Islands around Gotland

There are a number of islands you can visit around Gotland. The largest of them is Fårö, which is naturally a must if you are interested in Ingmar Bergman, sun-drenched beaches and rauks. But there are several more gems to discover.

Gotska Sandön – Sweden’s most isolated island, ap-proximately 40 kilometres north of Fårö. National park boasting shifting sand, ancient pine forests and a large population of grey seals.
According to legend, the island was once known as a hangout for pirates. The visiting season starts at the end of May and runs until the beginning of September.

Stora and Lilla Karlsö islands – Unexploited islands with limestone plains, orchids, steep cliffs tumbling into the sea and a rich bird fauna where guillemots and razor-bills breed. There are a great number of caves on Stora Karlsö, including the Stora förvar where the remains of Stone Age people have been found. Here, you can dine and find accommodations. Lilla Karlsö lacks services but its beautiful surroundings draw you in. Here you will find horned, free-roaming Gotland sheep grazing among the grave sites and ship settings.

Östergarnsholm – Outside Herrvik on eastern Gotland you will find this uninhabited, isolated island with four lighthouses. An ancient prehistoric castle attests that people once used the island. Here you can go tour boat-ing, at least in the summer.

Enholmen – In the small Slite archipelago you will find Enholmen, ten minutes by boat from Slite. The price includes a guided tour of Karlsvärd Fortress and the eastern abatis, the donjon. You can also walk around the small island, which once housed Sweden’s first cholera hospital.

Furillen – Alternatively spelled “Furilden” is nowadays connected by road. The limestone industry was up and running on the site until the 1970s. Well into the 1990s Furillen was a military protection area. There is no longer any military activity here. Nor is there any industry, just traces of it as nature has slowly taken over the landscape again. This special environment is often used in pho-tography and films and between abandoned limestone quarries and slag heaps, an old factory building has become a designer hotel. In the northern part of Furillen, there is a nature reserve with beautiful beach meadows, popular with birdwatchers.