It is going to be a challenge, but we have decided to go out on a Monday in Mariehamn, the most unlikely evening even in July for most northern towns.
Nobody would disagree that any town on a Monday evening is going to be as dead as a Dodo. Mariehamn is no exception, however we are here on a Monday evening so let's see what it has.
So this evening Anja and myself are going to head for downtown Mariehamn and what they offer. By the way, the article is dedicated to our dear friends and legendary party goers and drinkers like Jezz and Marie Newman.
Out on the town
Pub Frans
The reviews for this bar were good on Google review so we were expecting a nosy local even if it was a Monday. Unfortunately, it was almost empty at about 10 in the evening. One thing to note for Finnish speakers, the language seems to be Finnish unlike most of the other bars in the town. For two drinks, (Vodka soda and a shot of jaloviina) was about 16€. The general service was very flat.
Park Restaurang & Bar
The second bar is connected to a hotel. The most positive thing I can say about this place is the quality of the wine. The service was just OK, the staff seemed tired and wanted to go home. We tried to go for a drink on our way home but were told they were closing. The prices were about 20€ for two glasses of wine, but the atmosphere was very hotel and unappealing.
Dino’s Bar & Grill
The last place we went was Dino's. It was the best place we went to that evening. It had a nice atmosphere and the staff were friendly and spoke good English. We liked this place so much we returned the next evening with our dog, which is good to mention, Dino's bar is dog friendly. We had two glasses of red wine (16cl) which cost about 20€. It is good to remember that unlike countries like Spain where there are no measurements for wine. In Finland you will be asked how much wine you would like. Normally, wine comes in 12, 16 or 24cl measurements, so consider asking how much they charge for a bottle, many times it is a lot cheaper.
Finally, I would say that Dino's is a great place to end your evening in Mariehamn. The customer base is a mix of boaties, Finnish and Swedish tourists, the odd digital nomads like us and locals. So, if you really need a drink and a bit of people watching this is the place to go.
Conclusion
So, in conclusion, even though we had a nice time, I would suggest saving your money by buying a box of cheap wine from ALKO and sitting in the park to enjoy the sunset.
For the average pocket, Mariehamn is far too expensive and too quiet to make it worth the effort.