MARIEHAMN
Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous archipelago that lies off the southwestern coast of Finland. Political powers are exercised by a local government based on the island, rather than by the Finnish national government due to the archipelago's independent status. Most people on the island also speak Swedish, rather than Finnish, and it's the smallest region of Finland. The area used to belong to the Russian Empire, reflected in the layout of the town, the streets are broad and lined with Linden trees. Today Mariehamn is a busy little seaside town during the summer months, it's full of excellent museums, mini-golf, hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, and art galleries. In the summer, Mariehamn makes the most of the long nights by hosting many music festivals and cultural events.
A brief history of Mariehamn
The town of Mariehamn was founded quite recently in 1861, at this time the rest of the island and Finland, were part of the mighty Russian Empire. Empress Maria, a consort of the Tsar, Alexander II, named the town Mariehamn and the town developed around the little farming village of Övernäs, also situated on the peninsula. Under Russian rule, maritime activity expanded from previously just shipping local goods to Stockholm to exporting globally, which has continued since independence.
Gustaf Erikson, a famous shipowner and grain trader from Mariehamn, became famous by gradually buying up most of the big sailing ships still left in the world between the two World Wars, he successfully operated them across the globe mainly trading grain between Australia and Europe. One of the former German P-liners that he acquired, The Pommern, has become a symbol of Mariehamn. His activity brought commerce and wealth to the town; thanks to the wealth generated by shipping there are many beautiful wooden houses in Mariehamn today, where shipping is still a significant part of the town's economy.
Things to do in Mariehamn
You can visit The Pommern, as it has been turned into a museum ship and kept in original shape. Built in Glasgow in 1903, this type of boat is known as a windjammer, which is a barque with four masts. The ship is open for visitors between May and September and tickets can be purchased at the nearby Maritime Museum, which is another excellent place to visit. The museum features all sorts of ship paraphernalia, from sextants, a navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two objects, to sails and souvenirs brought home by the sailors! You can also learn about shipbuilding, the 19th-century seaman's hotel in Mariehamn and even try out being a captain in the museum's ship simulator! The main shopping street is in the northern part of Torggatan and its nice to stroll around to look at the unique wooden homes. For something different, check out Mariebad, a water park located quite centrally, so can be reached on foot. It has an excellent value spa, several pools, and water apparatus for children, a water slide, and some saunas. You can even borrow swimming suits for free if you forget to bring your own!
Beaches around Mariehamn
Lilla Holmen is a lovely little beach located close the centre of Mariehamn, it's a vast expanse of sand and shallow water, that also features a nearby bird sanctuary. Algrundets simstrand is another beach 3km south of the centre, it is beautiful and quiet and has some vegetation to shade you from the sun. Finally, there is Nabben Bathing, which is a few kilometres northeast of the town, it is sandy, with clean waters and some play apparatus for children.