Greenland

Greenland was on our list long before it was in the headlines. Eli had been waiting to see the icebergs of Disko Bay since she watched a documentary about them as a kid — three decades of patience, finally cashed in. When we heard about the new international airport in Nuuk and direct flights from the US, we booked before we'd even finished the sentence.

We came back longing for more.

Greenland is the world's largest island and, officially, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark — though its people, the Greenlandic Inuit (Kalaallit), have been here for thousands of years and are increasingly charting their own path. It’s not for sale. It’s, however, open to visitors — and genuinely unlike anywhere else on Earth.

We covered the two destinations most travellers will base themselves in: Nuuk, the compact, surprisingly cool capital with fjords on every side and a vibe that makes you never want to leave; and Ilulissat, the main event, with its UNESCO-listed icefjord and icebergs the size of apartment buildings cracking under the northern lights or in the midnight sun. We also took the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry between the two — three days of slow travel past glaciers, fishing villages, and a horizon that rewires your sense of scale. We hate cruises. This had nothing to do with one.

This is not a cheap destination. It takes planning. It's worth every bit of both.

Our Greenland coverage: Nuuk · Ilulissat · Disko Bay · Sarfaq Ittuk Ferry · Northern Lights · Packing & Planning