Head Back In Time On Sweden’s Island Of Gotland

Gotland, Sweden

Sometimes it’s nice to step out of the norm and go on an island holiday that’s a little different. That’s exactly what you get on Gotland, the largest island of Sweden. It’s a place steeped in history and natural beauty, and if you can’t do an island holiday without a beach trip, there are 800km (almost 500 miles) of coastline to choose from.

We arrived on the island and went straight to the historic town of Visby, where we were staying. The town itself is reason enough to visit Gotland. The place dates back to the 12^th century and has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It still has a completely enchanting, medieval look and feel to it, with cobblestone streets and amazing old architecture.

First on our list of places to visit was the city wall. We caught glimpses of this beautiful old structure when we arrived, but it was definitely important to make a dedicated visit to see it. You can walk the whole length of the 3.5km (2.17miles) wall as it still encloses the center of the town. It’s amazing to see so many of the original towers still intact 800 years later.

Next up on the must-see list we’d plotted out before our trip were the old church ruins that are dotted throughout the town and the surrounding lands. St Nicolai, Drottens and St Clemens are well worth seeing. However, it was St Karin with its high arches that really stood out for me.

We planned our trip quite carefully to make sure we coincided with the Medieval Week celebrations that happen every summer. This was quite a sight to see and 100% in the right setting in the streets and buildings of Visby. People were dressed up, stalls and markets lined open spaces, music and theater events popped up almost spontaneously on every corner, and the atmosphere was electric.

The best part was, if it all got too much, we could escape to the wide-open spaces of the island. We made sure we took time to hit the beach and also hired some bikes so that we could get out to Tofta Beach. This is the most popular beach on the island and there is a 20km (12.5 miles) bike path from Visby to Tofta that is great fun.

Another big highlight of the trip was the day we spent touring Lummelunda Cave. This is one of the longest cave systems in Sweden, with the explored section measuring about 4.5km (2.7 miles). There is the main tourist cave, where you can see a range of fossils that have been found in the system. If you’re a little more adventurous, like we were, take one of the guided tours that gets you deeper into the system.

All on all, our trip to Gotland was as surprising as winning big playing at an online casino NZ, unconventional and breathtakingly beautiful. This island is truly a photographer’s dream. You have everything from old ruins, cobbled streets and quintessential medieval buildings through to gorgeous coastlines and incredible scenery.