Åland, Finland – Here in Åland, we are staying in a farmhouse in the tiny village of Lumparland. There is not much here, save a church, a food market and the delightful and dangerous Lumparby Ollas Cafe. Several things to…
Stallhagen Brewery
Åland, Finland – In 2010, wreck divers salvaged old bottles of beer and champagne from a 19th-century shipwreck off the coast of Åland. Scientists analyzed the contents and local Stallhagen brewery re-created the historic beer. For those of us who are…
Mariehamn Maritime Quarter
Mariehamn, Finland – The capital of Åland, Mariehamn is a seafarer’s paradise. The waterside Mariehamn Maritime Quarter has long been a center of boat building. Nowadays, the atmospheric quay has ship-building workshops alongside art galleries, cafes and local boutiques. You…
Family Fun in Åland
Åland, Finland -While I have been busy writing, my intrepid research assistants have also been hard at work. They have been investigating family fun in Åland. More specifically, they can now report on Åland’s best mini-golf, water park and amusement…
Kastelholm & Bomarsund
Åland, Finland – We had an amazing day with our “Finnish cousins”, taking in all the Åland highlights, including Kastelholm & Bomarsund. Our first stop was the 14th-century Kastelholm castle. The second stop on Åland was the picturesque Jan Karlsgården…
Åland Islands
Åland, Finland – We are bound for the Åland islands — the Finnish-owned, Swedish-speaking, autonomous archipelago in the Gulf of Bothnia. Google it.
Bengtskär Lighthouse
Bengtskär Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Scandinavia, the gateway to the Archipelago Sea. We made the 25km journey from Hanko to admire this beaut and climb to the top. The 360-degree view from the top is worth the climb. And…
Maritime Museum of Finland
Kotka, Finland – Some of the few artifacts excavated from the Vrouw Maria shipwreck (subject of our next book!). These are on display at Vellamo Maritime Center. This is our second visit to the Maritime Museum of Finland — and…
Langinkoski Lodge
Kotka, Finland – Langinkoski Lodge was once the imperial fishing lodge of Tsar Alexander III. Very modest, by tsarist standards, but I’d take it.
Raseborg Castle
Raseborg, Finland – We had a blast exploring the 15th-century Raseborg castle.