The Swedish island of Gotland, which lies northeast of Öland, is the second largest island in the Baltic Sea and is considered a historic province. The province of Gotland is made up of Gotland and some neighbouring islands, which also form the municipality of Gotland.
The island has a mild climate, which is perceived as pleasant for many tourists. Gotland is particularly popular with bicycle tourists and young people who want to get to know the culture of Gotland better, as well as its sights and the diversity of flora and fauna.
Extraordinary stone sculptures – the Raukar
A frequently sought after and often visited tourist destination are the Raukar. These are unusual and distinctly shaped limestone pillars, up to ten metres high, which can be found on the stone beaches of Digerhuvud and Langhammars, as well as in the forests near Lickershamm. They are reminiscent of sculptures made of stone, which consist of a wide variety of appearances.
Varied experiences in Visby
The medieval town of Visby, formerly known as the Hanseatic city of Visby, also has a lot to offer. One of the largest medieval festivals takes place there annually in the 32nd calendar week and invites visitors to travel back in time to 1361 and experience what life felt like back then. The atmosphere is positively enhanced by costumes, music, theater and jugglers, creating a festive ambience.
Furthermore, the Gotland Olympics take place every second weekend in July in the city of Stånga. In addition, every year on the first weekend in November, around 2200 participants take part in the largest enduro event in the world; the so-called “Gotland Grand National”. This takes place equally on Gotland and attracts many interested people.
“I have a house, a motley house”
The world-famous work “Pippi Longstocking”, written by Astrid Lindgren, is also immortalized on the Swedish island. There you can find the “Villa Kunterbunt”; the original building from the film series “Pippi Longstocking”. All these films were shot on Gotland, and in the “Villa Villekulla” you can see film props, such as the jacket of Mr. Nilsson, Pippi Longstocking’s monkey, and even Astrid Lindgren’s original typewriter. The “Villa Villekulla” is located near the city of Visby and is therefore well suited for a day trip with the whole family or friends.
Close on the trail of crime novels
The home of director Torbjörn Axelman can also be visited as an artist’s museum. Many of his films are set on the Swedish island of Gotland. However, not only his films were shot on Gotland, but also various crime series, such as “Maria Wern”, “Kripo Gotland” and “Der Kommissar und das Meer”. Viewers and fans can visit the various filming locations of these films and series on the island and thus get an insight into the Swedish film industry.
Diversity in art
The island of Gotland offers its visitors much more. Among other things, Gotland has all the museums, such as the Bunge open-air museum and the Brucebo Artists’ Museum. Frequented are Gotlands Museum in Visby, which is an art museum, and Gotlands Fornsal, also in Visby, which depicts and illustrates the prehistory of the historic island. There are also numerous other museums on Gotland to discover.
The art museums, as well as art on Gotland in general, are characterized by the early medieval art phase of the Viking style, which is called the “Broa Phase”. Interested visitors gain an insight into the development of this art phase. In addition, the influence of Gotland culture due to the “Broa phase” becomes clear.
Gotland – Fascinating flora, fantastic fauna
Gotland’s diversity is reflected above all in the flora and fauna. The island in Sweden has a species-rich natural landscape, in which many rarities can be found. These include, for example, Spitzel’s orchid, a special and unusual plant. The bird species and the variety of orchids are considered particularly diverse; that’s what Gotland is known for. Not only those interested in nature, but also those interested in travel in general, describe the diversity of flora as outstanding and interesting to explore. One of the most famous nature reserves on the island is the “Uppstaig Reserve”, which protects the island’s biodiversity and makes it visually visible for future generations.
Characteristic Gotland
Particularly typical of Gotland are the fishing villages. At present, there are still up to 150 of these villages on the island in various sizes. In the past, they were mainly used by farmers; nowadays they are considered a sight on Gotland. Eleven of them are listed as historical monuments.
Various regional churches, which date back to the Middle Ages, can be found and visited on the Swedish island. Almost a hundred of them are still in good to very good condition. In the church of Öja there is one of the very famous Gotland triumphal crucifixes. It dates back to the 13th century and is considered unique in all of Scandinavia.
The Swedish island of Gotland is characterized by its diversity and thus allows its visitors to gain varied and new experiences. There is an extraordinary experience for every interest group and also for every age group.
