Cruising to Visby

Visby as a cruise port

Visby is a regular call on many Baltic cruise itineraries and Gotland's only cruise port. Today's cruise terminal is run by Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP); the newer, larger cruise berth opened on 29 April 2018, replacing tender landings. Two ships of up to 340 metres each can dock at the quay at the same time (one per side); the maximum ship length is around 360 metres, with a maximum draught of about 11 metres. That means even large ocean-going cruise ships can berth directly in Visby rather than anchoring offshore.

Worth knowing before you plan: Visby is overwhelmingly a day-call port. There's no fixed daily service from any one line, instead, individual ships call in on an irregular seasonal basis. If you're tracking a specific ship's visit to Visby, check that cruise line's itinerary rather than a port timetable.

When the ships come: the 2026 season and time in port

The 2026 cruise season runs from April to December, with the busiest period in summer between May and September. July is the peak month with around 17 calls, followed by August with about 10 calls. Visby is forecast to see around 105 calls and roughly 165,000 cruise passengers across 2026 - up from 100 calls and 160,500 passengers in 2025, and around 170,000 guests in 2024.

For planning time ashore, what matters most is how long the ship stays:

• Typical time in port: around 8 to 10 hours.
• Arrival: usually in the morning, between 07:00 and 10:00.
• Departure: typically in the afternoon or early evening, between 16:00 and 19:00, occasionally later.

Cruise lines calling at Visby in 2026 include AIDA Cruises (AIDAmar, AIDAdiva, AIDAluna) and TUI Cruises (Mein Schiff 7, around five calls), as well as Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard, Celebrity, Holland America, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas. Which ship is in port on a given day varies from week to week.

From the terminal into the old town

The cruise berth (Berth 7) is around 1.5 km from the town centre, close enough to explore Visby on foot without a tour. Following the coastal path, the town hall is about 5 to 10 minutes away, and Österport on the ring wall, the entrance to the medieval old town, is roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Shuttle buses also run from the terminal to Österport at the town centre.

If you'd rather not walk, there are a few options at the quay:

• Taxi: A ride from the terminal into the centre (Östercentrum) costs around 180 to 200 SEK with Taxi Gotland; typical taxi fares in Visby run about 246 to 262 SEK for 10 km. There are no fixed flat rates, prices vary by time of day and operator.
• Bicycle: Gotlands Cykeluthyrning rents bikes right at the cruise berth; day rates start at around 140 SEK. A good option for the flat coastline and a relaxed active day, more in the cycling guide.
• Car hire: Only worth it on a long call. Providers including Hertz, Avis, Europcar and Wisby Biluthyrning are based at Visby Airport (about 4 km from the centre); day rates typically start around 470 to 500 SEK (economy/compact). Pick-up directly at the terminal isn't guaranteed, see the car hire guide for details.

Ashore in Visby: the best use of your time

A typical day call leaves plenty of time to experience Visby on foot, and with a short stay, the old town is the obvious choice anyway, since it sits right at the ship's doorstep with no transfer needed. Three highlights can be combined without paying admission:

• The ring wall: The roughly 3.5 km long, 11 m high town wall, completed in 1288, is considered the best-preserved in Northern Europe. It's freely accessible, and walking the outside of the wall costs nothing. More in the dedicated Visby city wall guide.
• St Mary's Cathedral: The Domkyrka is open daily (roughly 9:00-17:00), with free admission.
• The botanical garden: Also free to enter, and easy to fit into a walk along the wall.

In between lie cobbled lanes, the market square Stora Torget and Visby's striking church ruins. For food, it's worth checking the food and drink guide; well-regarded options include Bakfickan (fish and seafood on Stora Torget), Surfers (Södra Kyrkogatan 1), Lindgården for seasonal Gotland cooking, and Vinäger and Gutekällaren.

Visby in summer: the City of Roses

Arrive in high season and you'll find Visby living up to its nickname, the "City of Roses" (Swedish: rosornas stad). Limestone-rich soil, a mild climate - Gotland sits in hardiness zone 1, and the sheltered ground inside the ring wall make roses grow so readily that they bloom against nearly every house in the old town.

Peak flowering falls in the summer months of June, July and August (in full bloom from late June), exactly when most ships call. Thanks to the sheltered climate, some roses keep flowering into late autumn, so even a late call in October or November won't find the town entirely without blooms.

Excursions on a longer call

If your time in port runs longer than the usual eight to ten hours, it's worth venturing further into the island's landscape. With only six hours ashore, the old town remains the realistic choice; only longer stops of around 10 to 12 hours leave enough buffer to reach the east coast:

• The raukar at Folhammar: The freely accessible Folhammar nature reserve sits on the east coast, about 1 to 2 km northeast of Ljugarn, with striking limestone sea-stacks. Ljugarn is roughly 40 minutes from Visby by bus, or about 50 to 55 km by car. For an overview of the formations, see the raukar guide.
• Rural churches: Gotland is an island of medieval rural churches. Gothem church, for example, lies around 34 km from Visby, roughly 30 to 40 minutes' drive.

Whatever excursion you plan, build in a generous time buffer for the return: the ship won't wait, and bus timetables thin out outside the main season. If you're arriving on your own outside a cruise, by ferry or by air - see the Gotland travel information guide.