Medieval Week 2027 Saga Tour

Friday August 6th to Friday August 13th.

Visby’s Most Coveted Visitor Week!

With Optional Supplementary Trip to Fårö

Ready yourselves for an unforgettable week of pageantry here on my adopted home of Gotland!

Experience the renowned spectacle of Medeltidsveckan – Medieval Week 2027, along with some very special and exclusive experiences just for Saga Tour guests.

A more appropriate setting for our adventure could not be found than the beautiful, safe, and friendly medieval town of Visby, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ready to reserve your spot?  Click here.

The year 2027 will mark Medieval Week’s 43nd anniversary. Besides the astonishing array of medieval themed goods on display in the vast marketplace, there will be craft and cooking demonstrations, spontaneous performances, a multitude of concerts, and many more lively diversions.

The additional elements I am planning are meant not only to celebrate you as Saga readers, but to deepen the experience of being here as a group with me for this very special week. Things such as our Welcome Reception, the activity day at Stavgard where we will be immersed in early Gotland culture, outings to spots of great natural beauty and historic significance, our evening at the exciting Tournament, and of course our Farewell Feast, in an extraordinary setting. Beyond this is the opportunity to form, and expand upon, meaningful friendships. There will be ample time to explore the offerings of Medieval Week and Visby on your own, as well as focused time with the group and with me.

In 2027 we return to the beloved Hotell S:t Clemens, steps from the beautiful Botanical Garden and the Medieval Marketplace.

This is what awaits you:

Seven nights at the Hotell S:t Clemens, famed for their excellent and abundant breakfast buffet, friendly staff, and caring attitude. Each room in this hotel has its own character, and all have private baths. Across the narrow cobbled street from the S:t Clemens is the beautiful Botanical Garden, and on the grounds of the hotel sits the soaring ruins of the Romanesque Church of St Clemens. Truly a fairy-tale setting.

“All excellent at the Hotell S:t Clemens and I’ll be recommending it to any friends lucky enough to go to Visby.”
– Guest Jo S.

“I found the hotel staff to be very helpful, warm and caring. Breakfast was amazing with a great selection of beautiful food.”
– Guest Kim O.

We will begin with a Welcome Reception on Friday afternoon August 6th at the charming Cafe Gula Huset (Yellow House Cafe) adjacent to the Hotell S:t Clemens. This is our chance to meet and mingle, and in many cases, renew friendships made during prior Saga Tours.

On Saturday, to place us all in total immersion mode, we will spend a day at Stavgard, the site of the hall of a Viking Era chief, Stavar, and an educational centre for the era. A hoard of 1441 silver dirhams, buried in the mid 10th century, was found here by students on a school outing in 1975, kicked out of a burrow by rabbits.

Stavgard is also the focus of a fascinating supposition that the great hero Beowulf may have been a Gute – from Gotland – and not a Geat – from the mainland. Hans and Lisa Wanneby, who direct Stavgard, will offer us a fascinating hands-on day there, featuring a walk to the foundations of an enormous past longhouse, which may have been that where Beowulf lived, and see the beginnings of the replica timber longhouse being built on the Stavgard grounds. Hans will tell us all about this, and present each of you with a copy of his book in English, “Home of Beowulf”. There will be Viking Era handcrafts to try, longbow archery lessons, and an exciting sparring demonstration by the skilled Warriors of Stavgard. Not to mention just walking the beautiful grounds, and exploring the many carefully crafted replica buildings created there. We’ll enjoy lunch, Swedish “fika” – coffee/tea breaks with snacks, as well, before our coach picks us up at 4 pm to return us to Visby.

“Stavgard was outstanding and the highlight of the trip for me.”
– Guest Raylene L.

“Favorite – Stavgard was probably my favorite experience as it was just all encompassing.”
– Guest Kay-Cee C.

When Medieval Week begins next day, Sunday August 8th, the highly-anticipated Marketplace – Marknad – will open at 11 am. I will be there with my assistants Shaya and Liz at the entrance to welcome you and help with getting your entrance wristbands. The Marketplace will open every day at 11 am, with a supplementary and very worth-while market nearby in the historic Chapter House, which opens at 12 noon each day. This outdoor Medieval Marketplace is renowned through not only the Nordics but all of Europe, with goods of a very high standard on offer, craft demonstrations, musical offerings, spontaneous events, and a food court to satisfy every craving. After opening on Sunday, the Marknad will be open every day of our stay, allowing you to return at your leisure.

“We found the Marknad [Medieval Marketplace] excellent and the quality of goods on offer great… Walking around the market and the town of Visby was like stepping back in time.”
– Guest Raymond W.

“It was mind blowing. I found myself thinking several times ‘I don’t know what I expected but this us so much bigger and better’ … Multiple times a day I would look around and think ‘I can’t believe I’m really here’”.
– Guest Tom S.

On Monday evening August 9th, we will attend the thrilling Tournament, just a short stroll outside the town walls. Here we will enjoy long-bow archery demonstrations, the antics of acrobats, and of course watch rival teams of knights joust and perform acts of derring-do on their trusty steeds as they thunder down the lists before us.

Tuesday morning August 10th finds us boarding a bus for a pleasant ride north, up the coast to Lickershamn to visit Gotland’s tallest rauk, or limestone sea-stack, Jungfrun, or The Virgin. We’ll have a brief stop at a superior yarn and needlecraft shop, Ullspineri (Wool Spinnery) where needleworkers will delight in the broad selection of wools and tools. We then head up the coast to a fascinating remnant of Gotland’s stone products past, the Bläse Limeworks Museum, where we shall enjoy lunch. On our return to Visby, we’ll stop at an important pilgrimage church, Bro Kyrka, one of Gotland’s most striking 12th century churches with a much earlier past.

On Wednesday August 11th enjoy otendagskaffi – coffee, tea, and sweets with me as we take an hour or two to talk about The Circle of Ceridwen Saga. In this informal “Book Club” gathering, I’ll give you background information about the writing of the series, and you can ask me anything about the Saga Folk– the characters.

“I LOVED the time with you! You were so approachable and ‘real’. Thank you for opening yourself up to us in such a friendly way.”
– Guest Angela C.

Finally, on Thursday evening August 12th we enjoy a tour of the famed Gotlands Museum, followed by our three course Farewell Feast in the dramatic Picture Stone Hall – housing the majestic pictural stones which brought me to Gotland on my first visit in 1999. We’ll enjoy a glass of bubbly as we admire the stones, then sit down to a three course meal and eat amongst them. This is a bit of a dream come true for me, and I hope it will be for you as well!

The Tour price includes seven nights with breakfast at the Hotell S:t Clemens; Welcome Reception; the day at Stavgard with lunch, two snacks, a copy of Hans Wanneby’s book, “Home of Beowulf”, and all activities; best seats at the Tournament; the trip up to Lickersham with catered lunch at Bläse Limeworks Museum; our Book Club event; visit to the Gotlands Museum and our Farewell Feast there. Luxury motor coach transport to and from Stavgard and Lickersham is included.

Bonus Day: The wonders of Fårö. For the first time we are offering an Optional Supplementary Day Trip. Stay an extra day and on Friday August 13th we head up north to the very tip of Gotland for an eight-minute car ferry ride to explore the island of Fårö. We will view the stunning limestone towers – the rauks which make this island so memorable – drive along coastal roads with breathtaking vistas, and enjoy lunch at a traditional farmhouse restaurant. This supplementary trip is offered at an additional cost.

Niclas Bylund of Creative Gotland will again be our Tour Operator, with whom I worked on three memorable Saga Tours in 2023 and 2025. Nick is a native Gotlander and a highly respected member of our travel community. And I am delighted to be ably assisted on this Medieval Week Tour by long time readers Shaya Hadley-Beaver and Liz Faulkner, both returning for their third time to Gotland. All four of us will do our best to assure that your special week is as happy as it is memorable.

We have created a special private Facebook Group just for this Tour, in which you will learn much more about Gotland, Medeltidsveckan, and our itinerary, and be able to introduce yourself to other guests. Shaya and Liz administer this group, and I will be in there every day as well. Once you are in the Facebook Tour group, please let Shaya or Liz know if you need a room with the least number of steps leading to it. We will do our very best to accommodate you.

We have a limited number of single rooms at the S:t Clemens, and hope that as guests have in past years, some of you will be willing to pair up with another. Shaya and Liz will help you pair up, if you need assistance.

This is a Tour which provides you with both free time to take in the festivities of Medieval Week and explore Visby at your own pace, while also presenting you with unique Saga experiences which we will share as a group. Come join our joyous adventure!

Ready to reserve your spot?  Click here.

Tour Cost

Medeltidsveckan is the island’s most desirable tourist week, and our very favourable rate for lodging and activities is only possible due to our Tour Operator Nick Bylund’s strong contacts and sterling reputation. As his is a Swedish company, the tour cost is payable in Swedish Kronor (SEK), which your credit card company will automatically convert from your home currency.

Tour cost, including seven nights at the hotel with breakfast; Welcome Reception; day at Stavgard; evening Tournament performance; catered lunch at Bläse Limeworks Museum; visit to Gotlands Museum and our Farewell Feast there, and two bus excursions, is 50,495 SEK per person double occupancy, and 63,950 SEK single occupancy. This includes VAT (value added tax) of 25%. (Use an online currency converter to estimate your cost from your home currency.)

The Supplementary Day Trip to Fårö includes an added night with breakfast at the Hotell S:t Clemens, luxury coach trip to the island of Fårö and lunch at an farmhouse restaurant famed for its food. The additional cost for this excursion for a double room is 5,565 SEK and 7,025 SEK for a single room, bringing the total cost (including VAT) for a double room to 56,060 SEK and 70,975 SEK for a single.

If you would like additional nights either before or after our Tour, the staff at the S:t Clemens will be happy to accommodate you.

We understand interest is high, and to make the selection process as fair as possible enrollment will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please secure your place by registering early. We are accepting deposits per person via credit card of 5,000 SEK (approximately US $550). A secondary payment of 10,000 SEK will be due January 31, 2027. Final payment will be due April 30, 2027, approximately ninety days before the commencement of the Saga Tour.

Ready to reserve your spot?  Click here.

More about Medieval Week:

Medeltidsveckan is Scandinavia’s oldest and largest Medieval Festival, with an enormous range of events and performances, and the quality of the goods on offer at the Marknad – the Market – is exceptionally high. You can re-visit my posts about the 2024 Marketplace here (video) and here (photo essay).

“I felt totally safe everywhere I traveled in Visby, many times at night and by myself, just exploring. I especially enjoyed the demonstrations and the quality of their crafts.”
– Guest Laura Colleen A.

Entrance to these Markets is by wristband. One can buy a daily or weekly band, with steep discounts for those over 65. A weekly band for adults in 2025 was 689 SEK (about US $68), and for elders and students was 517 SEK (or about US $52). This allows you daily access, not only to wander about and shop, but to enjoy the many performances and demonstrations taking place in the marketplace area. Once you have your wristband, which you can purchase at the entrance of the Market, you will be able to go everywhere and explore at your own pace.

See more photos of Medeltidsveckan, Visby, and our 2025 Tour here.

Questions answered:

Do I need to dress in medieval or Viking style?

Of course not! Many people attend Medeltidsveckan in modern dress. But if you are inspired, know that many stalls in the Marknad – the marketplace – await your custom, and can outfit both men and women from head to toe. Note that Sweden is essentially a cash-free society, everyone pays with credit card, or in the case of Swedish vendors, with the phone app Swish, available only to those with a Swedish bank. But your credit card will serve you well.

What about the language issue?

All the craftspeople selling their wares speak English, many to a high level. As Medieval Week attracts visitors from across Scandinavia and Europe, English is a common language. Most direction signs in and around the marketplace and in town will be in Swedish, but there are many red-sashed volunteers about to direct you if you get turned around. There will be event maps and printed and on-line guides as well, to aid you. And you will have fun running into each other as you explore, and share tips.

What if I have dietary issues/restrictions for our meals together?

You are in good company, as I am a vegetarian! Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and other dietary restrictions cheerfully accommodated.

Am I fit enough?

You very likely are. The grounds of the Marketplace is a tree-filled, mown grass field, adjacent to the Botanical Garden. There are benches to rest upon, especially in the food court area. (If you like, bring a “shooting stick” so you can use it as an assist to walk, and then open it and sit down at will.) The pathway to Jungfrun at Lickersham is pebbled, but not steep. The streets of Visby are paved in square cut blocks of limestone, and vary in smoothness, and some lanes are paved in round sea stones. The footing can be uneven. None of us needs to be an Olympic athlete, but all of us should be able to walk one US mile at a comfortable pace. If you can do that, you’ll be in fine shape for the week ahead of you.

Some links you might enjoy looking at:

The Hotell S:t Clemens: clemenshotell.com/about-the-hotel/

Stavgard: www.stavgard.se/om-stavgard.html

Gotlands Museum: www.gotlandsmuseum.se/

Let’s go! Click here.

Have further questions? Don’t hesitate to write to me.