The Aland Islands are one of the best fishing spots (35 photos). Conditional areas. Descriptions and features. Churches and temples. Which are worth visiting

Åland Islands- a place for "gourmets", those who managed to get fed up with traditional routes. On paper, this amazing archipelago in the Baltic Sea belongs to Finland, but in fact, the inhabitants of the islands are mentally more likely to gravitate towards the Swedes, and most of them speak exclusively Swedish.

I love Aland for its lack of tourist crowds, commercial lures like "dinosaur photos" and annoying excursion sellers. Here you can fully feel the same local flavor that travelers usually hunt for. It is not forged, not adapted for a tourist - in Aland, you really have to live according to local laws.

If you are an amateur nightlife, beach entertainment and foam parties, in no case I advise you to go here: it will be boring. But for the fans active rest outdoors, fishing and beautiful sunsets definitely worth visiting these northern islands.

With a probability of 80% you will be a pioneer among your acquaintances: hardly any of them have been to Aland. What can we say about Russian tourists, even if the Finns rarely visit this archipelago. For them, Akhvenanmaa (the Finnish name of the islands) is a sore point, the Alandians are considered almost separastites. Many residents of Suomi believe that the inhabitants of the archipelago do not learn Finnish out of harm in order to show their disrespect. I do not presume to argue whether this is so. And since the national throwing of the Finns is still alien to you, I sincerely advise you to spend your vacation in Aland.

How to get there

The best way, in my opinion, is to go to Aland by ferry. It is convenient, fast and cheap. There is also an option to fly by plane, but it has many significant disadvantages.

By plane

So, why did the plane not please me? The first and foremost reason is the cost of flights. The capital Aland Mariehamn has regular (twice a day) flights from, Turku and Stockholm. On the Finnish side, they are served by Finnair, known for its excellent service, safety and extortionate ticket prices. In the summer season, the cost of an hour flight - Mariehamn (Turku - Mariehamn) can easily go up to 200-250 EUR. Next Jet planes fly from Stockholm, the ticket will cost about 150 EUR.

In addition to biting prices, the flight to Mariehamn is bad because of the restriction on baggage and hand luggage... That is, there may be problems with the transportation of fishing gear, tents and other attributes of a tourist traveling to actively explore the archipelago.

If the prices for flights are not very important and you are not going to take a lot of luggage with you, you can safely book plane tickets. View all offers available on this moment, you can, for example,.

The flight still has one plus: the airport is located only three kilometers from the center of the capital of Aland, Mariehamn. But here, too, everything is not so flower-candy. You won't be able to leave the airport by public transport; there are simply no buses and trains running there. The only suitable option is a taxi, which is not very affordable: for a 3 km drive to the center of Mariehamn, you will pay about 20 EUR.

In general, I advise you to think carefully before deciding to fly to Aland: there are much more disadvantages to air travel than advantages.

By car

Taking a car with you to Aland is a good idea: with your car you can get to the hard-to-reach parts of the archipelago, which are not accessible by public transport.

Since there are no tunnels or bridges built on the island, it will be possible to get to it in this way only by ferry. Therefore, our conversation about autotravel smoothly flows into the point about the features of a trip on water. The only thing I want to note here is that do not forget to book your ferry tickets in advance, because the amount of space on the deck for cars is limited. In the summer season, you sometimes have to wait for weeks for free seats for transporting a car.

By ferry

The most successful and cost-effective way to travel to Aland. Dozens go to the islands big ships and small ferries from, Turku and Naantali. There are many competing companies providing such transportation: Eskerö line, Viking Line, Silja Line, Finnlines, Ålandstrafiken.

As you travel by sea, you can add interesting new touches to your trip. For example, buy an evening cruise from and enjoy all the delights of such trips: shopping, good restaurants and nightclubs, live music. We most often combine a summer trip to Aland with a one-day visit to Stockholm: in the evening we leave and spend the night on the ship, the next morning we disembark in Stockholm and walk there for 5-6 hours. And on the way back on the same ferry we sail to Aland.

If there is not much time and you do not want to spend it on the road, you can take a ticket for a small fast ferry from Turku or Naantali. This trip will last about 4-5 hours. If you decide to choose a small ferry, look for tickets on the Ålandstrafiken websites, the rest of the companies I mentioned above sell tickets for large cruise ships.

Tickets for large ferries cost about EUR 30 without a cabin, a standard cabin for 4 people will cost about EUR 100. Small ferries are even more democratic: a ticket for them will cost about 20 EUR. If you take your car with you, be prepared to pay about 40-50 EUR more.

Another advantage of traveling on small ferries is that they usually arrive directly at the port of Mariehamn. It is no more than a kilometer from the city center, you can walk or take a taxi. Large cruise ships on the Helsinki-Stockholm route usually stop at Långnäs port at night, from which you will have to travel to Mariehamn for about 30 kilometers. At such a time, it will not work to get to the city by public transport, you need to order a taxi in advance. Therefore, if you are traveling without a car, it is best to take a ticket for the small ferry.

Prompt:

Aland Islands - time is now

Difference in hours:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Ekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season. When is the best time to go

The best time to travel to Aland is definitely summer. It is pleasant, not hot here: the temperature rarely rises above +25 ° C. The season lasts from May to the end of September, at which time the main island entertainment: boat trips, fishing, cycling. And in May, farmers markets and fairs are opening in Mariehamn, where you can buy fresh and delicious organic products: berries, fruits, fish and meat.

Do not be afraid of the dominance of tourists during the season: there are, of course, more of them here than in winter, but not as many as in some Italy-France. Since the islands themselves are not very densely populated, visitors simply dissolve among the locals, you are unlikely to feel their presence at all. The same applies to the cost of rest: the Alandians are not too spoiled by the abundance of tourists, so they do not have the habit of greatly raising prices during the season.

You can monitor tours to Aland on search sites, for example,.

Åland Islands in summer

Summer in Aland is beautiful, albeit a little unpredictable. It can rain at any time, even when it seems that there is not a cloud in the sky. I can't stand the heat, so the local + 23-25 ° C degrees in June-July are ideal for me.

The most important beauty of summer on the islands is that you can get around by bike almost everywhere. Lovers of two-wheeled friends have a lot of space here: Aland seems to be made for cycling. The relief on most of the islands of the archipelago is flat, the coastline is not very long, and the landscapes along it are stunning. You can rent a bike (more on that below) and spend a few days on two wheels exploring the beauty of the island.

And also lovely summer months in the fact that you can live in campsites and tents, ride boats and boats, enjoy the white nights. If you arrive at the islands at the end of June, you will find yourself at the Johannus summer solstice celebration (Midsommar in Swedish). This is a fun folk holiday, which is widely celebrated in Finland and Sweden: bonfires are burned, songs are sung, and fishing competitions are organized.

In general, in all respects, summer is the best time to explore the archipelago. I repeat, there are not very many tourists here even in the season, but if you are really a misanthrope and want to relax almost alone, come here in August. Classes are already starting in schools in Sweden and Finland, and there are very few vacationers in Aland.

Åland Islands in autumn

In autumn, it is worth coming to Aland only in September - early October. And then, if you are not too heat-loving creature: already at the end of August it gets noticeably colder on the islands, the temperature is kept at + 15-18 ° C.

If the coolness does not scare you, you can still stay at campsites, go fishing in the summer, enjoy sea cruises and cycling. And, of course, take stunning pictures: the autumn nature of the archipelago is very picturesque, the rocks along the coast seem to be on fire.

Aland Islands in spring

In March - April, it is still quite cold in Aland, and most importantly, it is very windy, so you will not be able to enjoy the natural delights of the archipelago at this time. And traveling on a ferry in early spring is not always a successful idea, sometimes it gets so stormy that you are afraid to even move one more time (I remember my trip on the ferry to Sweden on March 8 last year, which I spent lying face down on the sofa by the window).

But May is a completely different matter, at this time it is always warm and sunny in Aland (it often turns out that May is much better and hotter here than June). Another plus of traveling in late spring is that there are almost no problems with places for cars on ferries; tickets do not have to be bought in advance.

Åland Islands in winter

I advise only the most desperate extremists to go to Aland in winter. For it is cold (very cold!), Dark and rather boring. The most complete misanthrope will be frightened: even Marienhamn completely dies out in winter, after 4:00 pm the probability of meeting a moose on the street is much higher than stumbling upon a person.

What's the point of traveling to the archipelago in winter? You don't particularly ride bicycles and boats, ski slopes and there are almost no resorts here.

Conditional areas. Descriptions and features

Aland consists of 16 prefectures, 10 of which are located on the very large island of the Manner-Ahvenanmaa archipelago.

Aland prefectures on the map:

The following of them deserve the attention of a tourist:

I advise you to get acquainted with the aforementioned Åland prefectures first of all, because the most “delicious” places of the archipelago are concentrated in them. If you are going to the islands for a week or more, you should also see other Åland prefectures: Geta, Hammarland, Saltvik, Lemland, Lumparland, Brändö, Föglö, Kumlinge, Kökar, Vårdö... All of them are pretty and picturesque, each has interesting walking and cycling routes.

What are the prices for rest

Aland can hardly be classified as a budget tourist destination. The region is considered one of the most economically successful in Finland. For the Aland people, of course, this is happiness, which cannot be said about tourists. You will have to shell out for literally everything: from accommodation to tickets for public transport. Especially extortionate hotel prices: a night in an average three-star hotel will cost you 100-120 EUR per season.

Most often, I book hotels on, and you can compare prices from different resources. You can check if private owners offer apartments for rent.

Dinner at the restaurant for two (main courses, desserts, 2 glasses of wine) from 70 EUR.

The only good news for tourists: prices for entry tickets to museums and exhibitions: on average, about 8–10 EUR. Well, and a nice bonus: for children under 12 years old, admission is almost everywhere free. We go to Aland every summer, so we have worked out several ways to save money:

Major attractions. What to see

The main attractions of Aland are natural, there are many picturesque bays and bays, rocky shores. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you have to spend a lot of time outdoors, stock up on comfortable clothes, shoes and umbrellas / raincoats.

It is a good idea to rent a boat and bicycles for the entire stay: with their help you can thoroughly explore the islands and not depend on public transport, which does not always work perfectly in Aland.

However, the abundance of natural beauty does not mean that the lover of historical places will be bored in Aland. On the contrary, for them there is a lot of interesting things, because at one time the islands belonged to both the Russian Empire and Sweden. In Marienhamn and other prefectures of the archipelago, it is very interesting to observe how three cultures so unlike each other combine.

Tourist streets the islands are few, and almost all of them are located in Mariehamn.

Be sure to take a walk through:

Stora gatan... The central street of the city, full of souvenir shops, cafes and shops with local Aland handicraft souvenirs.
Torggatan... The main shopping street of the city, all the best shops in Mariehamn are located here and in the nearby side streets.
Esplanadi... Walking street, very pleasant and very busy in summer. There are always a lot of young people, musicians and tourists here.

Going to Aland for one day is a real crime, because you will definitely not have time to see all the delights of the archipelago. If it so happens that you decide to drop by here for a short while on your way to Sweden, I advise you to stay on the main island and devote your time to Mariehamn and Yomale. And then go to Sund to see the historical sites of the archipelago.

Mariehamn

It is worth starting your "tour" from the Stora gatan and Torggatan shopping streets of Mariehamn. Here you can admire old wooden houses, which strongly resemble traditional Russian huts, and buy local souvenirs. Walk to the Town Hall and St Görans kyrka Cathedral.

Then head to Maritime museum and do not forget to see the monument to the Russian merchant Sitkov and the sailing ship "Pommern" on the way. This small excursion will take you about 4 hours. Distances in the city are short, but if you rent a bike, keep within 3–3.5 hours.

Yomala

Then take the Lemland - Mariehamn - Jomala bus from the Mariehamn bus station and go to Jomala to see the local medieval church St Olofs kyrka. Together with the road, a tour of the church will take about 1–1.5 hours.

Here, in Yomala, I advise you to remember your lunch and visit the cozy restaurant at the Ulfsby Gård farm. It is located near the church, within walking distance. This place serves incredibly delicious lamb dishes and berry desserts.

Sund

There is no direct bus Lomala - Sund, you have to change in Mariehamn, so the journey will take you about 1-1.5 hours. On the spot, head out to explore Kastelholm Castle and Bomarsund Fortress. This will take you about 2.5 hours.

In principle, if you have time to visit all of the above places, you will be able to make some kind of picture about Aland. Nevertheless, the main charm of the archipelago is its natural resources and opportunities for active recreation. Therefore, the islands can hardly be considered a good destination for a day trip.

Top 5

Beaches. Which is better

Aland has many wonderful beaches, both wild and organized. Of those that I myself have visited, I can advise the following:

The best beaches of the Aland Islands on the map:

Churches and temples. Which are worth visiting

All prefectures of Åland are full of churches and cathedrals: wooden and stone, medieval and relatively young (there are about 16 in total). But I would advise fans of architecture and history to pay attention to these:

Museums. Which are worth visiting

There are quite a few museums of different profiles on the islands, but if we discard the not so interesting local history ones, I can advise the 4 most curious ones:

Parks

All Åland Islands are one continuous park, there is a lot of vegetation, lakes and beaches, bike paths and picnic areas.

But still, I advise you to pay special attention to these:

Smart park... It's not so much natural as amusement park in Eckerö. There is water attractions, an autodrome, hold various competitions and games almost every day. There is a toy laboratory where children are shown interesting experiments and are told about the structure of the world. Fans of outdoor activities will also like the park: here you can rent boats, segways, bicycles, and have picnics. Address: Eckerö, Eckerövägen, 388.
Kobba Klintar... This natural object well worth a visit for the splendid seascapes and views of the port of Mariehamn. There is a cafe in the park that serves incredibly delicious freshly baked donuts and other goodies.

Nåto and Järsö... These places can hardly be called parks. Rather, they are walking trails on the island of Lemland. The trails are easy for beginners, short (about 2 kilometers each) and very picturesque. From them you can admire the seascapes and mini-islets that surround Lemland.

Food. What to try

Food in Aland is a special topic, it is distinctive, tasty and almost always made only from local organic products. There are a lot of farms here, where most of the establishments buy meat, milk, vegetables and fruits. Often, there are restaurants right next to the farms that cook only the freshest ingredients.

This is also why it is almost useless to look for budget restaurants on the islands. The food is expensive, an average main course (meat plus side dish) will cost 20-25 EUR. There is very little street food here, practically none. If you decide to camp and cook yourself, I advise you to visit the markets of Marienhamn or Yomala: they sell fresh fish, meat, cheeses and pastries there. However, it is not worth hoping that prices will be very low: local products are expensive in the markets. The cheapest places to shop for food are Lidl, Prisma, City-Market, S-market.

Aland cuisine is interesting in that it has absorbed something from Russian, Finnish and Swedish, but at the same time retained its originality. The main edible product of the locals is, of course, fish, they have thousands of interesting recipes for its preparation. It was here that I first tasted salmon marinated in resin liqueur.

I doubted for a long time, but in the end I was very pleased. Another important component of local cuisine is lamb, you can safely try it in all restaurants, it will always be delicious.

A separate story is drinks in Aland. Here they prepare delicious cider from local apples and blueberries, drink wines and beer. Fans of the latter should definitely go to the village of Grelsby in Finström prefecture. The local farm brews the so-called "slow beer", the brewing process of which lasts from 4 weeks. I myself am not a fan of the foamy drink, so I can't tell you about its taste, but friends of beer lovers first of all, upon arriving on the islands, go to Grelsby to buy beer.

Top dishes to try in Aland

Intermediate level:

Indigo Restaurang & Bar... Mariehamn, Nygatan, 1;
Bistro koppar grytan... Jomala, Sparvägen, 1;
Cafe La Strada... Mariehamn, Torggatan, 6;
ASS Paviljongen... Mariehamn, Sjöpromenaden;
Ovningsrestaurang Hjorten... Mariehamn, Strandgatan, 1A.

Smakbyn... Sund, Slottsvagen, 134 (Kastelholm);
Nautical... Mariehamn, Hamngatan, 2;
Bagarstugan Cafe & Vin... Mariehamn, Ekonomiegatan, 2;
Strandhugget Sottunga, Strandhugget, 1.

Grocery shopping in Aland is also distinguished by a certain elitism. That is, hunting with huge bags for sanctioned cheeses, ham and milk is not worth it here: the prices for all this stuff on the mainland of Finland are much more humane, so leave this kind of shopping for later.

But here you can buy something from high-quality purely Aland products. For example, in these stores:

Mercedes chocolaterie(Eckerö, Eckerö Post & Tullhus). This store is worth visiting even if you are not going to buy anything. It is located in a beautiful old post office, very interestingly decorated inside. Here you can buy excellent handmade chocolate souvenirs, marzipan sweets, dark chocolate bars with local berries and fruits.
Stallhagen(Godby, Getavägen, 196). The same beer shop that I mentioned above and which my fellow beer lovers adore. There are both "permanent" and "seasonal" beers here. Tasting of new products is organized almost every day.

Holidays

Juhannus / Midsommar (Ivan Kupala Day)

The most interesting thing that can happen to you in Aland is the celebration of the local day of Ivan Kupala, or Juhannus, or, as the Swedes say, Midsommar. It falls on Friday, June 19-25.

In fact, this holiday is widely celebrated both in Finland and in Sweden, but for some reason it is especially loved on the islands of the archipelago. Most often I happened to find Johannus on the mainland of Finland, and I can say that he is much more modest there than in Aland. Here, from the very morning, everyone is actively preparing for the holiday: decorating houses, making wreaths, preparing food. All day long people have fun, go to dances, burn fires. Many gather in companies and go to rest in cottages or campgrounds.

Where to go

Be sure to visit the evening bonfire in the central square of Mariehamn. There will be dances, songs, competitions and, of course, you will be offered traditional treats: salted herring, young potatoes with dill, grilled meat and local cider, beer or sparkling wine.

Fishing competitions are usually held in Eskerö on this day, you can get a good prize. In any case, whichever prefectures you live in, there is a lot of interesting things there. Just take care of food and drinks in advance: it will be difficult to find an open shop on this day even in Mariehamn.

Harvest Festival

An interesting and highly loved event by the locals. Usually takes place on the last weekend of September. These days, the farms of the archipelago open their doors to everyone: you can ride from one to the other, taste local products and watch how jams, wines, juices are made, etc. In addition to gastronomic entertainment, farmers try to organize an active program for guests: horse riding , various lectures and mater-classes.

Where to go

In principle, you can visit any of the farms, almost all of them participate in the holiday. Be sure to go to Smart Park, where the opening of the festival is taking place: they organize an entertainment program for children.

Christmas

Alandians do not particularly like the New Year, as, incidentally, the Finns and the Swedes. It is celebrated here very modestly. But Christmas is another matter, it is the main day of the local calendar. On Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day itself (December 24-25), Alandans gather with their families at the table, give gifts and go to the sauna.

It is useless to wait for an entertainment program in cities these days. But about a month before Christmas, the festive gimmick will begin to be felt very clearly: almost every day, concerts, fairs are held on the islands, restaurants are inviting for gala dinners.

Where to go

At the end of November, visit the opening of the Christmas season in Mariehamn, a fair and a large festive concert... Usually this action ends with fireworks on retail space... Don't forget to bring the kids, Santa will be giving them gingerbread cookies, candy and glugs - traditional hot berry drinks with spices.

Security. What to watch out for

In fact, falling prey to scammers in Aland is about as easy as getting sunstroke in Lapland in January. That is, it is practically impossible. Locals very calm, friendly and peaceful.

In an already super-safe Finland, the archipelago is considered one of the most quiet places... If in the mainland part of Suomi you can be embarrassed by gypsies or refugees from the Middle East in the evening, then there are practically none of them in Aland (at least I never saw a single one). Here you can safely walk in the evenings and at night, leave the car open, forget things in public places: they will be returned to you anyway!

We often hitchhike in the evenings if we need to get from the camping in Eckerö to Mariehamn - we have never met suspicious persons, all the drivers were very nice and friendly. They didn't even take money from us. So you can sit back and enjoy your vacation: Aland is certainly not a place to be on the lookout.

Things to do

In summer Åland is full of places for active leisure, you can devote every day to a new hobby. Of the most popular entertainment, I will single out these:

Golf and tennis... Again, thanks to the calm, flat terrain, Aland is full of good golf courses. My friends especially love the places near Kastelholm Castle (eg Linnankenttä) and the grounds in Eckerö (Eckerö Golfklubb). There are also plenty of tennis courts that can be rented hourly. The most popular ones are in Mariehamn near Idrottspark.
Horseback riding... When I observe the young Aland riders, it seems to me that these children were born in the saddle. Horseback riding is so popular here that many wealthy Alanders have private stables. Beginners are happy to learn how to communicate with horses. Horse riding can be practiced at schools Stall Aftonsol (Hammarland), Midgård Islandsstall (Sund), Ridklubben Sleipner (Maariеhamn), Stall Rosenqvist (Eckerö).
Bars... I’ll say right away and honestly: with the bars, pubs and nightclubs on the islands is a real disaster. What Alandians understand as a bar will seem to us more like a bistro-cafe. In pubs, Aland people adhere to their favorite concept: food should be prepared only from local products, and drinks should be expensive and of high quality. Rock music is played in all venues, and local bands are invited to perform on Saturdays and Fridays. For most of our tourists, the opening hours of the bars come as a surprise: almost all of them close at 2:00 on Friday and Saturday, and at 00:00 on weekdays. Nevertheless, I will mention those places in the archipelago that, with a good imagination, can be mistaken for bars:
- Pub Niska(Mariehamn, Sjökvarteret). A good place for those who like to enjoy not only drinks and music, but also "bar" food. The best pizza in Mariehamn is prepared here, again, only from local products. The waiters once bragged to us that even the pizza cheese comes from a farm on the island of Eckerö.
- Tullkällarn Pub(Degerby, Lotsuddsvägen). Quite a stylish establishment located in the premises of the former warehouse of the local customs. Again, in our understanding it can hardly be called a pub: it serves pizza and various snacks, but only light drinks can be ordered: beer and ciders, wines, cocktails. The institution simply does not have a license for stronger alcohol. However, the bar is well worth a visit for its quirky decor and delicious fish snacks.
- Pub Ettan(Mariehamn, Torggatan, 1). In my opinion, the most traditional bar in Aland. At least the locals love it and often gather here in the evenings for a glass of beer. There is not a lot of food and a rich selection of drinks here. Local musicians play every Saturday and Friday.
Shopping... I can hardly name Aland ideal place for shopping. Outlets in Milan and Stockholm shopping centers are so far away from the local shops.
But on the other hand, there are plenty of cute shops on the islands with local souvenirs and designer items that are worth paying attention to. Basically they are all concentrated in Mariehamn.
- Hand-made shops. I can recommend the following:
  - SALT... Local goods store in Mariehamn maritime district (Sjökvarteret). Here you can buy items made of textiles, ceramics, wood and iron. Everything is very expensive and of high quality.
  - Labeled... Aland designer Linda Karlsson's shop in Mariehamn (Torggatan, 15). There are many curious recyclable products: dresses, bags, sweaters. There are souvenirs for the home. In general, the design is not for everybody, but adherents of the green peace style will like it.
  - Gretas butik... Half-secondhand, half-haired shop where you can find curious vintage jewelry and household goods. It is also located in Mariehamn (Skarpansvägen, 23).
  - Judy's Hantverk & Inredning(Jomala, Hindersvägen, 1). A cute colored ceramic craft shop by local designer Judy Kuitunen. All products are in bright positive colors. Here you can also find hand-made textiles from other Åland artists.
  - Guldviva(Mariehamn, Sjökvarteret). I heartily recommend this shop to the same crazy fans of trinkets like me. Here you can buy interesting silver and gold items from local designers. From time to time you come across really unique things, so you can safely go here for gifts to friends and female relatives.
- Stores of branded items. I will warn you right away that branded items are very expensive here. Big sales on the islands are not so frequent (mainly after the Christmas holidays), so the chance to profit from something luxury is not so great. If prices are not so important to you, you can pay attention to these stores:
  - Ziz zaci(Mariehamn, Torggatan, 9B);
  - Boutique Niccola(Mariehamn, Norragatan, 1);
  - Tara(Mariehamn, Torggatan, 13);
  - Martin's(Saltvik, Dragödavägen, 57).
- Large shopping center - Maxinge Center. Actually, it is the only shopping mall on the territory of Åland, where you can find inexpensive clothes, accessories, appliances, cosmetics, etc. Besides, it is full of cafes, restaurants, playgrounds. There are also grocery supermarkets. It is located, oddly enough, not in Mariehamn, but in Yomala. Address: Jomala, Sparvägen, 1.

Extreme sports

There are not so many extreme entertainment on the islands due to the notorious flat terrain that cyclists love so much. But there is one beloved extreme sport by the locals - sea kayaking.

Aland has ideal conditions for rowing for both beginners and experienced ones, as there are many closed bays and open beaches.

Do you want to practice, take a leisurely kayak along the coast and enjoy the beautiful scenery? Choose the beaches of Yomala Prefecture or Sund: they are reliably protected from strong winds. If you consider yourself a seasoned rower, head straight to Degersand Beach. it open beach, within its limits there are almost always gorgeous waves, and you have to work hard so that the boat does not capsize.

Kayak and rescue equipment can be rented from a well-known local company. A single kayak will cost you 50 EUR per day, a double kayak - 90 EUR per day. You can rent them for a short time, for 2 hours. It will cost 35 EUR for a single kayak and 60 EUR for a double kayak. Special surf kayaks cost from 55 EUR per day. The same company offers rowing guide services and group tours along the routes.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

As you already understood, Aland is a very atypical corner of Finland, so you will not get off with traditional sweaters with deer and magnets from Yolupukki as souvenirs. Otherwise, no one will believe that you have been to the islands. So, the most interesting gifts from here:

How to get around the islands

Public transport in Aland is not as well developed as we would like. The only available type is buses. There are no trams here, and for sure, for the sake of 25 thousand people, no one would build a metro. Ferries also go from island to island.

In general, the most convenient and profitable option for travelers is to come to the islands by car. If this is not possible, I advise you to rent it already in Mariehamn, although it will be much more expensive. You can compare offers using various aggregator sites, for example.

For those who decide to still use public transport services, I advise you to be patient and use the Internet. That buses, that ferries do not run so often, sometimes you have to wait 20-30 minutes, others and generally for an hour. So it is best to check the timetables on the website of the local carrier Ålandstrafiken. You can buy tickets there immediately. If you do not want to pay online, please contact the Ålandstrafiken ticket offices in Mariehamn and at the marinas. Tickets are also sold on the buses themselves and on the ferries.

One bus ride costs 2 EUR, but you can also buy cards for 10, 25 or 50 times. The greater the number of trips, the more favorable the price, respectively: the card will cost you 18 EUR by 10 times, 25 - 42 EUR, 50 - 70 EUR. A single ferry ride costs 5 EUR. Subscriptions are sold for them, you can buy only an annual card, but why would a tourist who will spend two weeks on the islands at best?

I advise the "carless" travelers to think about hitchhiking around the islands. This is common and safe here. I myself have experienced this myself many times and have never encountered problems. Just do not forget to write your destination in large letters on some cardboard, and most likely you will be picked up within 10-15 minutes.

You should also pay attention to boats: a very convenient way to travel around the islands for those who do not want to be tied to the time of the ferry movement. There is only one company in Mariehamn that offers "mixed" boats and canoes for rent, which we already know. Apparently, this is why her prices are not the most democratic: a day of using the usual rowboat will cost you about 100 EUR, in the case of a motor vehicle add the cost of fuel. Renting for a week is more profitable: it will cost about 250-300 EUR. Canoes cost a little less: about 80 EUR per day and 150 per week.

The conditions for renting boats do not differ from the rules for renting bicycles: you will only be asked for an identity card, you will not have to pay a deposit.

The most familiar way of transportation for locals, everyone has a bicycle in Aland, regardless of income level and social status. Even important officials often commute to work on two wheels. I also advise you to move around the islands on bicycles, then you will not have to depend on not very convenient public transport. And the savings will turn out to be significant, because gasoline in Aland is not cheap: a liter of the 95th costs about 1.5 EUR, the 98th - 1.7 EUR.

If you are on the islands in summer time, you don't have to worry too much about the equipment: most daylight hours here, the risk of getting into trouble even on the busiest highways is minimal. If you suddenly decide to get on a bike in late autumn or early spring, it is better to take care of reflectors in advance - they can be bought in any supermarket and souvenir shops. Don't forget about helmets, especially when you're out of town. You will not be fined for their absence, but for the sake of your own peace of mind, it is better to protect your head.

There are bicycle paths almost everywhere on the islands, which are laid slightly away from the main route. As a rule, in the area of Mariehamn, Yomali and Eskerø they are well lit. In remote areas of the archipelago (like Sottung), they often save on electricity, so make sure that your two-wheeled friends are equipped with side lights (rental bicycles are strictly checked here, so they will definitely comply with all safety standards).

So, if my arguments convinced you and you decided to rent a bike, you can contact an already well-known company. Their prices are quite democratic: a day of rent will cost 10 EUR, a week - 50 EUR. This company also has a lot of additional bicycle equipment such as child seats, trailers for transporting animals, etc. The rental conditions are simple: you only need a passport, they do not even take a deposit for renting bicycles. Well, try to return the equipment on time, otherwise you will have to pay some symbolic fine.

Taxi. What features exist

If you come to Aland without a car, you will have to use a taxi quite often. Start at least by getting from the airport or seaport to the center of Mariehamn will work only on it. Expect taxis to be a luxury here. When you get into the car, the counter already shows 9 EUR. There are no clandestine "cabbies" in Aland, everything is official and over the counter. Taxi prices are so inhumane here due to high taxes: a trip from the airport will cost you about 20 EUR. If you are taking a taxi from the distant port of Långnäs, which is 30 kilometers from Mariehamn, be prepared to shell out 60–80 EUR.

However, the general officiality of a taxi in Aland has its advantages: for example, all cars are equipped with terminals, and you can always pay with a card. It is not customary to catch a taxi on the street here, usually they are taken at special parking lots in ports, the airport, and on the central square. You can call and order a car by phone: the operators of local taxi companies are fluent in English.

Public transport

As I have already noted, buses are not the most convenient means of transportation around the islands. You cannot completely rely on them: buses do not always have a convenient schedule. And on the weekend and holidays the number of departures is reduced altogether: in small settlements there may be no buses at all, for example, on Sundays. In the capital, Jomala and Eckerö, the situation is better, but still far from ideal. In any case, do not forget to use this site, then the likelihood of getting into an unpleasant situation will be minimized.

Transport rental

Car rental in Aland is quite popular, the service is offered by both local companies and branches of large international firms. According to my observations, the prices of international companies are slightly lower. We rented cars from Hertz several times: the prices there turned out to be the lowest on the islands, and the car fleet is quite rich. In addition to standard cars, the manager offered minibuses and jeeps, which can be used to climb into any wilderness of the archipelago. Try to search cars from other companies: Expedia, Car Hire, Runbergs Bil & Service.

The last company is purely local, Aland, with which we had a short but pleasant experience of communication. We rented a car for a trip to Sottungu and were very pleased with the service. Nobody demanded a deposit from us, they asked for a passport, which was immediately returned after making a copy. As far as I know, all the local firms where they rent cars work according to these principles.

The prices for cars for all companies also differ slightly: as a rule, a day of rent costs about 80 EUR, a week - about 400 EUR. Add to this the cost of gasoline, which is by no means cheap in Aland: about 1.5 EUR - 95th, 1.8 EUR - 98th. Fortunately, the islands do not have very large distances between the main tourist sites, and you are unlikely to spend too much fuel.

The best way to compare offers, as I said, is to use aggregator sites. Let's say.

Alandians are one of the calmest drivers in the world, so even an inexperienced driver will be able to navigate the islands. Even if you slow down and search for the turn you need for a long time, no one will be annoyed to honk and rush. There are several things to look out for when navigating the archipelago:

Remember the speed limit, in cities it is 40 kilometers per hour! Moreover, in Aland, unlike in Russia, there is no "corridor" of 20 kilometers per hour; an error of 5 kilometers per hour is officially allowed. However, in our experience, the camera will not record violations up to 10 kilometers per hour.

Aland Islands - Holidays with children

Aland is the best choice for families with children, even the smallest ones. Everything here is tailored for young tourists: in cottages, campsites and hotels you will be offered cots, all cafes have high chairs. And in general, the islands are very calm and safe, children can be allowed to go for a walk on the playgrounds alone.

The beaches in Aland are well-groomed, and many of my Finnish friends call them lapsiystävälliset, which literally means “friendly for children”.

Things to do with children

Visit Kastelholm, Bomarsund and the sailing ship Pommern... All three objects are not very large and interesting, children will not have time to get tired during their visit and at the same time will be imbued with the medieval romance of the fortifications, nautical stories about the adventures of a sailing ship.

Ski vacation

Due to the amazingly flat terrain, there are no more or less decent ski slopes in Aland, so I would not recommend the archipelago as a vacation spot for winter sports fans.

We listen to the request:

"I would like to know more about the Åland Islands, the capital of the Marienhamin Islands, as well as about the Archipelago Sea."

So, forward to the unknown!

The Åland Islands are located between Sweden and Finland at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia Baltic Sea... The population of the region is about 27,000 people, over 90% of whom are Swedes. James Barros in his book divides the history of the islands into three main periods:

1. Control of Sweden (1157 - 1809);
2. Control of Russia (1809 - 1917);
3. Control of Finland (since 1917).

Due to the strategic location of the islands, the Aland Islands have been the subject of the geopolitical games of several major powers for many centuries. In 1714, during the reign of Peter the Great, the region was occupied, albeit for a short period, by the Russian Empire. Over the following years, Russia and Sweden fought more than once for control of the region, which was constantly moving from one empire to another. Only after the military campaign of 1808 - 1809 did Russia finally manage to establish control over the Aland Islands and a number of Finnish regions, which were under Swedish control at that time.

The Aland Islands are located in the Archipelago Sea (Finnish Saaristomeri, Swedish Skärgårdshavet). It is part of the Baltic Sea between the Bothnian and Gulfs of Finland within Finnish territorial waters.

The Archipelago Sea includes a huge number of islands. The exact number depends on the definition of the term "island", as land areas range from small stones peeping out of the water, to large islands with several villages or even a city on them. The Archipelago Sea has 257 islands with an area exceeding 1 km² and about 18,000 islands with an area of more than 0.5 hectares. Considering the smaller uninhabited rocks and skerries, the archipelago comprises over 50,000 islands (for comparison, the number of islands in the Indonesian archipelago ranges from 13,000 to 18,000). The territory of the archipelago is roughly divided into inner and outer groups of islands. The outer group consists mainly of small uninhabited islands... The archipelago occupies a triangular area with the cities of Mariehamn, Uusikaupunki and Hanko at the corners.

The islands began to rise from under the water immediately after the last ice age. Due to the post-glacial rise of land, the process is still ongoing, new skerries and islands are formed, the old ones increase in size or merge. The current ascent rate is between 4 and 10 millimeters per year. Since the islands are mainly composed of granite and gneiss, the two are very hard rocks, then the erosion rate is much less than the ascent rate.

Barros in his book describes how Swedish diplomats "in vain insisted on the fact that the Aland Islands have always been a province of Sweden," to which Russian diplomats replied that "we are now occupied not by the old borders of Sweden, but by the new borders of the Russian Empire." According to Barros, "using the Aland Islands as military base against Sweden, the Russians were well aware of the strategic importance in terms of the defense of Finland, as well as the establishment of control in the Baltic Sea. "

Under the treaty of Fredrikshamn (September 17, 1809), the Aland Islands, as well as a number of territories of modern Finland, were ceded to Russia. The issue of militarization or demilitarization of the Aland Islands was constantly on the agenda of Russian-Swedish negotiations throughout the 19th century. Sweden demanded the neutralization of the islands "as an independent state under the protectorate of France, England and Sweden," and this demand was supported by Great Britain, but was rejected by Russia.

Mariehamn - translated from Swedish - "Mary's harbor". Alexander II gave the name to the city in honor of his wife. There are two ports in Mariehamn, there is a sailing ship-museum, a steamer-restaurant, modern high-speed yachts and cruise ships. The islanders call Mary the godmother, although little is known about her. Probably because the Empress herself has never been to the city named after her.

In 1856, Russia, France, and Britain signed a "convention on the demilitarization of the Åland Islands," which ended the debate at least until the collapse of the Swedish-Norwegian alliance in 1905. In 1907, in exchange for recognizing the independence of Norway, Russia demanded the annulment of the 1856 convention, which would have allowed Russia to deploy its troops on the territory of the islands. However, when Russia publicly voiced a proposal to annul the 1856 convention, it caused an uproar in Sweden and Great Britain, and the issue was removed from the agenda for a while.

During World War I, Germany promised to return the Aland Islands to Sweden, but in exchange demanded Sweden's allied participation in the war. But Stockholm remained neutral and demanded the transformation of the Aland Islands into a neutral zone. At the same time, Russia, knowing that Germany was preparing for the occupation of the islands, was preparing military forces for confrontation. In a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Sazonov on January 1, 1915, the Minister of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ivan Grigorovich, emphasized the importance of the islands for Russia. "The entire territory is of strategic importance, so one of the main tasks of the navy is to keep the islands under tight control of Russia."

The turning point began for the Aland Islands with the fall of the tsarist government in Russia, the establishment of the Provisional Government, and then the coming to power of the Bolsheviks.

After the fall of the monarchy in Russia, representatives of the Aland provinces-communes gathered in Mariehamn to jointly begin work on reuniting with their old fatherland - Sweden. A request was drawn up to the Swedish king and government to take Aland under their protection. By December 1917, signatures had been collected from almost the entire adult population of the Åland Islands.

During this period, Finland demanded independence from Russia, and in Sweden the demands for Sweden's unification with the Aland Islands intensified.

On December 6, 1917, Finland declared itself an independent republic (self-proclaimed, as we would say now) and denied the Alands their right to self-determination, understood as joining Sweden. At the same time, Alands were still promised self-government. In May 1920, the Finnish parliament passed a law on Aland self-government. The Alandians met this law with hostility. In the Aland parliament, elected back in 1918, there was a heated debate, which ended with the two leaders, Sundbloom and Berkman, being arrested on charges of high treason.

England intervened, proposing to transfer the issue to the League of Nations. On May 24, 1921, the League decided on Finland's sovereignty over Aland, but recommended that it give the Alands legislative guarantees of self-government, demilitarization and neutrality. Three days later, Sweden, reluctantly, signed the so-called Aland Treaty with Finland.

Independence of Finland

In August 1917, the Alandians held a secret assembly, at which the question of unification with Sweden was discussed. "A four-member delegation was formed with a mandate to convey to the Swedish government and parliament the deep desire of the Aland Islands to reunite with the Kingdom of Sweden for a variety of special reasons," Barros writes. From 25 to 29 December, the population of the Aland Islands held a semblance of a referendum and signed a petition to King Gustav of Sweden calling for unification. This message strengthened the position of the Swedish political groups, which advocated the immediate occupation of the Aland Islands.

Taking advantage of the weakening position of Russia, King Gustav sent a message to Germany, Austria and Turkey demanding that the issue of the Aland Islands be considered during the peace talks with Russia in Brest-Litovsk in order to "protect the vital interests of Sweden on these islands." Germany offered Sweden its assistance in negotiations with the Bolsheviks on the annexation of the islands to Sweden. At the same time, Germany put forward a number of conditions: Sweden had to "allow the inhabitants of the islands to determine their future fate in a referendum, not to build any fortification outposts and bases on the islands, not to transfer the islands to any third party, and also to start negotiations to increase exports. iron ore from Sweden to Germany after the war. "

However, on January 4, 1918, Russia recognized the independence of Finland. It is surprising that, ahead of the rest of the European states, Sweden also recognized Finnish independence on the same day. Subsequently, Helsinki will more than once use the argument that "Sweden and other states, by recognizing Finland's independence without any preconditions, actually recognized the Aland Islands as a sovereign part of Finland."

A few weeks after the recognition of Finnish independence, a civil war broke out in this country. While King Gustav tried to take cautious steps and avoid direct confrontation with Finland, the Swedish opposition demanded immediate control of the islands. Soon thereafter, Sweden dispatched ships of its fleet and occupied the Aland Islands. Subsequently, German troops established control over the entire territory of Finland, including the Aland Islands.

Status of the Aland Islands

The independence of Finland did not solve the problems of the Aland Islands, and negotiations between Finland and Sweden, as well as the negotiations of the superpowers with Russia, continued. Helsinki accused Stockholm of interfering in its internal affairs by supporting the islanders in their quest to unite with Sweden. This increased tensions in relations between the two states. The Finnish government has notified the inhabitants of the islands that it "guarantees the complete safety of the islands and urgently asks residents to avoid actions that could damage the territorial integrity of Finland, as such actions will be severely suppressed."

"In the spring of 1918, Stockholm advised the islanders that independence can only be achieved by building their own institutions of self-government, as well as preparing for a plebiscite at the right time to secede from Finland and join Sweden."

At some point, speculations appeared that Finland was considering the possibility of a "territorial exchange" by transferring the Aland Islands to Sweden and receiving the territory of Eastern Karelia in return. However, these speculations were refuted by a special statement from the Finnish government. Instead, Finland offered the inhabitants of the islands a high status of autonomy within Finland.

Negotiations between Stockholm and Helsinki did not yield results, and the parties agreed to transfer consideration of the status of the Aland Islands to the League of Nations. While the superpowers tried to mediate, the situation in both Sweden and Finland worsened. Public opinion in both countries became tougher and demanded an immediate solution to the issue of the status of the islands. As a result, the League of Nations created two special commissions to resolve the issue of the islands. The first commission was to comprehensively study the political, legal and historical aspects of the Aland problem and propose possible solutions. The task of the second commission was to develop specific recommendations and draw up a peace agreement.

After listening to the arguments of both parties and conducting its own research, the first commission (the commission of lawyers) concluded that “the fundamental issue is a legal one, namely, Finland's right to sovereignty over the Åland Islands. Tsarist Russia and whether its sovereignty extends to the islands in the same way as to other parts of Finland "(Art. 314). Regarding the question of Finland's right to the Aland Islands, the commission concluded that "the independence of Finland in 1917, which was recognized by other states, included the islands." This means that "Finland's sovereignty over the Åland Islands was not in dispute and the islands legally became part of the Finnish state."

The question of the supremacy of the territorial integrity of the state over the right of the minority to self-determination, which is still relevant today, was also discussed by the commission of the League of Nations. The question "Is it possible to recognize" absolute "the right of a minority to secede in order to further unite with another state or declare independence?" was touched upon in the commission's report. Citing the commission's report, Barros writes: “To yield to the demands of any minority (linguistically, religiously, or otherwise) to be separated from the community to which they belong, just because it is their desire, would definitely destroy order and stability. within the state and would have generated anarchy in international life. "

As a result, the commission of lawyers made the following recommendations regarding the status of the Aland Islands within Finland:
... “In the province of Åland, primary and technical schools must only provide instruction in Swedish. The compulsory study of Finnish, which is approved by law, should not be in effect in this area.
... The inhabitants of the islands in all situations should have the priority right in matters of acquiring land on the islands. In addition, newly arrived settlers can only receive the right to vote in elections after five years of residence on the islands.
... Alandians should have the right to submit to the government in Helsinki a list of three candidates for the post of governor of the islands, and the governor should be appointed only from this list. "

The commission also threatened a referendum on the status of the Åland Islands if the Finnish government rejected these recommendations. These recommendations were added to the already existing guarantees for the autonomy of the islands, adopted by the Finnish government. Final decision on the issue of the islands was adopted on June 24, 1921, and the League of Nations reaffirmed Finland's sovereignty over the Åland Islands. Three days later, on June 27, Sweden and Finland signed the "Aland Agreement" - a peace treaty on the status of the islands.
The structure of the autonomy of the Aland Islands

The Aland Islands Autonomy Act was hastily drawn up and adopted by the Finnish Parliament on May 6, 1920. At first, the islanders rejected the act. However, after the League of Nations discussed the status of the islands, the proposed recommendations were added to the 1920 Autonomy Act. Lars Ingmar Johannsson, who served as Secretary General of the Åland Parliament in the 1980s, writes that “the first popularly elected institution on the islands was the Landsting, or Åland Parliament, which was elected in popular elections in the Åland Islands, and its first plenary session took place June 9, 1922 "(Article 25). The Autonomy Act was later revised twice again. This happened for the first time on December 28, 1951, and then again in 1993. The current legislation is fully coordinated with the Finnish government and the people of the Åland Islands.

"The fundamental principle of the Autonomy Act was" to provide the inhabitants of the Åland Islands with the widest freedom to manage their internal affairs in order to ensure internal and external security (of Finland). "

The Autonomy Act unambiguously and clearly divides legal responsibility between the parliaments of Finland and the Aland Islands. The Åland parliament works in a similar way to the Finnish parliament. It consists of 30 deputies, elected every four years, and functions as an institution that makes laws and decisions on such matters of island life as police, health care, education, communications, economic development of the region, etc. Johansson argues that " in these areas, the functions of the Aland parliament are practically no different from those of the legislative and executive body of an independent state. "

“The preliminary laws approved by the Åland parliament apply on the islands and are higher than the laws passed by the Finnish parliament. However, in areas where the Åland parliament does not have the power to legislate, the Finnish laws have the same effect on the islands as in the rest of the country. Such areas include the postal, customs and monetary services, courts, the criminal code, many aspects of civil law related to family, inheritance, trade and foreign affairs. "

Alandians also have a quota in the Finnish parliament and are directly elected by the island's population, just like the rest of the country's parliament. All adopted legislative acts of the Aland Parliament are sent for signature to the President of Finland, who has the right to veto only in two cases: if the law adopted by the Aland Parliament "goes beyond its competence" and if the adopted act "threatens the internal and external security of the country."
The Åland parliament also passes laws on its own budget and taxation. Taxes, customs duties and other payments are collected from the inhabitants of the islands in the same manner as from all other citizens of Finland. At the same time, the Finnish state budget has a guaranteed line of contributions to the Åland Islands every year. In addition, the Åland Parliament has the right to request additional funding from the Finnish state budget.

Alandians have their own flag and local police units. Moreover, the islands issue their own postage stamps and are represented (as part of the Finnish delegation) in the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic Council is a regional organization composed of ministers and parliamentarians from the Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands (Denmark), Greenland (Denmark) and the Aland Islands (Finland).

You probably noticed when sailing from Stockholm to Helsinki that the ferry makes a ten-minute stop in the middle of the way in a city with an unpronounceable name. Maybe because the word Maarianhamina is not easy to pronounce, so little attention is paid to this city. However, in vain. Mariehamn (Maarianhamina) is worth stopping for a couple of days. Cozy island life, so unlike life in a metropolis, or even life in a godforsaken village, will open before you in all its quiet splendor.

Marienhamn is located on a peninsula and therefore has two ports, on the west and east coasts.

The history of the emergence of Mariehamn is associated with the Eastern, or Crimean War, which determined the further fate of the Alands as demilitarized islands. After the war, the local community petitioned Emperor Alexander 11 to authorize the establishment of a port city on the main island.

And to be sure to get consent, the intercessors proposed to name the city in honor of the wife of the emperor Maria Alexandrovna. The Tsar's Manifesto on February 4, 1859, the founding of the city of Mariehamn ("Mary's Harbor") was "most merciful", and on February 20, 1861, a charter was signed establishing the city's statute. From this date, its existence is counted.

The western port (Västerhamn) is of great international importance, and ferries stop here several times a day on the route between Finland and Sweden.

The Eastern Harbor is one of the largest Scandinavian yacht ports.

For tourists, the capital of the Aland Islands offers ample opportunities for urban recreation: many hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes and museums will gladly welcome their visitors. Not far from the city center is Lilla Holmen - a wonderful beach for the whole family and the Mariebad water park with a spa center.

Getting to Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands, is most interesting by ferry going from Stockholm to Helsinki, and not vice versa: the ferry arrives in this direction not at four in the morning, but at midnight, which is much more convenient. Do not be surprised by the very paradoxical pricing: it costs even more to get from Mariehamn to Helsniki than from more distant Stockholm to Helsinki.

There are quite a few museums in Mariehamn for such a small town. This is, firstly, the famous sailing ship Pommern, Marine quarter(The Maritime Quarter) and the Åland Maritime Museum, the Åland Museum, the hunting and fishing museum, the art museum and a little more.

Looking into the museum from the entrance, we concluded that these are typical provincial museums, which are not worth spending too much time on if you are not connoisseurs of local arts and crafts. It makes sense only to visit the sailing ship "Pommern". But if you don't have enough time, you can still admire it from the pier (the masts and tackle are especially beautiful against the sunset).

Clean streets with toy houses not hiding behind fences, and silence, which is only occasionally broken by the roar of an old American car of the middle of the century (every now and then Stephen King's "Christina" comes to mind). As it turned out, taxes on the purchase of a new car are very high here, so young people prefer to buy spectacular-looking “dinosaurs”, bring them, literally, into a shiny state, and in the evenings, wearing a cowboy hat, slowly drive around the city with the whole company.

Alandians are very sensitive to their mailboxes. Old mailboxes are wooden, hand-painted - and only a few risk putting the newfangled plastic ones.

The main attraction of Mariehamn is its hiking trails (especially in the western part of the island). Coastline in many ways resembles South coast Crimea: sheer cliffs, small pines, winding paths. But, unlike Crimea, where only in Novy Svet there is an equipped pedestrian "ecological" trail, there are equipped trails everywhere (and even inside the island, they are marked with a red line on the map).

This means that every N meters there are benches, bridges, fences and there is no debris (despite the fact that during the season the tourist load on them is appropriate). Everything hiking trails thought out in such a way that after 2-3 hours of a leisurely walk you will return to the city.

There are several equipped beaches in the eastern and northeastern parts of the island. The sandy-silty bottom is very gentle - it will take a long time to enter the water. Because of this bottom topography, it is especially interesting to observe low tides when a significant area of the seabed is exposed.

The museum sailboat Pommern is anchored in the western port. The Dutch steamer Jan Nieveen (also known as F.P. von Knorring) is located in the eastern harbor and has been converted into a restaurant. We also recommend visiting the city's museum and art museum.

For connoisseurs of architecture, it will be interesting to know that in Marienhamn there are several buildings designed by the famous Finnish architect Lars Sonck: the main building of the Aland Maritime College (1927), the Marienhamn Church (1927), the city hall (1939).

In the park in front of the city hall there is a statue of the patroness of the city - Empress Maria Alexandrovna.

In 2011 Marienhamn celebrated its 150th anniversary. This bronze monument is a gift from the Russian side.

Sculpture on a red granite pedestal. The monument was erected in the very center of the Åland capital.

The military past of the Aland Islands is reminiscent of the Russian fortress Bomarsund. Now there is little that remains of it, only ruins, but the Alandians proudly bring tourists here. At the beginning of the 19th century, these islands, together with Finland, became part of the Russian Empire. But the history of the Alands is closely connected with Russia since the time of Peter the Great.

With this observation deck most visible beautiful road running between the islands. In the 18th century, an important postal route from St. Petersburg to Stockholm passed through Aland. Peasants living along the highway at a distance of up to 3 miles were placed at the disposal of the post office and were required to deliver letters and parcels along a chain from yard to yard.

Postal workers were the first to celebrate the anniversary of the city. They issued a stamp in honor of the Russian Empress. For the miniature, the authors used one of the most famous images of Maria Alexandrovna, exactly the same portrait is in the Hermitage.

This is also a joint project of the Aland and Russian post offices. The godmother of the city against the background of the historical landscape. In Aland, only local stamps are used, so now, with the help of the miniature Empress Maria, you can send a letter from Mariehamn to St. Petersburg. Very symbolic.

How to get there

Marienhamn can be reached from Turku and Helsinki, Finland, and from Stockholm or Kapellskar, Sweden.

Ferries are a reliable, comfortable and popular form of transport to travel to the capital of the Åland Islands.

Different fish are caught every season. In summer - pike perch and salmon, in autumn - of frightening size pike and sea taimen, in winter ice fishing with a short fishing rod is good, and in spring salmon, sea taimen and pike are notably pecked.

Since the land on the islands (and coastal waters) is privately owned, you can only fish in designated areas. These territories often consist of many small private estates, the owners of which have united into fishing farms. There are about fifty of them in total.

For fishing, it is imperative to purchase a fishing permit or a license for the area where you plan to fish. To do this, it is necessary to decide in advance on the place of fishing (or rather, on the place where to live, since there is no point in living in one place, and fishing in another). The license can be ordered in advance when booking a cottage or purchased directly on site from its owner. The cost of licenses fluctuates quite strongly - depending on the amount of fish and the size of the territory. Each territory has its own rules, they should be checked with the owner of the cottage when buying a license.

It is necessary to immediately clarify what types of fishing are allowed in these places: pike is caught on spinning and trolling, perch - on light spinning, jigs and small spoons, salmon is caught by trolling (fishing at great depths in the open sea), sea taimen - on spoon-shaped spoons and wobblers, pike perch - for large wobblers and jigs.

sources

The Åland Islands are an archipelago in the shallow Baltic Sea. Located halfway between Finland and Sweden. With an area of only one and a half thousand square kilometers, there are more than 6,000 thousand. Inhabited, however, less than one percent. And of those, most are inhabited seasonally. Which is quite natural for a population less than 30 thousand people.

The map can be enlarged or reduced

It is surprising that this population is that, being citizens of Finland, everyone speaks Swedish. There is a legend, which is often told on long winter nights, that while in an unknown point of the island, the tongue of Jarl Harald the Silent, famous for having bitten it off during interrogation so as not to betray his comrades-in-arms, is buried, all the inhabitants of the archipelago will speak Swedish.

The convenient location of the islands has long been a stumbling block between many ruling dynasties. But after the islands were given the status of a demilitarized zone in 1856 in the Treaty of Paris, everything calmed down. The past is in the past, now the islands are inhabited by an amazingly contented and peace-loving people.

The inhabitants of the islands do not even serve in the army, so pacifists from all over Sweden and Finland come to live there. However, they undergo an alternative service - as pilots, the need for which in the waters teeming with shoals never disappears.

The islands have a mild climate and are famous for their maximum sunny days throughout Scandinavia. When frosts rage on the mainland, there is a long autumn. For lovers of fishing and fresh milk, there is plenty of space.
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The islanders have always preferred to buy cars in a car dealership, solidly seizing bank cards or rolls of euro, tied with an elastic band. Moreover, filming this process on camera in order to show off to the neighbors later. But now these wild times have sunk into oblivion and most believe the best option

Aland Islands on the map

The Åland Islands are an archipelago in the shallow Baltic Sea. Located halfway between Finland and Sweden. With an area of only one and a half thousand square kilometers, there are more than 6,000 thousand islands. Inhabited, however, less than one percent. And of those, most are inhabited seasonally. Which is quite natural for a population less than 30 thousand people.

Aland Islands on the map
The map can be enlarged or reduced

Aland Islands Map

The islands have a mild climate and are famous for the maximum sunny days throughout Scandinavia. When frosts are raging on the mainland, there is a long autumn. For lovers of fishing and fresh milk, there is plenty of space.
________________________________________________________________________
The islanders have always preferred to buy cars at a car dealership, solidly seizing bank cards or rolls of euros, tied with an elastic band. Moreover, filming this process with a camera in order to brag later to the neighbors. But now these wild times have sunk into oblivion and most consider the best option to buy a car on credit. This has undeniable advantages. Of course, you cannot boast of an extraordinary purchase, but on the other hand, the damage to your pocket is almost invisible. And more and more Alandians are acting rationally.