Discover Visby: Hanseatic city, art and pilgrimage trails

Visby combines the history of a medieval Hanseatic city with art, pilgrimage trails and special walking tours. From the 12th to the 14th century, the city was the most important centre of the Hanseatic League in the Baltic Sea region. Its form and function from the late 13th century have been remarkably well preserved. If you would like to combine different interests for your family, Visby offers an unusually varied setting for this: historic walls, museums, ecclesiastical art, nature and trails can be combined to create entirely different holiday days.

Medieval urban history in the Old Town

The World Heritage Site of the Hanseatic City of Visby comprises the city wall, the entire area within the wall and the surrounding parks, covering a total of around 77 hectares. The ring wall is 3.6 kilometres long and is considered the best-preserved city wall in Northern Europe. Its construction probably began around 1250. In the city centre, you will also encounter hilly terrain and cobbled streets. These features contribute to Visby’s distinctive atmosphere and are worth taking into account when planning your daily routes.

At the heart of Visby is Fornsalen, Gotland’s oldest cultural history museum. It displays fossils dating back 430 million years as well as outstanding ecclesiastical art. Another cultural highlight is the Gotlands Konstmuseum. It presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, crafts and design. It also displays exhibitions from its collection relating to Gotland, spanning the period from the early 19th century to the present day.

Art, nature and unusual discoveries

Konsten i världsarvet is ideal for a tour with a fixed thematic focus. This approximately 5-kilometre city walk passes through a historic cultural landscape and highlights 18 selected works of art in outdoor settings. Hälsans Stig, on the other hand, is a 7-kilometre circular route. It runs through Strandgärdet, Norderstrand, Flundreviken, Kärleksstigen and Nordergravar. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between an art-focused walk and a longer route through various parts of Visby.

The DBW Botanical Garden also has its own distinctive character. It was established in 1855 and is home to plants that are unusual for Sweden, including figs, mulberries and dove trees. At Galgberget, there is also a medieval gallows, probably erected as early as the 13th century, which is now considered the oldest surviving medieval gallows in Scandinavia. Several providers offer guided tours of Visby and its history, allowing you to discover the city as part of a guided visit.

Pilgrimage trails and Sankta Maria

Visby Cathedral, Sankta Maria, is an important destination for visitors interested in history and spirituality. Its construction began towards the end of the 12th century. In summer, the cathedral becomes a pilgrimage destination. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a few exceptions. The Sankta Maria Pilgrim Park also offers a pilgrimage trail through the cathedral’s grounds.

Anyone wishing to include a longer hike in their trip can consider the Sankt Olofsleden. It runs between Sankt Olofsholm in Hellvi and Visby, is marked on posts with the pilgrim cross and is additionally marked near crossings by orange bands on trees. The trail can be hiked from beginning to end or divided into several sections. This makes it an option for different trip plans, without requiring you to schedule the entire route in one stretch.

Getting there and choosing a holiday apartment

Visby Airport is 3.5 kilometres from Visby and about five minutes from the city centre. Ferry services connect Visby with Nynäshamn and Oskarshamn; the high-speed ferries to Visby take a little more than three hours. These connections are useful criteria if you want to coordinate your arrival with the location of your accommodation.

A holiday apartment in Visby is particularly well suited to a trip focused on urban history, museums, art, Sankta Maria and the city-centre walking tours. If, on the other hand, you would like to experience the Sankt Olofsleden in several sections, the division of your hiking days should determine your choice of each place to stay. During Medieval Week on Gotland, which has been held since 1984, most activities take place in Visby. The programme includes events in ruins, on streets and in parks, as well as in museums, churches, conference halls and medieval taverns. If you would like to choose another destination after planning your visit to Visby, you can also take a look at Barlingbo.

To the overview of all trips: Visby.