//
Part of the Baltic Sea
Photo: AdriLop, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Archipelago Sea (Finnish Saaristomeri, Swedish Skärgårdshavet) is the part of the Baltic Sea between the main islands of Åland and the Finnish mainland. It is one of the largest archipelagos in the world, by count of islands and islets, with the biggest islands being some ten to twenty kilometres across, some of the inhabited islands less than a kilometre, and thousands of skerries. It lies in Finland Proper more or less between Uusikaupunki in the north and Salo and Hanko in the east.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
High quality equipment and full service guided trips and supported solo expeditions with transportation from/to Turku. Also help with route planning and maps.
Annual organ and chamber music festival in June, concerts in Pargas and elsewhere.
Relaxed music festival annually in July in Dalsbruk, Kimitoön.
Annual music festival in July, concerts in Korpo and elsewhere.
Annual chamber music festival in July in Nagu.
Traditional wooden houses by the marina, with all kinds of services nearby. Hotel like standard and prices.
With a popular marina. Summer cottage village nearby. Most guests conference groups. Nightclub etc.
Modern, with accommodation in small houses. Spa. Big marina nearby.
Hotel. Services and nightlife of the town available. Marina nearby.
By plane
The nearest airports are in Turku and Mariehamn. The region is also easily reachable from Helsinki (by coach or train) and from Stockholm (by cruise ferry).
By train
Turku has good connections from the rest of Finland.
By bus
Turku has good coach connections. For continuing by coach, the Seutu+ 24-hr ticket may be considered in some scenarios, see Get around below.
By car
Turku has good road connections. You can also reach the archipelago directly.
By ferry
Cruise ferries from Stockholm (Viking Line and Silja Line) pass through the archipelago each early morning and evening on their way to Turku.
By yacht
The Sea of Åland is narrow enough for a passage with nearly any vessel on a day with good weather.
By bus
Coach connections are usually adequate to reach the intended destination, with some planning, but not very good for getting around.
By car
On the main islands you can get to most places by car. There are some ferry passages that may have considerable queues or where car capacity is severely limited.
By taxi
Taxis are available, often minivans for 1+8 persons in the countryside.
By bike
The roads generally have quite little traffic and are thus good for biking, but they are rather narrow.
By ferry
There are several types of ferries, tour boats and similar.
By taxi boats and crewed charter motorboats
There are taxi boats or crewed charter boats available for most areas, and other vessels can sometimes be used in a similar fashion. You may want to ask locally.
By yacht and small boats
The archipelago is a wonderful place for small craft cruising. Mostly the waters are open enough for relaxed sailing, but the landscape is constantly changing.
By canoe or kayak
The perhaps best way to explore the Archipelago Sea is by sea kayak. Renting one (and getting it trailered to a place of your choosing) should be easy.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Turku · International · TKU
Loading places around the airport…
Snorkeling or snorkelling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually fins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn.
This article is about Själö island in Nagu. There is another Själö at the border of Houtskär and Iniö.
Gullkrona is an island and island group in the Archipelago Sea.
Nötö is an island and village in the Archipelago Sea, in the centre of the quite open archipelago south of Nagu.
Örö is a large island in the Archipelago Sea National Park in Finland. It is quite easily reachable – a one-hour ferry trip from Kasnäs in Kimitoön through the inner archipelago – but still more or less by the open sea, and its sandy shores and meadows provide biotopes seldom found in the rest of Finland.
Jurmo is an island in the southern part of the Archipelago Sea, in the outer archipelago, with rich bird life and special nature. It is the furthest off-coast island in the Archipelago Sea you can explore within a day trip from the mainland with a ferry.
Utö is also an island in the Stockholm archipelago in Sweden, and one in Finby, Salo. Utö is an island far out in the Archipelago Sea, with its lighthouse welcoming ships arriving to south-western Finland from the Baltic Sea.
Bengtskär is a skerry in the outer archipelago of the Archipelago Sea in Finland, at the entrance to Gulf of Finland, with the tallest lighthouse in the Nordic countries. It is open for visitors, providing dinners, accommodation and sauna.
Articles and travel topics about Archipelago Sea and Finland.
Nature & adventureWhere to see the northern lights in 2026 and 2027 during Solar Cycle 25, comparing weather in Tromsø, Abisko, Fairbanks and Iceland.
7 min read
InspirationThe best places to visit in December across sun, snow and culture, comparing Lapland, Chiang Mai, Vienna, Costa Rica and Cape Town.
7 min read
InspirationDiscover 10 rewarding emerging travel destinations for 2027. Escape crowded tourist hubs and explore quiet spots with rich culture and great food.
8 min read
ItinerariesThe Hanko–Uusikaupunki fairway is the main leisure craft fairway through the Archipelago Sea. There are lots of sidetrips to be done, but this fairway is well marked and suitable for any yacht or motorboat.
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.