10 Best Things to Do This Summer in Gotland

The Visby Town Wall was built in the 13^th century to repel invasions against the important trading town. Stretching for 3.5 km around the town, the medieval structure is dotted with more than 30 intact towers. A walk around the walls takes around 45 minutes and offers striking views of the Old Town from the tops of the towers.

Check out Kärleksporten – the Love Gate – which is inscribed with numerous romantic messages, or take a look at the slingshot stone from a siege engine still lodged in the tower of St George's Gate. The walls connect to the ruins of Visborg Castle, overlooking the coast. English-language walking tours are available at the tourist office.

Ljugarn Beach is one of the most visited and longest on Gotland. Along this endless stretch of white sand are beaches that are relatively sheltered. The soft sand and small waves make it well-suited to families. Walk or cycle the Strandvägen (beach road) as it sweeps northeast through the woods and you'll see stunning carpets of bright blue-purple flowers called viper's bugloss.

Ljugarn is a pretty resort town noted for its graceful buildings and excellent fish restaurants. In the late 19th century, it became a popular vacation destination with Swedish socialites and several famous artists. Cafés and restaurants are scattered along the coast but the beach, backed by grassy sand dunes, is wonderfully peaceful.

Kneippbyn Theme Park combines thrilling rollercoaster rides with bathing pools and sunbeds. Get ready to dive over the coast with the Pirate Drop, swoop through the air on the Tiger Ride, or climb the high-altitude obstacle course in the Active Zone. In the water park, highlights include the sharp curves and dark tunnels of Shark River, and a high-speed slide called The Race.

Kneippbyn is also home to the world-famous children's book character Pippi Longstocking. Visit her candy-coloured house, Villa Villekulla, or watch daily theater performances of Pippi's incredible adventures. The park also hosts a varied program of kid-friendly activities and concerts on summer evenings.

Blå Lagunen is a blue lagoon created in a former limestone quarry, where the water is a brilliant turquoise. The lagoon is surrounded by beaches of white gravel and sand, and the old quarry acts as a heat trap to keep the water warm. Even among locals, it's considered one of the best things to do in summer in Gotland to come swim, sunbathe and dive from the cliffs at the deepest part of the lagoon. There are very few facilities, so come prepared with food, water, and towels.

Blå Lagunen is surrounded by the Bästeträsk Nature Reserve and there are numerous walking paths where you can spot the wildlife that lives in the nearby wetlands. It's also a short walk to Lake Bästeträsk, which is a great place for boating and fishing.

Gotska Sandön is a remote island north of Gotland, boasting 30 km of beaches and 60 km of hiking trails across sand dunes and through pine forests. A fantastic network of trails will take you to the island's 19th-century lighthouses, old farm buildings, and a chapel displaying an 18th century Spanish Madonna. The local heritage museum's displays include a shipwrecked wooden figurehead and a gun once owned by a local pirate.

The stunning white beaches are home to a colony of gray seals. You can get close to them in the special hides set up at Säludden. The interior is populated by bats, mountain hares and white-tailed eagles, and is home to many rare plants, including several different species of orchid.

Stavgard may have been the home of a powerful Viking chief in Gotland. A wealth of archeological remains has been found on the island, from boat rivets and house foundations to a hoard of silver coins and bracelets weighing almost 70 kg.

Stavgard Viking Village brings that history to life with reconstructions from the Migration Period, Viking Age and Early Medieval Period. It includes the remains of a great hall and a fascinating ship barrow – an early Viking burial custom. Visit the Baking House to see baking and meat-smoking using ancient techniques, or stay overnight in the Viking longhouse at Vallhagar. There's also a small wattle-and-daub house that's used as a workshop for wool crafts.

The Visby Botanical Garden is a peaceful retreat on the edge of town that beautifully combines domestic and foreign plants. Chestnut trees, mulberry trees and magnolia trees are interspersed with more exotic species like giant redwoods and Chinese sequoia. Come in late spring or early summer to see the spectacular rhododendron bushes in flower, or admire the leaves changing color in autumn.

The Visby Botanical Garden is famous for its roses, with dozens of different species blooming in spring. The ruins of St. Olof's Church, built in the 13th century, gives the botanical garden a quaint, historic feel. During summer, there are frequent classical and jazz concerts, farmers' markets, and guided tours.

Lummelunda Cave is a limestone cavern made up of numerous winding passages, echoing chambers, and underground lakes. Stalactites and stalagmites cover the visible part of the cave, while ancient fossils have been found embedded in the rock. Guided tours show you the most fascinating aspects of the cave's history and geology, as well as taking you on a boat along the subterranean river.

Look out for the bat colony that calls the cave home, and the fish and crayfish that swim in the waters. Temperatures are cool even in summer, so you might want to bring a sweater or jacket. After your visit, stretch your legs on nature trails around the pretty woodland surrounding the cave.

The Langhammars Sea Stacks are among Gotland's most spectacular vertical rock formations. Some of the limestones reach up to 10 meters tall in places and form many strange and fascinating shapes.

The stacks are incredibly photogenic, surrounded by light-coloured pebbles in contrast to the bright blue of the ocean, and feature on many of Gotland's postcards. When the tide comes in you can even swim around the arches formed by the sea stacks. Langhammars is quite remote and the terrain is rough in places, so remember to wear sensible shoes and bring water with you.

Stora Karlsö is an oasis of both nature and culture, featuring rich history, pretty wildflowers, and vast colonies of seabirds. The island formed on top of an ancient coral reef, with fossils of long-ago sea creatures found almost everywhere. A small museum has exhibits on the island's history from the Stone Age. The landscape bears the remains of ancient cairns and tombs.

Visiting the island is considered one of the best things to do in summer in Gotland among birdwatchers thanks to the enormous breeding colonies of razorbills and guillemots, whose chicks fledge in June or July. Other seabirds you might spot include eider and herons, while hawksbills, songlarks, and warblers nest in the interior. In late spring, thousands of orchids bloom across the island.