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- Upernavik Museum — The town’s small but essential museum, stuffed with local carvings, tools, clothing and exhibition panels that explain how people in the archipelago lived and travelled for generations. A quick way to get context before you wander the town.
- Upernavik Church — The wooden parish church that sits prominently in town; you’ll feel the community heartbeat here, and it’s a good place to notice local memorials, funeral traditions and the painted woodwork that characterizes Greenlandic churches.
- Main Harbour and Quay — Not just boats: the harbour is the daily stage for fishermen, seal hunters, supply landings and freight skiffs. Walk the quay at low tide or early morning to watch practical Arctic life unfold and to see the surrounding ice-choked channels up close.
- The Old Trading-Post
- Upernavik Museum — The town’s small but essential museum, stuffed with local carvings, tools, clothing and exhibition panels that explain how people in the archipelago lived and travelled for generations. A quick way to get context before you wander the town.
- Upernavik Church — The wooden parish church that sits prominently in town; you’ll feel the community heartbeat here, and it’s a good place to notice local memorials, funeral traditions and the painted woodwork that characterizes Greenlandic churches.
- Main Harbour and Quay — Not just boats: the harbour is the daily stage for fishermen, seal hunters, supply landings and freight skiffs. Walk the quay at low tide or early morning to watch practical Arctic life unfold and to see the surrounding ice-choked channels up close.
- The Old Trading-Post Buildings — The cluster of older colonial-era timber houses and former trading company buildings along the waterfront. They aren’t a single flashy monument but they tell the story of contact, trade and how the settlement developed.
- Town Cemetery — A surprisingly quiet, reflective place with simple wooden markers, sea views and an intimate sense of local genealogy; visiting gives a different angle on history and how families have lived here through generations.
- Ridge Walk / Viewpoint Above Town — A short, steep walk behind the town rewards you with sweeping views over the narrow waterways and the crowded islands of the archipelago. It’s the best, easiest way to get a sense of scale and why the sea is everything here.
- Boatyard and Local Shipwrights — Where open skiffs and small fishing vessels are built and patched. You can usually see hands-on woodworking and traditional repair techniques—real craft that still keeps the town moving.
- Local Artists’ Workshops and Craft Shops — Small studios and stalls where carvers and seamstresses sell tupilaks, bone and ivory carvings, and sealskin goods. Buying directly supports families and you get to see (and sometimes talk to) the makers.
- Community Cultural House (Kulturhuset) / Town Hall Area — The social hub for concerts, local meetings and rotating exhibits. Check the notice board; if something’s on, it’s the best way to meet locals and hear how they describe the place.
- Shoreline Walks and Kayak Launch Spots — The little beaches and rocky points within town where locals fish, launch kayaks or simply sit and scan for seals and birds. Simple, low-effort, and full of everyday Arctic life to observe.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.