‘Paradise’ island in Europe has fairytale towns and bright blue lagoon – and feels like going back in time
AN island has been described as paradise – with blue lagoons, sandy beaches and towns like something from a fairytale.
Gotland is off the coast of Stockholm, between Sweden and Latvia.
It’s not one to visit in winter – many stores close and temperatures drop as low as 2C.
But visit in the summer and you can see why it has been dubbed a paradise island by Visit Sweden.
The main town is on the east coast, with Visby feeling like you’re gone back in time.
Also compared to a fairytale town, the quaint shops and buildings are painted in bright colours.
One of the most popular foodie spots is Lilla Bjers with small plates that have been called “once-in-a-lifetime dining” with it all farm to table.
For something more laidback, there is the also-popular Surfers, a Chinese restaurant.
There is a huge Viking history too, with burial grounds, museums and even a reconstructed Viking village.
You can stay the night at Stavgard, with longhouses you can rent to ‘glamp’ in
Another popular attraction are sea stacks, also called raukar, which are limestone monoliths scattered along the coast.
While there, make sure to fine the island’s own Blue Lagoon, with waters that are bright turquoise in the summer.
Otherwise if you are outdoorsy, there are lots of flat cycle paths, hiking trails and even shallow beaches to swim in.
You will have to time it right, with temperatures between 20C and 25C in the summer.
Fancy staying? Some of the popular hotels include Clarion Hotel Wisby or the Hotel St Clemens, with rooms inside historical buildings.
There are also budget options such as Best Westerns and and Scandic Visby.
There are two ways to get to Gotland.
One is by ferry, taking around three hours when departing from either Nynäshamn or Oskershamn.
Or you can fly to Visby Airport on the island, with flights from both Stockholm and Gothenburg.
Brits can travel from the UK to Stockholm for £14.99 with Ryanair from London Stansted, or to Gothenburg from £15.21.
What is it like to go on a cruise around Scandinavia?
The Sun’s Associate Bizarre Editor Howell Davies went on one – here’s his review.
My trip on one of Hurtigruten’s ships, the 590-capacity MS Nordnorge, was in order to see the Northern Lights.
The cruise allowed me to cover plenty of ground, from Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim — frequently referred to as the Notre Dame of Norway for its stained-glass rose window — to the dramatic, snow-topped mountains in Finnsnes.
During my October visit the sun still rises, although hanging low in the sky especially as I headed farther north to the charming city of Tromsø.
The colourful houses of Norway, with window frames dusted with snow, make for beautiful Christmas card scenes and nothing made me feel more festive than watching them go by as I sipped from a hot mug of cocoa.
I’m still not a fan of the cold — but with this cruise, I was glad I took the plunge.
Here’s an island in Denmark that has been dubbed “sunshine island”.
Want to stay in the UK? Here are the British islands where you are most likely to see the Northern Lights.