5 things you must experience in Åland
You mustn't miss Mariehamn on your trip - the islands' capital which was named for a Russian tsarina. The shipping town that is full of memories of voyages on the seven seas. Here you can go on to the museum ship Pommern, smell the tar and get a real feel for the hard life at sea. Wander along idyllic small town streets, look at local art and crafts and go and have a coffee.
Or for the completely opposite experience, take an archipelago ferry to one of the 8 inhabited islands in the northern or southern archipelago. Experience a tiny village community, a little world in itself. Kökar is a good example. It has traces of a medieval ruined abbey to fire the imagination.
You'll find more history at Kastelholm, the large 16th century castle in the middle of Åland's main island. Gustav Vasa built the stronghold at a time when Åland lay in the middle of Sweden, strategically alongside the east-west route through the realm. Right by Kastelholm there are two truly fine 18-hole golf courses.
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