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Visby
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Undoubtedly the finest approach to
VISBY
is by ship, seeing the old trading centre as it should be seen. The magnificent three-kilometre city
wall
was built around the end of the thirteenth century to isolate the city's foreign traders from the islanders. The old Hanseatic
harbour
at Almedalen is now a public park and nothing is much more than a few minutes' walk from here. Close by, pretty
Packhusplan
, the oldest square in the city, is bisected by curving Strandgatan which runs south to the fragmentary ruins of
Visborg Castle
, overlooking the harbour. Built in the fifteenth century by Erik of Pomerania, it was blown up by the Danes in the seventeenth century. In the opposite direction, Strandgatan runs towards the sea and the lush
Botanical Gardens
, just beyond which is the
Jungfrutornet
(Maiden's Tower) where a local goldsmith's daughter was walled up alive, reputedly for betraying the city to the Danes. Strandgatan is the best place to view the merchants' houses looming over the narrow streets, and is also home to the
Gotlands Fornsal Museum
at no. 14 (May to mid-Sept daily 10am-5pm; rest of year Tues-Sun noon-4pm; 50kr), which, along with the usual Viking and medieval relics, claims the largest collection of painted windows in Scandinavia. The museum also tells the tale of the slaughter of thousands of Swedes by the Danes in 1361 - an event remembered by
Valdemar's Cross
, a few hundred metres east of SA¶derport, where excavations earlier this century revealed a mass grave. The strikingly towered
Domkyrkan
, a short walk west of the museum (daily 8am-5pm), was built between 1190 and 1225, just before the great age of Gothic church building on the island. Used both as warehouse and treasury, it's been heavily restored and about the only original fixture left is the thirteenth-century sandstone font.
Ferries
serving Visby dock just outside the city walls; turn left and keep walking for the centre. On the way you'll see the
tourist office
(Oct-April Mon-Fri 8am-4pm; May to early June & late Aug Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm, mid June to mid Aug Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat & Sun 7am-6pm; Sept Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-2pm; tel 0498/20 17 00,
info@gtf.i.se
) at Hamngatan 4 just within the city walls. It sells the excellent
Turistkarta Gotland
(30kr), describing all points of interest. Alternatively, a short way to the right along the harbour is
Gotlandsresor
at FA¤rjeledon 3 (tel 0498/20 12 60,
info@gotlandsresor.se
), which has a room-booking service. For getting around the island it's best to rent a
bike
and there are plenty of places to do this, all charging 50kr to 70kr a day. For the best advice on travel throughout the island, local historian Peter Doolk (tel 0498/48 03 33) is a mine of information.
Accommodation
does fill up quickly during the summer, and pre-booking is advisable. The tourist office can book
private rooms
in town from 210kr a head, but are unwilling to do so unless hotels are all full, while of the several
hostels
, the most convenient is
FA¤ngelset Sjumastarn
(tel 0498/20 60 50; A?5-10/$8-16), just opposite the ferry terminal and based in an old prison. For a cheapish
hotel
,
Donnerplats
, Donnersplats 6 (tel 0498/21 03 73; A?30-35/$48-56), has apartments for around 950kr for three people.
Gotlands Ice Hockey Federation Youth Hostel
(tel 0498/24 82 02) charges 175kr per person, but is 3km from the centre; ask the bus driver to drop you at Isall (Ice-hall). Gotland is a great place for
camping
;
Nordenstrands
is the closest site, 1km outside the city walls and open from May to September - follow the cycle path that runs through the Botanical Gardens along the seafront. For
eating
, Adelsgatan is lined with cafA©s and snack bars and has a couple of cheap kebab takeaways. Best place for sit-down
drinking
is the hugely popular bar/restaurant
MuntkA¤lleren
, Lilla TorggrA¤nd, though queues can be long. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Sweden,
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