On the 18th August 2019, US President Donald Trump confirmed his interest in purchasing Greenland. Although this offer was blankly rejected by both the Greenlandic and Danish governments, it sparked a lot of media interest in the country, with not just the American public but people from all over the world showing curiosity about our country and its people. Conan’s trip to Greenland, although inspired by Trump’s comments, became a funny and positive insight into our people and their hospitality, and what makes Greenland unique.
Conan spent two days in Nuuk and one day in Ilulissat, managing to pack in a lot of experiences and many entertaining interviews with locals. Follow in his footsteps and find out which Greenlandic highlights made up his trip.
Nuuk Airport
In Nuuk, Conan of course started at the airport where he met with local workers and got his first impressions of Greenland. Nuuk airport is one of the most popular ways to enter the country, since you can only arrive to Greenland by plane or boat. Since Nuuk is an international airport, you can fly here directly from Iceland. If flying from Copenhagen, you need to transfer in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland’s main international hub.
Read more about how to get to Greenland.
Useful information:
- Location: 5 km/3 Miles ENE of Nuuk
- Airport’s website
- Taxi: TAXAGUT +299 321321
- Taxi: Nuuk Taxi +299 363636
- Bus: Route 3 and X3
- It takes less than 60 minutes to walk to Nuuk
Nuuk Golf Club
Believe it or not, Nuuk has a golf course! The only rated golf course in Greenland was the second stop on Conan’s list as he made his way from the airport into town. It is a 9-hole course surrounded by iconic scenery.
Useful information:
- Nuuk Golfklub’s Facebook page
- Telephone: +299 55 19 95
The Mother of the Sea
There are many beautiful and intriguing works of art to be found around the streets of Nuuk. One of them is the Mother of the Sea, which lies on the shore by the colonial harbour and is brushed by the tide on a daily basis. The legend behind the statue tells of how the mother of the sea, being angry at the people for littering the ocean, gathered all the animals that the Inuit hunted at the bottom of the sea so they could no longer find them until they began to respect the waters again. You can explore more street art in Nuuk by taking the Nuuk Art Walk (starting from Nuuk’s Art Museum), or you can read more about Greenlandic myths and legends here.
The Colonial Harbour
Nuuk’s colonial harbour is the first place in Nuuk that the Danes settled when they began to colonise Greenland in the 1700s. The colourful, historic colonial buildings and church here will have you wandering around and photographing the spectacular views for hours. Here is also where you will find Greenland’s National Museum, which boasts real preserved mummies!
Nuuk Center
Conan also paid a visit to Nuuk Center, where everyday life in Nuuk ticks by in shops and cafés. This shopping mall is open from 10am every day and houses a supermarket and coffee shop for your everyday needs, as well as gift shops and clothing stores featuring familiar brands as well as pieces by local designers. Nuuk Center is located on Nuuk’s pedestrianised high street where you will find many other stores as well as the Katuaq Cultural Centre.
Useful information:
The Library
In his show, Conan is seen chatting to some high school students outside Nuuk’s public library. The library is well used by locals but is also open for tourists to use. Here, you can borrow books, magazines, movies and games and read the latest newspapers. Perhaps the most relevant feature for tourists, however, is that you can access WiFi for free in here, which is very useful if you are travelling without mobile data, since getting on WiFi whilst on the go in Greenland can be expensive.
Ilulissat Airport
Like many tourists, Conan’s first port of call in Ilulissat was Ilulissat Airport, where he was greeted by a mother and daughter in their national costumes. Ilulissat airport is located a few kilometres out of the town centre, so the journey into town already provides beautiful views and a good overview of the area.
Useful information:
- Location: 3 km/2 Miles NE of town
- Airport’s website
- The local town bus can be stopped and will run to the airport
Ilulissat Icefjord
Many tourists’ primary reason for visiting Ilulissat is to set eyes on its spectacular icefjord. This is where one of the world’s fastest moving glaciers feeds into the sea, creating a magnificent and ever-changing landscape of icebergs floating majestically towards the ocean. Conan took a boat trip along the icefjord to get as close as possible to the fascinating icebergs that dwell there.
Ilulissat icefjord is one of three UNESCO world heritage sites in Greenland, and there are many more ways to experience this unique landscape. Read more about how to experience the icefjord.
