Where do you want to stay in Åland, Finland?

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.

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.

A cosy cottage by the sea - that is the type of accommodation most people want in Åland. But some cottages and holiday villages provide that little bit extra, and those cottages are the most popular ones. This year an inspiration competition has been held to show good examples of how holiday villages can provide better accommodation. The winner of the 2011 competition was Hjortö stugor & stockhus.

More and more visitors to Åland visit our official tourist portal - www.visitaland.com. Now there is also a new mobile site that is especially designed for you if you have a smartphone. Find accommodation and restaurants. Search on a map and check the weather - everything you need so that you can travel and plan more easily!

Åland’s archipelago is filled with white sails in summertime. That’s not surprising, as each of the 6700 islands and countless bays and inlets tries to outshine the rest. One of the people who set sail for Åland last summer is Jussi Heikkilä, who came with his wife Tarja and their sons Elias and Joonas.

It’s easy to make fun of ‘shabby chic’ romantics. But if you give a positive spin to the term, it applies perfectly to people like Ella Grüssner Cromwell-Morgan and her husband Martin. People who see the beauty and benefi t of things that others think have been lost; enthusiasts with dreams and the initiative to make them into reality.

There are many alternatives for accommodations in Mariehamn – everything from a tent in a camping ground to a luxurious hotel room.

Families enjoy the Åland islands. These islands are relaxed and secure and there are lots to see and experience. The journey is quick and simple from Sweden or Finland and there are many accommodation alternatives to choose in between.