Eckerö

Eckerö is a scattered village and an island, regarded as part of mainland Åland. It is the port for the Eckerö Line, the shortest crossing from Sweden.

Not to be confused with Ekerö, the archipelago in Swedish lake Mälaren.

Eckerö

Get in

By bus from Mariehamn, line 1, €4.40.

By Eckerö Line from Grisslehamn, Norrtälje. The shortest and cheapest ferry route from Sweden to Åland, two hours (note time zone change) two to three times daily (€5 for an adult, €10 for a car).

Ålands hav, the sea between Eckerö and Sweden, is narrow enough for nearly any vessel on a nice day.

Get around

See

Eckerö Mail and Customs House.

• 🌍 Eckerö post- och tullhus (Postal office and museum), Storby, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The post and customs house of 1828, by Ludvig Engel and Carlo Bassi, is hugely oversize for the village, as it was built as a symbol of the Russian Empire at the main mail route to Sweden. The building also hosts artists in residence. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Hunting and Fishing Museum (Ålands Jakt-och Fiskemuseum), Fiskeläge 37 (Käringsund; 800 m nature trail from the Eckerölinjen jetty at Berghamn), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 18 June–16 August daily 10:00–18:00, 1 May–7 June and 17 Aug–29 Aug M–Sa 10:00–17:00, for groups also by request. €6/4/-. (updated Jan 2018)

Do

A boat crew of the yearly rowing and sailing competition honouring villagers with duty of mail transport over the sea, winter as well as summer.

In summer this is almost a beach resort for Ålanders and has a holiday feeling, and a traditional beach style atmosphere. Tip: hire a canoe and paddle to some islands.

• Game safari (the tour starts at the Hunting & Fishing Museum), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 45 min safari tour, game pasture with red deer, fallow deer, wild boar, ostriches and llamas. Also accommodation and boat trips. €10/7/5; rooms €60; cottages €120–750/night. (updated Dec 2015)
• Märket lighthouse. June–August Tu–Th 09:00 or by request. Lighthouse in the Sea of Åland, on a tiny skerry with the border to Sweden (the smallest sea island shared between countries, and a separate DXCC entity). Trips of 4–5 hours (one hour each way) arranged by the Käringsund guest harbour. Guided tour, coffee and seal watching. Proper clothes and footwear needed. Cancelled in bad weather or with few customers (unless specially arranged). (updated Dec 2015)

Buy

Eat

Restaurants at most accommodations. See Sleep below.

• 🌍 Cafe Tsarevna, 115-119 Sandmovägen (Next to the Postal office and museum), ☎ [phone]. (updated Jan 2018)

Drink

Sleep

• 🌍 Guest harbour (Käringsunds gästhamn), Fiskeläget, Gamla Käringsundsvägen, ☎ [phone]. Full service guest harbour. Restaurant. Open May–August. €25/35 (less/more than 41 feet). (updated Dec 2015)
• Käringsunds camping, Käringsundsvägen 147, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open 14 June–14 August caravan €30, tent €18, cottage €65, sauna €15. (updated Dec 2015)
• Käringsund Resort & Conference, Käringsundsvägen 194, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Cottages and camping. Restaurant. Cottages about €100–450/night. (updated Dec 2015)
• Eckerö hotell & restaurang, Käringsundsvägen 53, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Hotel and restaurant. from €105/115/night (off/in season). (updated Dec 2015)

Connect

Postal code: AX-22270 Eckerö

Go next

• Mariehamn, the capital and only town on Åland.