Visby, Sweden

The Town of Roses & Ruins

Tales of the Viking Age echo through Visby—once a stronghold and trading post, a flourishing medieval period, and a member of the powerful Hanseatic League. Today this impeccably preserved medieval town is best known as the Town of Roses and Ruins, so stop and smell the blooms in all their glory at the Botanical Garden, and visit an array of impressive ruined medieval churches.

Wander a maze of cobbled streets in the old walled city, bicycle through beguiling countryside and dramatic coastal scenery, cast a line on a fishing expedition, or take your pick from one of the area’s seven excellent golf courses. When it comes to local Gotland cuisine, saffranspankaka (a saffron-based pancake topped with berries and cream) and the island’s beloved dish fisksoppa (a fish stew of fried Baltic herring and turbot) are must-tastes.