A little more
Aland Islands.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Aland Islands: what to know before you go

The Åland Islands are an autonomous, demilitarised and Swedish-speaking region of Finland, scattered across the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden. Thousands of granite islands, red-painted villages, quiet country roads and a strong seafaring heritage make it a natural fit for cyclists, sailors and anyone after a slow Nordic summer.

Where to go

• Mariehamn. The only town, with tree-lined streets and harbours on both sides.
• Kastelholm Castle and Jan Karlsgården. A medieval stone castle in Sund, once the administrative centre of the islands under the Swedish crown.
• Bomarsund Fortress. The ruins of a huge Russian fortress begun in the 1830s and destroyed by British and French forces in 1854 during the Crimean War.
• Cycling the archipelago. Åland is flat, quiet and laid out for bikes, with signposted routes that hop between islands on small car and cable ferries.

Best time to visit

June to August is the main season, with long light evenings, warm but rarely hot days and the full ferry timetable. Midsummer, in late June, is celebrated with decorated maypoles in villages across the islands.

Staying online in Aland Islands

Mobile coverage is good across the main island and most inhabited islands, and 4G is widely available. Expect weaker signal on open water between islands and on small outer skerries. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, guest harbours, accommodation and on the large ferries, though ferry Wi-Fi can be slow at sea. Note that the large ferries may switch to a maritime network away from shore, which can be charged separately, so turn off data roaming on board if you are unsure. Install your eSIM before you travel and switch it on when you arrive.