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Greenland

Nuuk

Arctic harbour culture and fjord landscapes

Recommended stay: 3–4 days
Best time to visit: June to August
Airports: GOH

Nuuk at a glance

Nuuk is a compact Arctic capital where harbour culture, contemporary Greenlandic art and dramatic fjord landscapes meet.

Quick information

Recommended stay3–4 days

Best time to visitJune to August

AirportsGOH

Budget travelDKK 700–1000 / person / day

The midnight sun runs from late May to late July; June and July give the longest days and the best chances of boat trips in open water. September and October bring the first northern lights and fewer visitors. Winter (December to March) has the darkest months but reliable aurora activity.

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Airport rail connection

Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.

Check the current operator fare.Transport

Must-see sights

Greenland National Museum

Katuaq Cultural Centre

Nuuk Art Museum

Sights

One-day itinerary

Morning: Walk through the Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn), the oldest part of Nuuk, and see the yellow-painted Hans Egede House.
Lunch: Arctic char or musk ox stew at a café near Nuuk's central harbour.
Afternoon: Visit the Nuuk Art Museum and browse contemporary Greenlandic art in the gallery building near the old Bryghuset.
Evening: Walk to Nuuk Cathedral for the evening light, then dinner in town with traditional local fish soup.

Itineraries

Best areas to stay

City centre (Imaneq area)
Nuuk Center
The commercial centre around Imaneq street and Katuaq. Most of the city's hotels and the best restaurants are within walking distance. Closest point to the airport on foot.
Best for
First visits and access to the main museum and shopping streets
Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn)
Colonial Harbour
The oldest part of Nuuk with colourful Danish colonial-era buildings, the National Museum and Nuuk's cathedral. Quiet and compact; a short walk from the city centre.
Best for
Staying near the Greenland National Museum, old wooden houses and the waterfront
Nuussuaq
A residential district to the north of the city centre with a more everyday Greenlandic atmosphere. Some guesthouses and private rental options; taxi needed for the city centre.
Best for
A residential neighbourhood stay with a local feel
Qinngorput
A newer residential suburb on the south side of the city. Some rental accommodation with fjord views. Requires a taxi to reach the main sights.
Best for
Quiet coastal setting on the outskirts
Near the harbour (Inussivik)
Inussivik
Guesthouses and small hotels near the harbour. Practical if you have a fjord trip or settlement excursion booked; the city centre is a short walk.
Best for
Staying near boat excursion departure points
Sipit area
Sipit
A compact district between the city centre and the harbour with a few small hotels and guesthouses. Short walk to Katuaq and the National Museum.
Best for
Central accommodation with city views

Approximate budget

Budget
DKK 700–1000
per day, per person
Guesthouse or hostel. Self-catering from a Pisiffik or Brugseni supermarket. Free sights: Colonial Harbour walk, city viewpoints, Katuaq exterior and National Museum exterior.
Mid-range
DKK 1500–2500
per day, per person
Three-star hotel in the city centre. Dinners at Nuuk's good restaurants (musk ox, Arctic char). One fjord boat trip or museum per day.
Upscale
DKK 3000+
per day, per person
Best available hotel. Full-day fjord charter, helicopter excursion or settlement visit. Fine dining at the best Nuuk restaurants.

Airports

GOH
Nuuk Airport
25 km from city centre

Airport to city transport

OptionTimePrice

GOH

Airport rail connectionGOHUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Airport bus or coachGOHUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Official taxi rankGOHUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Pre-booked private transferGOHUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.

Getting around

OptionTimePrice

WalkingNuuk's centre is compact but hilly. The Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn) area and the city centre around Imaneq are the main walkable areas.
The Colonial Harbour, Katuaq, Nuuk Art Museum and city centre are within 20 minutes of each other on foot
Free
Details
Nuuk's centre is compact but hilly. The Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn) area and the city centre around Imaneq are the main walkable areas.
TaxiTaxis are the main transport option beyond walking distance. Book by phone or ask at your hotel.
Connects the city centre, airport and outer districts
Check the fare before you ride
Details
Taxis are the main transport option beyond walking distance. Book by phone or ask at your hotel.
Boat or helicopter charterFjord trips, settlement visits (Kapisillit, Qornok) and icefjord excursions are booked through Greenland Travel or local operators.
Varies by destination; fjord day trips take 2–6 hours
Check the rate with local operators
Details
Fjord trips, settlement visits (Kapisillit, Qornok) and icefjord excursions are booked through Greenland Travel or local operators.

Top sights

Greenland National Museum
Greenland's main museum in the Colonial Harbour area, with the 15th-century Qilakitsoq mummies, Inuit clothing and tools, and exhibits on the history of Norse and Inuit settlement. An important introduction to Greenlandic culture.
Katuaq Cultural Centre
Katuaq
The cultural heart of modern Greenland: a sweeping wooden building on the city waterfront designed to evoke the northern lights. Houses a cinema, concert hall, exhibition space and café. Check the programme for concerts and events during your visit.
Nuuk Art Museum
Greenlandic visual art from the nineteenth century to the present, including landscapes by the pivotal Greenlandic painter Aron of Kangeq and contemporary works by local artists. In a historic building near the Colonial Harbour.
Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn)
Colonial Harbour
The oldest part of Nuuk, with brightly coloured Danish colonial-era wooden houses, the old warehouse (now the National Museum), Nuuk Cathedral and a working harbour. A short but atmospheric walk.
Nuuk Cathedral
The small red-painted Lutheran cathedral in the Colonial Harbour, originally built in 1849 and rebuilt in 1937. The attached churchyard holds graves of eighteenth-century Danish missionaries and early Greenlandic converts.
City viewpoints
The hill behind Katuaq and the ridgeline above Quassussuaq offer unobstructed views of the Nuuk fjord, icebergs in summer, and the city spread against the Arctic backdrop. A 20–30-minute hike from the centre.
Nuuk fjord
One of the largest fjord systems in the world, with icebergs calved from the Greenland ice sheet visible in the water from June to October. Day-trip boats depart from Nuuk harbour for icefjord cruises, whale-watching (humpback, minke) and visits to abandoned Norse settlements.
Qornok (abandoned settlement)
Qornok
A small depopulated Greenlandic settlement about 20 km from Nuuk, reachable by boat in about 30 minutes. The painted wooden houses are maintained as a summer retreat; the site offers excellent fjord views and a sense of traditional Greenlandic life.
Sermitsiaq mountain
Serm Sermitsiaq
The distinctive 1,210-metre peak visible from everywhere in Nuuk, serving as the city's natural landmark and appearing on the Greenlandic coat of arms. Day hikes to the lower ridges are possible in summer; the full summit requires experience and good weather.
Inuit Circumpolar Council building and waterfront walks
Waterfront walks
The waterfront promenade along the edge of the old town and the commercial centre offers views of the fjord and passing fishing boats. The Inuit Circumpolar Council headquarters is on the waterfront, a symbol of Greenlandic political identity.

Places to visit near Nuuk

Travel times are approximate and depend on traffic and timetables.

Nature
Sermitsiaq mountain
Serm Sermitsiaq
Distance
Visible from Nuuk; hiking trails start outside the city
Travel time
20 minutes by boat to the mountain base
Best transport
Boat charter or organised excursion
The 1,210-metre peak dominating Nuuk's skyline. Day hikes to the lower slopes are possible in good summer weather. The full ridge requires experience and is best with a local guide.
Mountain hiking and panoramic fjord views
Full day
- Fjord panorama
- Arctic flora above the treeline
Nature
Nuuk fjord cruise
Distance
Departs from Nuuk harbour
Travel time
3–6 hours depending on operator and route
Best transport
Book through a local tour operator; departs from the city harbour
Boat trips through the Nuuk fjord system past icebergs, sea eagles and, from July to September, humpback and minke whales. The fjord is one of the largest in the world and gives access to the Greenland ice sheet's calving edges.
Iceberg viewing, whale watching and Arctic scenery
Half or full day
- Iceberg fields
- Whale sightings in season
Nature
Kapisillit settlement
Kapisillit
Distance
80 km south-east in the fjord
Travel time
2–3 hours by boat
Best transport
Boat charter or organised excursion from Nuuk harbour
One of the few inhabited settlements in the Nuuk fjord system, with about 50 year-round residents. Accessible only by boat or helicopter; the surrounding landscape includes caribou grazing ground and a salmon river.
A remote settlement visit and fjord landscape
Full day
- Remote settlement life
- Salmon river in season
Nature
Qornok (abandoned settlement)
Qornok
Distance
20 km from Nuuk
Travel time
30 minutes by boat
Best transport
Boat charter or organised excursion
A small former settlement with painted wooden houses maintained as a summer retreat by Nuuk families. The boat journey passes icebergs and the landscape offers classic Greenlandic views.
A close fjord trip and traditional house photography
Half day
- Painted wooden houses
- Fjord approach views
Nature
Lille Malene (Quassussuaq) hiking
Lille Malene
Distance
15 km from Nuuk; trailhead accessible by road
Travel time
45 minutes by taxi or rental car to the trailhead
Best transport
Taxi or rental car to the trailhead, then on foot
The lower peak of the Malene mountain group, offering accessible summit hiking in good weather. Panoramic views over the Nuuk fjord and the city on a clear day. One of the most popular day hikes from Nuuk.
Accessible Arctic hiking with fjord views
Full day
- Summit views over Nuuk fjord
- Arctic tundra flora

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Nuuk at a glance

Quick information

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Must-see sights

One-day itinerary

Best areas to stay

City centre (Imaneq area)

Colonial Harbour (Kolonihavn)

Nuussuaq

Qinngorput

Near the harbour (Inussivik)

Sipit area

Approximate budget