Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [116]
Kollektiv Trafiken (21 41 12) runs buses via most villages to all corners of the island. The most useful routes, which have connections up to seven times daily, operate between Visby and Burgsvik in the far south, Visby and Fårösund in the north (also with bus connections on Fårö), and Visby and Klintehamn. A one-way ticket will not cost you more than Skr68 (although if you take a bike on board it will cost an additional Skr40), but enthusiasts will find a monthly ticket good value at Skr675.
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AROUND VISBY
There’s not much but forest and farmland until you’re at least 10km from Visby. If you’re heading northeast, visit the remarkable Bro church, which has several 5th-century picture stones in the south wall of the oratory, beautiful sculptures and interior lime paintings.
Heading southeast on Rd 143, on your way to Ljugarn, pull over to check out the 12th-century Cistercian monastery ruin Romakloster (501 23; admission free, guided tour adult/child Skr50/free; 10am-6pm May-Sep, 10am-4pm rest of year), a kilometre from the main road. Summer theatre performances here cost around Skr350 (tickets from Visby tourist office). The 18th-century manor house is also impressive.
Dalhem, 6km northeast of the Cistercian monastery, has a large church with some 14th-century stained glass (the oldest in Gotland) and magnificent (albeit restored) wall and ceiling paintings; take note of the scales of good and evil. There’s also a historic steam railway (380 43; adult/4-12yr Skr50/30; 11.15am-3.30pm Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun Jul-early Aug, Sun only Jun & rest of Aug) and museum in Dalhem.
The town of Klintehamn has a good range of services. From here, you can catch a passenger-only boat to the island nature reserve Stora Karlsö (www.storakarlso.com) one to three times daily from May to early September (adult/child return Skr225/110, 30 minutes). You can visit the island as a day trip (with 4½ hours ashore) or stay overnight at the hostel (see below).
Fairly remote, the island is home to extensive birdlife including thousands of guillemots and razorbills.
Sleeping & Eating
Pensionat Warfsholm (24 00 10; warfsholm@telia.com; sites Skr100, dm/s/d from Skr170/495/750) In Klintehamn, this hotel/hostel/campground combo sports a beautiful waterside location and restaurant.
STF hostel (24 04 50; boka@storakarlso.com; dm Skr240) If you want to get away from it all, Stora Karlsö’s simple STF hostel is a sound choice. Visitors can also opt to stay in the old lighthouse or in the lighthouse-keeper’s former living quarters (singles/doubles Skr590/780), where linen and room service is included in the price. There’s also a nature exhibit, restaurant and cafe on the island. Book ahead.
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EASTERN GOTLAND
Ancient monuments include the Bronze Age ship setting, Tjelvars grav, 1.5km west of Rd 146 (level with Visby), and its surrounding landscape of standing stones, almost all linked with the Gutasaga legends. Gothem church is one of the most impressive in Gotland; the nave is decorated with friezes dating from 1300. Torsburgen, 9km north of Ljugarn, is a partly walled hill fort (the largest in Scandinavia) measuring 5km around its irregular perimeter.
Ljugarn is a small seaside resort, and there are impressive raukar (column) formations at Folhammar Nature Reserve, 2km north. Southwest of Ljugarn and the village of Alskog, the impressive Garde church has four extraordinary medieval lych gates and an upside-down medieval key in the door; the original 12th-century roof is still visible.
Around 20km north of Ljugarn, in the tiny hamlet of Kräklingbo, Leonettes Konst & Keramik (532 40; www.leonette.com; Hajdeby, Kräklingbo; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun in summer, call ahead rest of year) is home to Californian expat Dan Leonette and his highly regarded, idiosyncratic ceramics and art, created using techniques like raku and sawdust firing. Between 1pm and 3pm on most Thursdays in the summer, you can watch the