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. Eckerö (Couchsurfing) Duration: two nights We spent our first two nights in Åland couchsurfing with a local in Eckerö. It’s quite unusual for us, but a friend of mine brought me into contact with the guy she couchsurfed with in Åland a few months prior andContinue 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 How did we get here? The Faroe Islands are Danish, but not EU You might be taking a trip to Denmark or Iceland and think, why not do a side quest to the Faroe Islands? They’re an incredible destination with amazing nature, distinctContinue 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! Miðvágur, Vágar: Wonderful Apartment Overlooking the Fjord ⭐ Duration: two nights We had originallyContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 82: Brăila to Galați – The Last Bridge Across the Danube
This kayak day happened on the 20th of July, 2024. Jonas and I paddled the Danube from Brăila to Galați. This was a relatively short day between two major Romanian cities. Leaving Brăila for Galați Because we only had about 20 kilometers to kayak, we woke up at Hotel RaAy without an alarm. With some instant coffee, we finished packing up at a leisurely pace. Jonas was looking ready for the summer with his new haircut. The forecast said that the headwind should get less the longer we waited, so we tried to find a balance between leaving late forContinue 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. 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, we arrived in Estonia on a booze cruise. Tartu⭐ Duration: four nights From Tallinn Port, we walked to the train station and took the train first class to Tartu. This is a 2.5-hourContinue 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! Kilpisjärvi, Lapland Duration: three nights After Tromsø in Norway, our plan was to travel to Finland through one of the ‘bunny ears’ called Enontekiö. The most obvious place to stay in that area right across the border and intoContinue 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. Bus 59S from Oulu to Marjaniemi Lighthouse on Hailuoto Planning this trip wasn’t very difficult; the bus is on Google Maps. Jonas figured out it’s possible to pay with a (debit) card on the bus, so all we had to do was pack our bags and be at the bus stop on time. We walked to this bus stop on Saaristonkatu where there was a woman waiting for the bus. There were no signs that thisContinue 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 Why Madagascar? Introduction to the Red Island Madagascar is basically its own continent. Though Madagascar is by no means an easy country to work online from, a visit will absolutely be rewarding in many ways. Madagascar offers digital nomads a wildly different experience from the established destinations. Madagascar is a developing country. By some measures, it’s the fourth-poorest country in the world, having suffered a lot under French colonialism till independence in 1960. But as nearly everywhere on Earth, the essentials of the 21st century to make internationalContinue 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. Mauritian Craft Beer Companies The first two companies I encountered were Flying Dodo Brewery Company and The Thirsty Fox. The former has a delightfully basic website that leaves you guessing whatContinue 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