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Territory of Finland

Northern Europe

Åland IslandsTravel guide

Explore Åland Islands visa rules

Åland is a group of islands in the Baltic Sea and a self-governing part of Finland. Its capital is Mariehamn. The islands are known for sailing history, peaceful countryside and outdoor activities. Swedish is the only official language.

Why go

  1. Explore the sailing ship Pommern and the Åland Maritime Museum.

  2. Visit medieval Kastelholm Castle and the ruins of Bomarsund Fortress.

  3. Cycle the historic Postal Route.

  4. Explore smaller islands by boat or sea kayak.

  5. Try Åland pancake, sweet blackbread and local apple products.

Best time to go: Summer offers more open attractions, places to stay and guided lighthouse trips. Many rural businesses close in winter, and sights outside Mariehamn have shorter opening hours outside summer.

Getting there

By air

  • Mariehamn Airport is the only airport with scheduled flights.
  • There are daily flights from Helsinki Vantaa, Turku and Stockholm Arlanda airports.
  • Private aircraft can use Kumlinge airstrip.

By sea

  • Ferries connect Åland with mainland Finland and Sweden.
  • Ferries call at Mariehamn, Eckerö or Långnäs. Many are cruise ferries travelling between Finland and Sweden.

Customs

  • Åland is outside the European Union's value-added tax area, so some goods need customs clearance.
  • Pets arriving from abroad need a passport and records of rabies and tapeworm treatment.

Getting around

  • Car

    Roads are good, distances are short and traffic is light. Drive on the right. Car hire is limited, so book ahead. RBS biluthyrning can deliver a car rented in Mariehamn to your hotel, the airport or the ferry at no extra charge. Fuel is available throughout the islands. Check fares and booking arrangements before taking a car on archipelago ferries. Parking on the left side of a street is prohibited.

  • Bus

    Ålandstrafiken buses serve most parts of the main islands. Most routes appear on matka.fintraffic.fi and Google Maps. You can buy tickets with cash, a card or the PayiQ Tickets app. Bus cards are sold at the bus authority office in Mariehamn. A ticket is valid for up to two hours. Carrying a bicycle costs an extra €5.

  • Scheduled taxi

    Scheduled taxis connect ferry harbours with local destinations in most outer-island municipalities. Travel along the main road is free. Trips beyond it cost a small fee. Reservations are usually needed the day before.

  • Boat and ferry

    Most ferries and buses are run by Ålandstrafiken. Main islands are linked by bridges or cable ferries. Boats reach many smaller islands, and there are many guest harbours. Anchoring is often possible away from settlements. You can charter a boat or hire a sea kayak. Taxi boats may offer fishing trips and guided outings.

What to see and do

  • Pommern and the Åland Maritime Museum

    These attractions at Mariehamn's West Harbour explore Åland's seafaring history. Pommern is a four-masted sailing ship.

  • Kastelholm Castle and Jan Karlsgården

    Kastelholm in Sund is a medieval castle dating from the 1380s. Nearby Jan Karlsgården is an open-air museum showing a traditional late-19th-century farm.

  • Vita Björn

    Åland's former prison is now a museum showing prison life from the 18th to the 20th century.

  • Bomarsund Fortress

    Explore the ruins of a large Russian fortress destroyed during the Crimean War in 1854. There is also a visitor centre.

  • Eckerö museums and historic buildings

    The Åland Hunting and Fishing Museum shows traditional island life. The Mail and Customs House dates from 1828.

  • Märket Lighthouse

    This lighthouse stands on a tiny island shared by Sweden and Finland. Boat trips leave Eckerö in good weather.

Food and drink

  • Smoked flounder

    Try it with potato salad. Fish dishes are a local food to look for.

  • Svartbröd

    This dark, flat rye bread tastes sweet because of treacle and its baking method.

  • Åland pancake

    A semolina pancake flavoured with cardamom and sometimes vanilla, served with stewed plums and whipped cream. Many cafés serve it, often with raspberry jam as an alternative.

  • Kastelholm cheese

    This cheese from the local ÅCA dairy goes well with blackbread.

  • Taffel crisps

    Made in Åland using local potatoes. The factory outlet is in Saltvik.

  • Ålands Senap products

    Mustard, ketchup and dressings made in Godby are widely sold in grocery shops.

Money

Euro (€; EUR)

  • Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted.
  • Cash is used more often than elsewhere in Scandinavia. Keep some banknotes with you.
  • Swedish kronor are often accepted in summer, but the exchange rate is usually poor.
  • MobilePay and Swish mobile payments are sometimes accepted, especially by small businesses.

Typical costs

  • Many goods cost 10–50% more than in mainland Finland and Sweden.
  • A bus ticket costs €2.50, as listed for 2026.
  • Taking a bicycle on a bus costs an extra €5.
  • Scheduled taxis are free along the main road, with a small fee for travel beyond it.

Language

  • Swedish is the only official language, and most public signs are in Swedish.
  • English is widely spoken and is usually the best alternative if you do not speak Swedish.
  • Finnish is less widely spoken, especially outside Mariehamn, though tourism staff often speak some.
ålänning
An Ålander: a person from Åland.

Staying safe

  • Crime is rare, and Åland is generally safe.
  • Take normal care when boating or travelling on sea ice.
  • Stay clear of shores near cruise ferry routes when a ferry approaches. The water can rise quickly, withdraw and then return as a wave.
  • Alcohol-related incidents, including sexual harassment, occur on cruise ferries. Avoid going alone with strangers to private areas unless you trust them, and report serious incidents immediately if possible.

Local customs

Do

  • Recognise Åland's distinct identity and Swedish-speaking culture. Many residents identify primarily as Ålanders.
  • Ask landowners before camping outside designated campsites.
  • Stay on marked trails in nature reserves. The small islands are sensitive to wear.

Don't

  • Do not call residents Finns or Finno-Swedes.
  • Do not assume the same freedom to roam or camp as in mainland Finland or Sweden.
  • Do not camp overnight in nature reserves, agricultural land or forestry areas.

Staying healthy

  • Ticks are common and can carry Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis, also called TBE. Check your body after spending time in vegetation.
  • Consider vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis if you expect significant exposure to ticks.
  • Mariehamn's hospital provides emergency care 24 hours a day. Medical services elsewhere are limited.
  • People needing advanced critical care may be taken by helicopter to Turku or Uppsala.

Phone and internet

  • Mobile users from mainland Finland may need to switch on roaming. Elisa and DNA do not have their own networks on Åland.
  • European Union roaming generally works as elsewhere in the union, subject to your provider's terms.
  • Åland uses Finland's telephone country code, +358. The landline area code is 18.
  • Many local organisations use websites ending in .ax, Åland's own internet domain.

Where to stay

  • Most hotels are in Mariehamn. Elsewhere, the main choices are guesthouses, cottages and campsites.
  • Many rural hosts also arrange fishing trips, wildlife watching and local tours.
  • Many guesthouses and cottage villages close in winter.
  • Campsites are available on the main islands and smaller islands including Vårdö and Kökar.

Outdoor adventures in Åland Islands

Åland offers cycling, fishing, wildlife watching and summer boat trips among thousands of Baltic islands. Outdoor options include the historic Postal Route, offshore lighthouses and viewpoints across the archipelago.

  • Postvägen (Postal Route)

    CyclingEckerö to Brändö

    Follow the postal-horn signs from the Mail House in Eckerö to Brändöby village in Brändö.

    • Check your body for ticks after spending time in vegetation.

  • Lågskär lighthouse island

    WildlifeBaltic Seanear Mariehamn

    Summer

    Take a guided summer excursion from Mariehamn. The Åland Birdwatching Society arranges tours to Lågskär.

    • Take normal precautions when travelling by boat.

  • Märket lighthouse excursion

    More to doSea of Ålandnear Eckerö

    Summer, in good weather

    Join a guided boat trip arranged by the guest harbour in Eckerö.

    • Boat trips operate in good weather.
    • Take normal precautions when travelling by boat.

  • Sälskär lighthouse excursion

    More to do

    Summer

    Book a guided summer excursion through the Åland Birdwatching Society or Skarpnåtö Turistanläggning in Hammarland.

    • Take normal precautions when travelling by boat.

  • Käringsunds Viltsafari

    SafariEckerönear Eckerö

    Visit the wildlife safari park in Eckerö.

  • Fishing in Åland

    More to doÅland archipelago

    Arrange a fishing trip through a local business, or rent a boat and equipment. Ask the business about suitable fishing areas and permission.

    • Permit: Most areas require a fishing permit, meaning permission from the owner of the waters. Local businesses can usually arrange it.
    • Take normal precautions when boating.
    • Keep clear of shores near cruise ferry routes. Passing ferries can cause sudden water-level changes and waves.

  • Kobba Klintar island trip

    More to doKobba Klintarnear Mariehamn

    Summer

    Take the summer transfer boat from the Pommern ship in Mariehamn to the island.

    • Take normal precautions when travelling by boat.

  • Geta observation tower

    More to doGeta

    Visit the observation tower in Geta for views across mainland Åland and the Bothnian Sea.

  • Orrdalsklint viewpoint

    More to doSaltvik

    Visit Orrdalsklint in Saltvik and its observation tower for views across the archipelago.

Who can visit without a visa

Travellers from 2 of 2 countries can visit Åland Islands easily: no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Visa not required2

Who can visit easily, by part of the world

For each part of the world: how many countries' travellers can come easily. Easy means no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Oceania1 of 1 countries
  • Europe1 of 1 countries

Questions

Is Åland Islands part of Finland?

Åland Islands is a territory linked to Finland, with its own entry rules. Check them separately even if you can visit Finland.

Does a Finland visa let me visit Åland Islands?

Not automatically. Many territories set their own entry rules, so a visa or visa-free entry for Finland may not cover Åland Islands. Check the Åland Islands visa page for your passport.

Is Åland part of Finland or Sweden?

Åland is a self-governing part of Finland with its own parliament. Swedish is its only official language.

When is the best time for a first visit?

Summer offers more open sights, accommodation and guided excursions. Many rural places close in winter.

How can I reach Åland?

Take a ferry from mainland Finland or Sweden, or fly to Mariehamn. Daily flights connect Mariehamn with Helsinki Vantaa, Turku and Stockholm Arlanda.

Can I buy bus tickets without an app?

Yes. You can pay with cash or a card, or buy a bus card at the bus authority office in Mariehamn.

Should I carry cash?

Yes, keeping some banknotes is useful because cash is widely used. Visa and Mastercard are also widely accepted.

Will I manage with English?

English is widely spoken, including by many older residents. Most official signs are in Swedish.

Where should I look for accommodation?

Most hotels are in Mariehamn. Guesthouses, cottages and campsites are the main choices elsewhere.

Can I find restaurants outside Mariehamn?

Some are available, but hours may be limited and they may not open every day. Guesthouses can usually arrange dinner if booked ahead.

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