Where should you go on a day trip from Sottunga?

In our opinion, you really don’t need to go anywhere from Sottunga. One of the best things about the archipelago is being able to slow down and not having to plan a new destination for every day.

But we also understand that our guests want to explore the surrounding islands. Sottunga is beautifully located in the middle of the Åland archipelago, making it possible to take day trips to places such as Kökar and Föglö.

Here are our recommendations for day trips. Some of these are places we particularly recommend to our own guests.

Kökar – an easy day trip from Sottunga

Kökar is Sottunga’s neighbouring municipality and an excellent destination for a day trip. Take the morning ferry from Sottunga to Kökar and return in the afternoon – you can see quite a lot in one day.

We recommend taking a bicycle with you. Kökar is considerably larger than Sottunga, and the sights are spread across the island. There are also not many services right next to the ferry harbour, so having a bicycle makes getting around much easier.

Kökar’s history at Hamnö

One of Kökar’s most important sights is Hamnö, home to Kökar Church and the ruins of a medieval Franciscan monastery.

Hamnö is also a great place to stop for a while simply to enjoy the scenery. This is a place where the history of the archipelago and the sea really feel present.

Peders Aplagård

If you like apples, local products and small cafés, Peders Aplagård is worth a visit. The farm grows several varieties of apples and produces, among other things, cider and other local products.

This is one of the places that makes Kökar such an interesting day-trip destination: along the way you get to experience more than just the best-known sights.

Källskär – if you want to see something really different

South of Kökar lies Källskär, a rather unusual destination. The island is known for its rugged outer-archipelago landscape, unusual rock formations and the garden created by Göran Åkerhielm.

Källskär’s best-known natural attraction is Källskärskannan, a distinctive rock formation shaped by the Ice Age. During the summer, boat trips to Källskär are organised from Kökar.

Some of our guests have visited Källskär and considered the trip one of the highlights of their visit to Kökar.

Kökar Museum and Otterböte

If you still have time, there are several other things to see on Kökar. Kökar Museum tells the story of life and history on the island.

History can also be found at Otterböte, one of Åland’s interesting Bronze Age settlements.

Our suggestion for a day in Kökar

Morning: ferry from Sottunga to Kökar
During the day: cycle to Hamnö and visit the church and monastery ruins
Afternoon: Peders Aplagård or another stop along the way
If the timetable and season allow: boat trip to Källskär
Afternoon: ferry back to Sottunga

We still recommend leaving some flexibility in your schedule. A day trip in the archipelago doesn’t have to be a performance – stop along the way, enjoy the scenery and let the island reveal itself at its own pace.

Föglö – a day in the archipelago by bicycle

In our opinion, Föglö is perhaps the nicest day trip from Sottunga if you want to combine ferries, cycling and genuine archipelago scenery.

The entire trip can be made by bicycle and ferry, without a car. Guests staying at Strandhugget can rent a bicycle from us, so you don’t need to bring your own.

The route itself is also part of the experience. From Sottunga, you first take the ferry to Överö, then cycle through Föglö to Degerby. From Degerby, you continue by ferry to Svinö and then cycle from Svinö back to Långnäs. From Långnäs, you take the ferry back to Sottunga.

Sottunga – Överö

The day starts at Sottunga harbour. Take your bicycle with you and board the ferry to Överö.

The ferry ride is already part of the experience. Once you arrive at Överö, you cycle towards Degerby through Föglö’s beautiful archipelago landscape.

Överö – Degerby, approximately 17 km

The distance from Överö to Degerby is approximately 17 kilometres. The route takes you through beautiful archipelago scenery, small villages, fields and across bridges.

This is exactly the kind of cycling route where the journey itself is part of the destination. Don’t rush – leave time for stops along the way.

Degerby is a good place to take a longer break before the next ferry.

Degerby – a small archipelago village with plenty to see

Degerby is the centre of Föglö and one of Åland’s charming archipelago villages. Old wooden houses, small gardens and the proximity of the sea make it a pleasant place to stop.

In Degerby you can visit, for example, the Föglö Museum and Lotsstugan. The village also has a shop, restaurants and cafés.

You can also cycle to Föglö Church, which is only a few kilometres from Degerby.

Degerby – Svinö: a charming little ferry ride

After exploring Degerby, take your bicycle on the ferry to Svinö.

In our opinion, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. It is a small and charming archipelago ferry ride and an essential part of the experience.

From the ferry, you once again get a completely different view of the archipelago than you do from the bicycle saddle.

Svinö – Långnäs, approximately 7 km

From Svinö, cycle back to Långnäs. The distance is only about 7 kilometres, making this section considerably shorter than the first cycling leg of the day.

In Långnäs, leave the bicycle and continue by ferry back to Sottunga.

Långnäs – Sottunga

The final leg of the day is the ferry from Långnäs back to Sottunga.

When you arrive back in Sottunga, you will have experienced a surprisingly large part of the archipelago in a single day – and travelled most of the route by bicycle.

Good to know before your Föglö day trip

A day trip to Föglö requires a little planning because ferry trips and reservations should be made in advance. It is particularly important to reserve a space for your bicycle.

Also note that the ferry does not automatically stop at Överö. The stop must be reserved in advance.

If the ferry appears to be full and you can no longer make a bicycle reservation, don’t give up immediately. Go to the ferry terminal and tell the staff that you are travelling with a bicycle. In our experience, things can always be sorted out with the ferry staff.

You should still check the ferry timetables before setting off, as schedules vary depending on the season and the day.

If you are staying at Strandhugget, you can rent a bicycle from us. We can also help you plan the trip and work out how to fit the day together with the ferry schedules.

Föglö day trip – in brief

Sottunga → Överö: ferry
Överö → Degerby: bicycle, approximately 17 km
Degerby: sights and lunch
Degerby → Svinö: ferry
Svinö → Långnäs: bicycle, approximately 7 km
Långnäs → Sottunga: ferry

The total cycling distance is approximately 24 kilometres, in addition to three different archipelago ferry rides during the day.

That is, in our opinion, exactly what makes the Föglö day trip so enjoyable: you cycle, take small ferries, stop in an archipelago village and experience the islands without a car.