Åland is comprised of over 6,500 islands in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland.  It is an autonomous region of Finland, but the population of around 29,000 speak Swedish (and almost all speak fluent English).

Many of the islands, some of which are just bare lumps of rock, are linked by bridges  making them easy and fun to explore on foot or by cycle.  Others can be reached using local bus and ferry services.

There is very little traffic outside the main town, Mariehamn, so walking along the roads is not only feasible but pleasurable.

The islands are characterised by attractive woodland, abundant wildlife and wonderful sea views at every turn.  When we visited in September the weather was perfect and the sea was calm.  Everywhere seemed so peaceful – just the sort of place we love!

Getting to Åland

There is a small airport close to Mariehamn which you can reach with flights via Helsinki, Turku or Stockholm (try Skyscanner to search for flights).

However, unless you are a very bad sailor, we highly recommend travelling by ferry from Turku (Finland) or Stockholm (Sweden).  Whichever direction you come from the journey takes just over 5 hours, and is stunningly beautiful all the way.  If you are travelling as a foot passenger and don’t book a cabin it is also amazingly good value (see our post Exploring the Baltic Sea by Ferry).

Several ferry companies operate on these routes – for an easy way to check timetables, compare prices and purchase tickets online see Direct Ferries.

Where to Stay

We stayed in the modern, but very comfortable, Hotel Pommern near the centre of Mariehamn.  This was about a 15 min walk from the ferry port on wide, level roads.  The hotel had friendly staff, spacious rooms and a very good restaurant.

Other good options would be the Hotel Arkipelag with lovely views over the sea and an excellent restaurant, or Hotel Park Alandia in the centre of town.

To search available accommodation throughout Åland follow this link to booking.com.

Getting Around

As mentioned above, the roads were so quiet when we visited in September that walking and cycling were a pleasure.  Several places hire out cycles in Mariehamn, but be aware that not all of these operate outside the summer season.  The Tourist Information Office will give you details.

There are also regular bus services, some of which connect with ferries to other islands.  For bus and archipelago ferry services, including timetables, see Alandstrafiken.

The services are regular, but if you are travelling out of season and only have a couple of days to spend in Åland, be aware that bus services are far less frequent at weekends.

For Kindle owners (or users of the free Kindle App) the Top 12 Places to Visit in Finland includes Åland.

 

Mariehamn

Mariehamn, which is actually larger than we expected, is a quiet, attractive town with wide, cobbled, tree-lined streets.  The airport and main ferry ports arrive here, and the town has a good selection of shops, hotels and restaurants.

The town is situated on a narrow strip of land, so it has a coastline at either side.  Both sides have pleasant paths for walking and waterside restaurants.  The main ferry port and Maritime Museum, which includes the Museum Ship Pommern, are on the west coast.

The east coast has a marina, waterside paths and a lovely woodland park with camping facilities and mini-golf.

Lilla Holmen

A few steps away from the marina in Mariehamn you can go through an attractive gate  and cross a little bridge to Lilla Holmen.

Surprisingly, Lilla Holmen is actually an island, separated from Mariehamn by a narrow sea channel.   It is a great little place to stroll around.  There are reed beds with wildlife, a pleasant beach and swimming area, and a few aviary buildings with birds.

Nature Trails in Åland

There are a number of well laid out nature trails (and longer hiking trails) to explore (search ‘Visit Åland nature trails’).  We visited two (the Godby Arboretum and the Nato Nature Trail), and really enjoyed them.

Both trails had good, easy-to-follow paths, useful information boards and picnic tables.

The Nato Nature Trail was in a fascinating area with rock outcrops, beautiful trees and fantastic sea views.

When we visited in September the trees were just beginning to change colour, and there were lots of impressive mushrooms in the woods.

We would love to return and explore more of these trails – what a great way to learn about the nature and history of the Åland Islands!

Longer Next Time

We only had three nights in Åland on this trip, and for us it was definitely not long enough.  There is so much to explore if you like nature.  We will definitely return and spend longer next time.  In fact I could quite happily live here…..

If you like places that are buzzing and have exciting night life, Åland will not be for you.  But if you like to escape from the noise and high pace of modern life, enjoy being surrounded by nature, but still want to have access to nice hotels and restaurants, Åland could just be perfect.

Please note that this post is based purely on our own experiences, therefore kindly note the Disclaimer.

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