Did you know?
- In connection to the celebrations of the Åland 100th anniversary, Ålanders nominated the Åland pancake as the local course of the century. If the original recipe should contain rice or semolina, is still discussed.
- The first and the oldest crisps factory in Finland is located in Haraldsby in Åland.
- Åland is the sunniest place in the Nordic countries in May–August.
- All cars in Åland have licence plates that start with the letter Å.
- Most of the roads in Åland are red due to the red granite found in Åland which asphalt used mostly consist of.
- The Åland archipelago contains more than 6,700 islands. Go island hopping by archipelago ferries, a taxi boat or by your own boat and visit a lighthouse or an old pilot station.
- There are more than 30 hiking and nature trails around Åland that are available all year round.
- Åland is a disc golf paradise with 11 disc golf courses around the archipelago. Many of the courses have access to the sea, which makes playing even more exciting. Do you want to give it a try? Borrow a disc set at the Mariehamn tourist information.
- Åland has its own domain, .ax.
- Axgan is a word derived from the domain that tells a course mostly consists of Åland products. It’s also used to describe a person who prioritises locally produced Åland food and products.
- Åland has a lot to offer for those with an interest in maritime history and seafaring. Here you’ll find the museum ship Pommern, the only four masted bark in the world in original condition.
- Mail between Finland and Sweden was rown over the sea of Åland as late as in 1895. To honour the men who carried the mail, a rowing competition is arranged every year between Eckerö in Åland and Grisslehamn in Sweden. The boats used in the competition imitate the original mail rowing boats from the 18th and 19th century.
- The smallest municipality in Finland, Sottunga, lies in Åland. There are about 100 inhabitants on the island!
- People in Åland often use points of the compass when they give a road description. The locals are also well aware of the current windforce and wind direction.
- Despite the fact that Åland is surrounded by water and many people live outside urban areas, many locals have a summer house in the archipelago too.
- In Åland everybody seems to know everybody or at least, people have common acquaintances. This builds up familiarity that is appreciated by most locals.
- The distances are short in Åland. The longest distance on the main island is only 50 km from the east to the west and from the north to the south. In Mariehamn, the distance between the Maritime museum in the Western harbour and the Cultural History Museum by the eastern waterfront is only 500 m.
