Making the most of Visby Gotland
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Formerly, this was a tender port.
From 2018, ships will berth at a newly constructed cruise pier designed for the biggest vessels and able to host two mega ships at once.
A ship's shuttle to the town centre costs $12usd roundtrip. Old town is 1.2 km away on a marked walking path.
A Citysightseeing Hop on Hop off bus is available for about $28usd.
Bikes are rented at the port.
Each year in week 32, Gotland and the formerly powerful Hanseatic city of Visby return to the Middle Ages. The Medeltidsveckan festival draws up to 40.000 visitors for theatre, markets, crafts, tower games, music performances, lectures and other events.
A printable map to take with you.
On arrival at Port of Visby, the impressive cathedral and stone-building rooftops first stand out, enclosed by the mighty medieval town wall and its towers. Centrally located, Visby long served as a natural gathering place for sailors and merchants from across the Baltic region. Its majestic merchants houses from the 17th and 18th century remain, alongside almost 200 stone buildings, some dating from the 12th century. Yet this is not a museum: more than 2,000 people live in the old town, with its great variety of shops, cafés and…
The famous Botanical Gardens of Visby date from 1855 and are only a 5 minutes walk from the Pier area.
Gotlands Fornsal Museum provides an overview of Gotland's 8,000-year history.
Since the late 12th century, the Sancta Maria Cathedral has dominated the townscape. It is the sole surviving church from that time within the town wall; all others are ruins, some providing an exciting surrounding for summer concerts or exhibitions.
Getting around
The town is highly walkable, though somewhat hilly and potentially difficult for people with a handicap. Its streets and alleys are very narrow, so an organized tour is not recommended because most people will be unable to hear the guide.
Nearby places
The rest of Gotland offers much too. Its mild climate and exotic landscape have made it one of Sweden's most popular summer holiday destinations.
Food and shopping
Most shops, at least in the downtown area, open all week, including Sundays.
Money
Sweden's national currency is the Swedish krona (SEK; plural kronor). About 5.91 SEK equals 1 USD, 9.43 SEK equals 1 EUR, and 12.28 SEK equals 1 GBP.
Major credit cards work in automatic teller machines and are accepted by most stores, restaurants and bars. In some cases, however, there is a SEK 5 fee or a lowest purchase limit between 50 - 100 SEK.
Staying connected
Swedish is Sweden's national language, but English is also spoken very well, particularly by people below 70; an estimated 89% of Swedes can speak it.
For fire, medical or criminal emergencies, use the phone number 112.
The tourist office has an internet terminal.
Opening Hours and
Downtown shops are mostly open throughout the week, Sundays included.