Despite its small size, you won’t be short of things to see and do in this diminutive but dramatic city. To get your bearings, take the elevator to the top of Hallgrímskirkja. This church, designed by famed Icelandic architect Gudjón Samuelsson is one of the most distinctive buildings in town. When you return to earth, visit the city’s other renowned building Harpa Concert Hall, located at the heart of Reykjavík's regenerated harbor – also the home of the Maritime Museum.

Speaking of cultural spaces, tour the National Museum to learn the story of Iceland from past to present. The Reykjavík Art Museum houses an impressive contemporary collection including eye-catching pieces by Erró. And, of course, just 50 kilometers outside the city lies Thingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s original Viking parliament.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our onboard lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

On the craggy east coast of Greenland, the stunningly scenic, U-shaped Skjoldungen Fjord is surrounded by lofty snow-capped mountains, dwarf birch, Arctic wildflowers, and willow forests with the Thrym Glacier at one end.

High rock walls, serpentine rivers, and large crevasses of ice pillars known as seracs give way to carved icebergs in the fjord that gleam in a white-to-blue spectrum. You also have the opportunity to see whales under pure blue skies.


Expedition Activities

Zodiac Cruising and/or Nature Walk With your Swan Hellenic Expedition Team

Duration: 01 h 00 m

Included

Navigate in the Skjoldungen fjord, far from any settlement. Enjoy the navigation in sometimes narrow passages, among the growlers in this area surrounded by many glaciers
Watch out for Arctic Wildlife like Polar Bear, seabirds, and Musk ox
Enjoy spectacular landscapes and learn interesting facts about this most remote part of Greenland with your knowledgeable Swan Hellenic Expedition Team

A beautifully dramatic fjord in the south of Greenland, in Prins Christian Sund we move among fin, blue, and minke whales, while you may also see muskox, polar bears, and bearded seals. Enjoy these unspoiled, picturesque waterways where magnificent glaciers tower and granite cliffs yield crystal-clear waterfalls.

The small, colorful, and pretty Nordic homes of Aappilattoq, the only settlement in Prins Christian Sund, stand stark against snow-tipped mountain ridges in this icy wilderness.

Discover the tiny settlement of Aappilattoq

Duration: 02 h 00 m

Included

See this picturesque settlement, perched at the edge of the water with towering mountains all around
See the locals in their daily life and learn how they survive in this harsh environment
Enjoy a very special moment with the local choir at the little church as choir singing has become an important element in Greenlandic national culture

Today, explore Ivigtut's deserted buildings, enormous cryolite hole, and above-ground cemetery. This settlement played a crucial role in WWII as cryolite was used to produce Aluminium to build fighter planes.

Walk around the abandoned houses and learn about the history of the Ivigtut.

Explore Ivittuut abandoned mining town

Duration: 02 h 00 m

Included

Founded in 1854, the town of Ivittuut once held the world’s largest reserve of naturally occurring cryolite. This settlement played a crucial role in WWII as cryolite was used to produce Aluminium to build fighter planes.

Explore Ivittuut's deserted buildings, enormous cryolite hole, and above-ground cemetery. Walk around the abandoned houses of this ghost town
Learn how this open-air mine was an essential economical resource for Greenland from the 19th century until 1963

Just north of the Arctic Circle and the northernmost city in Greenland, Sisimiut remains ice-free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Inuit, Dorset, and then Thule people, dog sled remains a common form of transport and we have a chance to see abandoned settlements but it also has a cool, modern side. Watch out for humpback whales and walrus between Sisimiut and the Thule district in the north.

Historical Walk to the Tele Island

Duration: 02 h 10 m

Included


Learn about Tele Island’s 4,000-year Inuit history
Visit turf farm ruins and an ancient burial ground
Enjoy the beautiful views of Sisimiut’s landmark mountain, the 785m Nasaasaaq

Sisimiut Panorama & sled-dogs

Duration: 01 h 30 m

Optional

Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world to Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven, is home to as many sled dogs as people.

Shuttle to Ilulissat Icefjord, boardwalk and Icefjord center

Duration: 02 h 30 m

Included

Marvel at Sermeq Kujalleq, the glacier at the base of the Ilulissat Icefjord, the fastest glacier in the northern hemisphere, moving around 40 meters per day
Easy hike along the boardwalk World Heritage Trail to the ice fjord
Visit the ice fjord center and learn everything about the cycle of the ice, the abundant wildlife around the ice fjord and the human existence in the area throughout thousands of years
Experience one of Greenland’s most exceptional panoramas from the Icefjord museum roof, where you can enjoy the view of the Icefjord Kangia.

Disko Bay is known for its large icebergs and whales. The bay is also home to Inuit culture and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first European to visit the area was the Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz in 1596, but Inuit people inhabited it for thousands of years.

Cruising among the spectacular icebergs

Duration: 01 h 00 m

Included

Near Ilulissat, the famous Icefjord calves the most impressive icebergs of the northern hemisphere. The Sermeq Kujalleq is the biggest glacier and biggest ice stream outside Antarctica. As soon as you look onto the bay, these big icebergs are omnipresent.

At the head of one of the longest fjords in western Greenland, Kangerlussuaq has a history as a World War II airbase. Visit the 60-metre tall face of the Russell Glacier on the edge of the Greenland ice cap to hear and see it crack and break off into the meltwater.

Other popular activities include kayaking on the fjords and wildlife tours of the glacial areas that attract muskoxen, reindeer, arctic foxes, and gyrfalcons.

Extended Tundra Safari

Duration: 03 h 00 m

Included

Enjoy a fantastic view from the mountain peak
Watch out for wildlife, especially Musk Ox and reindeer
Relax at the Polar Lodge where you can buy a hot drink or souvenirs
Reindeer Glacier

Duration: 04 h 15 m

Optional

Enjoy the beautiful scenery from Arctic desert to tundra
Walk through the unspoiled tundra vegetation and relax at the waterfall or by the river