The 20 best viewpoints in Tasiilaq

Tasiilaq, the largest town on Greenland’s East coast, is a hilly place full of picturesque viewpoints.

During my eleven weeks in the town, I explored literally every corner of it and fell in love over and over again. And I want to share that joy with you guys and help you get the best shots of Tasiilaq if you ever decide to visit (which you totally should!).

I’ve picked out my 20 favourite viewpoints within the town limits of Tasiilaq, so the list does not include the surrounding mountains, which of course also shouldn’t be missed! But this list is focussed on places that are easy to get to from the centre of Tasiilaq. If you start at sunrise, you could reach all of these 20 viewpoints in just one day!

The central cairn

At the very heart of Tasiilaq, right next to the new church, you’ll find a cairn on top of a small hill, placed there in 1944 for the town’s 50th anniversary.

The hill is easy to climb, even in the winter time, and offers wonderful views of the harbour and town centre. It’s the perfect place to begin your sightseeing of Tasiilaq as it will give you a great overview of what the town has to offer.

The viewpoint is no. 1 on the map.

Above the museum

The street surrounding the central cairn, Jens Emilip Aqqulaa, is also a wonderful place to take a stroll to see views of the museum and the colourful houses on Strandvejen.

I actually found this viewpoint on my very last day in Tasiilaq, which is quite unbelievable given how central – and beautiful – it is!

The viewpoint is no. 2 on the map.

The harbour

Take a stroll to the end of Tasiilaq’s harbour to enjoy a wonderful view of the city from worm’s eye view. The harbour is also a great place to just sit and people watch as there’s always lots of activity going on there.

The viewpoint is no. 3 on the map.

On the steep road

The first of three places that I lived in Tasiilaq was located at the top of an extremely steep road, Suulup Aqqulaa. So everyday for three weeks, I had to drag myself up there, but I didn’t mind it so much as the views were incredible.

Get your daily leg exercise by walking up this road and enjoy the views of the town centre!

The viewpoint is no. 4 on the map.

Hotel Angmagssalik

Further up Suulup Aqqulaa, you’ll reach Hotel Angmagssalik. Right in front of the hotel is one of my favourite viewpoints in town, offering instagram-worthy views of the football field and the many colourful houses surrounding it.

The viewpoint is no. 5 on the map.

The lake viewpoint

Follow Suulup Aqqulaa to its dead end and then walk onto the small hill for a wonderful view of the lakes in front of the Qaqqartivakajik mountain. If you fancy a longer hike, this is a great area to do so. You can either climb the mountain from this spot, or head east to the Tasiilap Nuua promontory.

The viewpoint is no. 6 on the map.

Above the harbour

Opposite the harbour, on the Ittimiini road which leads to the heliport, you can enjoy magnificent views of the harbour from above as well as the town centre.

This road is the obvious way to walk into town when arriving at the heliport, so don’t forget to stop up once in a while to enjoy the views!

The viewpoint is no. 7 on the map.

The coastal trail

A different and maybe more interesting way to get from the heliport to the town centre is to walk along the coastal trail, a well-trodden path along the side of a hill, just below Ittimiini.

This trail also offers great views of the harbour and town centre, only here you’ll be able to enjoy them without any disturbances from traffic!

The viewpoint is no. 8 on the map.

The campsite

Behind the heliport, right by the ocean, you’ll find a small campsite. It’s located quite far from the town centre, but I can’t imagine a more beautiful location for a campsite.

I especially loved coming there for sunset to see the mountains change colours and the little houses in the town light up.

The viewpoint is no. 9 on the map.

The cairn behind the ski lift

This viewpoint takes a bit of climbing to get to, but it is well worth it as you can see the entire town from up there! This is also the perfect place to watch the drift ice float by when it arrives from the North Pole.

The viewpoint is easily found by walking up the hill where the ski lift is located, and up to the cairn on top.

The viewpoint is no. 10 on the map.

The graveyard

At the entrance to the beautiful Flower Valley, you’ll find Tasiilaq’s graveyard. This is a place of peace and solitude, with mountains surrounding you. Take some time to pay your respects and enjoy the silence.

But don’t stop there – continue into the Flower Valley for a wonderful and easy hike amongst lakes and waterfalls.

The viewpoint is no. 11 on the map.

The cairn above the Flower Valley

Above the Flower Valley, to the left of the graveyard, you’ll find a cairn, which was placed on top of a hill in 1994 for the town’s 100th anniversary.

This viewpoint requires a short climb to get to, but is worth every effort as you’ll be able to see almost all neighbourhoods in the town, and you’ll also get a wonderful view of the Flower Valley from above if you turn 180 degrees.

The viewpoint is no. 12 on the map.

The TV tower

Walk northwest of the above-mentioned cairn until you get to a small TV tower. This place has one of the best views of Tasiilaq and the characteristic Polheim Mountain on the other side of the fjord.

The viewpoint is no. 13 on the map.

Above Pilersuisoq

Hike directly down from the tower to the junction between the Akitterni, Attertumut and Prinsesse Benediktip Aqqulaa roads, above the big supermarket Pilersuisoq, for a great view of the west end of town.

The viewpoint is no. 14 on the map.

The orphanage

For a beautiul view of the colourful new terraced houses of the west part of the town and the peninsula Attertup Nuua, walk to the orphanage on Prinsesse Margrethep Aqqulaa. The best views are found in front of the administration building.

The viewpoint is no. 15 on the map.

The dog town

The viewpoint that I visited the most during my time in Tasiilaq was the one found at the largest “dog town” in the area. I went there almost everyday to spend time with the adorable puppies, and on the way, I enjoyed a wonderful view of the Attertup Nuua peninsula and the town centre.

The viewpoint is no. 16 on the map.

The cairn in front of Aammangaaq

The viewpoint that is furthest away from the town centre can be found just off the Paatsaasivimmut gravel road, which leads through the main dog town. There is a cairn on top of a hill that is easily seen from the gravel road. The hill is located in front of the majestic Aammangaaq mountain, which you could also climb while you’re in the area!

The viewpoint is no. 17 on the map.

The end of the peninsula

For a beautiful coastal view of Tasiilaq, head to the peninsula Attertup Nuua and walk right out to the end of it. The views in all directions are beautiful, but I especially love the view towards the town centre.

The viewpoint is no. 18 on the map.

Behind the hospital

Behind Tasiilaq’s hospital, you’ll find a wonderful piece of nature with a stunning view of the colourful houses of Strandvejen. This area reminds me of Myggedalen in Nuuk, like a little mini version of it.

Take your time to enjoy the solitude here – it’s the perfect place for a picnic or to read a book!

The viewpoint is no. 19 on the map.

Above the hospital

The last viewpoint on this list is located in the centre of Tasiilaq, above the hospital on the Nappartsimavimmut road. I used to walk this road to work every morning after I moved to my last apartment, so I caught many incredible sunrises here.

The viewpoint is no. 20 on the map.

I hope this list of viewpoints has inspired you to travel to East Greenland, and in particular, to beautiful Tasiilaq. The more time that passes since I left the town, the more I miss it and cherish the time I had there – and I have a feeling that that will happen to you too!