Hello all,
I am planning a honeymoon for my fiancee and I in the Aland Islands. I wanted to know if anyone has ventured outside of the capital and if so, what towns/villages would you recommend? My fiancee is well traveled and we both like to take things very slowly while in country. We have twenty days to explore. Our budget is pretty good and don't really like doing touristy things with groups. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
Here in the office, no one has that experience. I assume you've already started with the Finnish Tourist Board and www.visitaland.com and www.aland.com/en.
My experience is very old. 1997. We ferried between Finland and Aland for a week, camping. We had a car but saw lots of bicycle campers staying in the islands. The campgrounds were lovely. Usually central kitchens. Grassy sites. We were there for the summer solstice, so still a bit light at midnight. Nice kayaking, mosquitos were a problem but not everywhere.
Finns love to take tours of Åland by bicycle and using the ferries. You can camp or stay in cabins (cabin/cabins= "stuga/stugor" in Swedish), there are LOTS of these in Åland and ones with breakfast & showers/WC in a main building are pretty cheap but quite nice. Remember that many overnight accommodations will include breakast and even with cabins like these breakfast may be grattis (free) or a very cheap option. You can also cruse and island hop by car or motorcycle but with bikes (motored or no) its easier to always have find room on the ferry. I don't know all the sights there might be on the islands, but at least Kökar has a lighthouse. This map show the lighthouses ("majakka", plural "majakat") in Finland http://www.lighthousetourism.net/seminaari/Suomen_majakat.pdf
The Åland meritime museum is also fantastic.
On the mainland Turku castle is nice, but honestly Stockholm as more to see than Turku or helsinki. My #1 in Stockholm is the Wasa museum.
Babble Swedish might get you a handful of words for your trip.
Where to find rental cottages
