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Full Itinerary and Tour details for

Finland's Aland Islands 8-day Self-guided Cycling Tour Moderate Level

Prices starting from. Trip Duration. Max Passengers. 919 € 8 days 8

Start and Finish. Activity Level. Naantali to Stockholm 2

Experience. Tour Code. Cycling Tours Europe #B1/2548

Tour Details and Description 's Aland Islands 8-day Self-guided Cycling Tour Moderate Level

A round trip on the Baltic Sea, in the Luggage transfer Archipelago and the Åland Islands. This tour is an Service vehicle / back-up service enjoyable mix of cycling and ferry crossings. You Route description and map (one per each room, cycle along the historic Great Mail Route that once English / German / French / Italian / Finnish) passed from Turku to Stockholm. A wonderful cruise Destination information with the greenest cruise ship on the Baltic■ M/S Ferry tickets Viking Grace, will finalize your tour. Cruise ticket to M/S Viking Grace (or to M/S Viking Amorella when going to Stockholm) Shaped by the ice age, the beautiful Finnish Sauna on day 2 Archipelago consists of thousands of islands and Use of saunas, pools and Jacuzzis in Havsvidden islets. The enchanting sea, the barren outer islands (day 5) and the unbroken peace offer you an atmosphere in which you can totally relax and have a regenerating Not included in the tour: holiday. You will find old villages and idyllic harbours as well as fascinating towns and attractions such as Outward and return journey museums, historic buildings and ruins. Enjoy fresh Bike rental and delicious Archipelago food provided by the local Lunch and dinner fishermen and farmers and admire the local artisan Entrances to the museums / attractions handwork. Don’t forget to try the Finnish sauna! Surcharge for last night in Stockholm 50 Euros Everything not specified Suggestion: You can take the ship from Minimum 2 people (solo traveller on request) optionally to Stockholm and spend your last night there! Rental bikes:

Tour character: If you would like to rent a bike (trekking or city bike 90 Euros) or e-bike (210 Euros), please The tour is most suitable for adults and youngsters, contact our office when booking: but probably not suitable for children under age of 12 [email protected] years. Note that when there are ferry trips, the time spent on route is long and the daily journeys get Included in the bicycle rental: relatively longer. Terrain is gently undulating, there are some steep but short ups and downs. The route Per each room: 1 x map holder, 1 x repair kit, 1 x runs mostly on secondary roads and cycle paths. pump and 1 x spare inner tube There are several ferry trips. Daily distances from 23 Per each person: 1 x waterproof pannier, 1 x bottle km to 53 km. holder, 1 x odometer

Included in the Cycling Tour: We recommend to take own personal helmet with you. Helmets can be borrowed, but as there are not Accommodation in medium class hotels and many, you should ask at the time of booking. guesthouses. Services in the room, (except day 2: toilet in the room, shower and sauna in another The bicycles are available from welcome meeting building) (Monday morning) to 7th day’s (Saturday) evening (if Breakfast spending the last night in Stockholm, bicycles must

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be left at Mariehamn Saturday afternoon).

Extra days of rental on request.

Arrival / departure:

Flight to Helsinki, then bus (long distance bus connection) from Helsinki airport to Turku (approx. 2,5 hours), then local bus from Turku to Naantali (approx. 25 min.)

You can choose to arrive in Turku from Helsinki also by train. In that case you need to take a train or a bus from the airport to the centre of Helsinki, where the main railway station is located, and then take a train to Turku.

There is also an airport in Turku, but there are only a few companies that fly to Turku. Ryan Air flies to Tampere. From Tampere there’s a bus and a train connection to Turku.

One possibility is to fly to Stockholm () and take a cruise ship (Viking Line or Silja Line) from Itinerary Stockholm to Turku and then take the local bus from Turku to Naantali.

Departure Sundays Day 1

1 or 2 children sharing room - 615 Euros Naantali Independent arrival in Naantali. Take a walk through the idyllic old town and harbour and enjoy good food in one of the beautiful seaside restaurants. Naantali is one of the oldest towns in Finland. It was founded around the medieval Brigittine convent of which the church still dominates its skyline. Known as the Sunshine Town, Naantali attracts local and foreign visitors from around the world with the ever-popular children's favourite Moomin World theme park, as well as with the largest Spa in Scandinavia. The official summer residence of the , Kultaranta estate, is also located in Naantali, on Luonnonmaa Island. The beautiful garden of Kultaranta estate can be visited in

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summertime on guided afternoon walks. Don’t miss Bomarsund was once the most magnificent structure the traditional evening vesper drumming, just before on the Åland islands. The fortress was constructed as eight o’clock by the corner of Naantalin Kaivohuone. an important outpost to the west by the Russian Empire and was bombarded during the Crimean War Day 2 in 1854. In consequence, the Åland islands were demilitarised and the fortress was never rebuilt again. Naantali – | 53 km (+ ferry trip) Your cycling Today the area is a historical monument, easily begins in the Turku Archipelago. Once you leave the accessible to visitors. The main fort has a beautiful town, you cycle through countryside and cross location on the shore and sheep are taking care of bridges with characteristic archipelago seascapes. the environment and its biodiversity by pasturing The route follows partly the historic Great Mail Route around the ruin area. Then you arrive at Kastelholm, that once passed from Turku to Stockholm. Then you where the Kastelholm castle, Great Mail Route make your first ferry trip. After a long cycling day you exhibition and open air museum Jan Karlsgården lies. can relax your mind and muscles in a Finnish sauna. At the Great Mail Route exhibition you can see the entire itinerary of the historic Great Mail Route. Worth Day 3 visiting is also Smakbyn, a famed restaurant of Åland- and Nordic cuisine with distillery and shop, Kustavi – Brändö Islands | 41 km (+ & 2 and the local small brewery Stallhagen. ferries) Today you leave the Turku Archipelago and travel by ferry to the Brändö Islands, the northmost Day 5 part of the Åland Islands. Before heading to the Brändö Islands, we suggest you visit the Artisan Kastelholm / Godby – Havsvidden | 35 km / 25 km Village of Kustavi, where you can find local artisan Today you cycle to the northmost top of the main workshops and reputable artisan pottery. The Great island. The route leads you first through a Mail Route leads you through the island chain of the characteristic countryside landscape with apple tree Brändö Islands. In the middle of the , plantations every here and there. As you approach one after another, the bridges connect the numerous the north, the scenery gets more intact and wild. small islands together. Here you can really feel the Before taking the route to Havsvidden, you can connection with the surrounding nature and sea. The deviate to Getabergen, a popular viewing point and geological evidence and the effect of the Ice Age can tower with a vast view over the thick, green forests be discovered on the bare ice-scratched “whaleback” and the blue sea. Finally you arrive at your formed rocks. Enjoy the silence and fresh air in this accommodation in Havsvidden, a special place by the unique environment. edge of the island. Here the barren red granite rocks, the windswept stunted pines and the blue sea create Day 4 a wonderful contrast. The day’s cycling will be rewarded with warm sauna, refreshing seapool and Brändö Islands – Kastelholm / Godby | 23 km / 32 km comfortable jacuzzi. (+ ferry & cable ferry) A ferry trip through a beautiful seascape will bring you to the main island of Åland. Day 6 This day is dedicated to attractions, culture and history. The Great Mail Route first brings you to the Havsvidden – Mariehamn | 47 km Today you head to district of Bomarsund ruins. The fortress of the capital of the Åland Islands, cycling through the

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inland countryside. You pass Jomala church, which is nice cafès and restaurants in the centre and by the one of the oldest churches in Finland. Finally, you riverside. You could also choose to take a ship from arrive at Mariehamn, a reputable shipping town on a Mariehamn to Stockholm. peninsula with two important harbours. The town’s entire history and development reflects the life of Day 8 people living surrounded by water. Worth visiting are the maritime museum and the museumship Departure Departure or extension of your holiday. Pommern, the Maritime quarter and St. George Ask us about booking hotels for staying extra nights church.

Day 7

Maarianhamina - Turku approx. 5 km (+ optional trip 6 km or 21,5 km) OR Mariehamn - Stockholm It’s time to leave the Åland Islands behind and return to the mainland of Finland. Before that you still have time to explore the lovely Mariehamn and its surroundings. You can make a circular cycling trip to a charming neighbourhood and continue with a back and forth trip towards the south through a wonderful island chain where the scenery of the sea and beautiful villas will enchant you. A pleasant cruise with luxurious cruise ship M/S Viking Grace will bring you to Turku. You travel through a wonderful archipelago of tens of thousands of islands. The cruise starts in the afternoon and lasts five and half hours. You arrive at 8pm in Turku, the oldest city of Finland. From Turku harbour you have a nice ride along Aura River to the centre of Turku. Turku is the former capital of Finland and European Capital of Culture 2011. In the summer the city overflows with events and festivals with themes like tango, middle age, music, theatre, art, design and much more. Some of the main attractions are the cathedral, , Aurajoki riverside, market on the Market Square, Forum Marinum maritime centre and its museum ship fleet (including the full-rigger ), Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum, Turku Art Museum, Market Hall, Sibelius Museum and the magnificent Main Library. The river is the heart of the city. Walk along the Aura River medieval cobblestone streets and admire old sailing ships. There are many

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