The Åland Islands or Åland (pronounced "Oh-lahnd") are a group of small islands officially belonging to Finland in the Baltic Sea, consisting a surrounding archipelago. It is autonomous, demilitarised and is the only monolingually Swedish-speaking region in Finland. Åland's original name was in the Proto-Norse language - Ahvaland which means "Land of Water". In Swedish, this first developed into Áland and eventually into Åland, literally "river land"—even though rivers are not a prominent feature of Åland's geography. The Finnish and Estonian names of the island, Ahvenanmaa and Ahvenamaa ("perch land"), are seen to preserve another form of the old name.
Aland Islands
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Outdoor Activities
5 Top Spring Flower Spectacles and Where to Find Them
Europe - If you're like me, Spring can never come too soon. And nothing says Spring like new flower blossoms. This year, treat yourself to an abundance of Spring in one of these...
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River or Ocean Cruises
Windstar Adding 2 New Ships; Introducing First Newbuild 'Star' Class Ship
- Small-ship luxury cruise line Windstar is growing! Two new ships will be added in the next two years to its motorized and sail-powered fleet of... read more
Shopping
Renowned Jeweler Tiffany Helping to Preserve Japan's Gold Leaf Art Techniques as a Cultural Treasure
- Japanese arts and crafts are cherished souvenirs from a trip to Japan. And now, one of the country’s most treasured and elegant crafts has a... read more
Sea & Sand
Sandals Reveals Top Trends in All-inclusive Vacations – and Where You Can Find Them
- Travelers are looking for more than sun and sand from their all-inclusive vacations – and Sandals and Beaches Resorts has its finger on the pulse... read more