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5 Exciting Places Worth Visiting While Touring Sweden

Vasa Museum, Stockholm

With many coastal islands, vast boreal forests, inland lakes, and glaciated mountains, Sweden is rich in natural beauty. The country is also a historical wonder, considering its centuries-old structures and the medieval old town. You’ll have a wonderful time in this part of the world, exploring its rich history and varied natural attractions. 

Wherever you go, you’ll get clean air and water. You’ll also have many exciting offerings from the Swedish culture to be experienced. With so much to explore, you’ll be left confused what to see during your time spent in Sweden. So, here are some of the country’s best attractions:

1. Drottningholm Palace

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated on the island of Lovo. It is about 11 kilometers west of the city center of Stockholm. Today, this palace is the Swedish Royal Family’s official residence. It takes about 45 minutes by ferry to reach this palace from Stockholm’s city center. This amazing structure dates back to the 17th century. 

The beautiful terraced park has sculptures made of bronze. They were brought here as trophies of war from Denmark and Bohemia. Among the attractions worth visiting here are the Palace Theatre and the Chinese Pavilion.

2. Vasa Museum

Visited by nearly a million individuals every year, this is the most popular museum of the country. Since it was opened in 1990, over 20 million people have visited this famous Swedish attraction, as seen in the picture above. This museum is famous for its 17th-century, 64-gun warship called Vasa. It had sunk during its maiden voyage in the early 17th century. 

This ship went unexplored under the icy waters for over three centuries. In 1961, an ambitious salvage operation brought it to this museum. You can also visit a shop and a restaurant located here during your visit.

3. Gamla Stan

This old town of Stockholm would tell you more about the origins of Stockholm city. It began in a small area during mid-13th century and much of the medieval enclave has survived till date. You’ll be fascinated by the architecture of buildings located along the stone-paved narrow lanes. 

Also worth visiting in this part of Stockholm is the Nobel Museum and the Post Museum. Several churches and the Royal Coin Cabinet can also be explored during your visit to Gamla Stan. A stay can also be booked in any of the town’s luxury boutique hotels, guesthouses, inns, and hostels.

4. Visby

Visby is a walled town located on the island of Gotland. It will give you a glimpse into the medieval history with its ruined churches and cobblestone streets. While getting around in this town, you’ll come across some old timber buildings. 

They were built during the 17th and 18th centuries. Visby is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today and is often referred to as ‘the pearl of the Baltic’. You can take either a guided or a self-guided sightseeing tour of the majestic walls. They date back about 700 years.

5. Stockholm City Hall

It is one of the most famous buildings in Stockholm. This city hall was built using 8 million bricks during the early 20th century. Stockholm City Hall is regarded as one of National Romanticism’s finest examples. 

The enormous structure was designed by the famous Swedish architect, Ragnar Ostberg. An informative tour is conducted here for the visitors. It would give you valuable information about the Nobel Prize, which is presented annually in the city hall.

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How Windsurfing Excites You Like Gambling

Casino thrills

People are often thrilled by the idea of doing something exciting. These can sometimes be the things that seem impossible for many. For example, Windsurfing is a water sport that seems like a feat that’s not possible for many to even try for different people. Similarly, when you hear about gamblers making it big in casinos, you think it’s just not possible for everyone. Whatever it is that one thinks about windsurfing and gambling, there’s one thing they have in common – excitement. Both of them have elements that excite you so much that you’re tempted to try them out. They both get the adrenaline pumping, that’s for sure! Before you part with any real money it’s a great idea to test out some games for free. Review sites such as Casinosjungle have many free slot games and can guide you to a reputable real money site.

Loads of fun and adventure

Any activity can be fun if one does it willingly. This is what makes people try out windsurfing and this is one of the biggest reasons why people gamble. It is always great fun riding the waves by standing on the surfboard and holding the sail. When you gain a certain level of expertise, the waves don’t seem terrifying anymore. 

As soon as you are on the board, you’re willing to take on the challenges that come your way. Gambling works the same way. At the beginning, you’re really not sure whether you’ll win or lose. The possibility of losing scares you. Then, once you’ve spent some time on the slot machines, all the apprehensions disappear. It becomes a source of great fun, whether you win or lose.

A sense of achievement

If you’re someone who likes to have a sense of achievement in life, you’ll love windsurfing. This is also true in gambling. When you see all those expert windsurfers performing some feats that seem impossible, you want to be like them. 

Similarly, when you see the big money that you can win by gambling, you want to try your luck. So, you join one of the windsurfing schools nearby to get all the necessary training in the water sport. After some training and practice, you realize that you can perform some thrilling feats on the waves. This gives you a sense of achievement. 

When you want to begin gambling, you learn how the games are played. Once you’ve learned how to play those games in casinos, you are willing to place your bets. There are chances of losing, of course. However, if you win, you feel that you’ve achieved something big.

Meeting people with similar interests

Be it windsurfing or gambling, you’ll always get to meet people who share the same interests as you. This can be really exciting, as you get to learn and share many things with them. In recent times, there are communities being formed around similar interests. So, just like there are groups of gambling enthusiasts, you’ll find communities that are dedicated to windsurfing. 

They help you out when you want to know something about the water sport. Such groups also organize events where you get to participate along with other enthusiasts. These events offer you the chance to advance your skills with the help of experts in the group. Some communities organize competitions, which present great opportunities to win prizes as well.

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An Insight into the Origins and Popularity of Windsurfing

windsurfing cloudy day

Windsurfing never fails to grab the attention of adventure-seekers. It is a fabulous combination of sailing and surfing, which is one of the main reasons for its popularity. The crux of this water sport is to keep a good balance on water while controlling the wind. 

Usually, a 2.5-metre board is used for windsurfing with a sail connected to it. This sail can be moved to any direction. The skills of the windsurfer and the place of the activity determines the size of the sail. You might think that it is quite hard to master this water sport. 

However, you can easily gain mastery over it with the right training. Over the years, many windsurfing schools have come up in different parts of the world. You can enroll in any of such schools near you and get trained in this adventurous water sport.

Origins of Windsurfing

The origins of this outdoor activity can be traced back several centuries. During those times, it was not a sport or a recreational activity. The Polynesians used small sailing craft during winds to ride the waves. Inhabitants of the islands used to go on trips over the oceans with such sailing crafts. The rider stood upright on a solid board, which had a vertical sail attached to it.

Modern Windsurfing

Newman Darby is recognized worldwide as the inventor of this water sport and recreational activity. As a 20-year old, he conceived the idea of controlling his small catamaran using a handheld sail. The sail was mounted on a universal joint. 

In 1964, Darby created the ‘Darby sailboard’ for a wider market. He focused more on introducing the young people to sailing as a sport than building wealth. Darby died at his home in Saint Johns, Florida, in 2016. He was satisfied with the recognition he received for playing a key role in the development of windsurfing.

The popularity of windsurfing

By the end of the 20th century, there was a slight decline in the popularity of windsurfing. There were many reasons for this fall. One was the acrobatic stunts performed by expert windsurfers, which were often shown on television. 

It scared off many who wanted to try it as a recreational activity. There were some who wanted to go windsurfing only during strong winds. The third was the discovery of kitesurfing, which had a great appeal to many. 

After the first decade of the 21st century, this water sport started to become popular once again. The promotion of the most popular windsurfing locations across the world attracted the attention of many. Among them were the newbies as well as experienced windsurfers. 

The learning curve for this activity was shortened owing to the availability of wider and user-friendly boards. All of a sudden, there was a rise in demand for the equipment. It is easier for you to learn and improve your windsurfing today as its basics are taught online. 

It is always advisable to get trained by an expert at a windsurfing school near you. And it may take years to master it, but you can become quite confident within two weeks of training.