Calendar / Medeltidsveckan (Medieval Week)
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Medeltidsveckan (Medieval Week)
Aug 2–9, 2026ConfirmedMedeltidsveckan 2026
Run by Medeltidsveckan pa Gotland, with published dates and a real program.
Dates & details verified against: Official event site ↗
Why go
Medeltidsveckan, Medieval Week, turns the UNESCO-listed town of Visby into a living medieval world for eight days every early August, and it is one of the great historical festivals in Europe. The setting does half the work: Visby is a genuinely medieval Hanseatic town, ringed by an almost complete 13th-century wall with dozens of towers and studded with roofless church ruins, and for a week the whole place fills with encampments, markets, music, feasting and jousting tournaments among the medieval stones. Thousands dress in period costume, craftspeople work leather, iron and cloth, and the programme spreads across historic sites like Strandgardet below the walls and the ruins in the old town. The festival draws on Visby's real history as a rich Baltic trading power and on the Danish sack of the town in 1361, an event still marked in re-enactment. Running since 1984, it has grown into the largest event of its kind in the region while keeping a homemade, participatory feel: you do not just watch, you can dress, feast and join in. To witness a true medieval town become medieval again is unforgettable.
When it runs
Held once a year over eight days in early August in Visby on Gotland, staged since 1984 by the association Medeltidsveckan pa Gotland. The 2026 edition runs 2 to 9 August; the 2027 edition is expected in early August, in week 31 or 32. It repeats every year in early August.
- Aug 2–9, 2026ConfirmedMedeltidsveckan 2026
- Aug 1–8, 2027ExpectedMedeltidsveckan 2027
Dates read confirmed where the organizer has published them, and expected where we've projected the recurrence. Always verify with the organizer before booking.
What to expect
Medieval Week is held once a year over eight days in early August, in and around Visby on Gotland. It runs largely outdoors in the summer warmth, though Baltic weather can bring wind or a shower, so a layer and comfortable shoes for cobbles help. The town is small and fills completely, so accommodation across the island books out far ahead and prices rise for the week. Many street events and encampments are free to walk among; jousting and some staged shows are ticketed. The 2026 edition runs 2 to 9 August; 2027 is expected in early August.
Getting there & around
Visby is reached by ferry from Nynashamn or Oskarshamn, about three hours, or a short flight from Stockholm, with the ferry terminal and airport minutes from the walled town. Book ferries, flights and rooms very early for the festival week, or stay elsewhere on the island and travel in, as Visby sells out. The old town is compact and walkable, closed largely to cars, with festival sites within the walls and just outside at Strandgardet. Many events are free; buy tickets for jousting and staged performances ahead. Combine with island cycling.
Where it happens
Visby, Sweden.
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