Åland Archipelago

The Aland Islands (or Aland) are a self-governing archipelago situated between Sweden and Finland. Land is a mostly Swedish-speaking Finnish province made up of a few big islands and almost 10,000 smaller ones. Land has a distinct history. Sweden gave it to Russia in 1809. The islands were taken by a combined British-French fleet in 1854, which destroyed the citadel. Following that, the entire archipelago was demilitarized, and it still is today.

Land has a population of around 27,500 people, with roughly 11,000 living in Mariehamn, the principal town. Because shipping and trade have long been the islands' principal industries, the Nautical Museum, the Museum Ship Pommern, and the Maritime Quarter in Mariehamn are all worth visiting to learn more about the islands' interesting maritime heritage.

The Jan Karlsgrden open-air museum near Kastelholm is well worth a visit, where you can see what a typical island farm looked like in 1890. The pristine environment and gorgeous landscapes of land, on the other hand, are a huge lure these days.

Aland celebrates the longest day of the year with a magnificent and ancient celebration on midsummer's eve. Artists enjoy it because of the beautiful landscapes and seascapes, and tourists flock here by boat from Turku and Stockholm to visit their studios and galleries.

Location: Åland Islands, Finland

Highlights: Charming Mariehamn, Cycling in Åland, Get to know the history of Kastelholm castle, Go golfing, The ruins of Bomarsund, ...

Best time to visit: summer, from June to August