Åland Islands
One of the greatest benefits of being a part of a few travel clubs is that I have learned about places in the world I likely would have never otherwise heard about. One such example for me is the Åland Islands, nestled between Sweden and Finland.
These islands are quite unique in that they are a part of Finland, though the population overwhelmingly is Swedish speaking.
The reason I became interested in this archipelago is that there exists the smallest island with an international border: Märket Reef. The travel group NomadMania had put together a group to the Aland Islands and Market Reef, and when a space became available last minute, I jumped on it!
Day 1:
I took a morning flight from Amsterdam to the Swedish capital of Stockholm. I enjoyed a lovely few hours roaming the city’s streets, visiting a church, and having a tour in the Nobel Prize Museum.
In the early afternoon we met up as a group and headed towards the port from where we took the ferry to the Aland Islands. To be honest, I was at first dreading the ferry ride, thinking it would be 6 hours of sitting on a hard chair and eating chips from a snack stand.
To my surprise, the ferry that runs is this route is more akin to a cruise ship with bars, restaurants, and sleeping rooms you can rent. The demand is not supported by passengers going to the Aland Islands, but the ferry runs between Stockholm and Helsinki with a brief stop in Mariehamn, the capital of the Alands.
Aland has a special status which exempts it from alcohol duty, meaning that the ferry is a great place for passengers to purchase inexpensive alcohol— so long as the ship stops in the Aland Islands.
After a lovely ride of music and great conversation, we made it to Mariehamn. The hotel was not too far away, so a few of us decided to walk instead of taking the car. Soon enough it was time for bed ahead of a busy morning.
Day 2:
With Market Reef being the highlight of the trip, everything was done so we could maximize our chances of landing. So, we started our first morning by heading to the docks so we could try off for Market Reef.
Thankfully, the seas were smooth, with barely a cloud in the sky, and we were cruising on to Market Reef. Once we got off the boat we were greeted by the volunteer caretakers of the island, who were mainly from Finland.
Market Reef is quite unique in that it hosts an international border between Sweden and Finland, with the lighthouse being on the Finnish side.
We had some great opportunities to walk around the island, see the pools of water, enjoy the birds, and tour the lighthouse. I also had the opportunity to pick up a couple stamps and send a postcard home.
With the expedition to Market Reef being a success, we headed back to the main island and began our tour of the archipelago. We first drove to the Eckerö Mail and Customs House. This building was built originally by the Russians in order to control the trade of the Åland Islands. Today, it is used as a museum of local history and art.
That evening, I had a lovely time walking around the downtown of Mariehamn and eating at a hilariously-named seaside restaurant with the group.
Day 3:
The following morning we started our day early with a walk around the Kastelholm Castle built by the Swedes around the 1300s. Because it was so early, we weren’t able to go in, so after our walk we continued on.
Next, we came to the Notvik Tower, built by the Russians in the 1830s. We then visited a nearby museum that discusses the Russian fortress of the area. We were also able to walk around and see the walls of the former fortification.
We then drove over a series of bridges linking the islands the Åland Islands and came to the Vardö Church. The highlight of the church was the impressive ship model found inside.
Afterwards, we hopped on a ferry to the island of Kumlinge where we visited another church. This one had very impressive paintings on the inside.
For dinner, we took a small boat to the island of Bärö where a small hotel restaurant opened just for our group. The food was great, and they had an observation tower we could go up after we finished eating.
We then headed back on the ferry to Mariehamn.
Day 4:
The next morning, we headed out on a long ferry ride to Kökär, where we visited a church and cemetery (sense a theme yet?). The gentleman giving us a tour of the church was very passionate about the place, and played a beautiful bit for us on the organ. He also showed us the museum that is attached to the church.
Next, we visited the island museum. The director of the museum explained to us that the museum is an extremely local effort, with people providing help to build the exhibits and providing items to put on display. There is also a model of a traditional old-time cottage and fisherman’s hut. The museum received funding to build a bird watching deck, which was the highlight of the museum area for me.
We had lunch at an excellent hotel by the water right by the town in Kökär. Soon enough, we were back in Mariehamn and spent the evening walking around town and going to a local restaurant.
The following morning, we stopped at a sweet little chocolate factory + brewery and the attached cafe. For me, the highlight of this stop, however was the beautiful field with cows just behind the building.
We then drove back to town and stopped the ship museum. This museum has a large sail ship you can explore. However the crown jewel of the collection here is the authentic skull and crossbones flag. This is one of only two authentic pirate flags known to exist.
Soon enough, we boarded the ferry back to Stockholm. I spent a little time in the city and then headed to the airport Radisson before my flight to Munich the next morning where I would meet a friend for dinner before heading to my grandparents in Aachen the day after.
Overall, I had an excellent time in the Åland Islands. This certainly is a destination you could travel by yourself. However, the joy of the group was that the logistics for the ferries and arranging that the churches + museums be open for us was all taken care of.