Ferry from Mariehamn to Tallinn

Mariehamn Guide

Mariehamn is the capital of Aland which is an autonomous territory under Finish sovereignty. In common with the rest of Aland, Mariehamn is unilingually Swedish speaking with around 80% of its residents speaking it as their native language. Visitors to the town will find most of the shops and restaurants in the town located in the Torggatan pedestrian precinct in the centre of the town. The seat of power, the Sjalvstyrelsegarden, is also in the square and is made up of Aland's parliament and provincial government, the town hall and the government building. There is a statue of Tsarinna Marie Aleksandrovna, who gave her name to the town in 1861, located on the slope leading to the town. In the town there are a number of buildings designed by Finnish architect Lars Sonck, who moved to Aland as a child. Buildings of his include the church of Mariehamn, the main building of the Aland maritime College and the town hall, all built in the first half of the 20th century. Hilda Hongell also designed several buildings, although only a few remain standing.

Mariehamn is located on a peninsular and has two main harbours, one on the eastern shore and one on the western shore. Both harbours remain ice-free for nearly the whole year and both are non-tidal. The Western Harbour is an international harbour that has daily services to Sweden, Estonia and mainland Finland. The Eastern Harbour features one of the largest marinas in Scandinavia.

Tallinn Guide

The city of Tallinn is the largest city in Estonia, and its capital, and is a major hub for industry and regional politics. Visitors to the city will love indulging in the city's cultural offerings and visiting the many attractions on offer. Founded in the early part of the 13th century, Tallinn lies next to the Gulf of Finland and is home to an important sea port. Many aspects of the city are medieval, especially around the heritage listed Old Town area, with its maze of cobblestone alleys, many church spires and well preserved fortresses and turrets. The Toompea area of the city is where visitors will find many of the city's most unusual landmarks which includes Toompea Castle and the lovely hilltop Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is an important Orthodox building. Another popular attraction in Tallinn is the imposing 13th century Town Hall which overlooks Raekoja Plats and has a tall spire that is topped with an iconic bronze statue of a young boy which guards the city and is known as Old Thomas.