Qaqortoq
In the Footsteps of the Ancient Inuit Culture
Qaqortoq is the largest town in southern Greenland. The name means "white", although in the summer this enchanting landscape is filled with colourful wild flowers. Your MSC cruise will take you to a place that offers breath-taking views of the surrounding mountains and deep, blue sea; of the icebergs in the bay and the beautiful Tasersuag lake.
Founded in 1775, Qaqortoq is known for its sealskin products and as being the starting point for many excursions, as well as for having a relatively mild climate for its location. And it is for this reason that the town boasts the only fountain in Greenland, at the base of which all the names of the citizens are written in brass.
There is a very interesting museum where you can learn about the town’s history and culture. It is situated in a yellow stone building dating back to 1804, originally a blacksmith’s workshop, next to Qaqortoq’s main square, and houses old Inuit boats, hunting equipment, traditional clothing and Nordic artefacts. The permanent exhibitions of the Dorset culture, the Thule culture and the Norse culture are of particular interest. The building itself is considered a cultural heritage and is protected.
In addition to Annaasisitta Oqaluffia (The Church of Our Saviour) with its unmistakable red walls and white shutters, which is in the town centre, another not-to-miss place close to Qaqortoq is Hvalsey church; or rather its very well-preserved ruins. Hvalsey is on a narrow strip of land at the head of a fjord and the Church is about 70 metres from the water’s edge, on a traditional Greenlandic Norse farmstead. An incredible plateau, where you can breathe in the pure air and enjoy the natural beauties that MSC Cruises takes you to.