Åland is an autonomous region in Finland I traveled to in September/October 2023. Posts about that trip will show up down below once I’ve written them. Things I’ve done will be marked with a ✅. If there aren’t any posts answering your questions, please drop them in a comment below this article and I’ll answer them!
Though the Booze Cruise I took from Stockholm to Tallinn in 2012 did make a stop there to drop off a rowdy passenger, I didn’t set foot in the archipelago back then. Despite small efforts to make it back to the Baltic Sea, I hadn’t made any specific plans to go to Åland until 2023.
So I hope that in the future you can find posts about the Åland Islands on this page. Meanwhile, perhaps read about other Nordic/Northern European countries, such as Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Norway?
Things I’d Like to Do in Åland
- Hitchhike✅. Åland seems like a place where hitchhiking will make a lot of sense
- Stay in the capital Mariehamn✅ and see the sights: the Åland Museum, Pommern ship plus the Maritime Museum, and Ukraine Square✅ in front of the Mordor consulate
- Take several ferries✅. There’s a ferry company called Finnlines that operates a daily boat from Naantali to Långnäs in Åland for €12.80. Across the main island is the Eckerö line that operates cheap ferries from Berghamn to Grisslehamn in Sweden for €7. There are also famous international routes such as Mariehamn to Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, and Tallinn
- Besides visiting the main island Fasta Åland, I’d also like to visit smaller ones such as Kökar✅ and whichever others tickle my fancy (and are easy to reach). Perhaps Kumlinge (see the airstrip) or Brändö. It’s an archipelago of thousands of islets, so with access to a sea kayak or a scheduled ferry this seems easy to do
- Hike up the highest point Orrdalsklint (129.1 masl). Looks like a doable hike!
- Go hiking in the Getaberg✅ area. There are many mapped hiking trails there with some small peaks and observation towers
- So it’s my absolute dream to visit Märket Skerry, a little islet that’s divided between Åland (Finland) and Sweden. As a cherry on top, there’s a lighthouse on the Ålandic side! If you’ve been here before, then you know I love a good lighthouse
- Travel to other lighthouses in the archipelago. There are so many from small ones to very tall ones and ones that are just parked on a partially submerged rock to keep ships safe, such as Gustaf Dalén Fyr✅ en route to Långnäs Port. Apparently, it’s possible to visit Sälskär lighthouse during a kayak tour with a Nimix based in Eckerö. Similarly, one can visit Marhällen and Långskär by motorboat with Shipland
- Finally, I’d like to make a side quest to Utö. It’s part of the Turku Archipelago in Finland again but it’s not far from Kökar. It has a very square lighthouse that’s also a church. Here’s the ferry timetable from Pärnäinen
Map of Things to Do in Åland
While reading about Åland is fun and all, it’s pretty hard to plan a trip without knowing where the places are. For this purpose, I’ve created a handy map with the POIs mentioned above and some others that I personally find interesting (no kiddie stuff). In order to use it well, toggle what POIs you want to see and which you don’t with the menu button in the upper right corner of the map.
If you know cool places and things to do in Åland, comment below so I can always find your suggestions again once I start making the dream come true! Tips are especially welcome if you are Ålandic or have lived there for a while
So you are a travel blogger and have good blog posts about Åland? Then drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
Accommodation in the Åland Islands: from Eckerö and Kökar to Mariehamn
What to expect of accommodation in the Åland Islands as a digital nomad? These are the places we booked to both have adventures and get some work done. We were in Åland between the 24th of September and the 9th of October. Åland is part of Finland, so read about accommodation in Finland here. Contents1 Eckerö (Couchsurfing)2 Karlby, Kökar Island ⭐3 Mariehamn, Fasta Åland4 Cruiseferry Åland to Estonia5 Unlock the Prices of Accommodation in the Åland Islands6 Useful info about accommodation in the Åland Islands? Please share it! Eckerö (Couchsurfing) Duration: two nights We spent our first two nights inContinue reading
Faroe Islands eSIM Options: Don’t Get Screwed, the Faroes ≠ in the EU!
Traveling to the Faroe Islands? Cool, but don’t forget to turn off roaming on your phone. The Faroes are not in the EU or EEA, despite being a country under the rule of Denmark. These are your options for staying online while traveling in the Faroe Islands: eSIM, (expensive) physical SIM card, or the secret third option Contents1 How did we get here? The Faroe Islands are Danish, but not EU2 Option 1: Get a Faroese eSIM3 Option 2: Global eSIM (when you don’t need a lot of data)4 Option 3: Føroya Tele Physical SIM Card (How Retro!)4.1 Where toContinue reading
Accommodation in the Faroe Islands: Vágar, Suðuroy, Tórshavn + Smyril Line
What to expect from accommodation in the Faroe Islands as a digital nomad? We booked these places during a nine an eight-day trip to this Atlantic archipelago. We were in the Faroes between the 9th and the 17th of October, 2025. Then we took the ferry from the Faroese capital Tórshavn to Hirtshals in Denmark and had a cabin aboard the Smyril Line. Here’s where we stayed on the islands of Vágar, Suðuroy, and Streymoy, plus tips on how to avoid the booking mistakes we made! Contents1 Miðvágur, Vágar: Wonderful Apartment Overlooking the Fjord ⭐2 Trongisvágur, Suðuroy: Cute Cozycore HouseContinue reading
Accommodation in Estonia: Booking Homes in Tartu, Tallinn, and Kärdla
What to expect of accommodation in Estonia as a digital nomad? We stayed in Estonia from the 9th of October till the 25th of October, 2023. These are the places we booked to both work online from and have fun day trips. Contents1 Cruiseferry from Mariehamn to Tallinn2 Tartu⭐3 Tallinn: Metropol Hotel4 Tallinn (Catsit)5 Kärdla, Hiiumaa Island⭐6 Unlock the Prices of Accommodation in Estonia7 Wish to share this article? That’s totally fine with me Cruiseferry from Mariehamn to Tallinn Since this bit already appeared in the accommodation in the Åland Islands article, I tucked this one away. But yes, weContinue reading
Accommodation in Finland: Where We Stayed between Kilpisjärvi and Turku
What to expect of accommodation in Finland as a digital nomad? We stayed in Finland from the 3rd of September till the 9th of October, but from the 24th of September till the 9th of October we were in the Åland Islands part of Finland. Since Åland is quite a special place, accommodation in the Åland Islands is a separate post! Contents1 Kilpisjärvi, Lapland2 Muonio, Lapland ⭐3 Tornio, Lapland4 Oulu, North Ostrobothnia⭐5 Vaasa, Ostrobothnia6 Turku, Southwest Finland7 Unlock the Prices of Accommodation in Finland8 Feel like sharing? You have a special place in my heart Kilpisjärvi, Lapland Duration: three nightsContinue reading
Hailuoto Day Trip from Oulu: Marjaniemi Lighthouse + Keskiniemi Beacon
We visited Hailuoto on Thursday the 14th of September, 2014. It’s a very beautiful and flat island in the northern Baltic Sea in Finland. Contents1 Bus 59S from Oulu to Marjaniemi Lighthouse on Hailuoto2 Marjaniemi Lighthouse + Coffee3 Hiking Hailuoto’s Forests to Karvo4 Keskiniemi Beacon Tower and Light5 Harrassed by Bugs in the Forests of Hailuoto6 Hyypänmäki and the Struve Geodetic Arc7 Hitchhiking to the Ferry + Return from Hailuoto to Oulu8 Solving the Mystery: Meet the Deer Fly9 Map of Hailuoto Hike10 Was this post useful? Ponder buying me a beer!11 Good read? Consider sharing it with fellow FinnophilesContinue reading
Why We Started Catsitting + How to Start Housesitting to Travel
It all started with a cat named Monday. At least, that’s what we called her. And after finding a forever home for her, we wanted to have more cats in our lives without the drama and the tears. More happy stories of beloved felines that receive regular veterinary care. Fewer stories of kittens discarded on a hiking trail or born in a colony on a rooftop. Just taking care of cats for a few days or weeks or months and then handing back the responsibility to their pet parents who missed them dearly and are grateful for the help. ThatContinue reading
Madagascar for Digital Nomads: A New Frontier
This guide to Madagascar also appears under the Digital Nomads Guides brand Contents1 Why Madagascar?1.1 Introduction to the Red Island1.2 Which Digital Nomads can make it work in Madagascar?1.3 Income + language skills + experience2 Money3 Internet4 Plugs + Power Cuts5 Accommodation5.1 Laundry + services6 Food6.1 Restaurants6.2 (Super)markets6.3 Vegetarian food + dietary restrictions7 Transport7.1 Entering Madagascar7.2 Local transport in the cities7.3 Road/rail transport between cities7.4 Boat travel7.5 Domestic flights8 Business Hours9 Visa10 Culture, Language & Religion11 Safety11.1 Traffic11.2 People11.3 Health11.4 Nature12 Useful Facebook Groups13 Final Words Why Madagascar? Introduction to the Red Island Madagascar is basically its own continent. ThoughContinue reading
(Craft) Beer in Mauritius Guide—What a Lovely Surprise!
Trying new beers in a new country or city is one of my favorite things. That’s even better when the beer is crafty. On day 1 in Mauritius, this country already surprised me with its rather thriving craft beer scene. I haven’t fully explored all options yet since I’ve only been here for a few weeks, so I’ll update this post if I encounter more gems of liquid gold. Contents1 Mauritian Craft Beer Companies2 But First, A Note on Bottle Deposits and Fridge Fees in Mauritius3 Flying Dodo Brewing Company3.1 NEIPA — New England India Pale Ale3.2 IPA — IndiaContinue reading
Bonzur, Mahébourg?! Traveling from Istanbul to Mauritius (Semi-Live Blog)
On the 3rd of December 2021, we’re hopefully flying from Istanbul Airport (IST) in Turkey to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU aka Port Louis Airport) in Mauritius. I’m updating this post as we go. If you’re here for the documents checklist to enter Mauritius, click here. Contents1 Booking Mauritius2 Omicron Variant Enters the Stage3 PCR Test in Edirne + Onward Ticket4 Day of Departure to Mauritius4.1 Packing + Edirne bus station + ride to Istanbul Airport4.2 Can we have boarding tickets, please?4.3 Immigration and security4.4 Mandatory time-wasting before the Mauritius flight4.5 Gate reveal and boarding5 Flying toContinue reading
Great webpage about Åland. It is great that you have the Åland map also. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Åland is a magical place