Föglö and Degerby

Föglö is the nearest of the archipelago municipalities to the main island, thirty minutes by ferry, and its village of Degerby grew as a customs and pilot station in the Russian period, which is why it has a run of substantial wooden merchant houses rather than the farm buildings usual elsewhere. A medieval stone church stands at Föglö. The island is flatter and greener than the outer archipelago. The customs house that gave Degerby its purpose still stands and is one of the larger buildings in the village.

What you actually see

• Degerby's merchant houses - substantial wooden buildings from the customs station period.
• The medieval church - the stone building at Föglö.
• The short crossing - thirty minutes by ferry from the main island.
• The green landscape - flatter and more wooded than the outer islands.

When to go

June to August is the season with the fullest ferry schedule and open services. Winter reduces ferries and closes most businesses. Ice affects crossings in hard winters.

Honest expectations

Almost everything closes outside the summer months. Ferry times govern the day entirely. There is little accommodation and it books up in July.

Nearby

Sottunga is east, and the main island is west.