Swedish Wanderlust
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
A Blog About My Swedish Experience
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Life
From my blog
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One Year In
My ancestors crossed the Atlantic to reach America. I crossed it back to build a life in Sweden. One year later, I reflect on grief, courage, and the meaning of crossing at all.
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A Teacher’s Lesson in Uncertain Times
Watching the United States from abroad, I keep hearing my grandmother’s voice. A teacher. A lifelong Democrat. A woman who believed fear was never the lesson, even when history was at its loudest.
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From Becoming to Building: Happy New Year from Sweden
2025 changed me in ways I never expected. It taught me how to trust myself, plan boldly, and keep moving even when the path felt uncertain. Looking toward 2026, I am ready to keep building a life rooted in curiosity, resilience, and quiet joy.
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Why Southern Biscuits Taste Better in Sweden; A Tale of Flour, History, and Gut Peace
Southern biscuits taste different in Sweden. It turns out the secret isn’t nostalgia; it’s the flour. While American flour can be bleached or bromated; Swedish vetemjöl is flour that’s been left alone. Bromated flour has been flagged by international health agencies as a possible carcinogen; banned across most of the world; yet still common in…
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A Birthday in Our New Home: How a Year Can Change Everything
This year’s birthday feels different in the best way. Last November we were living in two countries, waiting on visas and holding our breath for the future. Today we’re celebrating in our own little trea in Sweden; warm light, sleepy cats, and a life finally unfolding. It’s amazing how quietly everything can change when love…
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When the Light Fades: Choosing a New Life in Sweden in the Darkest Season
The days are so dark now, but maybe that’s the perfect moment to choose a new beginning. I’m turning in my work notice and stepping fully into my life here in Sweden. The aurora has been on my mind, how it only appears when the night is deepest. Maybe big transitions are the same. Brilliance…
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Five Things I Love About November in Sweden
November in Sweden isn’t gloomy; it’s golden in its own quiet way. Between the first sip of Julmust, pepparkakor on every shelf, and the warm glow of Jul lights spreading through the dark, this month feels like a gentle pause before winter deepens. Last night, I introduced my husband to my grandmother’s Southern Alabama chicken…
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When Humanity Turns Away: Reflections from Sweden on a Fractured America
From Sweden, I reflect on the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S.; National Guard deployments, civil rights violations, and the silencing of dissent. This post is my own observation, not sponsored or political, written in defense of truth, democracy, and basic human decency.
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She Held the Keys – Hon bar nycklarna
I vikingagravar på Gotland har arkeologer hittat nycklar hos många kvinnor. Dessa nycklar var inte bara verktyg, utan symboler för ansvar, respekt och kvinnlig styrka. Vad kan vi lära oss av dem idag? In the graves of Viking Age women on Gotland, archaeologists have often found keys; not just as practical tools, but as powerful…
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Stone Ships and Sea Spirits: Gannarve’s Ancient Graves and the View to Lilla Karlsö
På en hög plats i Fröjel ligger en gammal skeppssättning från bronsåldern. Här ser man havet och ön Lilla Karlsö. Gravarna ser ut som båtar och visar hur viktig sjöfart var för människor på Gotland för 3 000 år sedan. High on a coastal ridge in Fröjel stands a Bronze Age stone ship grave. From…
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From Gotland to Hastings: The Long Reach of September 28, 1066
Den 28 september 1066 landade Vilhelm från Normandie på Englands kust. Det var första steget mot slaget vid Hastings och den normandiska erövringen en vändpunkt som förändrade England, Europa och till och med maktbalansen med Skandinavien. Nästan tusen år senare lever vi fortfarande med arvet från denna dag. On September 28, 1066, William of Normandy…
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Reading the Invisible: Phosphate Maps in Fröjel
Before a single trench was dug at Fröjel, archaeologists turned to soil chemistry. Phosphate mapping revealed hidden traces of daily life; houses, graves, and workshops… proving this quiet Gotland landscape was once a bustling Viking Age harbor. Innan arkeologerna började gräva i Fröjel använde de jordens kemi. Fosfatkartor visade spår av liv hus, gravar och…
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Fröjel: Opening a Window into Gotland’s Viking Age
🇸🇪Fröjel på Gotland var mer än en by — det var en vikingatida hamn full av handel och liv. Detta är starten på min 30-dagars resa genom arkiven, om identitet, historia och möten mellan människor. 🇬🇧 Fröjel on Gotland was more than a village — it was a Viking Age harbor alive with trade, graves,…
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Fröjel kastal – Gotland’s medieval defense tower by the sea
Standing at Fröjel kastal beside the church on Gotland’s west coast, I felt history in the stones. Built in the 12th century as both refuge and watchtower, the kastal still overlooks the old harbor – a silent guardian of trade, danger, and community. Vid Fröjel kastal, intill kyrkan på Gotlands västkust, kände jag historiens närvaro…
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From 23andMe to MyTrueAncestry: Tracing My DNA Through Time
What began with 36 historical matches on 23andMe has grown into a journey through hundreds of ancient sites on MyTrueAncestry. From Viking Age Gotland to Roman Italy, my DNA traces a story of migrations, connections, and förfäder that still echo today.
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A Field Trip to Sweden’s Skies: Flygvapenmuseum in Linköping ✈️
Today my SFI class is heading to Flygvapenmuseum in Linköping on a “field trip.” Not only will we see legendary Swedish aircraft like the Saab Gripen and the salvaged DC-3; but also step into recreated Swedish homes from the 1940s–1990s; perfect timing since we’re learning house vocabulary this week! #Flygvapenmuseum #Linköping #SFI #SwedishWanderlust #FieldTrip #SwedenHistory…
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8 Months in Sweden: What Feels Normal Now (and What Still Doesn’t)
Eight months in, I’ve stopped pulling out Google Translate for every grocery item, learned to embrace silence on the bus, and found comfort in the rhythms of everyday Swedish life. Moving abroad isn’t just about a new country; it’s about the small details that slowly shift you, until one day you realize: this feels like…
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Our Home Feels Fuller This Autumn
We just adopted two black cat sisters, Morticia and Wednesday, as autumn settles into Linköping. Life is busier now, but between work, SFI, and research, the stories are still alive—just arriving more slowly.
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🍂 August 24: Between Ghosts and Grammar 🍂
Nearly three weeks after Medieval Week, Visby still lingers in my mind—its ruins, its history, even its ghosts. Back on the mainland, I balance chasing Sweden’s haunted past with my present reality: learning Swedish at SFI. #Visby #Gotland #MedievalWeek #SwedishHistory #HauntedSweden #Spöke #ClarionWisby #SFI #SwedishForImmigrants #SwedishLife #GothicSweden #TravelSweden #VisitSweden
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🕯️ August 19: Haunted by Visby (In the Best Way) 🕯️
Two weeks after Medieval Week, Visby still lingers—in my memories, in a ghostly figure at the Clarion Wisby, and in the way my SFI classes are teaching me to live between languages and histories.
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The Harbor That Holds Her Story
Fröjel was once a bustling Viking-Age harbor on Gotland, alive with trade, craft, and community. My DNA connects me to VK429, a woman who lived and died here around 975 AD. Could she have been one of the women buried with a key — a symbol of power, wealth, and responsibility? As I search for…
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VK429 Update: A Small Breakthrough in Fröjel
Today brought a breakthrough in my VK429 research—I made contact with archaeologist Dr. Dan Carlsson, bringing me one step closer to matching her DNA profile to an actual grave in Fröjel. My own DNA shows a close connection to VK429 on MyTrueAncestry making this discovery feel deeply personal. Soon, I may finally learn the full…
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✨ Two Weeks Later: The Glow That’s Still Here ✨
Discover the haunting history of Clarion Hotel Wisby in Gotland, Sweden. From 13th-century packhouses to a chilling ghost sighting during Medieval Week, this is Visby’s past—and paranormal—at its most unforgettable.
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No Sheep Were Harmed, But My Hopes Took a Hit
On my last day in Visby, I went to the archive. VK429’s story is being held for someone’s PhD research, which means I’ll have to wait my turn. But this isn’t goodbye—it’s just the next step in finding her.
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The Night Before the Leap
I bought sunscreen and travel bottles today. Tomorrow, we fly. It’s just packing and errands… but it feels like crossing into story. The journey starts here.
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Last Call from the Present
I forgot to blog today. Because it’s finally real. Three days to Stockholm. Four to Visby. I’m still at home—but only just. This is the last quiet moment before I step into the dream.
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The Capital Before the Kingdom
In a few days I’ll stand in Stockholm. Not Visby—yet. But the capital before the kingdom. The pause before the myth. The place that ruled the island, before I cross the sea and find it again.
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Flying In, Floating Home ✈️ 🛥️
I’m flying to Visby, but I’m taking the ferry home. Which feels exactly right. Fast in, slow out. Like I’m being carried back across something ancient. Because this isn’t just a trip. It’s a crossing.
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Trying to Plan (but Not Overplan) My Gotland Wandering
Trying to plan some day trips while in Visby without turning it into a full itinerary. Stone ships, ancient churches, windswept coastlines—Gotland is basically one big myth. I just need a tour, a bus, a broomstick… something.
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Where Does Everyone Even Stay During Medieval Week?
Where do thousands of people sleep during Medieval Week in Visby? Some pitch tents like it’s the 1200s. Some ferry in and out like time travelers. We found a spot near the wall—close enough for the music, far enough for a nap.
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What I Think It’ll Be Like… and What I Know I Can’t Predict
I’ve traced my DNA, packed my fanny pack, and read everything I could about Visby. But in 12 days, I’m walking into something I can’t fully predict. And that—finally—feels right. There’s beauty in the ovisshet.
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The Gates of Visby: Stepping into Another Time
Visby’s medieval gates aren’t just openings in a wall. They’re portals. You step through them and something shifts. The wind feels older. Your footsteps echo differently. In 13 days, I’ll cross that threshold. And nothing will feel the same.
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Moon Temples and Memory: Reading the Sky in Gotland’s Stones
Some say Gotland’s burial sites align with the moon. That the stones were laid in rhythm with lunar cycles— A calendar, a ritual, a goodbye. I like that. Because memory isn’t always written in books. Sometimes it’s written in shadows.
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Tjelvar’s Grave: The Man Who Brought Fire to Gotland
They say Gotland used to sink during the day—until a man named Tjelvar brought fire. Now I’m 15 days away from walking toward that stone ship—taking ancestral flame with me. Eld. 🔥
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The Ghost Light of Gotland: Chasing the Martebo Mystery
In the bogs of Gotland, a ghost light still floats. Not a ghost story—a ghost sighting. The Martebo Light has drifted through the mire for over 100 years. No one has caught it. But many have followed it. And in 16 days… I might too.
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How to Time Travel (Without a Machine): Walking Through Visby’s Layers
You don’t need a time machine to walk through centuries. You just need to step into Visby. The Viking shore, the medieval gates, the old bones and buried names— They’re all still here. Waiting.
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Pippi Långstrump (aka Pippi Longstocking) Made Me Do It
Before I traced my DNA to Gotland, I met Sweden through Pippi Långstrump. She was strong, mischievous, and gloriously unbothered by rules. Now I’m walking into her world—with sunscreen, a fanny pack, and the same energy. Super strong girls still rule.
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Packing for the Past (with SPF and Vibes)
Packing for Medieval Week and realizing I have no costume, no plan, and no linen… Just a fanny pack, sunscreen, and spiritual readiness to emotionally combust at a ruin. Let’s go.
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Fire, Feasts, and Folklore: The Night Magic of Gotland
By day, Visby tells its history. By night, it tells its secrets. In 20 days, I’ll be there—walking into the firelight, listening for stories that only come out after dark. Let the skymning begin.
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🪨 “The Stone That Spoke Across Time” — The Story of Linköping’s Runestone
Outside the Östergötlands Museum stands a Viking Age runestone pulled from the soil of a forgotten farm and brought back to life. Raised by a son for his father who died in England, this ancient marker tells a story of grief, memory, and the far-reaching ties of Östergötland’s past.
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🎭 The Theater of Medieval Week: Why We Play Dress-Up
I’m not dressing up to escape the present. I’m dressing up to meet the past halfway. Medieval Week in Visby isn’t just a festival—it’s a ritual. A skådespel. A way to say: we remember.
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Fossils, Cliffs, and the Time Beneath Gotland
I’ve been counting the days until I leave for Visby. But now I’m also counting the layers—reef, bone, legend, memory. Gotland isn’t just a place. It’s a stack of stories, pressed in stone. Gotland isn’t just old—it’s ancient. Long before medieval walls or Norse ships, this island was a coral reef in a tropical sea.…
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The Sagas Beneath Our Feet: Ancient Burials and Ancestral Echoes
There’s something powerful about walking toward a place your DNA already remembers. The Viking dead beneath Gotland’s soil aren’t just history—they’re family. I’ve never been here before, but somehow… I’m home. #Gotland #Visby #MedievalWeek #VikingAncestry #J1c8 #Fröjel #SalmeBurials #SwedishWanderlust #DNAjourney #NordicRoots #Hiraeth #CountdownToVisby #GenealogyMeetsGeography #VikingBlood
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The Threads of Visby: What They Wore and Why It Mattered
25 days until Visby, and I’m thinking about fabric. Not just what I’ll wear to Medieval Week, but what people wore centuries ago — when color meant status, stitches told your story, and even a veil could whisper your place in society. In Visby, cloth wasn’t just cloth. It was currency, code, and class. Turns…
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Blood, Honor & Broken Swords: The Battlefield Ghosts of Gotland
26 days until I arrive in Visby—and I can’t stop thinking about the field just outside its walls. In 1361, nearly 1,800 Gotlanders—farmers, sons, merchants—took a final stand against a Danish invasion. They were outnumbered, under-equipped, and still, they showed up. We don’t talk about them like we talk about Sparta. But maybe we should.…
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The Merchant Mystique: Wealth, Wine & Whispered Deals in Medieval Visby
Traders didn’t wear crowns, but in Visby, they didn’t need to. A merchant’s ledger could be as powerful as a sword, and candlelit cellars often held more influence than castle halls. In this post, I step into that legacy — dressed in the quiet confidence of a woman who would’ve made a killing trading silk,…
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Saints, Stones & Superstitions: When Belief Was All You Had
Visby wears its faith like layers of old stone — rune-marked boulders in the grass, saints carved into the church walls, and candlelight flickering across a thousand-year mix of pagan and Christian belief. It wasn’t about picking sides. It was about surviving, just in case the gods — any gods — were listening. #VisbyCountdown #GotlandMysteries…
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🎆 July 4 – Freedom, Medieval Style™ (Now with Less Freedom!)
Today’s post pulls no punches: we’re diving into what “freedom” really looks like — from the cobblestones of medieval Visby to the dystopian bonfire of American policy. Back then, freedom meant surviving taxes from three kingdoms and maybe not dying in a field. Today? It’s lawmakers calling surveillance and suffering “patriotic.” I’ll take my history…
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🧆 The Best Swedish Meatballs You’ll Ever Make (Straight from a Swede)
These aren’t your average meatballs—this is an easy, authentic Swedish meatball recipe passed down through generations, with creamy gravy and cozy vibes.
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The Bones Beneath Visby: Death, Memory, and the Battle That Changed Everything
Today’s post is about what lies beneath the beauty of Visby — a mass grave of farmers, sons, and merchants who died defending their home in 1361. Their bones were buried just as they fell, still wearing armor. Still waiting. In 34 days, I’ll be walking above them. And I’ll be listening. #VisbyCountdown #BattleOfVisby #GotlandHistory…
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Markets, Mayhem & Medieval Madness in Visby
Only 35 days until I step into Visby — and today, I’m diving into the chaos and charm of its legendary medieval market. 🐟🪙 From pirate traders to ale-slinging fishwives, Visby’s old town square wasn’t just a place to buy things — it was where reputations rose, silver changed hands, and history hummed under every…
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Trial by Fire: How to Prove You’re Not a Witch (or Worse) in Medieval Gotland
Today’s post dives into the strange, sizzling world of medieval justice — when proving your innocence meant walking on coals, holding hot iron, or surviving a very suspicious swim. I wrote about how justice back then was part ritual, part fear, and honestly… not entirely unfamiliar today. (And yes, there’s a cartoon. Just vibes. And…
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Memory Walks with Us: Visby, Gran, and the Quiet Magic of Wonder
One year ago today, I lost my Gran — a woman whose love of learning, travel, and stories shaped who I am. Today’s Visby post is for her. For the woman who raised seekers, and for the Viking-age ancestor I never knew I had — a maternal match buried in Fröjel, Gotland over a thousand…
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The Cunning Folk of Gotland
Once, before medicine came in boxes, wisdom came from the woods. Today’s post is about the kloka — the wise folk of Gotland who healed with herbs, stories, and quiet power. Not witches, not saints — just people who knew how to help. And honestly… if one of them could show up right now with…
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Who’s Afraid of Socialism?
In the U.S., “socialism” is often treated like a threat. In Sweden, it looks like free education, affordable healthcare, and trains that run on time. No one is losing their freedoms. People still work hard, start businesses, and live well — just without the fear of medical bankruptcy or student debt that spans generations. So…
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The Blood Tax of Visby
They call it blodskatt — the blood tax. Visby may look like a fairytale now, but these stones have seen judgment, fear, and the final steps of the condemned. Gallows once stood where tourists now take photos. The past isn’t gone — it’s just quieter. Today’s post dives into the hidden brutality beneath the beauty.…
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The Witches of Gotland
Today’s post is about the women of Gotland — midwives, herbalists, and healers who walked the line between wisdom and danger. They didn’t ride brooms… but they did leave protection spells carved into stone. I haven’t been to Visby yet — but when I go this August, I’ll be looking for mugwort, whispers, and maybe…
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The Wall That Breathes
They say the wall around Visby hums before storms. Some say it bleeds. Others hear whispers between the towers. I haven’t been yet — but I’m going in August, and I’ll be listening. 📜 Today’s post is about the ringmur, the medieval wall that still guards the city… and maybe something more. Have you ever…
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The Ghost Ships of Gotland
Some ships never dock. Some sailors never leave the sea. Today’s post dives into Gotland’s haunted waters — from glowing Viking longships off Fårösund to barefoot spirits on the beach at twilight. The sea around this island doesn’t just hold history. It remembers. If you’re into ghost stories, sea legends, or just love a good…
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🔥 Midsommar in Sweden: Echoes of the Pagan Sun 🌞
🌞✨ Before there were maypoles and strawberry cake, there were bonfires, blood, and gods demanding sacrifice. Midsommar in Sweden isn’t just a cute summer party—it’s the surviving remnant of one of Europe’s oldest pagan solstice rituals. Long before Christianity arrived, the longest day of the year was marked by sacred groves, fertility rites, and offerings…
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Midsommar Is Not Like the Movie (Mostly)
🌼 Today is Midsommar — Sweden’s most magical, flower-crown-wearing, schnapps-singing holiday of the year. Whether you’re dancing like a frog, dodging herring, or just vibing under a too-bright sky: Glad Midsommar to all! 💛🌞🌸 No cliffs were jumped. No cults were joined. Just joy, light, and maybe a little too much strawberry cake. #GladMidsommar #VisbyCountdown…
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What’s in Your Medieval Spell Pouch?
✨ Medieval Gotland had no ibuprofen, no NyQuil, and definitely no essential oil girlies. But they did have mugwort for dreams, angelica for evil spirits, and mandrake for… enemies. If your teeth hurt, you chewed yarrow. If your neighbor cursed your cow, you burned juniper. If you were dramatic (and honestly, why not), you packed…
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How Did They Not Die of Smell?
Let’s talk about the real plague of the Middle Ages: body odor. We romanticize medieval Gotland — the soaring church towers, the cloaks, the candlelight… but under those layers of wool and honor? Was sweat, dirt, and the occasional rat. Here’s how people in 13th-century Visby actually dealt with hygiene (or didn’t): 💧 Baths, but…
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The Ships That Never Came Back
Before I even set foot in Visby, part of me is already there — and part of me never made it back. In 2008, on a quiet bluff in Salme, Estonia, archaeologists uncovered a Viking ship burial. Then another. Dozens of men, laid side by side in their armor, with swords, gaming pieces, and grave…
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☠️ Top 5 Ways to Die in Medieval Gotland
Let’s face it: if you or I time-traveled to 14th-century Visby, we’d last maybe… two and a half hours. Medieval Gotland was stunning — cliffs, markets, soaring church towers — but it also doubled as a full-time hazard course. Here’s how you probably wouldn’t make it: 🪦 1. Drinking the Wrong Ale Gotlanders brewed strong, but…
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Don’t Build on a Vittra Path
Gotland is beautiful — but certain places are not yours to walk. According to island folklore, the land belongs not just to people, but to vittror — the “hidden folk” of the forest and underworld. They’re invisible, ancient beings who live in a parallel realm beneath the earth. And they have roads. These vittra paths…
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Medieval Drip: What Would Birgitta Wear?
Let’s talk outfits — because if I’m going to walk into Visby like it’s 1395, I’m not doing it in cargo shorts. I’ve started researching what people wore during the High Middle Ages on Gotland, and let me tell you: the drip was elite. We’re talking linen tunics, embroidered hems, wool cloaks that doubled as…
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The Black Ram Walks at Night
It’s Friday the 13th, and I just found out Gotland has its own version of a supernatural omen: not a black cat, but a black ram — and honestly, that feels right for this island. According to local legend, a giant svart bagge (black ram) roams old churchyards and mossy ruins across Gotland. Sometimes it’s…
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Gotland’s Picture Stones: Viking Instagram?
Imagine telling your life story in pictures — no words, no sound, just carved symbols etched in stone and left to weather a thousand years. That’s exactly what Gotlanders did long before hashtags or history books. Scattered across the island, these towering picture stones (bildstenar) are older than most Viking myths. Some date back to…
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Wi-Fi and Waffles in a Walled City
I keep trying to picture Visby in real time — not Medieval Week, not a postcard — but an actual Wednesday morning in June. And honestly? It sounds like the kind of place where you could trip over a rune stone while searching for oat milk. This town has layers. On one hand, it’s a…
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The Secret of the Snäckgärdsbaden Stairs
Every town has its shortcuts — but Visby’s are older, weirder, and possibly haunted. I read about a set of half-forgotten stairs near Snäckgärdsbaden, just north of Visby. They’re carved into the bluff above the sea, worn down by centuries of footsteps and sea spray. No signs. No plaques. Just stone steps leading from the…
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Pippi Would’ve Ruled Medieval Week
I haven’t been to Visby yet, but I have traveled there in the way many 80s and 90s kids did — through a grainy VHS copy of “The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking”, lovingly dubbed by Disney. I didn’t know back then that the real Pippi was Swedish, or that some of the most iconic…
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The Watchers of the Baltic: WWII Lookout Towers on Gotland
Visby is famous for its medieval walls—but not every tower here was built for knights. Some were built for warplanes. During World War II, Sweden remained officially neutral, but the island of Gotland was in a precarious position: floating in the middle of the Baltic Sea, close to occupied territories, and watching a war that…
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June 6: A New Kind of Belonging
Sweden’s National Day, through the eyes of someone who came here for love—and stayed for more than she expected. Today is Sweden’s National Day. For many Swedes, it’s a quiet holiday—a few flags, a bit of music in the park, a slice of cake with strawberries. No loud celebrations. No spectacle. Just a moment to…
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Tools of the Trade: Craftsmanship in the Age of Walls and Wool
One of the things I’m most curious about when it comes to Visby’s Medieval Week isn’t just the jousting or the music or whether I’ll end up wearing a linen smock and leather pouch (still undecided, thank you)—it’s the craftsmanship. The real, hands-on, tool-in-hand, hammer-on-iron kind of craftsmanship. I haven’t been yet, but the thought…
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🐺 Dreaming of Rollo: Blood Memory and the Art of Becoming
Last night, I dreamed I was going to meet my ancestor, Rollo. I felt excited. And terrified. The kind of fear that feels old—older than me. The kind of fear that comes not from danger, but from magnitude. Then I woke up. But the feeling stayed. Like I’d almost touched something ancient. Or maybe, something…
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The Sky That Breathes Light
(Photographed around 2:15 a.m. in south-central Sweden) There’s something quietly transformative about spring and summer in south-central Sweden. Time stretches and softens. Night becomes a gentle pause rather than a full descent. The sun never truly sets—it simply lingers, dipping low on the horizon and bathing the sky in silvery-blue hues that feel both surreal…
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Secret Doors, Stone Arches, and Medieval Hide-and-Seek
I have a thing for old stone walls. Not the “leaning against them for Instagram” kindthough, let’s be honest, I’ll do that too- but the kind that whisper when you get too close. And Visby’s ringmur, the medieval wall that wraps around the old town like a stone embrace, has plenty to say. Especially if…
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From Viking Fort to Public Forum: Almedalen Week and the Heart of Modern Visby
When you think of a medieval city encircled by stone walls, “Swedish democracy festival” might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But Visby, ever full of surprises, doesn’t just preserve history- it also hosts the future. And no event captures that better than Almedalen Week. Once a tranquil park nestled between ruins…
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The Sad Monk of St. Lars: A Ghost Story with Familiar Chills
Visby’s St. Lars Church is one of the most unusual medieval structures on Gotland- built in the early 1100s with round arches and a Byzantine flair that stands out among the sharper Gothic bones of the city. But beyond its architectural curiosity lies a haunting legend that caught my attention immediately: the story of the…
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☕️ Fika Among the Vikings: Cafés with a View of the Past
If there’s one thing Sweden has perfected, it’s fika-that sacred pause in the day for coffee, carbs, and conversation. But imagine having your cinnamon bun and brew in the shadow of Viking stones? That’s Visby. Now, I haven’t had the pleasure yet (I will this August!), but I’ve been doing my homework. There are cafés…
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“Bring Out Your Leeches”: The Medieval Hospital Ruins of Visby
In the cobbled heart of Visby stands Helgeandshuset, or what’s left of it- the Holy Spirit Hospital. It was built in the 13th century, which is to say, back when medicine involved a lot more prayer and a lot less penicillin. I haven’t been yet (August can’t come soon enough), but I already know this…
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The Oldest Door in Visby: A Portal Through Time (and Probably a Few Secrets)
Tucked away in one of Visby’s winding cobblestone streets stands what’s believed to be Sweden’s oldest residential doorway- part of the Cramérska huset, a house completed around the year 1230. That’s right: this door was swinging on its hinges nearly 500 years before the United States existed. Feel free to drop that in casual conversation-…
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Stone Benches, Sunny Afternoons: The Ruins as a Way of Life
Of all the photos, stories, and wistful blog entries I’ve browsed about Visby, one detail keeps resurfacing: locals use the medieval ruins like a park. Not as backdrops for ghost tours or fenced-off monuments- but as part of the everyday. People sit on ancient church steps to drink their coffee. Children run along stone walls…
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Bronze Legends and Summer Construction: Stora Torget, Then and Now
If you’ve ever strolled through Stora Torget in Linköping and thought, “What’s with the grumpy monk on a horse?” – you’re not alone. I recently learned that the “monk” is actually Folke Filbyter, a legendary (and rather cantankerous) pagan forefather of the powerful Bjälbo dynasty. According to folklore, Folke refused to convert to Christianity even…
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Through the Glass Softly: The Rose Windows of Visby
Among Visby’s ruins, those silent stone bones of churches long gone, one architectural detail keeps catching my eye in every photo and article: the rose windows. These circular stained glass masterpieces once crowned the great churches of medieval Europe, including those in Visby. They weren’t just decorative- they were spiritual compasses, framing divine light in…
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Dreaming of Dumplings: The Day I Meet My First Kroppkaka
Let’s get straight to it: I’m planning my first encounter with kroppkakor like some people plan weddings. I’ve read about it. I’ve studied it. I’ve already decided which plate I’m going to cry over in Visby. For the uninitiated, kroppkakor are Swedish potato dumplings, filled with savory treasures- typically bacon, onions, (all the foods I…
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Fika Fantasies: Where I Plan to Sip, Snack, and Pretend I’m Local
I haven’t even set foot in Visby yet, but let me tell you… I’ve already mentally picked out my fika spot. Tucked along the cobblestone lanes, surrounded by stone ruins and that salty Baltic air, there are cafés just begging me to come in, order something sweet, and sit far too long doing absolutely nothing…
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Monkeys, Murals, and Medieval Walls: Rethinking Graffiti in Visby
From wisecracks to street art, the writing on the wall means something different now. Visby, a city where ancient stone walls whisper tales of Vikings and medieval merchants, also hums with the vibrant pulse of contemporary creativity. Amidst its cobblestone streets and historic ruins, modern street art emerges, adding splashes of color and commentary to…
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Stora Torget: Where History (and Probably Gossip) Happened First
Let’s talk about Stora Torget, literally “The Big Square.” And trust me, this square has seen things. Smack in the center of Visby’s old town, Stora Torget has been the heartbeat of the city since the Middle Ages. Need to sell fish? Torget. Need to yell at your neighbors? Torget. Need to stage a battle…
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When the Russians Came to Visby
Most people think of Visby as medieval. Stone walls. Rose-covered ruins. Viking whispers in the streets. But here’s a twist you might not expect: in 1808, the Russians came ashore. During the Finnish War, a conflict between Sweden and Russia that ultimately led to Finland becoming a Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire- Gotland found…
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Before Vikings, There Was Ice: Walking the Visby Ice Age Trail
When you think of Visby, your mind probably drifts to roses, ruins, and medieval magic- and rightly so. But one of the most quietly breathtaking parts of this ancient town has nothing to do with knights or cathedrals. It goes much further back. Thousands of years back, in fact. Just outside the city lies the…
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I’m still in shock over how humane and efficient Swedish healthcare is.
Today I saw a doctor who actually spent 20 minutes with me: listening, asking questions, and reviewing my health history with care. In the U.S., the last time I got more than 15 minutes with a doctor was when I was in labor… After the appointment, I went straight to the pharmacy. They checked my…
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Same Country, Different Soundtrack: The Voice of Gotland
One of my favorite things about travel is when a place surprises you with something subtle; like the way people speak. In Gotland, that surprise is Gutnish (or Gutamål), a dialect that sounds like Swedish took a detour through a Viking longhouse and decided to stay. While modern Swedish is the official language, the local…
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Ruins You Can Wander, Not Just Read About
Some towns put their history behind glass. Visby? It leaves it standing in the open air – weathered, wild, and fully walkable. Two of the most hauntingly beautiful examples: St. Karin’s Church and St. Drotten’s Church, medieval ruins that remain open to curious wanderers like us. St. Karin’s is the kind of place that stops…
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Not Just a Festival- It’s Full-On Time Travel
Okay, let’s be real: there are “medieval festivals,” and then there’s Medieval Week in Visby. This isn’t some half-hearted Ren Faire with plastic swords and turkey legs. This is a fully immersive, thousand-year rewind where the entire town commits like, costume-and-character, speak-in-runes level of commitment. Every August, thousands of visitors flood the streets of Visby…
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Honeysuckles in the Forest
Today, whilst walking through the quiet Swedish forest, I caught a scent that stopped me in my tracks—honeysuckle. Wild and free, threading its way through the trees with no need for fences or gardens. The smell pulled me straight back to Alabama, where honeysuckles grew thick in the woods of my childhood. That sweet, golden…
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When Lübeck Came Knocking (With Cannons)
Just when you thought Visby couldn’t possibly pack in more drama- it turns out the 1520s were anything but peaceful. Enter: Lübeck, one of Visby’s old Hanseatic frenemies, crashing the party with a fleet and a whole lot of ambition during the chaos of the Protestant Reformation. Wait- who was Lübeck? Lübeck is a city in northern…
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A Garden Where Time Blossoms
Sure, Visby is known for its ruins, ramparts, and echoes of the Middle Ages; but nestled within those ancient walls is a place that feels like it exists outside of time altogether: Botaniska Trädgården, Visby’s botanical garden. Founded in 1855, this garden isn’t just a pleasant stroll- it’s a love letter to growth, beauty, and…
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Built for Heaven, Still Holding Strong
Let’s take a moment for the Visby Cathedral; or as the locals know it, Sankta Maria Domkyrka. Built in the late 12th century, it’s the only one of Visby’s many medieval churches still in regular use today. And honestly, it’s not just standing-it’s commanding. Most of the other church ruins around town are beautiful, romantic…
Swedish Wanderlust 