Winter activities indoors and out
Live music in Mariehamn or an adventure in the winter archipelago? Adventure bathing indoors or paddle along the ice edge? If the weather is right you can try ice and snow “kite racing”. It’s a fun and fast-paced experience. If you would rather fly, you can try parasailing.
What about “ice and snowkiting”, as it’s referred to in modern Swedish? Or you can can try long-distance skating or skiing or snowboarding – what you choose will depend on the surface, of course.
"The
kite, which is easily stored in a backpack, is also an excellent aid
for long-distance skaters who want to rest their legs with the aid of
the wind," Patrik Larsson of Larssons Vattensport explains.
Larssons Vattensport also
offers parasailing on ice – where you get pulling help from a car and
fly 40-50 meters up in the air with a parachute.
After a few
hours in the crisp winter air, you may want to have a sauna, relax in
an outdoor jacuzzi or take a dip in a hole in the ice.
Winter paddling
The outdoor company Friluftsentreprenörerna S.G.U
has a suggestion for all those who want to enjoy the winter
archipelago. Try kayak paddling along the ice edge or among ice floes.
"This
is a very different experience as the atmosphere in the archipelago in the wintertime is really something else," says Jan Kankkonen from the company.
You do not have to be adventurous
and willing to take risks to go paddling. "It is enough if you like
outdoor life and fresh air," says Kankkonen, who equips all his
customers with dry suits and stable kayaks.
Friluftsentreprenörerna
also arranges guided long-distance skating tours with a touch of ice
knowledge thrown in, and also swimming in a hole in the ice, if you want to try that, weather
permitting.
If
you prefer skiing, there are ski tracks of different lengths near the
Vikingahallen sport centre in Jomala. Sometimes the tracks are prepared
with artificial snow provided the weather is cold enough.
Indoors
If you would rather spend time indoors in the winter, you can visit Mariebad, Mariehamn's excellent swimming centre with both an exercise pool and an adventure area, or go bowling in Idrottsgården. Mariehamn has training facilities, a spa and more than one sports centre.
Did you know that live music is played in Mariehamn every weekend, all year round? Look at our event calendar to see what is happening right now.