There are beautiful islands all over the world but some are true treasures. It is the case of the Gotland Island, Sweden, the largest island in the Baltic Sea and a super popular tourism destination in that Northern European country.
Let's see today, in Actualidad Viajes, Gotland attractions, so you can organize your next trip.
Gotland
As we said, it is an island in the Baltic Sea, which It has almost 3 thousand square kilometers of surface, which makes it the largest island there. It is at the same time a Swedish province, the one with the fewest residents, but the charming old town of Visby, its main town, is a World Heritage Sited since 1995.
Gotland it is 90 kilometers from the swedish coast and less than 200 from Latvia. It is an island of limestone, no mountains, but with some really impressive cliffs. It has arid landscapes, to the north and south, but its heart is fertile, which helps the island in its great diversity of flora and fauna.
Gotland Tourism
Tourism has become a huge industry throughout Sweden. In fact, according to the Swedes themselves, today it exceeds what is earned in the combined export of iron, steel and Swedish cars. Awesome!
The tourism industry in Sweden does not stop growing and providing employment, although the biggest challenge is to make it an environmentally sustainable industry. And this topic has been considered a lot in relation to Gotland.
But what Gotland attractions can we recommend? The truth is that the island has to offer its visitors a coast from another world, almost 800 kilometers of natural beauties, a World Heritage city as it is Visby, 92 medieval churches from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century, and being the filming location of a popular series that was seen in many parts of the world, Pippi Longstocking.
Let's start Visby and its charms. In 1995 Vissby was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and for good reason. It is a fortified citya very well preserved, the best in Northern Europe. Between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries it knew how to be the center of the Hanseatic League, a trade and defense federation of German trading communities in the Baltic.
Visby is beautiful, with many old buildings and charming, cobbled streets, gates, walls and towers everywhere, stretching for 3 and a half kilometers. The medieval wall it encloses the center of the city and originally protected it from foreign enemies and from Swedish raiders as well.
In its streets there are more than 200 buildings and old residential houses and you can visit the Gotland Fornsalen Museum with the most important archaeological finds, even Vikings (coins, bracelets, earrings, all silver). And as I told you, there is also many old churches:
- the ruins of Sankat Maria Domkyrka, a church that was built at the end of the XNUMXth century, beginning of the XNUMXth, coexists today with its newest version, with baroque towers and domes. It has colorful and beautiful stained glass windows and decorated floors, and today, a cathedral, it is used for summer concerts.
- the medieval St Karins, once an imposing church, which in winter has an ice skating rink.
- The ruins of the once beautiful and magnificent St.Nicolai, built in 1230 by Dominican monks…
Others Gotland attractions may be related to a series called Pippi Lonstocking. You may not know it but it is very popular around here and it was filmed in these landscapes: on the streets of Visby, at the Kneppbyn Resort and at Fiskargränd. Asking at the local tourist office they give you Free maps with all the locations of the series.
But beyond this natural landscapes of the island are beautiful, almost mystical. In the summer months, its gardens are filled with roses, in the pots of the houses but also in the Botanical Garden two and a half hectares dates from 1855. A beauty. It also contains exotic trees and plants that know how to take advantage of the mild climate of the island. There is no entrance fee to enjoy the garden.
Visby also has beaches, there is a pier for bathing in the center, and within a radius of five kilometers there are four more beaches. If you want to go even further you can visit the popular Tofta Beach, about 20 kilometers to the south. Although Gotland is a large island, in reality the distances are not long because the land is almost flat and you can safely do the bike tours.
In the center of the city there many restaurants and cafeterias recommended, to stop on your walks and simply enjoy the rhythm of the city: Själsö, Café Amalia, Ett rum för resande and S:t Hans, for example. Think that the fertile lands of the center of the island provide fresh and tasty ingredients, so stopping at one of these places will give you a taste of the local gastronomy, with many truffles in their menus, for example, but also lamb, salmon and good beers.
Between the Gotland attractions We cannot fail to name the unforgettable views that its landscapes offer us. Therefore, it is always a good idea to go for a walk. you can make one hike to Högklint, about seven kilometers south of Visby. From there you will have magnificent views of the city but also your steps will take you through the Reserve Södra Hällarna, with its steep and high cliffs and caves, rocky beaches and ivy forests. A military station once functioned here and the views are something from another world.
Finally, some more information: Visby is easily explored on foot, it is very easy to turn around. There is also a public transport system made up of buss that move around the center and around the island. You can buy tickets from 24 to 72 hours. As you can imagine, the use of bicycles is highly recommended because it is full of cycle lanes. There are two bike rental shops in the central area of the city.
The ideal is to move around the island, not just stay in Visby. You will see that there is a lot to discover and that is why I advise you to pay attention to the signs that appear handwritten everywhere, on the side of the roads. They point out where there are hidden flea markets or little cafeterias or shops.
What kind of accommodations is there on the island? As there hotels of various types and Bed and Breakfast 15 minutes from downtown. A few kilometers away you also have a 5 star camping area, the Kneippbyn Resort, with a water park, cabins, apartments and a hotel, as well as a camping area.
When should you visit Gotland? Each season has its ownOr: if you go in winter, around these dates, you can enjoy the Christmas markets, with a lot of wind and snow. If you go in the fall the ocean is still somewhat warm and there are no crowds and many hotels and restaurants remain open. In summer it is the high season, with many visitors and everything busy. And in spring? Well, the tourists haven't arrived yet, the plum trees are in bloom and so are the ivy forests. Let's say that Gotland vibrates with colors.