Gotland

Gotland is Sweden’s largest island and lies in the middle of the Baltic Sea, around 90 kilometres off the mainland. The island has its own climate with a particularly high number of sunshine hours, its own history and a landscape that differs markedly from the rest of the country: limestone instead of granite, heath instead of dense forest, plus long sandy beaches.

Visby: the town of roses and ruins

The island’s capital, Visby, was one of the most important towns of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. From this period dates the town wall, a good three kilometres long with its many towers, which still almost completely encloses the old town today. Inside the wall you will find cobbled lanes, medieval warehouses, several church ruins and St. Mary’s Cathedral. The Hanseatic Town of Visby has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

Every year in August, Medieval Week (Medeltidsveckan) turns the town into a huge festival with jousting tournaments, markets and music.

Raukar: rocks like sculptures

Gotland’s landmark is its raukar, limestone pillars up to several metres high that the sea has washed out of the rock over thousands of years. They are particularly impressive at Langhammars and Digerhuvud on the island of Fårö, at Lickershamn in the north and at Folhammar on the east coast.

Fårö

The small neighbouring island of Fårö can be reached in a few minutes by a free car ferry. The landscape is sparse and quiet, with sheep, stone walls and the wide sandy beach of Sudersand. The director Ingmar Bergman lived and worked here for many years, and a dedicated centre commemorates him.

Beaches and nature

• Tofta: the best-known swimming beach, south of Visby.
• Sudersand: fine sand and shallow water on Fårö.
• Ljugarn: a traditional seaside resort on the east coast.
• Hoburgen: the rocky southern tip of the island.
• Stora Karlsö: a bird island off the west coast where thousands of common guillemots breed.

Gotland is flat and therefore ideal for cycling. A signposted cycle route runs all the way around the island.

Getting there

Ferries to Visby run year-round from Nynäshamn, south of Stockholm, and from Oskarshamn in Småland. Each crossing takes about three hours. In summer, be sure to book early if you are travelling with a car. There are also flights to Visby, mainly from Stockholm.

Best time to visit

The high season is short and intense: from late June to mid-August the island is full, prices are high and accommodation is often fully booked. May and June, when the orchids are in bloom, are more pleasant, as is September, with the sea still warm and plenty of peace and quiet. In winter many restaurants and places to stay are closed.

If you like islands, Öland is a second Baltic Sea destination, reachable by bridge.