The coldest summer in the last 70 years - sigh the traders on the narrow pedestrian streets of Visby. Despite the sale that started ahead of schedule, creams, sun visors and sunglasses are not in great demand, let alone swim trunks and swimsuits. But blanket traders are surely rubbing their hands. On the back of every chair in every one of the countless island restaurants and open-air cafes, a plaid or blanket awaits you. Without this, no one will simply sit down at a table.
And sitting down at a table is recommended. Swedish public catering may have the strictest rules in the world, so second-fresh food (let alone third-fresh) never happens here. Swedes somehow cannot work poorly, and chefs are no exception, so everything is tasty everywhere - from blueberry pie in any cafe to complex à la carte dishes. Of course, local Gotlandic food is recommended - lamb in all possible forms and gifts of the Baltic Sea, the largest island of which is Gotland - about 100 km from north to south and less than 50 from west to east.
You can spend a weekend here, a week, or two. Especially recommended for nature lovers. It is beautiful everywhere - both on the coast and in the center of the island. Stocky forests clinging to the limestone soil remind of winter storm winds. But now it is summer, rural idyll, pastoral, horses and sheep, fields. Everything else is flowers. A sea of flowers. On roadsides, in clearings, in fields. Around all this there is also a sea - the Baltic, or Eastern Sea, as the Swedes call it. They have long loved to vacation on Gotland, and they are no fools. Ingmar Bergman shot all his films here, and Andrei Tarkovsky shot 'The Sacrifice'. Cameramen who worked on the island claim that Gotland has some special light. However, this is visible even to a non-professional eye. And whether it is from the light or something else, the feeling of peace and serenity that appears at the first steps on the island does not leave you until the very departure.
Destination - Gotland
Actually, getting to Gotland is not difficult at all. There are no charters here, but the trip is not recommended for their lovers either. Gotland is an island for those who like to choose their own routes. Moreover, getting here is not as insanely expensive as it might seem, although, of course, however you look at it, it turns out more expensive than a trip to Egypt or Turkey.
Air tickets, if you take care of it in advance, will cost $250-300. Another $100-150 will have to be paid if you intend to fly to the island with a transfer. Although to the island, of course, you should not fly, but sail. And not only because it is cheaper. An island without a sea journey is still perceived differently. The Nynäshamn - Visby crossing takes three hours, during which you have time to have a snack and enjoy the sea views. A slight delay, which is possible, although quite rare, necessarily brings economic benefit. The author of these lines was refunded 30% of the ticket price due to a half-hour delay, and the refund procedure took less than a minute and did not require even a signature from passengers.
You can sail to Gotland not only from Swedish Nynäshamn, which is reached by buses and commuter trains from Stockholm, located 60 km away. There are also ferries from Finland, Poland and Latvia, which is important if you are going to travel with your own car.
We will return to the automobile theme, but for those who are thinking of going to Sweden, I would like to note that the Swedish consulate is one of the rare representations of the EU countries where you do not risk encountering outright rudeness or humiliating treatment. Swedes sacredly honor the sense of dignity, both their own and that of those they have to deal with.
In some amazing way, they manage this even at the consular level. Everything is organized, simple, fast. And even if they suspect that you are going to the Schengen zone solely to organize an underground brothel and also carry out several terrorist attacks, they do not show it in any way. Moreover, if some documents are missing, they try to accommodate you if possible and patiently explain exactly what is wrong, and for some reason never throw documents in your face. In short, a phlegmatic, calm people.
Your own wheels
Even before you find yourself on Gotland, it is advisable to think about how you will move around the island. Bus service, of course, exists, and buses run on schedule, but your own wheels are still preferable. As mentioned above, ferry crossings operate smoothly, so there are no problems for auto tourists. True, you won’t be allowed into the old Visby - a medieval city inside fortress walls - by car, but it is much more pleasant to walk there, and parking lots are equipped at all fortress gates.
Those who prefer to rent a car should keep in mind that in season many models may not be available and you cannot count on discounts. It may also happen that it is much cheaper to rent a car on the mainland and pay for the ferry crossing. However, an experienced motorist will learn about all the possibilities in advance. The author would like to draw the reader's attention to an environmentally friendly, silent, low-cost two-wheeled vehicle.
A bicycle is the most appropriate transport for Gotland. And it is not at all necessary to bring it there from home or even from Stockholm. Bicycle rental is ubiquitous on the island. There is no point even asking where the nearest rental point is. As soon as you get off the ferry or the plane, you will see for yourself. Moreover, it is not expensive at all, and the choice is wide. Want a tandem? - please. A trailer for luggage? - no problem. Also, keep in mind that all the main highways of the island are paralleled by bike paths, and on the other roads you can ride without any fear, because Swedish motorists treat all cyclists as if they were their own children. Moreover, Gotland is a practically flat island, without exhausting climbs, so all bike rides are pleasant walks. At a speed quite enough to read on the go a sign nestled among roadside poppies indicating what today's special is in a seaside restaurant a couple of kilometers from the highway.
The Royal Dacha
Naturally, sooner or later the question of where to stay will arise. The choice here is also quite wide. It is probably no secret to anyone that Sweden has many expensive and comfortable hotels. So we will not say another word about them. Let's talk about alternative accommodation.
Good news for avid tourists who, as in the good old days, prefer to travel with their favorite tent. You can safely bring it with you to Sweden. This country has a law called 'allemansrätten', literally translated as 'the right of all people'. Thus, all people have the right to wander on someone else's land (if it is not cultivated), pick berries and mushrooms, and spend one night without asking the owner's permission.
But lighting fires, alas, is not allowed, so if you want to cook a hot dinner yourself, you'll have to stay at one of the many campsites (this applies, of course, to motorists as well). There you will also have clean toilets and showers at your disposal. If you want, pitch your own tent. If you want, rent small and inexpensive cabins or bungalows. Almost every campsite also has restaurants. Those who wish can always find board and lodging with farmers - on Gotland, as throughout Europe, eco-tourism is in fashion, including healthy locally produced food.
You can arrange yourself in a truly royal way in the literal sense of the word. But let me emphasize: royally, not imperially. And Swedish kings have always been quite modest people. Seven kilometers south of Visby is Fridhem, the mid-19th-century summer residence of Princess Eugenie, known, it seems, for her meek disposition and charitable aspirations, which Fridhem serves to this day.
Here you can stay either in the main dacha or in one of the many wings and huts scattered throughout a wonderful park that descends steeply to the sea. In the main dacha, the rooms have all conveniences. In the huts, the conveniences may be in the corridor, but they are located on a cliff above the sea, and outside your window you accordingly have only the sea. And to see the pebble beach, you have to lean out of the window up to your waist.
The cost of royal lodging is from $25 to $75 per person per night. And in the morning, a breakfast in the garden awaits you. If you can afford it, it is worth it. They are modest, they are Swedish, but they are kings. And like all Swedes, they have discerning taste. That is why they go to Gotland.
• Solving the issue of equipping a reservoir near your country house or installing a pool for your dacha today can be done with the least difficulty. Manufacturers offer many options for frame and inflatable structures that can be easily installed by yourself. So all you have to do is decide on the size of the desired object and its filling with water. And the rest is a matter of technique!