This page is the island map: how big Gotland is, what makes Visby special, how to reach Fårö and its sea stacks by bus, and which of our Gotland guides answers which question.
When you need this
You’re planning a first trip to Gotland and want the island’s shape before the detail. You’re deciding between ferry and flight, or whether you need a car at all. Or you’re visiting outside June–August and want to know what will actually be open.
The island at a glance
Gotland is Sweden’s largest island: about 3,140 km² including Fårö, the Karlsö islands and Gotska Sandön, with roughly 800 km of coast. It is a county, a municipality and a region in one. Region Gotland counts just over 61,000 inhabitants, about 26,000 of them in Visby.
That size matters for planning. Fårö and its best-known sea stacks are at the far northern tip, beyond a short ferry. Treat them as a day trip, not an afternoon walk.
| Getting there | Time | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry from Nynäshamn or Oskarshamn | About three hours | Gotland ferry |
| Flight Arlanda–Visby | About 40–45 minutes | Domestic flights in Sweden |
| Flight Bromma–Visby | About 35 minutes | Domestic flights in Sweden |
Visby airport is one of the state-run Swedavia airports. The ferry service is state-contracted, and a new agreement starts on 1 February 2027 — Destination Gotland keeps sailing the routes.
Visby and the ring wall
UNESCO inscribed the Hanseatic Town of Visby on the World Heritage List in 1995 as an exceptionally well-preserved walled Hanseatic town. Riksantikvarieämbetet, the Swedish National Heritage Board, calls its ring wall (ringmuren) northern Europe’s oldest preserved town wall and the only one left in the Nordic countries. It was probably begun around 1250, in Gotland limestone.
How long is it? The two official sources differ: UNESCO says 3.4 km, Riksantikvarieämbetet 3.6 km. Seventeen medieval churches stood inside and just outside it. Only St Mary’s Cathedral is still in use; the rest are the church ruins (kyrkoruiner) you see across town.
The wall is also protected law. It is a fixed ancient monument under the Heritage Conservation Act, so any work on it needs a permit. And it is old stone: about 70 m² of the outer face collapsed north of Österport in February 2012. Keep out of fenced-off sections.
Fårö and the raukar
Raukar (singular rauk) are limestone sea stacks. According to the county board, Gotland’s bedrock is largely coral reef from a tropical sea about 430 million years ago; the hard reef limestone resisted the waves better than the layered rock around it and was left standing as pillars.
The best-known fields are on Fårö, reached on a free six-minute state road ferry from Fårösund:
| Reserve | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Digerhuvud | Fårö’s north-west coast | Raukar up to 8 m; the county board invites you to find your own rauk to climb or lean on |
| Langhammars | Northernmost Fårö | More than 50 raukar, some over 8 m; the Klajvika stacks are on the back of the 200-kronor note |
In summer, from 1 June to 15 August, the Fårö ferry has priority lanes for residents, certain workers, transport and emergency vehicles, and Trafikverket warns car queues can grow long. Build slack into a day trip by car.
Getting around by bus
You can see much of Gotland without a car, if you plan. Region Gotland’s buses radiate from Visby bus station. Regional lines run on a clock-face timetable, arriving on the same minute each hour and leaving ten minutes later. Useful lines include 20 (Fårösund–Visby), 10 (Burgsvik–Klintehamn–Visby), 11 (Hemse–Roma–Visby) and 41 (Katthammarsvik–Visby). City line 6 links the ferry terminal, the bus station and Almedalen.
Three things catch visitors:
- No late buses Monday to Thursday. No city or regional bus leaves after 21:35 on those days, and the region says it has no connection with the night ferries then.
- Timetables change with the season. A separate summer timetable applies; the ordinary one runs 16 August 2026–12 June 2027, and a new Visby city-bus network is planned for summer 2027.
- No e-bikes on buses. E-bikes, tandems and bike trailers are never allowed, and bike places can’t be booked. An ordinary bike costs 20 kr, paid on board.
Buy your ticket before you travel, on the region’s ticket site or app; if you can’t, the driver sells one.
Rules that catch visitors
| Rule | Where | Status |
|---|---|---|
| No drinking alcohol over 3.5% in public, except where serving is licensed | Visby’s inner town (mapped in the local ordinance) | Law; fines and confiscation |
| No camping in a tent, vehicle or outdoors on public places | Whole island, unless the land is set aside | Law |
| Fireworks need a police permit; none within 100 m of the cathedral | Visby’s inner town | Law |
| Don’t knock fossils loose from bedrock or blocks | Everywhere | Law |
| No chipping fossils, camping, caravans or fires outside marked places | Digerhuvud reserve | Reserve regulations |
| Don’t move or take stones, blocks or fossils; no caravans or sleeping in motorhomes | Langhammars reserve | Reserve regulations |
| No dogs at named bathing places, 1 May–30 September | Region Gotland’s beaches | Municipal guidance |
| Pike and perch closed, 1 March–31 May | Gotland’s coastal waters | Law |
Loose stones belong to the landowner. A single valueless keepsake may be allowed elsewhere, but not inside the Langhammars reserve. At Digerhuvud, dogs must be leashed except from 1 November to 31 January. Other nature reserves have their own rules, listed on the county board’s reserve pages.
Which guide answers what
| You want to… | Our guide | Know this first |
|---|---|---|
| Book the crossing | Gotland ferry | Dynamic fares peak on summer weekends; on foot or by bike beats a car in summer |
| Cycle the island | Gotland by bike | Gotlandsleden is about 540 km, but Trafikverket has not approved it as a cycle route |
| Go to Medieval Week | Medieval Week in Visby | 8–15 August 2027 |
| Swim | Swedish beaches | Summer dog ban at named bathing places |
| Visit in summer | Sweden in summer | Almedalsveckan fills Visby 28 June–2 July 2027 |
| Fish | Pike fishing in Sweden | The county board asks anglers to release every pike |
Seasons at a glance
| Season | What changes |
|---|---|
| Summer | Summer bus timetable; Fårö ferry priority lanes 1 June–15 August; Norwegian adds Visby flights; some ferry-coach routes run only mid-June to mid-August |
| Event weeks 2027 | Almedalsveckan 28 June–2 July; Medieval Week 8–15 August |
| Autumn–winter | Fornsalen museum open 11:00–16:00 October–April (09:00–17:00 May–September); staffed church ruins closed after 4 October 2026; Kajsartornet prison tower and Norrbys open-air farm closed for the season |
| Spring | Pike and perch closed in coastal waters 1 March–31 May |
| Dogs | Beach ban 1 May–30 September; leash in the wild 1 March–20 August |
Off-season, Gotlands Museum’s Fornsalen in Visby is the reliable indoor stop: open daily except 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January, with free entry for under-19s. The wall and the rauk fields are outdoors and always there.
Practical information
| Item | Detail | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry to Visby | Dynamic fares; see the ferry guide | 2026-09-24 |
| Fårö road ferry | Free; about six minutes | 2026-09-25 |
| Bike on a Gotland bus | 20 kr, paid on board; no e-bikes | 2026-09-25 |
| Last weekday buses (Mon–Thu) | None after 21:35 | 2026-09-25 |
| Ordinary bus timetable | 16 August 2026–12 June 2027 | 2026-09-25 |
| Fornsalen museum | Under-19s free; adult prices on the museum’s site | 2026-09-25 |
FAQ
How big is Gotland?
Gotland is Sweden’s largest island, about 3,140 km² including Fårö, the Karlsö islands and Gotska Sandön, with around 800 km of coast. Just over 61,000 people live there, about 26,000 of them in Visby. Fårö and its raukar sit at the far north, so plan them as a day trip rather than a walk from Visby.
Why is Visby a World Heritage site?
UNESCO inscribed the Hanseatic Town of Visby in 1995 as an exceptionally well-preserved walled Hanseatic town. Its limestone ring wall, probably begun around 1250, is northern Europe’s oldest preserved town wall, and 17 medieval churches stood in and just outside it. Only St Mary’s Cathedral is still in use; the rest are ruins.
Can I get around Gotland without a car?
Yes, with planning. Regional buses run from Visby bus station to places such as Fårösund, Hemse, Slite and Burgsvik, and line 6 links the ferry terminal with the bus station. But no bus departs after 21:35 from Monday to Thursday, e-bikes cannot go on the bus, and a summer timetable applies.
How do I get to Fårö and the raukar?
Drive or take bus line 20 to Fårösund, then cross on the free six-minute state road ferry to Fårö. The rauk fields at Digerhuvud and Langhammars are nature reserves in the north-west and far north. In summer, cars queue at the ferry, and priority lanes are reserved for residents and some vehicles.
Can I take a fossil or a stone from the raukar?
No. Knocking fossils from bedrock or blocks is prohibited on Gotland, and the Fårö rauk reserves ban chipping fossils and moving or taking stones, blocks or fossils. Loose stones belong to the landowner; a single valueless keepsake may be allowed elsewhere, but not inside Langhammars.
Is Gotland worth visiting outside summer?
Yes, but check what is open. Gotlands Museum’s Fornsalen in Visby is open daily all year except the Christmas holidays, and the ring wall and rauk reserves are outdoors. The staffed church ruins, Kajsartornet and the Norrbys farm close for the season, and buses run a reduced ordinary timetable.
Related guides
- Gotland ferry — routes, booking and the 2027 contract change.
- Gotland by bike — Gotlandsleden, bikes on the ferry and camping.
- Medieval Week in Visby — the festival that fills the town each August.
- Sweden’s free road ferries — how the Fårö crossing and its siblings work.
- Stockholm — the usual gateway, and Öland, Sweden’s other big limestone island.
Facts verified 2026-09-25. Sources: Riksantikvarieämbetet, UNESCO, Region Gotland, Länsstyrelsen Gotland, Trafikverket, Gotlands Museum and the ferry operator — full register in this topic’s source file. Timetables and opening hours are the 2026 tables. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.