Nuuk (Greenland)

Nuuk is Greenland's capital city and largest port located on the country's southwestern coast. Nuuk is also the homeport (ferry port) for Arctic Umiaq Line (freight and passenger shipping company) serving the south-western Greenland route roundtrip from Nuuk.

Next are listed route's ports of call (with arrival-departure times in brackets) - Nuuk (departure 8 pm)-Maniitsoq (6-630 am)-Kangaamiut (10-10:15 am)-Sisimiut (5-7 pm)-Aasiaat (6-6:15 am)-Qeqertarsuaq (10-10:15 am)-Ilulissat (3:30-5 pm)-Aasiaat (9:30-10 pm)-Sisimiut (9-11 am)-Kangaamiut (5:45-6 pm)-Maniitsoq (9:30-10 pm)-Nuuk (7-9 am)-Qeqertarsuatsiaat (4:30-4:45 pm)-Paamiut (11:45-12 midnight)-Arsuk (6:45-7 am)-Qaqortoq (4-7 pm)-Narsaq (9:9:30 pm)-Arsuk (6:45-7 am)-Paamiut (2-2:30 pm)-Qeqertarsuatsiaat (10:15-10:30 pm)-Nuuk (arrival 7:30 am).

Formerly known as Godthab (Good Hope), the town was founded in 1721 as the largest Danish settlement in the region. Nuuk boasts an ice-free harbour (located on the Davis Strait) and extensive commercial fishing industry. Travelers should visit the old Koloniehavn district and the National Museum. Nearby is the mountain landmark Hjortetakken.

From 9th to 15th centuries, Norse colonists maintained precarious existence at Nuuk, but later abandoned their settlement. The Norwegian missionary Hans Egede (1686-1758) established a colony near the original site. Today it's the seat of Supreme Court and the 21-member Parliament (Landsting). Most of Nuuk's contemporary inhabitants are Inuit.

Major cities located closest to Nuuk are Iqaluit (Nunavut Canada), St Johns (Newfoundland Canada) and Reykjavík (Iceland). Nuuk has almost a 1/4 of Greenland's population (around 18,000), and also has the country's tallest building - Hojhus Jagtvej (Nord and Syd) - 12 floors, height ~43 m (141 ft).

The city is a good shopping place for buying high-quality handmade arts and craftworks. Its shopping center (Nuuk Center) was opened in 2012 and has the country's first-ever underground car parking. Nuuk Airport is approx 4 km (2,5 mi) to the northeast of downtown. It is served by the domestic airline Air Greenland (also headquartered in the city). Regular flights are operated to and from Reykjavík. As an alternative to the expensive flying of goods from Denmark to Greenland, Nuuk and other towns are connected to Denmark by a cargo shipping line - mainly from Aalborg. Cargo vessels import from Denmark timber, machinery, clothing, flour, medicine, and export deep-freezed fish and shrimp.

The city's Nuup Bussii (yellow buses) provide public bus services. A shuttle service is provided to the airport. Nuuk Tourist Office (1992-built) houses the headquarters of the country's National Tourist Board.

On August 19, MSC Orchestra became MSC's first cruise liner to visit Greenland. The next table shows the 17-day North Atlantic crossing itinerary from Germany to Iceland.

In 2012 (August 18 through September 12), MS The World (world's largest privately-owned cruise ship) did a Northwest Passage cruise from USA to Greenland (Nome Alaska to Nuuk Greenland). The ship was carrying a total of 481 passengers (residents) and crew. During the 26-day voyage, MS The World traveled over 5500 mi (8900 km) following the route of Roald Amundsen (link to the Hurtigruten ship), who was the first sailor to complete the voyage in 1906.

Nuuk Greenland was included as port of call in the Northwest Passage cruises of the following passenger ships:

• Crystal Serenity - 32-day itinerary from Seward Alaska to NYC New York (2016 - August 16 to September 16)
• Crystal Serenity - 32-day itinerary 32-days Seward to New York City (2017 - August 15 to September 15)
• Seven Seas Navigator - 63-day itinerary from Miami Florida to Montreal Quebec (2017 - June 17 to August 18)

Note: All Northwest Passage ship transits are assisted by a Canadian icebreaker or another vessel with an ice-strengthened hull.