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VISBY |
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Undoubtedly the finest approach to VISBY is by ship, seeing the old
trading centre as it should be seen. The magnificent three-kilometre
city wall was built around the end of the thirteenth century to isolate
the city's foreign traders from the islanders. The old Hanseatic harbour
at Almedalen is now a public park and nothing is much more than a few
minutes' walk from here. Close by, pretty Packhusplan , the oldest
square in the city, is bisected by curving Strandgatan which runs south
to the fragmentary ruins of Visborg Castle , overlooking the harbour.
Built in the fifteenth century by Erik of Pomerania, it was blown up by
the Danes in the seventeenth century. In the opposite direction,
Strandgatan runs towards the sea and the lush Botanical Gardens , just
beyond which is the Jungfrutornet (Maiden's Tower) where a local
goldsmith's daughter was walled up alive, reputedly for betraying the
city to the Danes. Strandgatan is the best place to view the merchants'
houses looming over the narrow streets, and is also home to the Gotlands
Fornsal Museum at no. 14 (May to mid-Sept daily 10am-5pm; rest of year
Tues-Sun noon-4pm; 50kr), which, along with the usual Viking and
medieval relics, claims the largest collection of painted windows in
Scandinavia. The museum also tells the tale of the slaughter of
thousands of Swedes by the Danes in 1361 - an event remembered by
Valdemar's Cross , a few hundred metres east of Söderport, where
excavations earlier this century revealed a mass grave. The strikingly
towered Domkyrkan , a short walk west of the museum (daily 8am-5pm), was
built between 1190 and 1225, just before the great age of Gothic church
building on the island. Used both as warehouse and treasury, it's been
heavily restored and about the only original fixture left is the
thirteenth-century sandstone font.
Ferries serving Visby dock just outside the city walls; turn left and
keep walking for the centre. On the way you'll see the tourist office
(Oct-April Mon-Fri 8am-4pm; May to early June & late Aug Mon-Fri
8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm, mid June to mid Aug Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat &
Sun 7am-6pm; Sept Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-2pm; tel 0498/20 17
00, info@gtf.i.se ) at Hamngatan 4 just within the city walls. It sells
the excellent Turistkarta Gotland (30kr), describing all points of
interest. Alternatively, a short way to the right along the harbour is
Gotlandsresor at Färjeledon 3 (tel 0498/20 12 60, info@gotlandsresor.se
), which has a room-booking service. For getting around the island it's
best to rent a bike and there are plenty of places to do this, all
charging 50kr to 70kr a day. For the best advice on travel throughout
the island, local historian Peter Doolk (tel 0498/48 03 33) is a mine of
information. Accommodation does fill up quickly during the summer, and
pre-booking is advisable. The tourist office can book private rooms in
town from 210kr a head, but are unwilling to do so unless hotels are all
full, while of the several hostels , the most convenient is Fängelset
Sjumastarn (tel 0498/20 60 50; £5-10/$8-16), just opposite the ferry
terminal and based in an old prison. For a cheapish hotel , Donnerplats
, Donnersplats 6 (tel 0498/21 03 73; £30-35/$48-56), has apartments for
around 950kr for three people. Gotlands Ice Hockey Federation Youth
Hostel (tel 0498/24 82 02) charges 175kr per person, but is 3km from the
centre; ask the bus driver to drop you at Isall (Ice-hall). Gotland is a
great place for camping ; Nordenstrands is the closest site, 1km outside
the city walls and open from May to September - follow the cycle path
that runs through the Botanical Gardens along the seafront. For eating ,
Adelsgatan is lined with cafés and snack bars and has a couple of cheap
kebab takeaways. Best place for sit-down drinking is the hugely popular
bar/restaurant Muntkälleren , Lilla Torggränd, though queues can be
long.
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