There's not a great deal to do in Visby. But then, that's kind of the point of the place.
Visby is the capital of Gotland, Sweden's beautiful 'holiday island', famous for its soft sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, distinctive grey-fleeced sheep and wild orchids (more than 35 varieties of them, at the last count).
It also has a fascinating history, having been inhabited for more than 7,000 years and invaded by 13th Century Germans (who left behind some spectacular medieval churches) and then by Danes, only reverting to Swedish rule in the mid 17th Century.
Visby itself, which lies on Gotland's northwest coast, is the jewel of the island and testament to its rich history -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sweden's best-preserved medieval cities (complete with ancient walls).
It has the feel of a real seaside resort and is a truly delightful place to spend a few hours in, boasting some spectacular church ruins, very pretty Botanical Gardens, a few historic houses and an interesting museum -- as well as a sparkling seafront, some excellent craft shops and good cafés and restaurants.
Come here with a go-getting rubbernecking agenda and you might be disappointed that there's not more to it. On the other hand, if you view a day here as a chance to kick back, mosey around and smell the roses (which proliferate -- thanks to its clement climate -- until very late autumn) and you'll have a truly lovely time and experience the laid-back Swedish lifestyle at its best.
We didn't rush to get off the ship today. Visby is the only port that we'll have to tender into, so there was no need to brave the crowds to get off the ship early. We hung around in the Solarium until the crowds were gone.
The seas were a little rough, and we used the lifeboats as tenders, so we prepared for some rocking and rolling! :)
It was a good walk up a pretty steep hill - but we made it without any problems. Just took our time. A lot of the town shops were closed due to the fact that the previous day was a holiday.... "Midsummer Solstice", the celebration of summer.
One of the shop owners told us that the tradition is to stay up until the wee hours, eating, drinking and singing - hence the closure of shops the next day! :)
Again, we met up with Dave and Carol, who seem to be stalking us! :) LOL - We first met them in the brewery in Copenhagen, then again in the brewery in Rostock and again today! Rich says "Where there's beer, they're here!" :) LOL
We took a mini-train tour around Visby, which was great except for the fact that it wasn't in English! At least we got to see the beach area and some of the residential neighborhoods.
Then, of course - lunch! Pizza! We were surprised how good it was. Pizza in Sweden! :) LOL
On our way back down to the tender, we met up with..........................
The tender driver had a very difficult time parking the boat, which made us just a bit nervous. Then, when we got to the ship, he actually hit the ship hard enough for the officers to have an extremely unpleasant look on their faces.
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Location:Visby, Sweden
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