Five Places to Go in Nuuk, Greenland

For most travelers to Greenland, the capital city of Nuuk, like the rest of the country, brings to mind the northern lights, dog sledding, whale watching and treks to dramatic glaciers and fjords. The city has been viewed largely as just a stopover on the way to the Greenland ice sheet. But lately, this small city of about 16,000 people has blossomed with a newfound energy and multiple creative ventures, such as the biennial Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival, which began in 2015 and returns in October 2019. Nuuk’s walkable downtown and the adjacent Colonial Harbour neighborhood have become a destination for upscale Greenlandic cuisine, up-to-the-minute fashion and contemporary art and design.

A national symbol of Greenlandic culture, the center attracts locals and visitors for its wide-ranging cultural offerings, including concerts, theater performances and art exhibitions, as well as for dining on reindeer carbonade and other seasonal local delicacies at its Cafe Tuaq. The modernist building’s triangular shape and sinuous features evoke the nation’s icebergs, northern lights and local fjords. It celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017 and has a new larch-paneled facade. Imaneq 21; katuaq.gl

This small, year-old cafe’s minimalist interior belies the sophisticated cuisine on the spare dinner menu. Whether sitting in the airy interior or al fresco facing Godthab Fjord, diners enjoy the Greenlandic tapas served on wooden cutting boards. The tapas may include smoked lamb topped with rye bread crumble and tarragon mayonnaise. Hans Egedesvej 29; facebook.com/CafeToqqorfik

This gallery, in a renovated old boat repair shop, is host to exhibitions of mostly local watercolors, sculptures, ceramics and video installations. Hans Egedesvej 29/B-234; facebook.com/nuutoqaq

On the fifth floor of the Hans Egede hotel, this Nordic-inspired dining spot offers views of Nuuk’s signature twin mountains, Ukkusissat and Quassussuaq, and colorful downtown street murals. Led by a young Swedish chef, Simon Harrison, the restaurant melds global and seasonal Greenlandic ingredients. Aqqusinersuaq; hhe.gl/spisestedet-sarfalik

The soft garments and accessories in this family-owned store are among the warmest (and priciest) wool items in the world. The least costly, a headband, starts at 600 Danish kroner, or $95. The products are knit from the fur of the Greenland native musk ox. The founder, Anita Hoegh, sources these bisonlike animal’s inner wool before she dyes it. Imaneq 27; qiviutonline.com