Sisimiut

A coastal pearl on the Arctic Circle
Sisimiut lies just north of the Arctic Circle and is the northernmost town in Greenland where the port remains free of ice in the winter and at the same time the southernmost town in Greenland where it is possible to drive on a dogsled in winter and spring. In Sisimiut’s old quarter you can still see buildings from the first 100 years of the colonial period, for instance in the museum area with the portal built of enormous whale jawbones and the blue church, which is Greenland’s second-oldest church dating back to 1775.



Activities in natural surroundings
At the foot of Sisimiut’s landmark, the 784-metre (2,572 feet) high mountain, “Kællingehætten” (literally “old woman’s cowl”), there are fine opportunities for alpine skiing in winter and spring. In summer you can walk to the top of “Kællingehætten” and be rewarded with a fantastic view of the town, the sea, the mountains and the abandoned settlement of Assaqutaq. The ice-free sea around Sisimiut and some of Greenland’s deepest fjords also attract visitors wishing to sail in waters that are home to many whales and seals.

Sisimiut today
Sisimiut means “the inhabitants at the foxholes”. The town was founded in 1756 as a mission and trading station under the name Holsteinsborg. With its 6,000 inhabitants living in the town of Sisimiut and the settlements of Kangerlussuaq, Sarfannguaq and Itilleq, Sisimiut is Greenland’s second biggest municipality today. A high-tech factory, where prawns and crabs are processed, is evidence of the fact that fishing continues to be the main industry in Sisimiut.



Travel routes to Sisimiut
With its central location in Greenland, Sisimiut has daily flights to Kangerlussuaq and regular connections to the other towns on Greenland’s west coast. The passenger ship that sails the regular service between Narsarsuaq in South Greenland and Ilulissat in the north also calls at Sisimiut. Adventurers who are physically fit and have plenty of time on their hands can also walk the very popular hiking route between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, which takes 8-10 days. During the winter months travellers can follow the same route on dogsleds or snowmobiles and visit Sarfannguaq and its 100 inhabitants en route.

See a map of Sisimiut

• Description
• 

Be visible on Greenland's official tourism portal. Buy an ad space to a very favourable price!