7 interesting film locations to visit
Many film and TV-producers have fallen in love with scenic Åland views and decided to film their movies and TV series here. We have listed some locations known from tv and movies you can visit when you come to Åland!
1. Skarpnåtö Homestead Museum from Stormskerry Maja
Skarpnåtö homestead museum is located in Hammarland in the north-western Åland. The farmhouse from the 1800th century is one of the oldest and best preserved in Åland and today functions as a museum. This is where the very popular TV series about Stormskerry Maja, “Stormskärs Maja”, was filmed in the 1970s and again in 2023 when the movie Stormskärs Maja was made. The story is based on Anni Blomqvist’s novels about the hard life in the Åland archipelago in the mid-1900s. The series is one of the most popular Finland-Swedish series ever and when the movie was released in the beginning of 2024, it became a huge success.
How to get there: Skarpnåtö is located in Hammarland about a half an hour by car from Mariehamn and about the same distance from the Berghamn ferry harbour in Eckerö. If you are getting around by bicycle in the summer, you can also take the bicycle ferry M/S Silvana from Hällö in Geta over to Skarpnåtö.
Tips for your visit: Do you want to track Stormskärs Maja even more closely? Then you could visit the Simskäla island in Vårdö where Anni Blomqvist, who created Stormskärs Maja, was originally from. The novels had Maja living on an island called Stormskäret, in real life the island is called Väderskär and lies 40 nautical miles north of Simskäla. In summertime, you can visit Anni Blomqvist’s childhood home in Simskäla, nowadays a museum.
Other spots seen in the movie: The church in Eckerö, the Maritime Quarter in Mariehamn and Nåtö nature trail south of Mariehamn.
Note: The scenes from Janne's and Maja's farm are filmed in Geta on a private property and cannot be visited.
2. The Lågskär lighthouse from “the Disciple”
The red Lågskär lighthouse is located on an island south of Mariehamn. This is where the psychological thriller “The Disciple” directed by Ulrika Bengts was filmed in 2012. The film is about a 13-year-old boy who came to Lågskär in 1939 to be a lighthouse keeper. The chief lighthouse keeper rules life on the island and his family with an iron fist, and the film is about the mechanisms of power in the most open of all enclosed spaces: an island where you are trapped, although the horizon is clear and unbroken in all directions. “The Disciple” was chosen as Finland’s entry for best foreign film at the 2014 Oscars.
How to get there: You need a boat to get to Lågskär. Contact one of the boat taxi companies.
Other tips for your visit: When you are on Lågskär, you should climb up the lighthouse and enjoy the view. Have a picnic and enjoy the view over the open sea. Lågskär is also a bird observatory and a Natura 2000 area, so make sure you won’t leave any rubbish on the island. Take care as you move around and keep to the paths when you’re exploring the island.
3. The Käringsund fishing spot from “Vi på Saltkråkan”
The Käringsund fishing spot and guest harbour in Eckerö, Western Åland, is a unique area with about fifty old fishing huts and boathouses. The area reminds you of a time when fishing was an essential part of Ålander’s livelihoods. Several scenes from the TV series Vi på Saltkråkan (“We on Seacrow Island”), based on the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s beloved children's books, were filmed here.
How to get there: A walk from Eckerö Linjen’s ferry harbour takes about five minutes and there’s a path that leads you straight to Käringsund. From Mariehamn to Käringsund by car takes 30 minutes. You can also take the bus from Mariehamn and get off in Storby or Berghamn and walk the last stretch.
Other tips for your visit: There is plenty to see and do in Käringsund, so make sure to reserve enough time. When you’ve strolled around the fishing huts, taken selfies and eaten your picnic, you might appreciate a visit to the Åland Hunting and Fishing Museum, Käringsund Game Safari and the Leklandet adventure playground in Eckeröhallen. If it's warm and sunny, we also recommend the beach at Käringsund Resort & Conference.
4. Hermas museum farm on Enklinge from “Iris”
The Hermas museum farm is located on the island of Enklinge in Åland’s eastern archipelago. Hermas is the last totally preserved group of old-fashioned farm buildings in the Åland archipelago and the farm boasts about 20 buildings. This is where Ulrika Bengt’s film Iris takes place. It's a story about the complex relationship between an eight-year-old girl and her mother. Iris is sent away from her comfortable life in Stockholm in the 1890s by her artist mother to live a simple archipelago life at her relatives in Åland. Finally, Iris finds friends of her own age and experiences a glorious summer in the scenic archipelago.
How to get there: Take the archipelago ferries’ northern line (Norra Linjen) from Hummelvik in Vårdö. The ferry docks at Enklinge and the Museum Farm lies a two kilometres walk from the harbour.
Other tips for your visit: The Hermas Museum Farm is only open in the summer, but if you come to Enklinge at other times you can view the farm from the outside. Stroll around among the houses and feel as though you have travelled hundreds of years back in time. Read more about the Hermas Museum Farm here.
5. The Viking village from "Viking warrior women"
The viking village in Kvarnbo, Saltvik, in the north–eastern part of Åland’s main island, is where Urban Canyons filmed parts of the documentary Viking Warrior Women about the female Viking warrior Signe. The film-makers were inspired by actual archaeological finds from a Swedish Viking grave, where the warrior buried was a woman.
How to get there: The best season to visit the Viking village is the last weekend in July, when the annual Viking market takes place. Special buses run from Mariehamn to the marketplace, but you can also drive there. The association Fornföreningen Fibula who arrange the Viking market also arrange banquets for groups where Viking food is served and Viking games are held.
Other tips for your visit: Dress up in Viking clothes of cool linen and cover yourself with sun cream so you can enjoy a whole day in sunshine at the Viking market. A short walk away you'll find the Kvarnboviken beach where you can have a dip to cool down and see the “Borge Swyn” Viking ship, which featured in the film!
6. The Rökka kiosk from “Tjockare än vatten”
The little pale blue Rökka hot–dog stand is located by what is known as the Rökerirondellen roundabout in northern Mariehamn. It was one of several spots that were featured when the TV series “Thicker Than Water” was filmed in Åland. Other places that the TV team visited in Mariehamn included the Badhusberget outdoor area and the Pub Ettan. If you want to follow in the footsteps of the TV characters, just head to the centre of Mariehamn.
How to get there: When in Mariehamn, you can either walk or cycle to the Rökka hot–dog stand. Follow the cyclepath northwards along the Östra utfarten road passing the Mariebad bathhouse, continue under the Rökerirondellen roundabout and you’ll quickly reach the kiosk.
Other tips for your visit: Impress the hot-dog seller by placing your order like a proper Ålander. A classic order would be: “Två med rubbet, två nakna och en halva vitt”, which means two hot dogs with mustard, ketchup and gherkin relish, two sausages and half a litre of milk.
7. The Northern Åland red rocks from “Devil’s Bride”
Parts of the film Djävulens jungfru were shot on the red rocks in Geta. The film is about the witch trials in Åland in the 17th century, in which several women were accused of being sorceresses and executed. In the film, the red rocks by the sea were the scene for the executions, but in reality, they are a lovely place to visit – not only for those with interest in nature. You can enjoy the seaview while having a delicious picnic but also book a stay at the Havsvidden Resort and have a dinner in the resort’s restaurant.
How to get there: Havsvidden lies a 40-minute drive from Mariehamn and about 50 minutes from the Berghamn ferry harbour in Eckerö. The resort also has a guest harbour for those exploring Åland with their own boat.
Other tips for your visit: Take your binoculars with you. You are guaranteed to see boats, birds and maybe even a seal out in the sea, which you may well want to examine a bit more closely. You may also want to photograph the view and the sun when it sets, so make sure your phone is fully recharged.
