Brändö is a municipality in Åland and the main island of the municipality. It consists of about 1200 islands with 450 permanent residents. It is the northernmost municipality in Åland.
Brändö consists of the villages Lappo, Asterholma, Torsholma, Baggholma, Brändö by, Björnholma, Korsö, Fiskö, Åva and Jurmo. Åva is the administrative centre but most of the services are at or in the vicinity of Brändö by.
Lappo, Asterholma and Jurmo are separate islands, without direct road connection.
Brändö is a group of islands in north-east part of Åland, by the border to Finland Proper. Due to its remote location in Åland and closeness to mainland Finland locals prefer to go shopping to Turku or Uusikaupunki instead of Mariehamn. Also, almost 1/5 of residents have Finnish as their mother tongue, a number much higher than elsewhere in Åland.
Brändö has been a remote place and there are virtually no archaeological findings. The first permanent residents came here probably in the end of the medieval era. The name Brändö was first mentioned in a land register from 1537. According to this register, all the current villages already existed having 57 houses in total. Probably their souls were saved as Brändö was mentioned as a chapel under Kumlinge parish already in the 1540's. The Stockholm–Turku Mail Route ran through the islands from Baggholma to Åva.
On the map its easy to see a large circular formation in the northern part of Brändö islands. This Åva intrusion is about 1800 million years old volcanic structure. The formation is well visible from aerial view but not so well from the ground level. Interestingly, there are no pine forests on Brändö islands except on the area close to the Åva harbour.
Getting around these islands has traditionally been challenging, but nowadays most of the major islands are connected with a paved road with bridges and causeways giving a good view out over the surrounding archipelago. Brändö is a delicate place for bicycling as the islands are fairly flat.
The municipality has extensive optical fibre network and there is a free Wi-Fi in all public buildings including hotels and restaurants. The local tax rate is the lowest one in Åland.
Brändö is unilingually Swedish speaking, like the rest of Åland. Knowledge of English should be good as in the rest of Finland. Knowledge of Finnish is not too good, although there are more Finnish speakers than in most of Åland.
- Brändö's Church, Brändö by (about 1 km off the main road. weekdays mid June to mid August. A wooden cross church built in the 1890s. The altarpiece is from the 15th century.
- Ateljée Regnbågen, Brändö by. An art exhibition by Anita Hellström-Sandberg.
- Archipelago Museum, Lappo. Old boats and fishing and hunting tools. There's also an blacksmith's workshop.
- Torsholma observing tower, Torsholma. Observing tower by a nature trail in the village Torsholma.
There are several scenic views from the main road, especially between Torsholma and Brandö by. For safety reasons it is forbidden to stop on some of the bridges including the long and high Åva bridge.
Brändö's Church, Brändö by (about 1 km off the main road. weekdays mid June to mid August. A wooden cross church built in the 1890s. The altarpiece is from the 15th century.
Ateljée Regnbågen, Brändö by. An art exhibition by Anita Hellström-Sandberg.
Archipelago Museum, Lappo. Old boats and fishing and hunting tools. There's also an blacksmith's workshop.
Torsholma observing tower, Torsholma. Observing tower by a nature trail in the village Torsholma.
- The island Jurmo, +358 40 506 4777. See the highland cattle, take a stroll in the woods at a walking path, climb the watch tower to see the islands surrounding Jurmo. Visit their small museum with fishing tools in an old fishing hut. Eat at their restaurant and café open in the summer months and sleep at their hostel. From the small grocery shop open in summer time you can buy food to prepare in the hostel. There's also possible to go on boat excursions to see e.g. seals, an old fishing camp, and rent kayaks and bikes.
The island Jurmo, +358 40 506 4777. See the highland cattle, take a stroll in the woods at a walking path, climb the watch tower to see the islands surrounding Jurmo. Visit their small museum with fishing tools in an old fishing hut. Eat at their restaurant and café open in the summer months and sleep at their hostel. From the small grocery shop open in summer time you can buy food to prepare in the hostel. There's also possible to go on boat excursions to see e.g. seals, an old fishing camp, and rent kayaks and bikes.
- Gullvivan, Björnholma (3 km north from the Brändö by, +358 18 56350. lunch Mon-Fri 11-14.
- Trixies shop & café, Brändö by (some 400 meters from the main road, +358 18 56343. 11-18. Lunch 11-14. Café. Hamburgers, pizzas and salads.
- Café & restaurant Kvarnen, Jurmo, +358 40 50 64 777. mid-June to mid-August 9-22, kitchen 12-20. Restaurant specialized on beef and fish dishes.
- Restaurant Galeasen, Lappo, +358 50 598 2709. See the webpage. A seaside restaurant with dishes specialized in fish and lamb.
Gullvivan, Björnholma (3 km north from the Brändö by, +358 18 56350. lunch Mon-Fri 11-14.
Trixies shop & café, Brändö by (some 400 meters from the main road, +358 18 56343. 11-18. Lunch 11-14. Café. Hamburgers, pizzas and salads.
Café & restaurant Kvarnen, Jurmo, +358 40 50 64 777. mid-June to mid-August 9-22, kitchen 12-20. Restaurant specialized on beef and fish dishes.
Restaurant Galeasen, Lappo, +358 50 598 2709. See the webpage. A seaside restaurant with dishes specialized in fish and lamb.
- Brändö Andelshandeln, Brändö by (300 meters off the main road, +358 18 56 210. See öppetider from webpage. Very well equipped grocery store. Free Wi-Fi. Some basic drugs. Tools and hardware. Free drinking water. Fuel. Bank and mail service in the same building.
- Butik Kvarnen, Jurmo, +358 40 50 64 777. mid-June to mid-August 9-22. Grocery store with local products. Equipments for boats, cars and bikes.
- Lappo Handeslag, Lappo, +358 18 56622. Summertime: 9-19. Grocery store. Mail service. Alko delivery point.
- Sjöboden, Lappo (in the main village, +358 40 8324333. Summertime: 14-19. Clothes and jewelry.
Brändö Andelshandeln, Brändö by (300 meters off the main road, +358 18 56 210. See öppetider from webpage. Very well equipped grocery store. Free Wi-Fi. Some basic drugs. Tools and hardware. Free drinking water. Fuel. Bank and mail service in the same building.
Butik Kvarnen, Jurmo, +358 40 50 64 777. mid-June to mid-August 9-22. Grocery store with local products. Equipments for boats, cars and bikes.
Lappo Handeslag, Lappo, +358 18 56622. Summertime: 9-19. Grocery store. Mail service. Alko delivery point.
Sjöboden, Lappo (in the main village, +358 40 8324333. Summertime: 14-19. Clothes and jewelry.