Gotland: It's enough to make Ingmar Bergman smile

How about this for a holiday destination: an unspoilt island covered with pine and spruce forests, hay meadows full of wildflowers, deserted beaches, charming painted wooden houses, a profusion of country churches and an old city with one of the best preserved medieval ring-walls in Europe? A city, in fact, made up of tiny winding streets full of rose-covered houses, picture-book cafés with pretty gardens, bars and antique shops selling tasteful handicrafts and elegant clothing.

How about this for a holiday destination: an unspoilt island covered with pine and spruce forests, hay meadows full of wildflowers, deserted beaches, charming painted wooden houses, a profusion of country churches and an old city with one of the best preserved medieval ring-walls in Europe? A city, in fact, made up of tiny winding streets full of rose-covered houses, picture-book cafés with pretty gardens, bars and antique shops selling tasteful handicrafts and elegant clothing.

Have you guessed where it is? I bet not, for although Gotland is well known to holidaymakers from the Swedish mainland, on this side of the North Sea hardly anyone has heard of it. Almost a little country in itself, Gotland is an island three times the size of the Isle of Wight, situated in the Baltic, 28 miles from Stockholm. It has been Swedish only since 1645; before that it was a centre of world trade during the Viking period, then an independent republic of seafaring farmers who amassed great wealth – hence its 92 medieval parish churches. And finally, it was a rich centre of the Hanseatic League. I say finally because Gotland's golden age came to an abrupt end in 1361 when the Danes conquered it.

Nowadays, 1361 is remembered in the annual Medieval Week, which takes place in the main city, Visby, in August. The place becomes a theatre with jousting tournaments, jugglers, dancers and singers, all wearing medieval costume. This is a lively and boisterous affair but one taken very seriously by the locals, many of whom attend nightclasses throughout the winter in order to bone up on medieval dress, sports and food.

During Medieval Week, Visby fills with people. Yet, at other times the streets are never crowded and it is very enjoyable just to wander about. It is an exquisite little city – since 1995 it has been included on Unesco's World Heritage list. Some 200 buildings within the city walls date from its early period of prosperity; on Strandgatan, home to the wealthiest merchants at that epoch, there are some wonderful old stone warehouses with hoist beams tucked under corbie-stepped gables, The Old Apothecary and the Burgmeisterska both date from the Middle Ages. On this street is the fine museum Gotlands Fornstal which is well worth a visit. At the Medieval Chapter House you can sample food prepared according to old manuscripts made from herbs and vegetables grown in the garden. Adults and children can don costumes and join in activities such as and archery.

Visby is known as the city of ruins and roses: ruins because many churches and towers from the time when the city was sacked remain preserved as ruins; roses because everyone grows red roses. This tradition dates only from the 1940s but underlines the pride which the inhabitants take in beautifying their city.

Although its origins are ancient, Visby has moved smoothly into the 21st century. There are plenty of clubs and pubs and a very lively youth scene mainly around the harbour area. In Visby alone there are 62 restaurants open during the season, ranging from gourmet establishments serving the lamb and fish for which Gotland is renowned, to pizzerias and barbecue gardens. In the narrow streets among the pretty little cottages – and sometimes within them – there are little cafés where a cup of coffee and a delicious Saffranspannkaka (more of a ground rice and saffron pie than a pancake) served with cream and Gotland's own salmberry jam just must be sampled.

There are also tempting designer boutiques, notably Yllet (meaning wool) which sells extremely sophisticated linen, knitwear and sheepskin clothing based on traditional Gotlandic patterns. Antique and curio shops, too, will attack your wallet. Akatus on St Hansplan is one of the best, combining antiques and old farmstead artefacts with modern craft items of the highest quality.

Almedalen, the site of the old harbour, is now an attractive public park but the loveliest of Visby's green spaces is the Botanical Garden at the other end of the sea wall. It was founded in 1855 by a group calling themselves 'The Bathing Friends". These men, who met regularly to swim, dine in style and then discuss worldly matters, decided to create a botanical garden, sought advice from experts and ordered specimen plants from all round the world. Now the trees, many of them lush and exotic, are mature and shady and the garden a focus for residents and visitors alike.

Many visitors never get beyond Visby, which is a pity, as the rest of the island is incredibly beautiful. Three miles north west of the city is Muramaris, an Italianate house with an incredibly romantic history. It was here where Ellen and Johnny Roosval fled early last century to avoid the scandal when Ellen, the wife of a Swedish diplomat, ran off with her son's young tutor. After roaming the world, they came to Gotland where they found this spectacular site overlooking the sea and immediately staked out their future house with champagne bottles. Contrary to expectations the love affair lasted all their lives. Ellen became a great sculptor and Johnny a professor of art history and Muramaris, which was built in 1917, a hub of artistic life. Now after a period of neglect (Ellen died in 1952) the house and garden are being lovingly restored and it is hoped that Muramaris will once again become an important arts centre. To this end a smart new café has opened, conference facilities installed and five Gotland-style holiday cottages built in the grounds.

A few miles farther north at Brissund is Krusmyntagarden, a tranquil garden overlooking the sea, where hundreds of culinary and medicinal herbs are set out in formal beds. It was started in the late 1960s by a woman who had acquired herbal knowledge from her grandmother. The present owner has not only put the business on the internet but also opened a shop and a first-rate organic café.

Gotland is famous for its wildflowers. Swathes of brilliant blue viper's bugloss line the roads early in year. Later these are replaced by the paler blue of wild chicory. Farmers are paid extra to include poppy seeds when they sow their crops and fields blaze with scarlet poppies – but the jewels of Gotland's wildflowers must be the wild orchids. I knew that an amazing 36 varieties grow on the island but it was not until I arrived at Orthems Korsonge that seeing was believing. Within the space of a few yards, I found examples of the early purple, the fragrant, the burnt, the butterfly, the military, the twayblade and the common spotted orchid – together with masses of pale blue harebells, white dropwort and yellow rattle.

Just when I thought nothing could be more ravishing some friends took me on the ferry from Farosund across to the northernmost islet of Faro where I was equally enchanted by a quite different landscape. Ingmar Bergman lives here and has set several of his films on Faro. It is like nowhere else, a barren expanse of wide beaches and ancient limestone cliffs interspersed with strange sea stacks.

The day's expedition had made us hungry and we were glad to come across a little whitewashed restaurant called Friggars Krog. It looked deserted but we found ourselves the sort of place you always dream of finding on holiday. The chatter of happy diners, a friendly waitress and, for a place so far out in the wilds, a rather sophisticated menu. I chose local fillet of lamb which was delicious and cost £16, including a large glass of wine.

So are there any drawbacks to this paradise isle? Until recently it was fairly expensive but there are now cheap air fares to Stockholm and hotels at all prices – from £100 per night for a double at the superb Wisby Hotell to half that amount at more modest hotel. The only disadvantage I can think of is the fact that official season is very short: from 21 June to the end of August. And the winters are cold and snowy. But don't let that put you off – Gotland is like nowhere else.

The Facts

Getting there

Patricia Cleveland-Peck flew with SAS (0845 60 727 727; www.scandinavian.net) to Stockholm and then on to Visby with its domestic carrier, Skyways. Return fares cost from £263. It is also possible to cross to the island by ferry with Destination Gotland (00 46 0498 20 18 00; www.destinationgotland.se) from 174 kronor (£12) single.

She stayed at the Wisby Hotell, Strandgatan 6 (00 46 0498 25 75 00; www.wisbyhotell.se).

Scantours (020-7839 2927; www.scantours.co.uk) offers eight days in Stockholm and Gotland from £680, including return flights, three nights in Stockholm, four nights on Gotland and ferry crossings to the island. Departures from June to August.

Further information

Medieval Week takes place from 5 to 12 August in 2002 (www.medeltidsveckan.com).

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