← Paavo Nurmi Marathon·3 nights

Åland: Three Nights of Ferries, Castles and Cycle Paths

A ferry from Turku to the Åland Islands, with Mariehamn's maritime quarter, Kastelholm Castle and archipelago cycling.

Duration3 nights
TransitViking Line or Silja Line ferry from Turku harbour
DepartsTurku harbour

After the Paavo Nurmi Marathon: Åland

The Route: Turku harbour → Mariehamn → Kastelholm → Mariehamn → Turku harbour → Turku Airport Logistics: A ferry crosses from Turku to Mariehamn or Långnäs, with morning and evening departures. Local bus 1 reaches the harbour in Turku. Three nights in the islands. Marathon Month: August Duration: 3 nights

Turku harbour ──(Viking Line or Silja Line ferry)──> Mariehamn
                                                         │
Turku Airport (TKU) ◄──(Föli 1 / 1A)── Turku harbour ◄──┘

Åland is the most committed of these trips. Wikivoyage says that Viking Line and Silja Line ferries run from Turku to Mariehamn or to Långnäs, with morning and evening departures. It does not give a crossing time, and the figures on ferry-booking sites contradict each other, so check the operator's timetable for your day. In Turku, local bus 1 goes to the harbour. If you are travelling with a car, Finnlines sails from Naantali to Långnäs.

August in Åland: Wikivoyage warns that many major tourist spots are open only in late spring and summer, and outside those months they can be seen from the outside only. Late August is the tail of the season. The guide gives no information on opening dates for individual sites, so confirm them locally.

Nights One and Two: Mariehamn

The four-masted sailing ship Pommern and the Maritime Museum stand in the West Harbour, and they commemorate the fleet that was once based in the town. The Maritime Quarter in the harbour has boat-building, a smithy, traditional crafts, a museum and a café. SALT, in the east harbour, sells local textiles and glassware.

The town is flat, and a slow walk between the two harbours is about the right effort for the second day after a marathon.

Nights Two and Three: The main island

Kastelholm Castle lies in the north of the main island. It was founded in the 1380s and is partly a ruin, with guided tours available in English. The Jan Karlsgarden Open Air Museum is next door. Bomarsund, a fortress the Russians built between 1830 and 1854, was heavily damaged in the Crimean War, and a small museum near the Prästö bridge displays pictures and objects from the site.

Cycling is the most popular way to move around, and many roads have cycle paths. Wait until the legs recover before hiring a bike. Island-hopping by Ålandstrafiken ferry is possible, but the guide advises choosing either the southern or the northern archipelago route, and one bus link to Torsholma runs only from June to mid-August.

Getting home

Take the ferry back to Turku harbour. From there, Föli lines 1 and 1A run to Turku Airport (TKU), but check the timetable for the week you travel. Leave a margin for the morning ferry before an early flight.