Ask any Swede about Visby and they’ll probably get a dreamy look on their face. It’s rare to find someone who isn’t fond of this enchanting medieval town, located on the island of Gotland, east of the Swedish mainland.With its medieval ruins, exquisite Old Town, fragrant rose gardens and expansive views of the beautiful Baltic Sea, it’s little wonder that Visby is one of the world’s best places to visit.
Whether you’re looking for history, nature, culture, good food or just want to relax on the beach, the town of Visby, has it all.
This fairy-tale town is a national treasure and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, characterised as having “outstanding universal value.”
This well-preserved medieval Hanseatic town dates back to the 12th century and contains several remarkable church ruins from the period such as St Clemens, St Nicolai and Drotten’s ruins, and the St Karin church ruin with its high arches. Visby boasts several historic churches as well, including the Sankta Maria Cathedral built at the end of the 12th century.
Visby also has a well-preserved 3.5 kilometres long medieval ring wall (The Visby City Wall) with many of its original towers from the 1200s still intact. The wall encircles the centre of Visby and was initially built for protection against both foreign enemies and Swedish assailants from the countryside.
