A trip to Gotland island would not be complete without venturing to the far reaches of the island. It is the places and beauty of Gotland that reveal the island’s history and explain the deep love the Gutarna (the people of Gotland) have for their island. It is the places of Gotland that tell of the character of its inhabitants. Their strong work ethic, love of beauty and simplicity, and pride of their place which is revealed in their homes, dooryards and fields.
Being a tiny island set in the middle of the Baltic Sea, the coastline has a magical lure. Towering limestone sea stacks or raukfält portray the strength and endurance of the islanders. They magically rise from the sand reaching for the sky where they have been for hundreds of years. Little villages of tiny huts dot the coastline where families gather to fish in the summer months.
Fishing Village 
Fårö, the northern end of Gotland
The people of Gotland take much pride in their work and their island. Winding along the roads of Fårö, an island off the northern tip of Gotland, you come across tidy farms with thatched roofed barns and old limestone windmills. Stone walls, meticulously kept, line pastures. Everything is in it’s place with gates latched, doors closed, and flower pots blooming. Gardens are neat and tidy with seating areas covered in pelts.
The ruins on the island tell of Viking merchants, trade, and wealth. The ancient walled city of Visby tells of civil war and conflicts between the merchants and the poor country farmers. The proliferation of churches and the Gotland emblem tell of the welcome transformation to Christianity.
It is in these places that you learn much about the people of Gotland, their character, pride, convictions, and values.
