Archipelago trail on the Åland main island
What can you experience along the Åland Archipelago Trail on the main island of Åland? This is where you can find inspiration and tips for the trail following it from Prästö, Sund in the north, to Lumparland in the south.
Prästö
The first stop on the archipelago trail on the main island section is in Prästö, just a stone’s throw from the Töftö cable ferry. There’s a nature trail that gives those with interest in history a lot to experience. Along the trail you can see several old cemeteries that reveal the many religions that were represented in the area during the time Bomarsund fortress was under construction. The site is full of history and you hike both in a beautiful forest and open landscape.
Bomarsund
From Prästö the road goes on over a strait to the fortress area of Bomarsund. Here you can download the app Coastal Past and let the app guide you through the area. In June 2022, a new visitor’s centre will open. There you can e.g. get a virtual view into how the area looked like in the 1850’s.
Right next to the main fortress lies the restaurant and café Furulundsgården that is open during the high season.
Kastelholm
About 10 kilometers from Bomarsund you’ll find Kastelholm, an area that has a lot to offer to those with culinary or historical interest. Here you can visit Åland’s only castle, the open-air museum Jan Karlsgården, the restaurant Smakbyn and play golf at the top course Slottsbanan at the Ålands Golfklubb golf center.
At the Jan Karlsgårdens wärdshus you’ll find a bakery and a café and also familiarise with the Åland Distillery. In addition to having lunch or dinner at Smakbyn you can see how candy is made by hand at Karamelleriet and purchase stylish ceramic ware from a local pottery store.
There’s also a 9 hole disc golf course that welcomes players all year round.
Godby, Finström
Godby is the largest urban center in Åland after Mariehamn. Here you’ll find a sports centre with a swimming hall, grocery stores and other services such as pharmacy and bank. On the north side of Godby the café Uffe på berget has a lookout tower where you can admire the views over the area.
A bit outside Godby the local brewery Stallhagen welcomes visitors for guided tours and tastings. Their pub in the same building is famous for their traditional home cooked food. There’s also a shop where you can buy the beers to take with you home.
The bakery and café Johannas hembakta is a nice place for a coffee break. It’s in Grelsby, a bit off the Godby center.
Jomala
From Godby the road goes on towards Jomala and Mariehamn. On the way you can stop at Jomala kyrka, which is one of the oldest stone churches in Finland. The church tower is dated to derive from the late 13th century.
Mariehamn
The only town in the Åland Islands offers a lot to experience. Especially the many museums that are of high standard. You can visit the Cultural History museum of Åland and the Åland Art Museum in the same building. The Åland Maritime Museum has been awarded as the best museum in Finland. The museum ship Pommern is something totally unique and an absolute must-see. It welcomes visitors during summer.
Families with kids find the swimming centre Mariebad a nice spot as well as the recreation island Lilla holmen just a short walk from the town centre. There you can find a beach, a volleyball course, a playground and animals. Those with interest in handicraft and shipbuilding should visit the Maritime quarter on the eastern side of Mariehamn.
Mariehamn also offers many restaurants and cafés and there are many convenient hotels in the town center as well. The distances are short in Mariehamn and it’s easy to walk everywhere.
Lemland
A nice first stop on the way from Mariehamn towards the east is the art museum Önningebymuseet. It’s open in the summer and shows art from the turn of the 20th century picturing the surrounding areas.
The channel of Lemström is an important shortcut for boaters and it’s a perfect stop for an ice cream during summer. Nice stops in Lemland are e.g. Amalias Limonad where they produce homemade soft drinks, the Open Water Brewery and the local museum Skeppargården Pellas, an old shipman's house.
If you search for accommodation, Amalias bed & breakfast in Lemland stays open all year.
The Åland archipelago trail goes on to Svinö in Lumparland where you can start the next leg by taking the ferry to Degerby in Föglö.
> Read about the Åland Archipelago south-eastern trail
