Mariehamn

Between Viking farmsteads, Danish trading routes, and intermittent annexation by Sweden, Finland and Russia, it's little wonder that the 6,500 islands of the Aland (or Ahvenanmaa) archipelago exhibit a unique Nordic culture shaped by many influences. Certainly, they are inexorably connected to the sea in a longstanding maritime love affair—fishing and boating are of paramount importance to the locals. Aland is an autonomous province whose capital is Mariehamn. With a population of 25,000, this port city stands out from its neighboring islands, many of which claim a population of none.