Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. It is located between Finland and Sweden in the Baltic Sea, on a peninsula with two important harbours.
Mariehamn is a relaxed summertown with two large marinas and many hotels and restaurants - most within walking distance. A distinctive feature is the Esplanade, an avenue of lime trees stretching from west to east, from harbour to harbour. Other attractions include historic churches, fortresses and a Maritime Museum that has gained international recognition.
Things to see and do
* The Pommern museum ship
* Aland Maritime Museum
* Aland Museum
* Churches and Fortresses
* Lilla Holmen – bathing beach in the town centre
Cruise Season – March - Nov
Currency – Euro (€) (EUR)
Language – Finnish, Swedish
Land Area - 11.79 sq km’s
Population – 11,010 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time – GMT plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 358
Port Location – The passenger port is located in the western port of Mariehamn.
Travel Links - The airport is just 3 km north of the city centre. There is a restaurant in the building, usually open every day. There is no airport bus. There are regular flights from Helsinki, Turku and Stockholm. They are mainly used by business travellers. Least expensive are flights from Helsinki (Air Åland). Rates vary. Flights from Stockholm-Arlanda (Air Åland) do not run on weekends or vacation periods. Flights from Turku (Turku Air) do not run on weekends.
Viking Line and Silja Line ships travelling between Finland (Helsinki, Turku) and Sweden (Stockholm) dock briefly at Mariehamn or Långnäs (in the night) for tax reasons. If the stop is at Långnäs, there is usually a bus or taxi connection to Mariehamn, costing as much as the boat ticket. There are also a service from Kapellskär with connecting bus from Stockholm, which takes less time than the Stockholm boat.
Tallink runs daily from Tallinn. Birka Cruises runs daily from Stockholm,