Visby

Background

Visby lies on the west coast of the Swedish island of Gotland, in the middle of the Baltic Sea, and is nicknamed "the City of Roses". In the Middle Ages Visby flourished through the trade of the German Hanseatic League, and in 1995 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as the Hanseatic Town of Visby. The ring wall is about 3.4 km long; work on it probably began in the 12th century, it was raised to its present height around 1300, and some towers were not built until the 15th century. St Mary's Cathedral was officially opened in 1225; after the town's churches closed one after another in the 16th century, it remained the only church in use, while most of the others became ruins. In 1361 King Valdemar IV of Denmark conquered Gotland, and about 1,800 Gotlanders were killed in battle in front of the town. The citizens of Visby then surrendered and handed over a large part of their wealth to spare the town from being sacked.

Local customs

• Walk along the ring wall and look out over the Baltic and the old-town rooftops
• visit St Mary's Cathedral, still in use, and the ruins of St Karin's Church
• in August, join Medieval Week to see costumed parades and markets.

Travel tips

• Summer is high season, so book accommodation and ferries in advance. The old town has many stone-paved lanes, so wear flat shoes. The island is windy, so bring a windproof jacket.
• Ferries take about 3 hours from Nynäshamn near Stockholm or from Oskarshamn in Småland, or you can fly to Visby Airport
• the old town is easily explored on foot. June to August is the liveliest time, when the roses bloom, and Medieval Week is held every August (week 32). May and September are quieter and mild. In winter most tourist facilities scale back, which suits a quiet visit.