5 tips for a holiday with a touch of luxury
Åland is the perfect destination for you who value beautiful views, spacious environments and tailored experiences of high quality. Here you can let yourself be pampered with local flavours from the archipelago and high class handicrafts.
Choose from accommodation by the sea or enjoy boutique hotels with stylish decorations in the countryside. Feel how luxurious it is to experience that little extra!
Read our 5 top tips for a vacation with that extra feel of luxury.
Bathe in a beach sauna and jacuzzi with a sea view
Is there anything quite as luxurious as bathing in a jacuzzi or beach sauna whilst admiring a gorgeous sea view and sunset? Pamper both body and soul with an experience you’ll rarely enjoy anywhere else.
At the bath houses at seaside hotels Carlsro Badhotell and Havsvidden you can enjoy therapeutic heat in the sauna, relax in a jacuzzi and cool down by going for a swim in the sea.
Käringsund Resort & Conference new beach suites have their own jacuzzi’s out on the terrace and lie just a couple of metres away from the beachline. Here you can also bathe in a beach sauna or wilderness bath.
In Mariehamn, Gröna Uddens camping has two beach saunas which you can rent for a group or just for two.
Are you coming to Åland with your own boat? Don’t miss out on relaxing in one of the saunas at the guest harbours around all of Åland.
2. Experience the unique archipelago
At the islet Sviskär outside of Saltvik, northern Åland, you can live on your own island or enjoy nature in a private manner. You stay in a so-called hermit’s cabin: a cabin made of stock just like the cabins built back in the day and used by fishermen in the outskirts of the archipelago.
There is no electricity, the beach sauna is heated with logs and the bathing water is brought in from nature. Here it’s the simplicity of life which is the luxury and you can completely shut out the rest of the world outside of the islet – just listen to the sounds of nature, stroll along the shoreline and enjoy the exclusive isolation.
3. Enjoy delicious food in good company
Åland has plenty of nice outdoor terraces where you get to enjoy an archipelago dinner or a good drink whilst the sun goes down in the horizon.
In Mariehamn, try out a seafood platter at the restaurant Brasserie Ångbåtsbryggan right next to the town’s eastern harbour. At the outdoor terraces Nautical and ÅSS Paviljongen in the town’s western harbour you can enjoy a dinner paired with beautiful sunsets.
How about a dinner out at sea? Go on a dinner cruise with the charming floating restaurant boat Sunnan II which departs from the Maritime Quarter.
Hearty dinners are served in the countryside with good, local food by e.g. restaurant Smakbyn a stone’s throw away from the mediaeval Kastelholm castle or Pub Stallhagen at the Stallhagen brewery.
At Björnhofvda Gård in Eckerö you can enjoy well composed menus in a rustic and classy environment. Kafé Kalesch at the Eckerö Mail and Customs House will impress you with their vegetarian lunch buffet.
Do you want to try out island hopping? Make a day trip out to Vårdö to restaurant Kallas Skärgård which lies surrounded by a beautiful garden. A short way of the trip is made on a cable ferry (does not have to be booked in advance) and the journey there goes across several islets and bridges.
4. Try drinks out of the ordinary
Those interested in drinks can find unique flavours in Åland. Åland Distillery right next to Smakbyn makes their own gin and wine, and arrange drink tastings when booked in advance.
At Kvarnbo Pensionat’s Vinsmedjan you can learn about wine and champagne. The local breweries Stallhagen and Open Water Brewery also arrange interesting drink tastings.
Do you prefer alcohol-free beverages? Then the assortment at the local lemonade factory Amalias Limonad or the apple juices at Snäckö frukt could be something for you. The apple juices can be purchased at e.g. Lolo’s Seaside Café next to the apple orchard. Both the lemonade and the juices are made in an artisan fashion with the best ingredients and nothing artificial added.
5. Ålander’s luxury
An evening on smooth granite cliffs warmed by the sun will prove to be a soothing balm for the soul. Pack a basket with cheese, crackers and something good to drink and enjoy the sun slowly descending behind the horizon. The local’s favourite spots can be found facing the west right by the open sea. Sky, sea and surrounding calm and the tepid summer warmth is everything needed!
In the autumn you can stand on the beach and follow the impressive autumn storms making the sea roar. The experience is completely different compared to during the summer, but you’ll still be equally impressed.
Being out in nature is one of the most luxurious things to do, no matter with whom, how or when you travel to Åland.
