Greenland Map and Travel Guide

Are you an adventurer? Do you run from stifling heat? Greenland, in summer even, might just meet your criteria for all these things.

It's the world's largest island at 836,330 square miles, providing a platform on the sea for a mere 57.000 people. That's about three times the size of Texas in land mass, and many times fewer inhabitants. Strip away the ice sheet that covers the center of the island, and you'd see a central lake, and the land mass would appear as other islands, still very large comared to other islands on Earth. 

Below is a map of Greenland with several large cities marked. The Capital is Nuuk, which has an international airport and will probably be your starting destination for any itinerary you plan. Are there other airports? Well, many more than you might think. Greenland's transportation is largely based upon  boat, plane, or even by dogsled. Roads between towns are rare. 

There are currently six international airports in Greenland – Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat, Nuuk, Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Nerlerit Inaat.

From Nuuk, marked on the map, Air Greenland offers connecting flights to Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Sisimiut, Maniitsoq, and Narsarsuaq.

Map of Greenland

Greenland Travel Toolbox

Greenland has many more towns on its west coast because the weather is much more moderate. Note how close Greenland is to Baffin Island, Canada. 

If you'd rather plan in advance, check out the tours Viator offers,

Museums? Yep, there are probably more than you'd think. Here's a good list of them.

From late May to late July you'll witness the phenomenon we call the "Midnight Sun". Of course, that makes it very dark in the winter, a depressing time for some. 

The best times to go to Greenland are summers for those of us who don't like to freeze. But expect fog during those months. In Nuuk the temperatures in Centigrade for the months of June-September are 4.7 7.0 6.7 3.9, the highest temperatures of the year. 

For in in-depth discussion of the weather and climate of Greenland, see Visit Greenland. Below you'll find the current weather and forecast. 

Nuuk, The Capital of Greenland

 With a population of under 19,000 people, Nuuk is one of the smallest capital cities in the world.

Don't miss a visit to the Katuaq Cultural Center. And remember the native population consists of the “Inuit” or “Kalaallisut”, not Eskimo peoples. 

If you're a shopper, Ajagaq, workshop for bone, stone & wood carving, might just be for you. You can preview some of the art on their Facebook Group page. 

Nuuk is one of the few places you can rent a car. It's a good place to anchor your trip while you take tours of the coast, fjords, and islands. 

Map of Nuuk, Greenland

Where to Stay

Greenland has man places to stay on the western coast. Click the button below to see the best of them as well as plan an itinerary from the list.

Pictures of Greenland

The photos below were taken by Charlotte Griswold on a cruise of the coast and Disco Island.