Åland Islands (Mariehamn)

A Swedish-speaking autonomous Finnish archipelago in the Baltic, with red granite skerries, a sailing-ship museum and Kastelholm Castle – best explored by bike and island-hopping.

The Åland Islands lie at the mouth of the Baltic between Sweden and Finland and consist of more than 6,000 islands and skerries. An autonomous region of Finland, Åland is Swedish-speaking, has its own flag, stamps and parliament, and has been demilitarised since 1856. The capital, Mariehamn, sits at the southern tip of the main island and has about 12,000 residents; its two harbours, east and west, are linked by a linden-lined esplanade. The West Harbour has the Maritime Museum and the sailing ship Pommern, the East Harbour has the Maritime Quarter and the islet of Lilla Holmen, and the Åland Museum is in the town centre. Sund, in the middle of the main island, is home to medieval Kastelholm Castle, the Jan Karlsgården open-air museum and the ruins of Bomarsund fortress; Eckerö in the west has the Post and Customs House and Käringsund harbour; Geta in the north offers high viewpoints over the archipelago; and the outer island of Kökar in the southeast is reached by ferry. The islands are flat with little traffic, so cycling is the most popular way to get around, with well-signposted routes and free or cheap island-hopping ferries. The best season is Jun–Aug, with long white nights, and Midsummer in late June is the liveliest time; winter is cold and most attractions close. Large ferries from Stockholm or Turku take about 5–6 hours (calling at Mariehamn), and there are flights from Helsinki and Stockholm. Åland is a special tax territory within the EU, so you can shop duty-free on the ferries. Allow 2–4 days.

Top sights

• Pommern – A four-masted steel-hulled sailing ship built in 1903, which once sailed the grain route to Australia. It is one of the best-preserved sail…
• Kastelholm Castle – The only medieval castle in Åland, built in the 14th century beside a bay. Nearby are an open-air museum, a prison museum and a food villag…
• Åland Maritime Museum – A museum telling the story of Åland’s sailing-ship era and shipping traditions, rich in figureheads, a reconstructed captain’s cabin and sh…
• Jan Karlsgården Open-Air Museum – A free open-air museum beside the castle, where relocated farmhouses, windmills and a midsummer pole recreate 19th-century rural life in Ål…
• Vita Björn Prison Museum – An old prison beside the castle, with cells furnished to reflect different eras, showing several centuries of punishment and prisoner life…
• Bomarsund Fortress – A coastal fortress built by Russia in the nineteenth century, destroyed by British and French fleets during the Crimean War in 1854, an eve…
• Åland Museum & Åland Art Museum – A cultural history and art museum in central Mariehamn, covering the story from the Stone Age to Åland’s self-governing history. It is idea…
• Sjökvarteret (Maritime Quarter) – A wooden boatbuilding workshop district on the waterfront of East Harbour in Mariehamn, where traditional wooden sailboats are built. It ha…
• Lilla Holmen – A small island park connected by a footbridge along East Harbour, with peacocks, rabbits and a little beach. It is a family leisure spot in…
• Kökar – The outermost island community at the eastern tip of Åland, with bare red granite skerries, the ruins of a Franciscan monastery and a seasi…
• Getabergen & Geta Grottos – A highland in northern Åland, where an observation tower overlooks the northern islands and forest trails lead to caves formed by collapsin…
• Eckerö Mail and Customs House – An imposing post building designed in 1828 by architect Engel, a reminder of the old sea mail route between Åland and Sweden.
• Käringsund – A small fishing harbor in northern Eckerö, with rows of red boathouses on both shores. It is one of Åland’s most photogenic bays, and deer…
• Kobba Klintar – A pilots’ island at the entrance to the shipping channel outside Mariehamn, with a red-and-white pilot station and rocky scenery. In summer…
• St. Olaf's Church, Jomala – A thirteenth-century stone church, considered one of the oldest stone churches in Finland, with remnants of medieval murals inside.
• Orrdalsklint – The highest point in Åland (about 129 meters), where a forest trail leads up to an observation tower overlooking Saltvik’s forests, bays an…
• Önningeby Museum – An artists’ village where Finnish painters gathered in the late nineteenth century. The museum displays paintings of Åland’s scenery create…
• Ramsholmen Nature Reserve – A broadleaf forest nature reserve northwest of Mariehamn, carpeted with wild garlic and wildflowers in spring. It is a typical example of Å…
• Smakbyn – A food village founded by a well-known Åland chef, with a restaurant, a distillery and a farm produce shop, where visitors can taste Åland…

Where to eat

• Nautical – A fine-dining restaurant on the top floor of the Maritime Museum, overlooking the West Harbour and the four-masted barq…
• Bagarstugan Café & Vin – A café in a wooden house from 1866 in the town centre, where all pastries are baked on site. It is the classic place to…
• Indigo Restaurang & Bar – A popular restaurant in Mariehamn's oldest stone warehouse, serving modern Nordic dishes alongside a wide beer list. It…
• Niska (Sjökvarteret Branch) – The original outlet of the Niska plåtbröd brand, created by Åland chef Michael Björklund. Eat your 'Åland pizza' beside…

Itineraries

• Mariehamn & Sund Castle Cycling Tour – Based in Mariehamn and Sund, explore sailing ships, medieval castles, and Russian fortress ruins.
• Åland Main Island Cycling Loop – Cycle around the main island of Åland, connecting pilot stations, west coast custom houses, Geta hills, and Sund castle…
• Åland Island-Hopping Cycling Tour to Turku – Island-hop from Mariehamn via Föglö and Kökar, cycling and taking ferries all the way east to Turku.