Sortland is a very interesting place to visit at any time of year as it has the midnight sun to offer in summer and the aurora borealis in winter. Sortland's geographical location makes it the perfect place to observe these two phenomena when skies are clear.
With a population of 10,000, this is the largest town of the Vesterålen islands, and few tourists spend a significant amount of time here, many preferring instead to visit the neighbouring Lofoten Islands. It's for this reason that I had the sensation of being truly immersed in the everyday life of a Norwegian fishing port when I visited Sortland, with only the departure and arrival of the ferry from Hurtigruten detracting from this impression. The exteriors of some of the town's buildings, houses and kiosques are finished in blue, hence its nickname of "the Blue City"! One final thing to mention about Sortland is that music plays an important part in the life of the people here, with various music organisations active in the town and a jazz festival held each autumn.
Sortland is a good off-the-beaten-track destination for your to visit when touring the Vesterålen Islands.