Recommendations for island hopping across the Aland Islands to get to mainland Finland

[Mrs Acer]

Hi,
I've been looking at the islands of the Aland Archipelago and can't decide which ones we should visit. We love quiet and walking, so any of them will actually tick this box. I'm really looking for recommendations for the route to take to get over to mainland Finland. I can see there are direct routes from Langnas to Turku etc but I'm more interested in taking advantage of some island hopping with the ultimate destination being Finland mainland. I would also prefer shorter ferry journeys. I have so far established a route from Langnas to Kokar to Galtby. Also a route from Vardo to Kumlinge, Ava, to Vuosnainen. Has anyone taken these and do you have any tips? Or is there something else? We are likely to be here at the beginning of September.
Thank you

 

[bvddobb]

There used to be an Aland ferry ticket type, that gave you month access to all the inter-island ferries on the Alands. Ideal for island hopping!

 

[Mrs Acer]

Thank you very much!!! That was very helpful. I’ve just had a quick look and I can see there is a 9 consecutive day pass for an Åland Tourispass. I’ll look at the detail.
Which was your favourite island? Or islands? And why?

 

[bvddobb]

Which was your favourite island? Or islands? And why?

The Ålands are still on our bucket list...

 

[jarkko120]

There is loads to explore! There are two main island hopping directions you can take - have a look here: https://www.rengastie.fi/saariston-ympari-reitti/. Both are nice, but if I had to recommend, I'd take the southern option to Kökar and then Kroppoo. On Kökar, I really recommend their museum (Kokar Hembygdsmuseum) which shows what life was like in the olden days there. If you are ready to leave the van behind for a day or two and take the ferry from Korppoo south, Aspö, Jurmo (the one in Pargas, not Åland) and Utö are truly worth a visit. Aspö's village is a favorite amongst Finnish guests. Their local smoked fish is famous and the town is picturesque. Jurmo is an island formed by the ice-age, a really unique piece of our planet's history. Utö being the southernmost inhabited island is worth a half-day trip (or stay there overnight before heading back). On the main Åland island, a honorary mention to Bomarsund fortress, which has British history. I hope that gives some ideas!

 

[Kingfisher]

I hope that gives some ideas!

This is all great info, thank you for your post! I must add these islands to my bucket list as well ;-) Your recommendations are certainly inspiring.

Do you know if the archipelago gets overcrowded in summer? Would it require a lot of planning ahead in order to get space on ferries and campsites?

 

[jarkko120]

This is all great info, thank you for your post! I must add these islands to my bucket list as well ;-) Your recommendations are certainly inspiring.

Do you know if the archipelago gets overcrowded in summer? Would it require a lot of planning ahead in order to get space on ferries and campsites?

July and first week of August are busy, after that things quiet down quickly. In September you'll only see locals. Having said that, many services close at the end of August (expect ferries that run at least until the sea freezes over in the winter - I actually skated from mainland to Mariehamn this winter!), so it might be a good idea to check if campsites are open if you plan to go in Sept.

 

[Kingfisher]

Thanks! I'll aim for second half of August then. Skating to the islands sounds like quite the adventure though!

 

[BayCatOne]

Even though this thread is a bit old now - I'm born and raised on that island so if you're going reach out and I can hopefully pitch in. On the mainland you should most definitely visit the one and only city of Mariehamn and do a day trip or overnighter to Föglö is worth your while. Getabergen, Sund with Kastelholmsslott and visiting the old fortress of Bomarsund and all its towers is also a must. They "recently" opened a big visitor center in Bomarsund which is interactive, and there are lovely beaches close by that you can go for a swim. On the Vårdö side, where the ferry toward the archipelago leaves from, there are several good spots for swimming, tree top adventure etc.

The cheapest and fastest way of getting across from Sweden is from Grisslehamn. There used to be a ferry from Kapellskär but that one is unfortunately not available anymore, and that was the best one too...

You can pretty much drive all the way through the archipelago over to Turku, and island jump with ferries. There used to be the possibility to just drive down to the harbor and stand in line, but that's not an option anymore. However there are combination tickets that will save you money, and pre-booking during the summer is a must. Both to get to Åland but also in the archipelago.

Is it crowded during the summer, yes and no. Biking is very popular so you'll have that to contend with if you're planning to stay on a campsite, but in general throughout the island(s) there are people, but not that crazy compared to Venice or similar places.

 

[Kingfisher]

Thanks, great info! It will be for another year, but it does sound like a place I must visit at least once.

 

[Mrs Acer]

Even though this thread is a bit old now - I'm born and raised on that island so if you're going reach out and I can hopefully pitch in. On the mainland you should most definitely visit the one and only city of Mariehamn and do a day trip or overnighter to Föglö is worth your while. Getabergen, Sund with Kastelholmsslott and visiting the old fortress of Bomarsund and all its towers is also a must. They "recently" opened a big visitor center in Bomarsund which is interactive, and there are lovely beaches close by that you can go for a swim. On the Vårdö side, where the ferry toward the archipelago leaves from, there are several good spots for swimming, tree top adventure etc.

The cheapest and fastest way of getting across from Sweden is from Grisslehamn. There used to be a ferry from Kapellskär but that one is unfortunately not available anymore, and that was the best one too...

You can pretty much drive all the way through the archipelago over to Turku, and island jump with ferries. There used to be the possibility to just drive down to the harbor and stand in line, but that's not an option anymore. However there are combination tickets that will save you money, and pre-booking during the summer is a must. Both to get to Åland but also in the archipelago.

Is it crowded during the summer, yes and no. Biking is very popular so you'll have that to contend with if you're planning to stay on a campsite, but in general throughout the island(s) there are people, but not that crazy compared to Venice or similar places.

This is great. Thank you! I was the original poster on this but my research paused as we also had a trip to Slovenia. I’ve only just seen all these useful posts. Now we are back I will need to get back into it as we have a 6 week trip to plan starting mid August. I am absolutely certain I will have some questions for you!!

 

[BayCatOne]

Just ask

That’s nice too! we toured around in Slovenia a couple of years ago with busses and trains and really enjoyed the place. Didn’t have time to see the white dragons though…

 

[acer]

Just ask

That’s nice too! we toured around in Slovenia a couple of years ago with busses and trains and really enjoyed the place. Didn’t have time to see the white dragons though…

If that’s all that you missed, I wouldn’t lose too much sleep if I were you. I watched them for a couple of minutes, but they weren’t the most dynamic creatures I’ve ever seen.
Also, they’re a protected species, so you can’t even find out what they taste like