Gotland and Faro Raukar

The Baltic island of Gotland and its smaller neighbour Faro are ringed by raukar, strange pillars of limestone left standing as the softer rock around them eroded away, some looking eerily like figures. The starkest fields of them are on Faro, the island where Ingmar Bergman lived and filmed, and they give the shores a haunting, otherworldly look.

What's there

• Faro raukar - the dramatic sea-stack fields at Langhammars and Digerhuvud.
• The Gotland coast - more raukar and long beaches around the big island.
• Bergman country - the landscapes and home of the film-maker on Faro.
• Limestone nature - the flowery alvar grassland and the island's distinctive geology.

When to go

Summer, when the ferries run full, the beaches beckon and the island is alive; spring and autumn are quiet and windswept. Faro is a short free ferry from Gotland.

Practical notes

The raukar are strange and photogenic but subtle, best appreciated by walking the shore rather than a quick glance. Gotland is a big island needing time and a car. Summer, especially around Visby, is busy and accommodation books ahead.

Nearby

Visby, the medieval walled town, is the island's heart; the Gotland beaches and churches spread around.