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- Kastelholm Castle (Kastelholms slott) — A moated medieval fortress set in a peaceful valley near Sund; the stone walls, ferry-of-old vibes and surrounding meadows give a real sense of Åland’s medieval and Swedish-speaking past that you won’t get on a generic castle tour elsewhere.
- Bomarsund fortress ruins & Prästö — Massive 19th-century Russian fortress remains that were blasted apart during the Crimean-War era; huge earthworks, exposed masonry and the little Prästö island cemetery make the place feel like walking through a real, explosive chapter of Baltic history.
- Orrdalsklint viewpoint — Åland’s highest natural point with a wooden observation tower and sweeping views over thousands of tiny islands; great at sunset and one of the best places to get a true sense of the archipelago’s scale
- Kastelholm Castle (Kastelholms slott) — A moated medieval fortress set in a peaceful valley near Sund; the stone walls, ferry-of-old vibes and surrounding meadows give a real sense of Åland’s medieval and Swedish-speaking past that you won’t get on a generic castle tour elsewhere.
- Bomarsund fortress ruins & Prästö — Massive 19th-century Russian fortress remains that were blasted apart during the Crimean-War era; huge earthworks, exposed masonry and the little Prästö island cemetery make the place feel like walking through a real, explosive chapter of Baltic history.
- Orrdalsklint viewpoint — Åland’s highest natural point with a wooden observation tower and sweeping views over thousands of tiny islands; great at sunset and one of the best places to get a true sense of the archipelago’s scale and light.
- Jurmo (hidden gem) — A flat, treeless outer island of stone fields, low shrubs and ancient cairns; Jurmo’s strange geology and traditional fishing cottages are very different from mainland Finland — an excellent place for quiet hikes and seabird watching, rarely crowded.
- Kökar islands — Remote southern archipelago with a compact village, granite cliffs and old churches; Kökar’s combination of outer-island solitude, local crafts and walking trails makes it feel like an entirely different world compared with Mariehamn.
- Kobba Klintar — A cluster of skerries just off Mariehamn, reachable by short boat trips; the fiddly, wind-polished rocks, tiny lighthouse and seal sightings make it an iconic Åland sea-picnic that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.
- Lågskär lighthouse & bird reserve (hidden gem) — A lonely lighthouse island out in the southern archipelago with important seabird colonies and raw open-sea scenery; true wilderness for birders and photographers, usually visited only by small charter boats.
- Jomala (St. Olof’s) church — One of the region’s oldest stone churches (12th century) with medieval details and graves that narrate centuries of local life; visiting feels like stepping into Åland’s deep, continuous rural history.
- Stallhagen Brewery & Åland beer scene — A small local brewery and taproom where you can taste island-made beers and seasonal specialties (and sometimes try the quirky beer-spa); a down-to-earth way to meet locals and sample flavors truly rooted in Åland.
- Sottunga (hidden gem) — One of Åland’s tiniest municipalities, reachable by ferry and hardly on most itineraries; Sottunga offers empty roads, old village life, exposed coastlines and a feeling of genuine off-grid island living that most tourists miss.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.