Making the most of Qaqortoq
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
As vessels moor or anchor here, passengers travel ashore by tender. The tender journey is brief.
A well-stocked Souvenir Shop and Tourist Office stands immediately beside the pier and remains open at all hours during a cruise visit.
Home to almost 3,000 people, Qaqortoq is South Greenland's largest town and perhaps among the most charming and attractive in the whole country. Its pleasant centre contains a small square with Greenland's oldest fountain. Striking colonial buildings date from 1775, when Qaqortoq was founded. Fishing, services and administration are its principal industries, and as South Greenland's educational centre, the town has streets characterised by its many resident students.
Getting around
The fjords surrounding Qaqortoq are popular for kayaking. Small passenger boats travel to the Hvalsey church ruin, Narsaq, Igaliku and the hot springs at Uunartoq.
Greenland has no roads between its towns, so every inter-town journey is made by plane or ship. Its Arctic climate is occasionally extreme, placing exacting safety requirements on transport that local companies satisfy fully. For shorter distances beyond the towns, residents rely on their own boats, dogsleds and snowmobiles.
Nearby places
Boat trips from Qaqortoq visit settlements such as Eqalugaarsuit and the Norse Episcopal residence at Igaliku. A few hours north-east by boat is Hvalsey Church, Greenland's best-preserved Norse ruin, while the island of Uunartoq has hot springs farther south. Qaqortoq's tourist office also arranges sports fishing, kayak sailing, overnight stays at sheep-holding stations and numerous other excursions.
Food and shopping
Souvenirs made in Greenland are unique, handmade works of art that cannot be obtained anywhere else in the world. Each is shaped and designed by a Greenlandic artist who observes tradition and custom while creating a distinctive piece using personal ideas and skills. Visitors will have plenty of opportunities to find precisely what they are seeking.
Money
Credit cards work at many shops, restaurants and hotels, although carrying a small amount of Danish kroner to Greenland is recommended because certain ATMs may not operate over the weekend.
Staying connected
When Greenlandic is spoken, visitors to Greenland will understand absolutely nothing. The language is called ‘kalaallisut', which literally means ‘the Greenlanders' language'.
Danish functions more or less as the second language; English is less common.
Bring a laptop for Internet and e-mail access. Hotspots in most major hotels provide a connection, while a number of larger towns have Internet cafés. Web mail can also be checked at several tourist offices.
The Greenlandic mobile telephone system is GSM 900/1800.
Opening Hours and
In larger towns, supermarkets normally trade on weekdays from 10:00 – 17:30, until 18:00 on Friday and from 09:00 – 13:00 on Saturday. Corner shops and grocers in many communities keep longer hours and also open on Sundays.