Visby is the capital of the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. With its largely preserved medieval town center and city walls, Visby is one of Sweden's most beautiful cities and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
Visby is not only the capital of the island, but also by far the most populous. It has over 20,000 inhabitants, while the next largest town has less than 2,000. In fact, Visby is the only real town on the island. But that is not the only reason why it is Gotland's cultural attraction par excellence.
Among the many preserved medieval buildings is the almost completely intact town wall, which is around 3.6 km long. There is also a botanical garden with the ruined church of St. Olof on the north-western section of the wall. Thanks to Gotland's special climate, plants that are very unusual for Sweden grow here, such as figs, walnuts and mulberries. The city center consists largely of medieval buildings and is completely listed.
Among the city's special sights are Visby Cathedral from the 13th century and many church ruins. The Gotlands Fornsal Museum can be an interesting place to delve deeper into this journey into the past. There, those interested in history will find the history of the city and the island on five floors.
The tour is rounded off by the many small cafés and restaurants as well as the quirky stores and boutiques. Typical Gothic products can also be found here: Lamb traps and, above all, ceramic art and everyday objects.
A somewhat more special attraction is located around five kilometers southwest of the city in the "Kneippbyn" amusement and leisure park. This is where you will find Villa Kunterbunt, the home of Pippi Longstocking. Visby was used as a filming location and as a backdrop for the film adaptations of Astrid Lindgren's famous books.
Art lovers might also want to head about five kilometers north of the city. This is where you will find Villa Muramaris - an artists' house with a museum, events, contemporary art exhibitions and an Italian Baroque-style garden.
The aforementioned Medieval Week has its highlight in Visby, to which the largely preserved medieval town center and the city wall contribute significantly. The special flair attracts living history performers from all over Europe every year.