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This is the best value for money bicycle tour you can find in the Åland Islands, allowing you three days to discover the port town of Mariehamn, the archipelago and the most famous sights. Travel by cruise ship to Åland is included from Stockholm, Turku or Grisslehamn.
You will start biking in the port town Mariehamn, where you can learn about maritime history and visit the impressive sailing ship Pommern. From Mariehamn you bike across the largest of the Åland islands and board a ferry with your bikes to the harbour village Degerby to spend the first night in the historic guest house Enigheten, built in the 18th century.
Day two you continue on bike through the Föglö islands and jump on your next ferry, which takes you to the island of Kumlinge in the middle of the archipelago. After crossing lovely Kumlinge you continue by ferry to Vårdö, where you will stay one night in a cottage by the sea at Sandösund Camping.
The biggest sights are saved for last! On your way back to Mariehamn you pass by the Bomarsund fortress ruins as well as the medieval Kastelholm castle. Your last night will be spent in relaxing a relaxing hotel room and you have time to sample the restaurants and nightlife of Mariehamn.
After breakfast next morning, there'll still be time for you to visit some sights in Mariehamn or do a day tour to beautiful Järsö before returning your bikes.
From Stockholm at 07:45
From Turku at 08:45
From Grisslehamn at 10:00
Departures from Helsinki not included
Breakfast is included in all accommodations.
Our standard bicycle is a 3-geared 28" bike of the model Helkama Ainotar, made in Finland. Comfortable to ride and with a basket in the front. This model can be upgraded to 7 gears for €30
We also have 24" kid bikes of the model Helkama Jopo, with 3 gears. This classic childrens bicycle is the most popular model in Scandinavia.
If you travel with your own bicycle we will give a discount on the price.
Bike panniers with a capacity of 20 litres are included. Your empty bags can be kept when you collect the rental bikes, or stored in safe lockers in the Mariehamn ferry terminal.
Our itinerary is sent to you as a PDF document, specially formatted to be easy to use on any smart phone. The itinerary contains your route description, map links to all important and interesting places, and all ferry departures you need to mind to travel between islands.
We send you a digital travel calendar that you can easily add to your telephone to remind you of important times and places. The calendar works on every model of telephone.
Day 1: 29km biking
Day 2: 36km biking
Day 3: 44km biking
Day 4: 24km biking (optional)
Your ship from Finland or Sweden arrives in the port town Mariehamn and your bikes will be waiting for you by the ferry terminal. A short ride from the terminals the tall ship Pommern is moored, next to the Åland Maritime Museum. This four masted, steel-hulled ship has been preserved from the beginning of the 20th century. If you want to start biking straight away you can save the sights in Mariehamn for the last day of the tour instead.
You will head north through Mariehamn and continue across the "main" island until you reach the harbour of Svinö. On your way you pass the Lemström canal, built by Russian prisoners. The bridge opens once an hour to let sailing boats pass. If you arrive during the bridge opening you can eat an ice cream while you watch the boats sail past in the channel.
From Svinö the ferry M/S Skarven takes you and your bikes to Degerby in Föglö. The ferry departs 9-12 times daily and takes about 25 minutes between ports. There is a café onboard.
In Degerby you can visit the restaurant Seagram, famous among islanders and visitors for their seafood, á la carte. They also serve great pizzas with a very local touch.
The most interesting part of Degerby is the historical tavern and courthouse Enigheten, where you will also spend your first night, in historically decorated rooms. Enigheten was founded as a tavern for sailors in the 17th century, by orders of the Swedish king.
After waking up with a breakfast buffet in Enigheten you continue on bike throughout the Föglö islands to the northern harbour of Överö. The road is sparesely trafficked and takes you along crop fields and through forests. Two bridges and a cable ferry connect the islands. There is a hiking trail in Jyddö you can visit on the way.
We will book a ferry from Långnäs to stop in Överö to pick you up on their way to Kumlinge.
Your route passes several beautiful bays with good chances of seeing swans and other birds. In Kumlinge you can visit the old church, with paintings preserved from the middle ages. Depending on ferry schedules you can also make a visit to the island of Seglinge to play discgolf or to the island of Enklinge to visit the old archipelago homestead Hermas.
From the north of Kumlinge you board a ferry to Hummelvik in Vårdö, continuing by bike a few miles to Sandösund Camping. Here will stay one night in a cottage by a peaceful bay. If you have extra time and energy you can make an extra excursion to Simskäla and Stormskär in northern Vårdö.
After breakfast you have about one hour of biking before reaching what is left of the Russian fortress in Bomarsund. Construction of the mighty stronghold was half completed when it was assaulted by Brittish and French forces in a huge naval battle. The attack succeeded and the victors blew up the entire fortress, leaving mostly rubble and some walls of the structure.
The Kastelholm castle is one of the most visited attractions in the Åland Islands. The first castle was built on the grounds in the 14th century and has hosted several Nordic kings, as well as been the prison for king Erik the 16th. The castle has been involved in various political conflicts during the ages and has burnt doen several times. There are several small museums nearby the castle, and afterwards you can enjoy a lunch in the Smakbyn restaurant nearby or continue to Mariehamn.
From Kastelholm the country road continues southwards back to Mariehamn. On your way you'll cross a tall bridge and a short tunnel. After the tunnel you can make a stop by "Uffe on the hill" and have a coffee and enjoy the view of the straight.
After that you'll bike past farm fields and through small villages on your way to Mariehamn, where you will check in at the Strandnäs Hotel. The town center is a couple of kilometers from your hotel, with a good selection of restaurants and bars.
