Qaqortoq is a small town of about 3,000 people in southern Greenland — the largest town in South Greenland and the most accessible entry point into the extraordinary fjord landscape of the southern coast. Surrounded by fjords with icebergs calved from the Greenland ice sheet, the Norse ruins of Eric the Red’s settlement at Brattahlid nearby, and a town of colorful houses built on rocky hillsides above the harbor, Qaqortoq is the most approachable and human-scaled of the two Greenland ports in the VV network.
The Town
Qaqortoq’s harbor area with its brightly colored houses reflected in the water is one of the most photographed townscapes in Greenland. The Square — the main plaza in the old town — has an 18th century fountain that is the oldest fountain in Greenland (and one of the oldest in the Arctic). The town’s stone carvings — an outdoor art project called Stone & Man — features over 450 artworks carved into rocks throughout the town by Greenlandic and international artists.
Norse Ruins at Brattahlid
Brattahlid — accessible by boat from Qaqortoq — was the farm of Eric the Red, the Norse explorer who established the Greenland colonies around 985 AD. The ruins of his farm and the reconstructed Norse church (built by his wife Thjodhild after her conversion to Christianity) are among the most historically significant Viking sites in North America. This is where Leif Eriksson grew up before sailing west to North America 500 years before Columbus.
The Fjord Icebergs
The fjord system around Qaqortoq receives icebergs calved from the Greenland ice sheet glaciers — enormous structures of blue-white ice floating past at a pace that makes them seem to belong to a different time scale. The boat tours through the fjords from Qaqortoq deliver iceberg encounters in a more intimate fjord setting than the Nuuk experience.
Insider Tips from Joel and Erin
- The Brattahlid boat tour is the definitive Qaqortoq Shore Thing. Standing on the farm of Eric the Red is one of the most genuinely extraordinary historical experiences accessible from any VV port.
- Look for the Stone and Man carvings throughout the town. A walking map is available at the tourist office. The carvings are embedded in rocks, walls, and boulders throughout the town and are genuinely interesting individually and as a collective.
Ready to Visit Eric the Red’s Home?
Joel and Erin are certified First Mates. Qaqortoq is one of the most historically extraordinary port days in the VV network.
Book your Virgin Voyages cruise at CruisePlanner.pro — and walk where the Vikings settled Greenland
