Nuuk

City break, food, boat trips with fishing, hiking and inuit culture

Nuuk has only about 19,500 inhabitants, but you will experience a metropolis as it is a government town with many cultural and educational institutions. Nuuk is constantly growing, and there are approximately 10 kilometers from one end of the town to the other. You can experience concerts, theater, museums, and exhibitions. Sports are an essential part of many people, so you can also go hiking, skiing, sailing, and running, go to gyms, practice yoga, and even go swimming.

Culture

Cultural life is essential in Nuuk, not only because of the architectural gem, Katuaq, Greenland’s Cultural Center, but because many people create all kinds of culture. You find music, Greenland’s National Theater, Greenland National Museum, and Nuuk Art Museum.

Not only are we talking about the traditional Greenlandic culture that you often encounter in other Greenlandic cities, but you can also hear classical music, hip-hop, and techno here in the city. Visit Atlantic Music and hear some of all the great music Greenland has to offer. These days, downloading music has become commonplace in Greenland, but it is not many years ago that Greenland was the country in the world that released the most CDs compared to the size of the population.

Sport is also a form of culture and thrives in Nuuk. The award-winning swimming hall Malik gives you breathtaking views as you swim. In winter, slopes are prepared for alpine skiing, and you will also find first-class cross-country skiing. There are several sports halls in Nuuk, so if you are into sports, you can always find something to do.

Inuit sports or Inuit Games, as it is often called, are also cultivated in Nuuk. Inuit Games and Dene Games became popular in Greenland at the beginning of the millennium. These are various sports that provide strength and endurance and have been cultivated by Inuit and Native Americans in Canada and Alaska over centuries. 

Fusion Cuisine

When in Nuuk, try some of the city’s many delicious restaurants. The average standard of living in Nuuk is relatively high, and there are many exciting restaurants and cafes. Hotel Hans Egede, for example, houses Sarfalik, which serves a fantastic variety of Greenlandic cuisine mixed with Nordic and Asian influences. Nearby you can experience Greenlandic sushi at the Thai restaurant Charoen Porn. It’s a different experience than ordinary sushi. Cafe Esmeralda offers good cafe cuisine. There is also Restaurant Nordlys, which has “the taste of the Nordics” on the menu with delicious local ingredients.

Overall, you have many options for eating out in the center of Nuuk. About an hour of sailing from Nuuk, in an incredibly beautiful side fjord, you find the Qooqqut Nuan’ restaurant serving amazing dishes in the summer. You can go on a boat trip here, where, along the way, you catch what is later served on your plate!

Nature surrounding Nuuk

You don’t have to go far beyond Nuuk’s city limits before you feel a wonderful solitude. A walk behind the mountain Little Malene gives you that feeling, and then there is the fjord system behind Nuuk. The fjord system is the second largest in Greenland. It is lush and beautiful in summer, and it is a fantastic sight in winter when a thick layer of snow covers the tall mountains and cliffs.

The fjords and the whales

A whale photo safari in Nuuk is a must when visiting, just as boat trips to the old settlements near Nuuk are exciting. In the waters outside Nuuk, it is not unusual to experience humpback whales or minke whales.

If you don’t have time for a boat trip, go to the rocks next to the headquarters of Tele Greenland. There is a good view of the town and its suburbs, but also to the fjord, and, in the summer, you often see a whale swim by.

Winter sports and golfing

Nuuk is an excellent winter sports area. Hop on the bus to the airport and, in 15 minutes, you will be at the foot of a ski area with three ski lifts. Skiing and snowboarding are popular sports, just as the sound of snowmobiles is unmistakable outside the city limits. If you are into cross country skiing, there are many good trails starting in the town.

If you come in the summer, you can play on a nine-hole golf course, which has many natural obstacles as it lies in beautifully hilly terrain.

The town of Nuuk

In the eyes of Greenlanders, Nuuk with over 17,500 inhabitants, is a big city. In fact, it takes several hours to go from one end of Nuuk to the other, as the town is growing almost every day. For example, the suburb of Nuussuaq would be Greenland’s second-largest town if it had been a separate town. In Nuussuaq, you find neighborhoods which resemble candy bowls, because there are houses of all colors. You even find pink and mint green homes here…

In the center of Nuuk, you will find the buildings from colonial times. The old colonial area with, among other things, the National Museum is well maintained and beautiful, and you should take a walk in the area Myggedalen and experience the many colorful houses. If you run into a rain shower or a snowstorm, you can go shopping in the nearby Nuuk Center, which has everything. Almost.