Although Greenland nestles in the far north of the Northern Hemisphere, it has been able to make its presence in the world with its self-sufficient potential even in a less sustainable environment.
Greenland is all glittering with picturesque Arctic landscapes and wildlife, which are rare and unexplored. Greenland has an autonomous regime and is inhabited by the local Tribe-Inuit.
Over the past years, Greenland has prepared itself well to enter the competitive world in terms of economic strategy. The country is now a pro to brew their own beer with their limited resources and export them.
Shopping in Greenland can be a surprise for some people because the country is a hidden gem for art and handicrafts.
Just go through the compiled list of the best souvenirs from Greenland.
6 Best Things To Buy While Shopping In Greenland
Ensure that you take all these items with you during your super fun shopping spree in Greenland, so that you can become part of the culture and heritage of this bright country.
1. Kitschy Glasswork
Nuuk, the capital is full of art workshops which create a special type of glass artwork called kitschy. This is a delicate art piece made by heating the mixture of silica sand to the highest temperature and transforming them into the desired art form.
The most popular glasswork plant in Greenland is planting decors and candle holders. Colorful pieces can be sent out of the country on the basis of a boutique, where someone is shopping in Greenland. Apart from Glasswork, anyone can indulge in some of the finest potteries in the country.
2. Tupilaks
Tupilaks are ritualistic figures created from bones of the wildlife that was killed for the Greenlanders livelihood.
A person can find complicated carved things on the bones of detached walruses, reindeers and musk oxen that are altered into products such as ulo knife, jewelry, knitting needles, and corkscrews.
The figurines will give you goosebumps because they usually represent gothic figures hunting or performing a ritual. Nuuk and Ilulissat city is full of craft shops which are perfect for some souvenir shopping in Greenland.
3. Warm Clothes
Greenland is the production house of the most expensive and warmest wool in the world. This wool comes from a bizarre species called Musk oxen, which blossom in the tundra region.
Musk wool is the most sophisticated and rare form of wool, which also beats cashmere in the fashion segment.
Locally called as Qiviut, the musk wool is soft and thermal, which produces and captures enough heat for a comfortable lazy walk outside in the core winters. You can choose between beanies, stoles, and gloves at any of Nuuk and Sisimiut stores because there are no shopping malls in Greenland.
4. Beaded Jewelry
Inuit tribe is traditionally known for its colorfulness. The lively clothes and apparel also add in the list of the national costume of the country.
It’s an enthusiasm that leads to the creation of beaded jewelry which one finds in the shops along with all the main towns of Greenland.
Apart from the bright costumes and delicately embroidered boots, you can choose between the necklaces and earrings.
5. Home Decor
While walking around the streets of the capital Nuuk, one can find shops selling fabrics and home decors, which are exclusive to Greenland. After a special Inuk design, you can select between different tablecloths, curtains, cushion covers, and vases.
It is a unique Inuk design found in Cloth Wall Hangings, Wooden figurines, and Dinner Plates, which is worth buying and enjoy the best souvenir shopping in Greenland.
The motifs on design come from traditional stories and events that have occurred in the Inuit culture.
6. Skincare Products
Two Greenlanders started their line of skincare products made from the local herbs and produced a few years ago. being born and brought up in the same terrain helped this mother-daughter duo to brainstorm an idea, which eventually appeared in one of the most sought-after body care products in Greenland.
Here, utilizing the rare and cherished herbs such as juniper, chamomile, and lavender a range of skin and hair care products have been designed.
Inuacare in Qaqortoq claims that their products have a calm and nutritional effect on the skin and hair and also helps in rejuvenating them. A person should visit boutiques in the southern city of Qaqortoq to learn more about their products and herbs because there are no shopping malls in Greenland.
Best Time To Visit Greenland
The best time to visit Greenland depends on what one wants to experience in the Arctic land. If someone is going after the Northern lights, then the exact time to see the spectacular phenomena would be from September to March.
However, it is very cold in these months and is covered entirely with snow and with limited activities to do around, such as whale watching and dog-sledding.
Summers will be the perfect time to see wilderness and a wonderful Midnight Sun. Between May and August, it’s considered as the best time to get soaked in some sunshine and witness some rare greenery across the land.
However, Summer is also going to be chilly because the average temperature increases only up to 10 ℃.
How To Reach Greenland
Greenland is slightly cut-off from the rest of the world due to its proximity to the North Pole. There are no direct flights for the country except Iceland from any part of the world.
If someone wants to visit Greenland from India, then it is suggested that someone takes direct flights to either Copenhagen, Toronto or Iceland and then catches connecting flight to Greenland. The city has 5 major airports that see traffic by Air Greenland and Air Iceland.
These flights descend in Greenland twice in a day and are regular from the above-mentioned countries.
Alternatively, someone can try to go on a cruise from either Canada or Europe and can sail across the Arctic Ocean.
Best Things To Do In Greenland
- Do Kayaking
- Admire the beauty of Aurora Borealis
- Go on a cruise
- Visit Tasiilaq, the biggest town in Eastern Greenland
- Explore the stunning Blue River found on the Petermann Glacier
- Visit the jaw-dropping Icefjord