Travel in city Stockholm

It’s Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket competition of 2024. Marriott Bonvoy is offering members of its loyalty scheme the chance to see Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. And you don’t have to work out ways to get enough Bonvoy points to be the highest bidder; it’s a sweepstake which means anyone can win. Winners will be picked at random - a good thing. Less great is that the odds against you winning are huge.

In a bid to win over a younger audience to its hotel chains, Marriott International is adding Taylor Swift's Eras tour to its loyalty program.

Marriott International's Bonvoy rewards program is tapping into the Taylor Swift frenzy, granting Bonvoy members the chance to experience Swift's Eras Tour through either a sweepstakes or the Marriott Bonvoy Moments platform, where members can trade in hotel-stay points for experiences, concerts and sporting events.

Grapes have been associated with pleasure since ancient times, a symbol of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry. These days, clusters of plummy Concords, oval autumn royals and dusky kyohos are decorating dinner tables, doubling as cornucopian decorations and low-effort snacks. “You can get a beautiful, imperfect drip and drape from grapes,” says the interior stylist Colin King, 35, who overflowed a marble urn with abundant mounds of them for the launch of his furniture collection, a collaboration with the Future Perfect, in New York this past fall. Although he uses green grapes for daytime parties, for evening events he prefers the “moody, sensual vibe” of dark varieties — like the attenuated, oblong moon drops that the artist Laila Gohar, 35, mixed with red globes and flames to form an edible monolith for the recent opening of the Essentiel Antwerp clothing store in New York. The chef Mina Stone, 42 — who runs Mina’s, the cafe at MoMA PS1 in Queens, and is a go-to caterer for art gallery dinners — favors Thomcords, a sweet, seedless hybrid she often serves with dessert to “provide heft and a colorful backdrop” for daintier confections. She also likes to roast grapes alongside seared duck breast. In London, the pastry chef Claire Ptak, the owner of Violet bakery, offers what she calls fragolina cupcakes, named for the fragola (Italian for “strawberry”) grapes that she cooks down, then purées and adds to the buttercream frosting. The fragolas “taste like a berryish Concord,” says Ptak, 49, who tops each cake with a small cluster of fruit. The frosted treats “transport you back to childhood when you take the first bite,” she says, “and then you realize they’re also very grown-up.” —

Get your friendship bracelets ready, because Marriott Bonvoy wants to send you to not one, not two, but three separate Taylor Swift concerts around the world. 

Taylor Swift is the most popular and influential person on the planet right now, having conquered almost all aspects of life.

Despite Norway’s dominance at the Winter Olympics, Scandinavia isn’t the first place you might think of for a skiing vacation in Europe. Iconic destinations such as the Alps in France, Switzerland, and Austria often overshadow the Nordic countries when it comes to winter sport getaways.

Post-pandemic travel has been plagued with problems of overtourism leading to a plethora of new entry fees, taxes and visitor number caps. In 2024, travellers are seeking Europe’s lesser trod attractions using tricks like destination dupes—quieter alternatives to well-known places.

Are you seeking a fresh start? If you’re considering a career change, adopting a different lifestyle, or you’re chasing a lifelong dream, relocation to Northern Europe is a path worth exploring. The region's rich history, approach to lifestyle, and innovative working environments provide a fertile ground for those looking to reinvent themselves.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, January 26. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

It can take years for a hotel brand to complete a full tech transformation: Migrating data from old systems to modern, cloud-based platforms is not an easy process. 

Berlin-based Myne, a platform for fractional co-ownership of vacation properties in Europe, is expanding to include vacation homes in Sweden. 

Scandinavian Airlines is venturing into a new major U.S. market in a move that underscores major changes underway at the airline.

Steeped in history from the Viking Age to the Age of Reason, Uppsala is packed with historical landmarks. Yet one of the biggest historic landmarks, its University, provides an injection of youthful vibrancy to this intellectual city.

Over the years, Barcelona has undertaken numerous sustainable initiatives, transforming itself into one of Europe’s most environmentally conscious cities. Significantly, the city is a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, demonstrating its dedication to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Barcelona also holds the distinguished title of the world’s first Biosphere City, underscoring its unwavering commitment to shaping a sustainable future. The milestone of becoming the number one city in Europe for sustainable tourism is a testament to Barcelona’s meticulous focus on various aspects of environmental stewardship. Boasting one of Europe’s cleanest and most efficient public transport systems, Barcelona sets the gold standard with a fleet of low or zero-emission vehicles, contributing to reduced carbon footprints. With an impressive array of 283 sustainable tourism options, Barcelona surpasses its European counterparts, leaving Stockholm’s 134 offerings behind.

The recent sensational discoveries of Viking ship graves in Norway have captured global headlines, highlighting the rich history of the Viking Age in Scandinavia. Yet, just across the border in Sweden, there’s a treasure trove of Norse history already visible and accessible, offering a fascinating glimpse into the history of Northern Europe.

Humans have always traveled and settled, but we have learned to reconcile our urge to explore “what lies beyond” with our desire for the comfort that comes from building a space to call “home.” And these powerful human impulses have been driven to new heights by our passion to perfect, taking both transport and architecture on fascinating evolutionary journeys.

Our slow travel series explores how you can take more mindful journeys by train, boat, bus, or bike – with tips on how to reach your destination without flying, and what to see and do along the way. Here, Daniel James Clarke explains how he traveled from Lapland to the Lofoten Islands, crossing the Arctic Circle aboard two of Scandinavia’s most scenic train journeys.

TAP Air Portugal is celebrating the new year with a new flight sale offering trips to Europe and beyond starting as low as $379 round-trip.

Further frequencies will be added between Zurich and various existing European destinations including Alicante, Madrid, Naples, Venice and Vilnius.

SAS is getting ready for the summer season and will fly to over 130 destinations in more than 40 countries.