Making the most of Sortland
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The Cruise dock is only 200 m from the city center.
Hurtigruten calls at Sortland harbor daily. Northbound at 0230 - 0300 South-bound at 1230 - 1300
The town Sortland is the capital city and have about 5.000 inhabitants. Vesterålen itself is an experience not to be missed. The islands at the northern end of the County offer you whale safaris, the events of summer Melbu, the fishing village of Nyksund, the bird colonies at Nykvåg in Bø, Trollfjord, Sea Kayaking.... And the gateway to all this is Sortland.
What can you do when the city is ugly and is accused for lacking a soul? Well, you could add colour to it... Paint the city blue, for instance. About 50,000 liters of paint will be used to create a bright, light and delicate atmosphere. Sortland is now referred to as "The Blue City".
Getting around
With Sortland as your base, you can take day trips to Andøy, Øksnes, Bø, Hadsel and Lofoten.
Food and shopping
Sortland is Vesterålen´s leading shopping center. The range of shops, services and cultural activities is so great that you could believe yourself in a medium sized Norwegian city.
Money
The Norwegian currency is the Norwegian crown (norske krone), abbreviated;kr. A 1/100th krone is called øre. 1.00 EUR = about 8 NOK