Kastelholm Castle

Kastelholm Castle, set amid the woods and inlets of the Åland Islands, is the archipelago's most important historic monument, a substantial medieval castle whose origins reach back to the fourteenth century. For centuries a stronghold of the Swedish crown guarding the sea route through the Baltic, it hosted kings and royal officials and played a role in the great power struggles of the region. Though partly ruined over time, much has been preserved and restored, and visitors can explore its stone and brick halls, towers, courtyards and vaulted chambers. Set beside water and greenery, and complemented by a nearby open-air museum of old buildings, Kastelholm offers an atmospheric journey into Åland's medieval past.

What you actually see

• The castle halls - the restored stone and brick chambers.
• The towers - the medieval towers and courtyards.
• The vaulted rooms - the atmospheric interiors.
• The open-air museum - the nearby collection of old buildings.

When to go

May to September, the mild summer, is the season to visit, when the castle is open, the surrounding woods and waters are green and the archipelago at its most inviting; long Nordic summer days are ideal. The site is quieter and largely closed outside the summer months.

Honest expectations

Kastelholm is a partly ruined and restored castle rather than a fully intact palace, and it is mainly open in the summer season, so timing matters. As Åland's most important historic monument, an atmospheric medieval royal stronghold set among woods and water, though, Kastelholm Castle is a genuinely rewarding window on the archipelago's past.

Nearby

The open-air museum of Jan Karlsgården and the Bomarsund ruins lie nearby.