Nuuk, Greenland

Humpback whales! Icebergs! The northern lights! Those are just a few of the things you’ll find in Greenland’s tiny capital city. With a population of just under 18,500 people (2019), Nuuk is one of the smallest capital cities in the world. Home to gourmet restaurants, fashion boutiques, and the Northern Lights inspired Katuaq Cultural Center, Nuuk is the center of modern Greenland. However, a stroll through the picturesque Old Harbor shows that history and traditions remain strong in this growing city. "Nuuk" is the Greenlandic word for "cape" and is named for its position at the mouth of the Nuup Kangerlua Fjord (otherwise known as the Nuuk Fjord) – the second-largest fjord system in the world. It is located on the southwest coast of Greenland about 240km south of the Arctic Circle and a little further north than Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Nuuk is full of experiences not found anywhere else in Greenland. Marvel at mummies in the Greenland National Museum. Try a tasting flight of local craft beers at Greenland’s largest microbrewery. Learn about urban arctic living and the move toward Greenlandic independence with a city and parliament tour. Evaluate new and old expressions of Inuit culture at the Nuuk Art Museum.