See Åland from the Seaside!
Join a boat trip when in Åland – visit a lighthouse island, step ashore on an island full of exciting history, or explore impressive cliffs, birdlife, and vegetation on an uninhabited skerry. Åland's thousands of islands and smaller islets await you only a short boat trip away. We have listed operators who will take you to fantastic places in the beautiful Åland archipelago.
Notice that most boat trips in Åland need to be booked in advance. If the trip doesn't include a picnic or catering, it is worth packing your own lunch and a water bottle. Ask your guide for recommendations specific to your excursion.
It is good to remember that the weather ultimately determines whether the boat trip will take place. The excursions run when the weather allows for a pleasant journey on the sea!
The unique archipelago nature is vulnerable so most of the excursions are made for small groups to avoid overexploitation. For the same reason, remember to leave as few traces in nature as possible and leave no trash behind.
Boat Taxi Companies and Sea Excursions
1. Shipland
Shipland, with Captain Ville, offers excursions and boat trips in the Åland archipelago. Whether you want to explore the archipelago alone, with friends, or with your company, you can be sure to have an unforgettable experience with Shipland. You can join popular guided island hopping tours and visit lighthouses, pilot stations, and other islands, getting a glimpse of life past and present. If you need a boat and a driver, you can hire Shipland as a boat taxi. The boat departs from Mariehamn but also from other locations when needed.
2. Fiskelyckan
When you arrive in Åland by ferry, you may have seen the pilot station Kobba Klintar and the white beacon on a small island right outside Mariehamn. The ferries pass by here on their way to and from Mariehamn up close. The island is a popular day trip destination during the summer months, and you can easily hop on a boat trip here with the boat company Fiskelyckan, which makes trips to the pilot island every day of the week. The departure is from the western harbour in Mariehamn, at the quay next to the museum ship Pommern. With Fiskelyckan, you can also visit the beautiful Rödhamn, a popular guest harbour and a safe nature harbour that has served sailors for centuries as the last safe stay before the sea voyage to Sweden.
3. Marina Hamnsundet
Experience Åland's northern archipelago with the island Boxö and the Länsmansgrund Nature Reserve. The boat trip with Marina Hamnsundet starts from the Hamnsundet marina in Saltvik and goes to the island of Boxö, where you can see ruins from a coastal battery and Åland's largest cave formation, Rövarbergsgrottan. The boat trip to the island takes 10 minutes and is done with traditional wooden boats, built in Hamnsundet. During the trip, you will experience both rich birdlife and a scenic archipelago environment in Boxö Nature Reserve. Once on the island, you can participate in a guided walk and a picnic with locally produced products.
4. Märket lighthouse
Norrö Holiday Village organises trips from Käringsund in Eckerö to the lighthouse island Märket, located right on the border between Finland and Sweden, with one of Europe's most peculiar borderlines. Märket is considered Finland's stormiest place, and since there is no harbour on the island, the whole trip becomes even more exciting, as the weather does not always allow landing on this unique spot. In the waters around Märket, there is a seal colony that you can watch for during the trip. The journey to Märket takes about 45 minutes, and the excursion takes a total of about 4 hours.
5. Hamnsundets Gästhamn
With Hamnsundet's guest harbour as a base, skipper Petri organises trips with his boat taxi to the northern Åland archipelago. A regular boat trip to the nearby islands is made every Wednesday evening, and the trip takes about 2 hours. If the weather is a hindrance, the trip is run on Thursday instead. The boat takes up to 7 passengers, but the minimum number for the trip to take place is 3 participants. The boat is also adapted for wheelchairs. If you only need transport, it can also be arranged. Ask also for a customised boat trip, which can be arranged according to your wishes with or without catering.
6. Guided Excursion to Källskär
Hop on one of the daily tours to the island Källskär, organised during the high season, or book a private tour for your group. Excursions can be arranged for up to 48 people. The boat trip departs from Hotel Brudhäll in the village of Karlby on Kökar, and takes you through Kökar's beautiful outer archipelago to the island Källskär. There you can join a guided walk to Baron Åkerhielm's architect-designed log house and Mediterranean-inspired garden. Tours run daily during midsummer, and the excursion takes a total of 3.5 hours.
7. Fiskeskärs Selma
Would you like to experience the Åland archipelago like depicted by Anni Blomqvist in her famous novel series about Stormskerry Maja? Join skipper Linda on a Stormskerry Maja-inspired trip to the island Fiskeskär in Åland's northern archipelago. The trip starts on the island Simskäla, at author Anni Blomqvist's boathouse, located next to her home, now a museum. The boat trip to Fiskeskär takes about 10 minutes. While on the island, you can enjoy the magnificent nature and your guide Linda will tell you about life in the archipelago in the 1800s and about the novel character Stormskerry Maja. The excursion takes about 3 hours, so there will also be time for fishing, rowing, or a sauna bath if desired.
8. M/S Silvana
Sälskär lighthouse is a magnificent excursion destination in the middle of the sea on Åland's northwest side. During the summer, you can travel here every Wednesday evening with M/S Silvana, which accommodates up to 50 passengers. You can board either at Skarpnåtö or at Lolo’s Seaside Café in Geta. On the island, you will hear about the lighthouse's history and observe the rich birdlife and special vegetation that characterises Åland's outermost archipelago. M/S Silvana also runs daily between Skarpnåtö and Lolo’s Sea Side Café in Geta, shortening your cycling trip between western and northern Åland.
