrived on time and I was ready to explore Örebro.
Örebro is famous for its shoe industry, biscuits, wonderful canals, splendid parks, historic buildings in the old town and a modern, highly regarded university.
At first glance, I realized that Örebro’s charm lies in its historic connections and natural beauty, making it one of Sweden’s top tourist destinations.
Discovering Örebro’s icons
Örebro Castle and the Wadköping Museum, a well-preserved 16th-century village, are two iconic landmarks that proudly stand at the heart of this great city. As we entered Wadköping, I was reminded of Cosmeston Medieval Village in Cardiff, U.K., and Hallstatt village in Austria – both well-preserved sites that illustrate life in Celtic villages dating back to the Early Iron Age. The Welsh often refer to Wales as “God’s own country” because of its natural beauty, a fact beautifully captured in the BBC series “Story of Wales.”
In Wales, I observed Celtic Iron Age roundhouses, which illustrate life some 2,000 years ago. Such fortified constructions were typically built on elevated ground near streams and rivers, as water is essential for the survival of humans and livestock, as well as for irrigation.
The Wadköping open-air museum displays well-preserved old-fashioned houses, alleys, craft shops, a restaurant, bakery, cafe and museum – all painted in traditional red and framed with timber.
Notably, Wadköping is named after the famous novelist Hjalmar Bergman Söderberg’s book “Markurells i Wadköping.” Fortunately, there is no entrance fee to the museum.
The museum features stone-paved streets reflective of the Roman period. You can experience a calm environment, traditional decor and stunning furniture inside buildings dating back to the 18th century, such as Caisa Warg’s house – home of an 18th-century celebrity chef.
The 16th-century Kungsstugan, the King’s medieval lodging, is a marvelous piece of architecture. I was shocked to see a fabulous display of medieval dwellings, which included duvets made from sheep’s fur, clay ovens and wooden beds raised a couple of feet above the floor. These homes typically had living rooms on the first floor to protect inhabitants from snakes, dangerous insects and wild animals.
After completing the tour, you can treat yourself to traditional bread, cookies, candies and coffee at the museum bakery and cafe. I even recorded a short video for my TikTok fans to share this joyful experience.
After spending an hour at Wadköping Museum, we headed toward the city center through a pedestrian and cyclist passageway surrounded by waterways, statues, signposts, flowering alleys and charming bungalows.
Örebro is home to modern shopping malls, cafes, bars, libraries, parks, historic venues and much more. After spending a few hours in the city, Karin drove me to her home.
Karin offered me a simple but specially prepared dinner. We exchanged gifts and talked over coffee. I felt at ease as her family exhibited warm hospitality. Her well-maintained, tidy and beautifully decorated house – with a thriving little garden, a purpose-built cellar housing musical instruments and a bicycle – told a story of traditional Swedish family life.
I noticed pictures of British Princess Diana on the walls of Karin’s study, reflecting her own personality. Though I knew her primarily as a filmmaker and writer.
I also met Karin’s sister, Jenny Schill, a travel consultant and official guide for the Örebro local government. She promised to show us Örebro Castle the next day. Jenny holds the keys to the castle – a special privilege that made me feel like a celebrity. Before dark, Karin dropped me off at my place near Örebro University, a 10-minute walk from a Turkish mosque.
Örebro Castle: Living gem
The next day, I woke up for my fajr prayer and organized my travel notes. After making coffee and waffles, I began dreaming about visiting the castle.
Örebro Castle is a marvelous piece of architecture located in the city center. It serves as the local government’s seat and is surrounded by a brook, which reminded me of Caerphilly Castle in Wales.
We arrived at the entrance and noticed cannons standing guard. We waited a few minutes for Jenny. At first glance, I barely recognized her – dressed in medieval attire and holding a large, iconic castle key.
Storytelling is not everyone’s cup of tea. But Jenny’s extraordinary and skillful narration of the castle’s historic records was so vivid that I felt transported to another era.
She showed us royal courtyards, cellar vaults, towers, a dome, conference and meeting rooms, a banquet hall, a small prison cell, and an old collection room featuring armors, jewelry, furniture and paintings.
Jenny also showed us a heavy old black box inside one room, built to keep secret documents, valuables and wealth. To this day, it remains locked and no one knows what’s inside.
Over the decades, the castle has undergone structural changes – including the addition of a lift and a new central column, likely to strengthen the building. Today, it serves various purposes, including official ceremonies.
Inside, the castle boasts modern décor and a heating system, but its exterior retains its ancient charm. Rounded windows fitted with colorful glass provide a stunning view of the river at night. Karin drove me to several iconic places around the city, including Örebro University and the striking water tower Vattentornet Svampen, which offers an all-encompassing view of the city.
I owe Jenny a huge debt for being my volunteer guide. Her fascinating storytelling brought the past to life, making me feel as if I were living in those historic times. At the end of this memorable tour, I can say that future generations will continue to be enchanted by Örebro’s undeniable beauty.
A 190-year-old Greek Orthodox church in Kayseri, central Türkiye, whose restoration was completed last year, stands out for its striking wall paintings and is set to become part of the Cappadocia tourism circuit.
Built in 1836, the Church of St. Eustathios is an important historical and cultural landmark in Kayseri’s Incesu district and features numerous paintings and other remnants on its interior walls.
The three-aisled, vaulted church underwent restoration by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality in 2021. Its load-bearing walls and historic fabric were reinforced using materials and techniques compatible with the original structure.
The stonework and frescoes, or wall paintings, inside the church were preserved, while Karamanlı inscriptions – Turkish written in the Greek alphabet – depicting various scenes, as well as charitable endowment records, reliefs and carvings on the walls, were conserved and brought to light.
Restoration of the church was completed last year using archival photographs and documents as references to ensure the building remained faithful to its original appearance. The site, known for its distinctive wall paintings, will serve as the Incesu City Museum.
More than 80% of the exhibition and interior arrangement work has been completed. The church is also being prepared for inclusion in the Cappadocia tourism circuit, with nearby destinations such as Avanos, Ürgüp and Göreme located 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles) from Incesu.
Tayfun Talaslı, head of the municipality’s Historical Buildings and Museums Branch Directorate, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the three-aisled, vaulted church, built on a rectangular plan, is an example of classical Greek Orthodox architecture in Anatolia.
Talaslı said the building served as a place of worship until the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Türkiye, after which it was used for various purposes, including as a military warehouse, archive, theater and vocational school.
He said restoration work began toward the end of 2021 under a protocol signed between the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and Incesu Municipality and was completed last year.
Talaslı emphasized that the main principle guiding the largely completed exhibition and interior arrangement work was to avoid causing any damage to the historic structure and said preserving the building’s original character was a top priority throughout the restoration.
“We used old photographs of the church as references during the restoration. We also based the project on art history reports that took into account the oral histories of people who once lived here,” he said.
He said the remaining work is expected to be completed soon, after which the museum will open to visitors.
“We are creating a museum on the ground floor of the building, which we have repurposed as the Incesu City Museum, focusing on the city’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” Talaslı said.
“Visitors will be able to trace Incesu’s history, learn about notable figures who were born here or left their mark on the city and explore its architectural heritage,” he said. “We will highlight a wide range of local treasures, from the Kara Mustafa Pasha Complex to the Roman-era milestone that has become one of the symbols of Incesu.”
Talaslı said visitors will also be able to see ceramics and other archaeological finds unearthed in Örenşehir, while the museum will offer a broader look at Incesu’s heritage, from its cuisine and population to the 1923 population exchange and the city’s historical development.
“We will cover everything from who the building was commissioned for to the area’s flora and fauna, geological structure, agriculture and grape production,” he said.
The Karaelmas Touristic Express, which operates between Ankara and Zonguldak, will return to the rails on Oct. 2, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced, offering travelers a chance to explore the region’s natural, historical and cultural treasures by train.
In a written statement, Uraloğlu said the tourist train, launched by TCDD Transportation in cooperation with the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA) and the Zonguldak Provincial Special Administration, contributes to tourism-focused rail travel between Ankara and Zonguldak.
The train will begin this year’s service Oct. 2, Uraloğlu said.
The Ankara-Zonguldak service will depart on Oct. 2, 16 and 30 and Nov. 13, while trains traveling from Zonguldak to Ankara will depart on Oct. 3, 17 and 31 and Nov. 14.
Trains from Ankara to Zonguldak will leave at 11 p.m. on Fridays, while return services will depart Zonguldak at 11 p.m. on Saturdays. The train will have a total of seven carriages, including six sleeper cars and one dining car, with a capacity of 120 passengers.
The Karaelmas Express first operated as a tourist service in 2025, completing four outbound and four return journeys along the Ankara-Zonguldak-Ankara route, for a total of eight trips.
Since its inaugural journey, the train has offered passengers a different way to discover the Western Black Sea’s natural, cultural and industrial heritage, Uraloğlu said.
“For the 2026 schedule, passengers traveling from Ankara to Zonguldak will make sightseeing stops in Yenice, while those on the return journey will stop in Çankırı and Kalecik,” Uraloğlu said. “This journey, stretching from Yenice’s natural beauty and Zonguldak’s history to Çankırı’s cultural heritage and Kalecik’s local treasures, will bring rail travel and tourism together.”
Venice is looking at expanding its tourist entry fee, applying it for a longer period of the year and raising the daily charge to as much as €30 ($34), a senior official in the city government has said.
Budget and taxation councilor Michele Zuin said the current fee of €5 to €10 ($5.7 to $11.5 ) was too low to safeguard against overtourism, but said the new price for 2027 would have to be discussed and agreed with the government.
“The current €5-10 charge is affordable for virtually everyone; the risk is that it no longer has the deterrent effect that this measure is supposed to have,” Zuin told the Sunday edition of regional daily Il Gazzettino.
In remarks that were widely picked up by national media on Monday, the councillor said there was “even talk of (going up to) €50 ($57),” but added that authorities could settle for a maximum charge of €30.
The tourist fee, applicable only to day-trippers, was introduced in 2024, in a world first. Early bookers get to pay the lower rate and there are several exemptions, including for children under 14.
In 2026, it was operational on selected days from April 3 to July 26, from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and brought into city coffers more than €5.2 million ($5.9 million) from the sale of just under 680,000 entry tickets.
In a city that has long suffered from overtourism and depopulation, local officials say the scheme is meant to encourage visitors to avoid the most crowded periods of the year, such as the May Day public holiday.
Tokyo tourist hot spot Shinjuku will impose a ban on more than half of its holiday rentals, including homes on Airbnb, an official said Monday, after a surge in complaints about visitors.
Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district, the ward hosts nearly 10% of Japan’s 42,000 short-term rentals.
But it also has a large residential population, who have become increasingly exasperated with tourists who fail to properly dispose of rubbish, smoke where they’re not supposed to, and make too much noise.
A Shinjuku official supervising holiday rentals told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the district was “planning to revise the current ordinance … to ban private lodging” in residential zones and areas near schools.
“As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased,” the official said on customary condition of anonymity.
More than 50% of short-term rentals in Shinjuku face a ban under the new rules, he said, adding that the plan would formally be announced by the Shinjuku mayor on Tuesday.
Shinjuku’s policy will apply to existing properties, he added.
The move comes as other cities around the world attempt to crack down on private lodgings available on Airbnb and other platforms, including New York City and Barcelona.
Like elsewhere, overtourism has emerged as a major issue in Japan.
Residents of Kyoto and other hot spots have expressed annoyance at selfie-taking crowds as well as traffic congestion and soaring land prices.
In Shinjuku, the number of complaints over vacation rentals increased by around 40% in the fiscal year to March, the official said.
“Many complaints are about the violation of trash disposal rules while others include smoking and trespassing,” he said.
Shinjuku’s ban comes after the Japan Tourism Agency in July gave municipalities the right to regulate short-term lodgings if “a tranquil living and educational environment” is under threat or if they “hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community.”
Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto is also considering a ban on short-term lodging, but only for new rentals within residential and industrial areas.
Several Airbnb hosts contacted by AFP declined to comment.
Visitors to Hasankeyf, one of southeastern Türkiye’s major tourism destinations, are exploring the district’s historic and natural attractions through boat tours on the Ilısu Dam reservoir.
Located in Batman province, Hasankeyf is considered one of the world’s oldest settlements and continues to attract visitors with traces of civilizations that have shaped the region over centuries.
The district is known for historic landmarks including the Imam Abdullah Tomb, Zeynel Bey Tomb, Artuqid Bath, Hasankeyf Museum and Er-Rızk Mosque. The Ilısu Dam reservoir has also given the area a new character, offering visitors an opportunity to experience its landscape from the water.
Domestic and international tourists visiting Hasankeyf can tour its historic sites before taking boat trips across the reservoir to see its canyons and Hasankeyf Castle.
Before setting off, guides brief passengers on safety rules and provide information about the historic castles, caves and canyons along the route. The boat tours last about an hour, allowing visitors to take in the area’s natural and historic scenery.
‘The boat tour was excellent’
Mustafa Yıldız, who traveled from Manisa as part of a tour of the southeastern Anatolia region, said his group visited Hasankeyf after stopping in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin.
“I really liked Hasankeyf. The boat tour was especially excellent. We really enjoyed seeing the canyons and caves,” Yıldız told Anadolu Agency.
Ramazan Kızar, who traveled from Batman to visit the district, said Hasankeyf was an important destination for cultural and historical tourism.
Kızar said the boat tour gave him the chance to see the historic castle and canyons.
“Thanks to the boat tour I took with my daughter and wife, we are exploring Hasankeyf’s unique beauty,” he said.
52,000 visitors take boat tours
Şehmus Batıhan, a captain and member of the Hasankeyf Kale Tourism Cooperative, said the cooperative operates eight boats offering tours of the reservoir.
Hasankeyf becomes particularly busy with domestic and international visitors during the summer months, Batıhan said, adding that the boat tours have brought additional activity to the district alongside its historic sites.
Visitors are picked up at the harbor and taken on a tour covering the area where the old settlement once stood. The tours last approximately one hour, he said.
“About 52,000 guests have taken advantage of the boat tours in the past eight months,” Batıhan said. “We also provide our guests with information about Hasankeyf’s history during the tours.”
He added that many visitors from European countries join the boat trips.
“Visitors can see many important historical works here and they really enjoy the boat tours,” Batıhan said.
Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, is enjoying a robust summer season, with concerts, cultural events and its internationally renowned film festival drawing visitors from across Europe and beyond.
More than 100,000 tourists visited the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina in July, according to the Federal News Agency, as the city increasingly attracts travelers for its music, cinema, gastronomy and natural attractions alongside its historical heritage.
Three concerts by regional music star Dino Merlin at Kosevo Stadium in late July and early August attracted more than 200,000 people in total.
Visitors traveled from across the Balkans and other parts of Europe, putting hotels and private accommodation under significant pressure.
Sarajevo recorded nearly 78 million euros ($91 million) in fiscal turnover during the three concert days, with restaurants, cafes, shops and transportation companies benefiting from the influx.
The concerts were followed by a performance by British electronic music group The Prodigy on Aug. 13 and by the opening of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) the following day.
Established in 1995 during the final year of the siege of Sarajevo, the festival has developed into one of southeastern Europe’s leading film events. This year’s guests included Woody Harrelson, Emily Watson, Pawel Pawlikowski, Diego Luna, Asghar Farhadi and Celine Sciamma.
In addition to these entertainment and cultural events, Sarajevo offers a blend of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian architecture, along with landmarks linked to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and sites preserving the memory of the 1992-1995 siege.
Its proximity to the Olympic mountains of Trebevic, Bjelasnica, Igman and Jahorina also allows travelers to combine a city break with hiking, cycling and winter sports.
Major events are becoming increasingly important for Sarajevo’s tourism economy by attracting new visitors, extending stays and boosting spending across the city.
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