Åland

Åland [1] (Finnish: Ahvenanmaa) is an autonomous area in the Baltic Sea, consisting of one main island and a surrounding archipelago. While legally a part of Finland, in practice the islands run their own affairs and are rather different from the mainland.

The Kastellholm castle

Regions

Åland is divided into 15 municipalities and one city Mariehamn.

Mainland Åland:

• Eckerö
• Finström
• Geta
• Hammarland
• Jomala
• Lemland
• Lumparland
• Saltvik
• Sund

Islands:

• Föglö
• Brändö
• Kumlinge
• Kökar
• Sottunga
• Vårdö

Cities

• Mariehamn, the capital

There are a few other small communities on the main island such as Godby or Eckerö, but use care when planning activites or reliance on community services. Most municipalities in Åland have just few hundreds of inhabitants. Therefore outside Mariehamn the communities are tiny and seeing them on a map does not tell the whole story. A so called town might consist only of a few buildings at a cross roads!

Other destinations

• Kastelholma castle in Sund
• Bomarsund fortifications in Sund
• Medieval monastery ruins and bronze age site in Kökar
• Old pharmacy in Kumlinge
• Eckerö former post office building
• Lemböte church ruins in Lemland
• Nåtö forest in Lemland
• Getaberget hill, caves and gulleys in Geta

Understand

The flag of Åland

The Åland Islands (pronounced "Oh-lahnd") are a group of small islands officially belonging to Finland but awarded a wide degree of autonomy by a League of Nations decision in 1921 that settled a long-running dispute between Sweden and Finland. Still at the time when Åland was under Russian sovereignty, a treaty was concluded between Russia, France and the United Kingdom at the issue of the Crimean War, by virtue of which the islands were demilitarized. Finland assumed the same obligation upon achieving independence. Among other things, Ålanders have their own parliament, publish their own stamps, are exempt from military service, and maintain a special tax status in the European Union. The locals have Finnish passports but with a mention of Åland in their cover. It is good to remember that Ålanders do not consider themselves as Finns but Ålanders. Those who choose to study at university more often move to Sweden, rather than Finland.

The archipelago consists of around 80 inhabited islands plus around 6000 uninhabited islands, islets and rocks. The total population is only 29,800 (2019), 90% of which lives on the main island Åland (also known as Fasta Åland litterally Mainland Åland), which includes the capital Mariehamn.

The every man's rights are much more limited in Åland than in Finland or Sweden. Especially camping is usually accepted only at the official camping areas. Read more about this topic here!

Talk

The islands are monolingually Swedish, a point of some contention in otherwise bilingual (or, in practice, frequently Finnish monolingual) Finland.

The relationship with mainland Finland is somewhat complicated, the language and culture being the greatest hurdles. Many Ålanders refer to themselves as simply just that; Ålanders (or "Ålänningar" in Swedish). There's also a growing movement towards full independence, although general consensus is for a more independent autonomy from Finland.

Although Finnish is optionally taught in schools, most Ålanders choose not to study it, and while some commercial signs (not any official signs though) are written in Finnish in addition to Swedish and often English during the tourist (summer) season, you should not attempt to get along in it. Communication between Finns unable to speak Swedish and Ålanders is done in English, which is very widely spoken, even by many elderly, so stick to it if you can't speak Swedish or something closely related to it.

The relationship to all things Finnish, whether spoken or written, is complicated to say the least...

Get in

There are plenty of ferry connections between Åland and mainland Sweden and Finland. Primarily for tax reasons, ferries plying between Helsinki or Turku and Stockholm all stop off at Mariehamn or the nearby (30km east, approximately) jetty of Långnäs, making this the easiest and cheapest way to get in (although docking often happens at inconvenient times in the middle of the night - the Långnäs stops). Mariehamn also has a small airport that serves flights to mainland Finland and Sweden. If you intend to leave the ship in Långnäs, call the taxi in advance. There are no services in Långnäs harbour.

By plane

• Mariehamn airport MHQ [2] - the only airport on the islands with commercial flights. There are daily flights from Helsinki and Turku and international flights to/from Stockholm. The flight from Helsinki is less than an hour and the flight from Turku and Stockholm is only half an hour. Mariehamn airport is situated less than 3km north of Mariehamn downtown.

Ferries from Sweden

• From Grisslehamn (Greater Stockholm, Sweden) to Eckerö (Åland) by Eckerölinjen [3].
  • By local bus: Take the 676 bus from Tekniska Högskolan to Norrtälje and change to line 637 to Grisslehamn. Tickets can be bought at SL Centres or at local kiosks, but NOT onboard.
  • By dedicated bus. Alternatively, Eckerö Linjen's buses to Grisslehamn depart from Stockholm(Cityterminalen) 2h 15min before ship´s departure, and from Uppsala(Hjalmar Brantingsgatan) 2h before ship´s departure. The buses returns to Stockholm/Uppsala at the ship´s arrival. The Bus+Ferry Combined Ticket can be bought in Cityterminalen(Stockholm), from the bus driver or at the ferry terminal. Note however that the local buses are a lot cheaper and more efficient, and the dedicated buses should be avoided.

It takes two hours from Grisslehamn to Eckerö. From there the line 1 bus connects to Mariehamn.

• From Kapellskär (Greater Stockholm, Sweden) to Mariehamn (Åland) by Viking Line [4].
  • By local bus: Take the 676 bus from Tekniska högskolan to Norrtälje and change to line 631 or 631X to Kapellskär. Tickets can be bought at SL Centres or at local kiosks, but NOT onboard.
  • By dedicated bus: Alternatively Viking Line's buses to Kapellskär departures from Stockholm](Cityterminalen) 1h 50min before ship´s departure, and from Uppsala(Hjalmar Brantinggatan) 1h 45min before ship´s departure. The buses returns to Stockholm/Uppsala at the ship´s arrival. The bus tickets must be bought in advance. Note however that the local buses are a lot cheaper and more efficient, and the dedicated buses should be avoided. However, Viking Line often have specific offers for free bus journey between Kapellskär and Stockholm/Uppsala when purchasing a ferry ticket. Look out for the offers on their website!

It takes two hours from Kapellskär to Mariehamn. This is by far the fastest route between Stockholm and Mariehamn, unless flying.

NOTE: If you wish to travel with Viking Line Rosella between Kapellskär to Mariehamn, you should avoid using the international Viking Line website and instead use the website. Become a Viking Club member (which is free and not subject to conditions) and you can travel FOR FREE Kapellskär-Mariehamn. The prices differ a great deal between international bookings and bookings from domestic websites. For example, the price of one-way ticket from Kapellskär to Mariehamn from the international website is greater than a return ticket which includes bus journey.

• From Stockholm to Mariehamn or Långnäs by Tallink [5], Viking Line [6] and Silja Line [7]

• From Stockholm to Mariehamn by Birka Cruises [8]

Ferries from mainland Finland

• From Turku to Mariehamn or Långnäs by Viking Line [9] and TallinkSilja [10]

• From Helsinki to Mariehamn by Viking Line [11] and TallinkSilja [12]

• From Vuosnainen (Kustavi, Finland) to Åva (Brändö) by Ålandstrafiken [13]. There are few weekly bus connection between Turku and Vuosnainen jetty and daily connections between Turku and Kustavi downtown which is few kilometers away from Vuosnainen.

• From Galtby (Korpo, Finland) to Kökar and Långnäs by Ålandstrafiken [14]. There are daily bus connections between Galtby and Turku. The bus trip takes about two hours.

• From Nåtö (Houtskär, Finland), Själö (Houtskär, Finland) or Roslax (Houtskär, Finland) to Torsholma (Brändö) by Ferentes [15]. The timetable is fairly complex and the ferry comes to Houtskär only by request. Always call the ferry by phone at least one day in advance. Roslax ferry jetty is accessible from Turku by bus at least on Sundays but the time table do not fit with the ferry.

Ålandstrafiken ferries are free to pedestrians and to motorists between the smaller islands. For pedestrians bus lines 4 and 5 from Mariehamn go respectively to Hummelvik and Långnäs, each of which is a terminal for a route to the Finnish mainland.

Ferries from Estonia

• From Tallinn to Mariehamn by Tallink [16]

Get around

A combination of ferry between the islands and a bicycle on the islands themselves is the most popular option. Bicycling in Åland is very popular activity at summertime and there are well developed facilities for bicycles including dedicated cycle paths along many roads and ferries exclusively for bicycles.

There is a good road network and the island can be crossed by car in less than an hour between furthest points. Traffic is very light all over the island including in Mariehamn. Renting a car is easy in Mariehamn. Fuel is widely available around the island and is similar in price to say mainland Sweden.

Archipelago ferries

The trip to Åland through the eastern archipelago (coming from Finland) is something you will never forget. Choose a route through either the southern or northern archipelago. Bookings can be made for trips to and from an intermediate port. Trips from one destination port to another can only be made if you spend a night on one of the small islands. The archipelago ferries is served by Ålandstrafiken [17].

Unlike the ferries in Finland, the ferries operated by Ålandstrafiken are free of charge only for passengers. There is a small fee (about 5€) for bicycles and a heavier fee for cars and motorbikes. However, if you stay overnight in Åland archipelago outside mainland Åland (Vårdö is considerd mainland here) the ferry fee will be reduced to zero. To obtain this discount you must present a receipt of one paid ferry fee and a receipt of your overnight accommodation to the counter at the ferry.

The islands of Vårdo can be reached by free cable ferry (and therefore they are considered as a part of mainland Åland).

By bus

The is a bus network in Åland operated by Ålandstrafiken. The timetables are here. In most of the small island municipalities there is some sort of 'bus-taxi' operating from and to the ferry jetty along the main road of the island. These are usually free of charge if the driver doesn't have to leave the main road!

See

Note many major tourist spots are only open during late spring and summmer and during closed times can only be viewed from the outside.

Pommern in the harbour of Mariehamn

• Kastelholm. A castle located in the northern part is worth paying a visit. Partly a ruin today, it was founded in the 1380's and home to many Swedish kings who reigned the combined kingdom of Sweden and Finland from this place. There are guided tours, also in English.

• Jan Karlsgarden Open Air Museum - very close to Kastelholm castle, it has a number of traditional Aland buildings moved from other areas. Entry was free in 2008, although a fee was charged to visit the prison museum on the same site. Also has a tourist information center and a good restaurant and cafeteria.

In the Open Air Museum

• The fortress of Bomarsund [18] was built by the Russians during the years 1830-1854. The establishment was thoroughly ruined during the Crimean War when attacked by the allied English-Frenchmen. On the other side of the channel, next to the bridge of Prästö, is a small museum where pictures and objects from Bomarsund are on display.

• Postvägen [19] The Mail Road dates back to Queen Kristina´s days in the 17th century, when the Swedish postal service of that time was organized. Today the Mail Road looks different but it is still very much alive.

• The tall ship POMMERN [20] in the West Harbour in Mariehamn serves as a memory of the great fleet of sailingships, who once had the town as their homeport.

• Maritime Quarter [21], a living marine centre with boat-building activity, a smithy and facilities for other traditional handicrafts, alongside a museum and a café.

Do

Hiking, bathing, enjoying the silent countryside.

Buy

The official currency is the euro (€). Swedish krona (SEK) is usually accepted in most shops and restaurants during the peak season, but the exchange rate is typically not very good, so it is typically significantly cheaper to pay in euros or by card. Compare rates with local banks first.

Please note: Shopping in Åland is very expensive. Due to import of most goods, with sometimes unsurmountable difficulties in filling the stores with enough supplies, prices in most stores are in the EU highs, mostly 10-50 percent higher than in the Stockholm or Helsinki metropolitan areas. Prices on some groceries can be even higher, with oatmeal and gruel selling at more than double the price in, say, Stockholm or Helsinki.

SALT, in the maritime district of the east harbor, Mariehamn has a selection of local artisan crafts including textiles and glassware, made in Åland. Next to a maritime museum and local jewellery shop.

Åland has its own postal service and stamps unique to the island, these make excellent inexpensive souvenirs. Post offices are in several towns and in Mariehamn.

In general, souvenir shopping in Åland is difficult. The island is not well presented for international tourists and there are only small displays of the typical souvenirs such as keychains, postcards and mugs. A few of the stores along Torggatan in downtown Mariehamn have these, as well as museums and some of the larger grocery stores.

Local beer and apple liquors are tasty and available.

Eat

Recipe: Ålands pancakes Porridge to be used in pancake: 500 ml milk 75 ml gruel rice OR wheat semoline (cream of wheat) 1/2 ts salt 4 eggs 700 ml milk 50 ml sugar 350 ml wheat flour 10 ml cardamom powder 10 ml vanilla sugar 100 ml melted butter Make the porridge using using the instructions of package. Let it cool a bit. Add other ingredients to the porridge and mix it to a stable pancake dough. Pour the dough in a well oiled pan and bake in 225°C oven about 30 minutes until the pancake is smoothly brown. Serve with plum jelly (or raspberry jelly) and whipped cream

• Smoked flunder with potato salad. Smoked flunder or rökt flundra is a common food item.
• Svartbröd, Blackbread, as the name implies the bread is almost black. It is round and quite flat but its most characteristic feature is the taste. The blackbread is sweet. The sweetness originates from the syrup that is added to the dough and from the manner in which the bread is baked in the oven.
• Cheese from the local ÅCA dairy is of high quality. The Kastelholm cheese is particularly recommended, and works well with blackbread. Its roots can be traced back to the 16th century.
• Åland pancake (Ålands pannkaka). Very famous, traditional and delicious Ålandic dessert. The pancake is made of grain of rice or semolina and served with stewed plums and whipped cream.

Most restaurants are in Mariehamn but there is at least some kind of guesthouse in every municipality (but not on every accessible island!!!). There are few fast food outlets in Mariehamn, like Hesburger, but absolutely not anywhere else on the islands. Some restaurants have limited hours of service and some aren't open every day. Always check these in advance, by phone if possible.

Drink

• Stallhagen beer made by Ålands Bryggeri AB and available in most bars and restaurants in the islands. The most common Stallhagen beer type is the traditional, light lager. But Stallhagen also comes in a wide range of other beer types with names like Dark Lager, Dunkles, Oktoberfest and Delicat. And there's no doubt where it comes from: the flag of Åland is on the label.

This brewery also has a good lunch from 10:30 to 2pm, around 15-20 euros per person including beer. And, you can have more food if you weren't filled up with what they bring you.

• Tjudö Vineyard [22] has three own home-distillers. They distils Scandinavian Vodka from the fruits at the vineyard. The apple vodka is called Ålvados, which is a kind of Calvados. They also make wine - Västergårds Äppelvin - with apples that has ripened on the farm's own trees. You can visit the vineyard, walk around among the fruit trees and see how the wine is produced. The guided tour ends in the old threshing house and here you can sample the drinks directly from the wine cellar.

Stay safe

Ticks are very common and carry both borreliosis and TBE which is even known as Kumlinge disease in Finland. TBE is so common that permanent residents get vaccinated against it for free. Always check your body for ticks.

Crime rates are extremely low on the islands. All attacks aboard the cruise ships registered to Åland are officially registered to Mariehamn making official statistics quite awkward.

Most municipalities in Åland have just hundreds of residents. Naturally this means that services are limited. So if you need e.g. a grocery store or a pharmacy, make sure there is one somewhere. There is a hospital in Mariehamn but in more serious situations you will be sent to Turku.

Respect

Åland has its own parliament, its own executive government and is generally autonomous from Finland. The cultural heritage though is mostly Swedish.

Speaking Swedish and being a part of Finland, the people of Åland regard themselves as a separate and autonomous part of Finland, and appreciate if you refer to them as one. Do not refer to Ålanders as "Finns", as this can be regarded as rude.

Get out

This is a usable article. It gives a good overview of the region, its sights, and how to get in, as well as links to the main destinations, whose articles are similarly well developed. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!