26 P R I NC E C HR I S T I A N S O UND Prince Christian Sound The force of Greenland’s massive inland icecap pushes glaciers towards the sea, where large chunks of ice break o and become oating icebergs. When we cruise the 70-mile (100-km) Prince Christian Sound — which separates the Cape Farewell islands from the mainland — we get so close to icebergs that you can almost reach out and touch them. Qaqortoq With 3,000 inhabitants, Qaqortoq is the largest settlement in South Greenland. In this charming town you can nd lots of strikingly beautiful colonial buildings, dating from the establishment of the town in 1775. The area has a rich history, as it has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times. You can still see traces of Thule and Norse cultures throughout the region. Nuuk Greenland’s capital has around 16,000 inhabitants and combines Inuit traditions with modern European urbanity. It’s also Greenland’s oldest town, founded in 1728 by the Danish Norwegian missionary Hans Egede. The National Museum features 500-year-old mummies from Qilakitsoq, as well as other artifacts related to Greenland archaeology, history and art. The Katuaq Cultural Center in downtown Nuuk is the venue for concerts, exhibitions, cinema and local cuisine. The University of Greenland, the country’s only university, is also located in Nuuk. Sisimiut Sisimiut has a turbulent history, especially during the 18th century when the rst Danish colony was destroyed by Dutch whalers who wanted to establish their own settlement. The Danes fought back and eventually recaptured Sisimiut a er several erce battles in the 1730s. Because of its ourishing shrimp industry, Sisimiut is one of Greenland’s most prosperous cities today. GREENLAND Uummannaq Located 300 miles (500 km) north of the Arctic Circle, Uummannaq is one of the most beautiful towns in Greenland. The town takes its unusual name — Uummannaq means “heart shaped” in Greenlandic — from a massive mountain (3,839 feet/1,175 meters) that towers above the island. An interesting local museum features an exhibition of German climatologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener’s 18th- century polar exploration.
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