FeelingGoodWithSofy

Hi guys 😊! Another beautiful destination that I’ve been to, this summer, is Gotland! 🙂

In this article I will talk about Visby, located on the west side of the island of Gotland, (in Sweden!) 😍😍

My family and I stayed for 4 nights in Visby, inside the city walls, such a lovely experience! 🙂 We had the opportunity and fortune to visit this beautiful town during low season, in late summer (middle of August)! It was so peaceful, nice, calming to stroll through the town with just few tourists around! :).

Then, we also made excursions (around the island).

Visby, a charming, medieval town

This medieval gem on the Baltic Sea has captured my heart! 🙂 I really enjoyed exploring this town!

The old town of Visby is surrounded by a well-preserved 3,5 kilometres long medieval ring wall! Moreover, it’s the best preserved North European wall town and the only wall city in Sweden!

Visby, a Unesco World Heritage!

This charming town is a Unesco World Heritage site because it’s an example of a Nordic Medieval city. It is famous for its well-maintained medieval architecture such as picturesque buildings, cobblestone streets, old, historic, ruined churches around the Old Town!

Here are some things to visit:

• The Botanical Garden

I enjoyed a lot walking here 🙂 ! This peaceful garden is nestled within the historic city of Visby! Did you know that this green oasis was founded way back in 1885?! Over the decades this beautiful place has undergone several transformations and in 1930 it underwent a significant transformation. It was during this time that the garden was relocated and expanded to include a wider variety of plant species!

Besides from being a home of many rare and exotic plant species and flowers, this lovely, tranquil garden consists also of beautiful paths, charming bridges!

One of the most striking features of this garden is the red, yellow pagoda, a unique and eye-catching structure that adds a touch of Asian style. This landmark provides a beautiful backdrop for photos and it’s another peaceful spot to relax and enjoy the beauty around! 🙂

This lovely botanical garden is one of Visby’s most visited places! 🙂

• The magnificent Cathedral (of Sankta Maria)

This Cathedral is another important highlight in Visby!

This stunning medieval architecture masterpiece is from the 13th-century. This iconic landmark has a rich history. It was consacrated in 1225, making it one of the oldest Cathedrals in Scandinavia and it was dedicated to the virgin Mary. It has served as the Cathedral of the Diocese of Visby since 1572.

In the 17th century the Cathedral undergone significant renovations and additions including the construction of the tower and the installations of new stained glass windows!

In the course of time it underwent further damagings and restorations.

The Cathedral’s architecture is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles.

This masterpiece is the only church in Visby to be well preserved to this day.

I loved seeing and visiting this beautiful architectural building, with its lovely stained glass windows (so beautiful😍!).

If you go up the stairs next to the Cathedral you’ll see a great view over Visby. You can also enjoy watching stunning sunsets!

• The Center of Visby

We had the luck to have a sunny weather those days in Visby 🙂 !

Visby’s center is a captivating blend of medieval history with its well preserved walls, old church ruins, cobblestone streets. It has also a modern charm. It’s filled with beautiful small shops, restaurants, cafes, especially in the great square!

In the center there are also the Botanical garden and the Cathedral (as I already wrote about before…)

I loved walking through the narrow, beautiful street Fiskargränd. So lovely also with all these roses, so decorative and fascinating! 🙂 😍

• Old, Medieval Church ruins around the town

We encountered charming, old, Medieval Church ruins while wandering through the Old Town! It was a new, beautiful experience for me 🙂 These ruins provide also a fascinating insight into Visby’s Medieval past. Most of these ruins were, back then, churches built between the 13th and 16th centuries, during the city’s peak as a Hanseatic trading center!

I found myself once drinking tea on the grounds of one of the ruins! A nice experience! 🙂

I personally loved this fascinating, pretty town! I had a nice time wandering through Visby, admiring the stunning medieval walls, old church ruins, small picturesque houses and trying some restaurants and cafes! 🙂

See you in my next travel article, where I will write about some of my favourite cafes in Stockholm (part one)! 🙂

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