On Greenland’s west coast, Ilulissat (once known as Jakobshavn) welcomes travelers with astonishing ice scenery and a sense of scale that feels almost otherworldly. The town sits beside Disko Bay, where immense icebergs drift silently past, glowing pink and gold in the Arctic light. The name “Ilulissat” means “icebergs,” and it could not be more fitting. Here, every turn toward the sea offers a fresh view of towering ice forms, each one sculpted by nature into something fleeting and beautiful.
The highlight for many visitors is the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most active glaciers in the world. Guided boat trips weave between drifting ice, while hiking trails along the fjord’s rim give a wide-open view of the glacier’s frozen frontier. In summer, the midnight sun keeps the landscape glowing for hours, creating surreal reflections across the bay. During winter, the dark skies come alive with the northern lights, often mirrored in the ice below to astound visitors with an unforgettable spectacle.