Nuuk Godthab

It takes a good 30 minutes to walk from the steamer (cruise) dock over the hill into the town. Large ships over 100 m will use tenders or on occasion use the dock.

Most cruise companies provide shuttle buses.

Printable map to take along.

Nuuk is Greenland's capital, where the new and the old meet in their unique Greenlandic fashion. A short walk from the colonial harbor with its beautiful old buildings brings you to "the board", where the day's catch of seal, birds and fish is sold. Other attractions in the town include the award-winning cultural venue Katuaq, Greenland's University, the cathedral from 1849 and the National Museum, where you can spend hours learning about Greenland's ancient history.

Nuuk means "The Cape", an accurate description of its location on the tip of a large peninsula at the mouth of the spectacular Godthaab Fjord system.

In Greenland there are no roads connecting the towns, so all transport takes place by plane or by ship. The Arctic climate, which at times can be extreme, places great demands on safety during transport, demands which Greenland's transport companies satisfy in full. When travelling over shorter distances outside the towns the local population use their own boats, dogsleds or snowmobiles.

Outside Nuuk is a major fjord system, which is particularly well-suited to ocean-going attractions. Whale safaris are organized that enable you to get close to the many humpback and minke whales, which from early summer to the onset of autumn frequent the waters just outside the town. In addition, helicopter trips to the ice sheet and Norse ruins are popular combination excursions, as are visits to settlements by boat. Also recommended is a visit to the art museum and the city council chamber, which is decorated by large tapestries with motifs from Greenlandic culture and nature.

Within walking distance from the Old Harbour with it's 19th century buildings and the local market where hunters and fishermen sell today's catch you will find yourself in a modern town center with young people dressed in the latest fashion and modern shops.

Souvenirs from Greenland are unique, handmade works of art the like of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Each product is shaped and designed by a Greenlandic artist, who manages to follow tradition and custom, whilst at the same time creating unique works incorporating his or her own ideas and skills. As a visitor, you will have plenty of opportunity to find precisely what you are looking for.

Credit cards can be used at many hotels, restaurants and shops, but it is recommended that you bring a small amount of Danish kroner with you to Greenland, as some ATMs may not be in service at the weekend.

As a visitor to Greenland you will find that you understand absolutely nothing when Greenlandic is spoken – or ‘kalaallisut', as it is called, which actually means ‘the Greenlanders' language'.

Danish is more or less the second language. English less so.

Internet and e-mail – take your laptop with you Hotspots have been established in most major hotels so that you can access the Internet. There are Internet cafés in a number of the bigger towns and at several tourist offices it is also possible to check your web mail.

The mobile phone system in Greenland is GSM 900/1800

In the major towns supermarkets are typically open on weekdays from 10:00 – 17:30, on Fridays until 18:00 and Saturdays from 09:00 – 13:00. In many towns, however, there are corner shops and grocer's shops that have longer opening hours and which are also open on Sundays.