Gotland is right in the middle of the Baltic Sea - 90 km from the Swedish mainland, 130 km from the Baltic States, 560 km from St. Petersburg and 540 km from Hamburg.

By air, as many as 9 nations and a local population of 60 million people are just an hour away.

The island itself is home to 58,000 people - people of independence and drive, whose inclinations across the centuries have lain as much to the East as to the West. Gotland has served as the natural hub of the Baltic trade since the 12th century. Gotland is special. It's definitely not Sweden, and in fact did not become permanently Swedish in name until 1679. This has had a strong influence on our culture and our traditions.

The climate is mild, with four distinct seasons characterised by flowering springs and long, soft autumns. Gotland enjoys more hours of sunshine than anywhere else in Sweden. The countryside is extremely varied, with everything from desolate heaths to lush meadows, spectacular cliffs and sandy beaches that are perfect for bathing.

The living Gotland of today is built on age-old cultivated land, whose farmers were at work before recorded history. And the walled medieval centre of Visby, the capital, is so perfectly preserved and so full of unique cultural treasures that it has been put on UNESCO's world heritage list.