We suspect that Sweden would like to keep its Baltic islands Öland and Gotland to itself. Each summer, the number of Swedish visitors to the islands reaches almost a million, and for good reason. The islands boast the sort of charming beaches and other natural beauty that attract tourists. Naturally, that makes them local favorites.
Although Öland attracts thousands of visitors today, life wasn't always so friendly here. Islanders who could not make a living immigrated to America in greater numbers than in any other province in Sweden. Many of the American tourists visiting Öland today are the ancestors of those Swedes, returning to see where great-grandfather and great-grandmother came from, but you don't have to come from Öland to enjoy its beauty and its beaches. Just ask the royal family, who use the island as their vacation retreat.
Called the "island of sun and winds," Öland is known for its luxuriant vegetation. Many plants aren't found in any other Scandinavian country, including a profusion of orchids, some 34 species in all. Öland also is a land steeped in prehistoric times. There are plants here from Iberia, the Alps, and eastern Europe that survived the Ice Age and the warmer postglacial period. Remains from 4,000-year-old burial chambers can even be seen, as well as many runic stones from the Viking era.
Two hundred years ago, a British visitor called Ölanders "the Italians of the north," suggesting a more extroverted streak than mainland Swedes. After a visit, you can decide that for yourself. Today the inhabitants of Öland make their living mainly from agriculture, fishing, food production, industry, and tourism. This flat, rural Baltic island is connected to southern Sweden by one of the longest bridges in Europe. Its best center is Borgholm, the capital, a small resort with a recreational harbor on the west coast of the island. Shallow, crystal-clear waters make Öland's beaches as family-friendly as the weather: This is Sweden's sunniest province.
As fascinating as Öland is, we recommend touring Gotland, particularly its ancient capital of Visby, if you have time to visit only one island. Because the climate is milder in Gotland than in the rest of Sweden, the scenery here offers a wide variety of flora and fauna, as well as a unique landscape of statuesque limestone formations, cliffs, forests, heaths, and meadows.
In Gotland, some 1,000 farms dating from the Viking era -- and medieval times in general -- are still in use today. (In Viking times, Gotland was the gateway to Sweden and the scene of many a battle.) Off the coast of Gotland lie several other islands. Farthest to the north is Gotska Sandön, a place of myths and legends and the stronghold of Sweden's last pirates. Just a stone's throw off the north coast lies Fårö, familiar to many as a once-favorite retreat of Olof Palme, Ingmar Bergman, and other political and cultural personalities. To the west, the twin Lilla and Stora Karlsö islands are known for their huge colonies of guillemots and other seabirds.
If you don't have time to absorb the island itself, at least check out Visby, the capital of Gotland. It's surrounded by well-preserved medieval walls, the finest in Scandinavia. Some 2,000 citizens live within these walls today. Once a Viking trading station, Visby, in the 12th century, developed into a leading commercial center for trade across the Baltic Sea. In time it became one of the most important cities of the Hanseatic League. The city grew and prospered, as the remaining 13 ruined churches, two monasteries, a cathedral, and 200 buildings resting on medieval foundations attest to today. Within the walls are several shops, restaurants, pubs, and clubs, many of which are open year-round.
