Visby – Gotland
A meeting point for travellers since viking times, the island of Gotland with its medieval walled town of Visby is a hidden treasure located in the middle of the Baltic Sea. Enjoy some of Sweden’s best restaurants, interesting design and breathtaking natural experiences.
Useful links
Tourist information: http://www.gotland.info
Visby International Centre for composers: http://www.centreforcomposers.org
ISCM World New Music Days 2009, “Listen to the World!”: http://www.listentotheworld.se
Public information
Tourist information: At Visby inner harbour
Taxi: To be ordered beforehand
Shopping: Downtown within walking distance and on guided bus tours
Local currency: Swedish krona
Downtown: 0-0.5 km
Airport: Visby Airport, 4 km (10 minutes by taxi)
Visby is a genuine medieval city that opens its heart to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Even from the mouth of the harbour, it is clear why this is one of the most popular cruise ports in the Baltic – the quay is in the heart of downtown Visby.
Kings & Tsars
Everyone has their own special way of describing Gotland: the island of roses, myths, legends, the vikings and nature in all its glory. Each is accurate, and it’s all here on Gotland for you to discover and enjoy.
The first settlement in Visby dates back more than 4,000 years to the Stone Age. By the mid-12th century the Gotlanders were among the leading trading peoples, primarily through their contacts to the east. Danes, Germans and Russians settled in Visby, inns and churches were built and warehouses grew up along the harbour. Many of these are still standing and the sense of the past surrounds you. The picturesque beach promenade along the best-preserved medieval city walls in northern Europe makes a great excursion. Beyond the city walls are over 90 medieval churches and countless ancient remains, strange limestone formations and rare plants – a dream for enthusiasts of botany, geology and history! To see more of the island, join one of the guided tours available.
Modern Architecture & Design
Home or summer residence to more than one hundred professional artists and artisans, Gotland offers a wide diversity of galleries, art exhibits and shopping. The art studios that are scattered all around the island are well worth visiting. A good overview of what is on offer is found in the many design shops in Visby.
The Art Museum offers a permanent exhibition of Gotlandic art through history, as well as other interesting exhibitions. When visiting northern Gotland a stop at Fabriken Furillen, one of Sweden’s premium designer hotels, or Fårösund fortress, a brand new designer hotel and restaurant, is a must.
City Life & Outdoor Events
Beautiful, charming, exotic, historical, vibrant…
Visby is living history that continues to fascinate. Take a stroll along its streets and alleyways. A new discovery awaits you around every corner: a wall covered with roses, an interesting shop, an alluring pavement café… Take in the ancient city walls, the ruins alive with music and theatre, the beautiful old buildings. Drop in at an inviting coffee shop, enjoy the colourful display of flowers in the lush botanical gardens. Step inside one of the town’s museums, sample its crafts, or visit a gallery.
Raukar – high, natural limestone formations found along the coastline of Gotland – are one of the main symbols of the island. The largest are seen on the tiny island of Fårö, which used to be the home of late film director Ingmar Bergman.
The geology and climate of Gotland are unique for Sweden. Of the 46 types of wild orchids common to Sweden, no fewer than 36 are found on Gotland. On the island’s many beaches, fossil finds are everywhere.
Biking is popular on Gotland. Rent a bike and explore Gotland by yourself, or join one of the hiking & biking guided tours.
Great Shopping & Fine Food
Treat yourself! Shops large and small offer a wide, tasteful range of goods: home furnishings, clothing, glass and much more. For dining out, Visby has more restaurants per square mile than any other Swedish city, all within easy access.
We are justly proud of our gastronomic traditions and happy to share our local culinary specialties, such as locally grown Bourgogne truffles and rum made of sugar beet. Whether your preference is for al fresco dining, sea views or idyllic rural settings, it should be easy to find a special favourite.
Ancient & Modern
For an island of 57,000 inhabitants, Gotland has an amazing array of cultural events to offer. Sweden’s largest historical festival – Medieval Week – takes place in Visby for a week in August every year. The festival takes you back to 1361 and the invasion of Gotland by Denmark’s King Valdemar. Thousands of visitors join in open-air theatre performances in the streets and squares, many of them dressed in medieval clothes. Brave knights fight for honour in jousting tournaments and history is present everywhere.
The viking village in Tofta invites visitors to experience viking life at first hand. Learn more about the world-famous Scandinavians and their way of life during the viking age at the Gotland Museum in Visby. See the world’s largest Viking silver hoard and the famous picture stones that depict viking stories in almost cartoon-like fashion.
Modern Visby is a vibrant town where cobblestone alleyways wind up to shopping streets full of charming shops and tempting cafés. In this city of roses and ruins, ancient history and modern life rub elbows at every turn. Culinary delights, artistic creativity and exotic natural surroundings make this a destination rich in contrast. Take a guided tour or wander on your own in this unique Hanseatic town, which since 1995 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visby Top 10 – don’t miss
• Visby walled town, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Gotland Museum
• Almedalen Park
• St. Maria Cathedral
• The heights of Klinten and the magnificent views looking over the old town
• Botanical Gardens
• Culinary Gotland restaurants
• “Raukar” limestone formations
• At least one of the more than 90 medieval churches found throughout Gotland
• Gotland’s resident artists and craftspeople, many of who have open studios