Things to Do in Nuuk Greenland

Greenland is a very special place to visit. It is a wild, dramatic country, where the weather changes every five minutes – or, at least, seems to! – and you can experience nature at its most raw and beautiful. Greenland’s culture is also very interesting and you can learn about how indigenous peoples have lived and thrived in such a harsh environment. Greenlandic cuisine is delicious and makes full use of the region’s resources. Here’s our post about things to do in Nuuk, Greenland, the country’s compact capital city.

view of Nuuk fjord water with icebergs and surrounding mountains

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Getting to Nuuk

There are direct flights to Nuuk from Denmark (Copenhagen) and Iceland (Keflavik).

Nuuk airport is new and some of the procedures are slow. But you will clear immigration in Denmark or Iceland, so don’t expect a passport stamp. We were travelling with hand-baggage only, so walked out of the airport 5 minutes after leaving the plane. Those with baggage in the hold had to wait a while!

At the time of writing it was only possible to fly internationally to Nuuk but flights to Ilulissat are coming soon!

Be aware that the weather in Greenland changes several times a day and flights are often delayed or cancelled. Because we were only visiting for a week, we decided to base ourselves in Nuuk and not attempt to visit other parts of the country, because we didn’t want to hang around airports or have to deal with making alternative arrangements if flights got cancelled.

Nuuk airport is really close to the city, it’s about a 15 minute car journey. There are taxis (about 150-200DKK) or a fixed-price shuttle (98DKK per person), which you can pre-book or you’ll almost certainly find it waiting at the airport when the plane comes in. Just state your destination and the driver will take you there.

Staying in Nuuk

There is a range of accommodation options but they generally aren’t cheap. Hostels offer lower cost rooms but you may have to share a bathroom, and hostels may be located a bit further from the city. There are plenty of hotels too. We chose the Hotel Nordbo, located a short 10 minute walk from the city centre. Our room had a kitchenette which was perfect because we could make our own breakfast each morning, and this helped keep costs down. There are supermarkets in Nuuk where you can buy local and international food.

view of apartment kitchen in Nordbo hotel in Nuuk

We recommend booking your accommodation reasonably soon after you have booked your flights. Our hotel was full in late August, so make sure you can get the best deal as early as possible.

Exploring the City

Nuuk is a small city and you can very easily walk around the centre. There are a variety of places to visit.

Old Nuuk and Harbour

Old Nuuk and the old harbour is a nice place to wander around.

Things to do in Nuuk Greenland, view of old harbour with colourful buildings on the shore

You can see sculptures in the sea, and climb the hill to visit the statue of Dano-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede who founded Nuuk in 1728.

Statue of Nuuk's founder Hans Egede with church in the background

Did you Know? Although residents paint their buildings any colour they like these days, building colour was originally used to denote its use. Yellow buildings were hospitals or medical facilities, green for the police and telecommunications, blue for utility buildings (electricity/water) , red for churches and post offices, and white for churches and fish factories!

Greenland National Museum

Located in the old harbour area, this museum offers an extensive exhibition about Arctic life, particularly from an indigenous perspective. There are many displays showing the history of Greenland, from pre-history to modern. It costs 100DKK to enter.

traditional inuit costumes in Nuuk National museum of greenland

traditional Inuit tools in Nuuk Museum of Greenland

Nuuk Local Museum

Just down the road is a small museum dedicated to local history. It explains the founding of Nuuk and has a number of exhibits connected with life in the city. When we visited there was also an exhibition about local women who prepare and sew animal skins to make clothing, keeping the important tradition of kalaallisuut alive. Next door, you may be able to meet local women who are sewing skins, creating traditional clothing that has been used for centuries to protect people from the cold environment.

Nuuk Art Gallery

This lovely, airy art gallery showcases Greenlandic art – both traditional and indigenous, classical (including some Danish artists) and modern.

The gallery costs 40DKK but entry is free on Thursdays.

picture in the art gallery - abstract metallic

modern picture of art at Nuuk's art gallery

Nuuk Cultural Centre

This arts centre building hosts art exhibitions, concerts and film screenings. Some of the exhibitions are free to view. It has a great café which offers a brunch on Sundays and also Greenlandic cuisine (as well as world dishes).

Things to do in Nuuk Greenland the city's cultural centre

exhibition of sea objects at Nuuk's cultural cetnre

Their Greenlandic tapas are definitely worth indulging in.

Platter of Greenlandic tapas at Nuuk's cultural centre

Explore the Sculptures in the City

Hiking

Not exactly a hike, but Nuuk has a lovely boardwalk along its western seaside which is nice for walking along and looking out over the fjord. Maybe you’ll spot the odd iceberg slowly gliding past.

The boardwalk at Nuuk looking out over the blue fjord

There are lots of proper countryside hikes in the Nuuk area. One of the easiest is Quassussuaq, which is very close to the city. Take the No3. bus to the airport (you will need cash for the ticket, the only time we found that cash was needed here) and hike a 6 km scenic walk to get lovely views of the fjord. Make sure the mist hasn’t descended though, otherwise you won’t see much! The Nuuk website has details of all the walks in the area.

Excursions into the Fjord

Nuuk’s fjord, the second largest in the world, is where you get to see wild Greenland! There are loads of excursions available to enjoy and plenty of tour operators. We used Nuuk Water Taxi, who have an extensive fleet of boats.

Trips to the fjord go from the steps at the harbour, about a 20 minute walk from the city centre. Take the right fork at Hotel Soma, and walk to the steps.

Boat Trip into the Ice Fjord

There are loads of boat trips into the fjord and we absolutely recommend visiting this wild and wonderful area. If you are booking other excursions you will get a chance to see a lot of the fjord anyway. Even if you are not on a whale watching trip, if the captain learns of a whale in the area, the boat will likely sail to the spot to have a look.

large blue icebergy in the Nuuk ice fjord

The icebergs are quite spectacular. Every one is unique.

image of an iceberg in teh Nukk ice fjord

Whale Watching

Between the months of June and September humpback whales will arrive in the Nuuk fjord to scoff the plentiful fish there before heading some 6,000 km to the Caribbean to meet other whales and breed. We were delighted to see a couple of humpback whales enjoying their time in the fjord.

humpback whale in front of an iceberg in Nuuk ice fjord

tail of humback whale as it dives to feeds in the fjord.

Camp Kangiusaq

This is a very special place. A two hour boat trip deep into the ice fjord, you arrive at the camp, in the middle of nowhere, where you can relax, join a number of organised activities and enjoy the most marvellous scenery.

There are all sorts of options to explore the area, from kayaking amongst the icebergs, to hiking and boating/fishing trips. Then you can spend a night or two in lovely glamping tents.

Camp Kangiusaq tent overlooking iceberg filled lagoon

Delicious food (some of it caught in the fjord) and drink are available on an all-inclusive basis, you will only need to pay extra for alcoholic drinks. They can cater for different dietary requirements.

breakfast buffet at Camp Kangiusaq, breads, eggs, smoked fish and meats

Kayaking amongst the glaciers was one of the best things we have done. You cannot do this if you visit Ilulissat because the icebergs are much bigger and hence significantly more dangerous. We got lucky with the weather – it was a glorious afternoon and the sun shone upon us.

kayaking on the ice fojrd at Camp Kangiusaq

Although many excursions are available with relatively short notice, that is, you can make a booking while you are in Nuuk, we recommend pre-booking this trip.

close up of the beauty of the icebergs Camp Kangiusaq

Visit the Abandoned Qoornoq Settlement

On an island in the fjord, Qoornoq used to be a fishing settlement but was abandoned in the 1960s. It has since become a popular summer getaway destination for local people and regular trips run to the island so that visitors can explore the area.

The colourful houses of Qoornoq the abandoned settlement, with an iceberg floating by

Qooqqut Catch and Eat

Take a boat from Nuuk to a fishing area in the fjord and try your hand at fishing. We were guaranteed a 100% success rate and indeed caught loads of red fish and cod. We even managed to get three fish on the same line!

Things to do in Nuuk Greenland - catching a red fish in the fjord

Then sail to the settlement of Qooqqut to dine at the Qooqqut Nuan restaurant, where they prepare the fish and cook it. And then serve it up to you for a splendid lunch. If you catch lots of fish, they will offer seconds and even thirds of whichever dish you like – so you will be totally satisfied!

fish with local seaweed at Qooqqut Nuan restaurant, Nuuk ice fjord

Nuuk for Foodies

Greenland has many interesting and delicious food offerings and it was nice to be able to eat local food, because the land and sea have such a massive influence on the cuisine. You can eat Greenlandic buffets featuring traditional foods as well as more modern offerings using local ingredients.

Greenlandic buffet - snow crab and shrimp

Greenlandic buffet - platters of mattak and niisa

Greenlandic tapas - seafood coissant with blue tuile that looks like an iceberg

We have a forthcoming post on Greenlandic cuisine, so keep an eye out!

Final Thoughts

Greenland is a truly wonderful place to visit, with its dramatic landscapes, intriguing icebergs and a fascinating culture and cuisine. We recommend booking excursions early, either before you arrive, or as soon as you arrive so that you can get to join in these fun activities. Be aware that sometimes trips may have to be cancelled or postponed if the weather isn’t favourable. If you are planning to do whale watching, for example, book your excursion early in your trip so that you can go out again if the tour is cancelled. Be prepared to be flexible and you will absolutely be rewarded.