Derek Coombes is a marketing executive from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. When he first came to Åland, it was love at first sight. That’s why he came back with his family. This is his story.

Acupuncture and hot stones or massage and facials. Today many tourists visit Åland to recharge their health batteries. Here are a few tips about Åland's best feelgood gems.

One of the most genuine Åland experiences you can enjoy is to have a smoke sauna. It is a tradition that goes back thousands of years that has survived to the present. Take the opportunity when you are in Åland to get behind the myth and try out a smoke sauna!

Here is a selection of all the 100+ events you will find on in Åland in 2012. Don't miss out - put these Åland favourite events on your calendar now! How about a short and documentary film festival in Mariehamn or a party in the centre involving the world's best beach volleyball players?

Every winter the telephone at Maria Häggblom's hardly ever stops ringing. Half of the callers ask, "Is the ice settling?". The other half ask, "When is the ice going to break up?" There are two types of guests: those who fish for perch and those who fish for pikeperch.

In summer 2010, a two-hundred-year-old ship was found at the bottom of the Sea of Åland. The wreck turned out to be a treasure trove. Its cargo included 160 bottles of champagne that were almost two centuries old. Some of the bottles were from the Veuve Clicquot champagne house. That’s how Fabienne Moreau first discovered Åland.

Lillajul, or "Little Christmas", is an old and popular tradition in Åland. It is always celebrated on the Saturday before the first Advent.

"A huge success". The first shows of digital opera at the Stadshuset in Mariehamn were a success. The performances from the Metropolitan in New York have been shown in several smaller places in Sweden and in Finland. Now you can combine a weekend in Mariehamn with opera of the highest calibre.