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Shopping in Greenland

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(Bachelor's, Master's & PhD)

Let's be honest! Studying abroad comes in handy with a good shopping culture! Everyone wants to get time to explore markets and pick a few goodies to add to the cart list! Shopaholics welcome to Greenland, the land of beauty and charming crafts! This is where your shopping impulse is put to the test. With numerous shopping malls, stalls, shops, and supermarkets Greenland will certainly take thy breath away!

Like other countries in the Far North, produce, tobacco and alcohol are quite expensive due to the tremendous distance they must travel to get to this isolated territory. Greenland has 4 major supermarkets, but the best bargains can be found at the local Kalaaliavaq markets held close to ports, otherwise known as “the Board.” Shoppers can purchase fresh fish, meat and berries directly from the people who hunted, caught or picked them every day, but Sunday.

The Great Greenland fur company specializes in sealskin produce, but nearly all communities have their own arts and crafts workshops where visitors can purchase unique souvenirs made from locally sourced materials. The stones used to craft jewelry were unearthed from South Greenland’s mountains, but Greenland’s most unusual souvenirs are the tupilak soapstone lamps and figurines carved in the likenesses of creatures who have caused misfortune. Today, tupilaks are purely ornamental and meticulously hand made from reindeer antlers or walrus teeth.

One shop near Nuuk’s colonial town specializes in handmade sealskin gloves, while the Musk Ox shop next to Kangerlussuaq Airport mainly sells products made from musk ox wool. Obtain a CITES export permit before you try to purchase anything made from animal parts or pass through customs in order to guarantee products were not made from an endangered species. Make sure you carry cash when shopping here, too, as many merchants still do not accept debit or credit cards.

Most sales in Greenland are made at local bazaars. These large markets exist in every city and have been a part of the culture for many years. Indeed, Greenland lay on the ancient Silk Road trading route and so once held much dominance as a trade hub, as sellers brought their wares to this geographical area where the east collided with the west. Some of the large markets on the outskirts of big cities only open three mornings per week due to the influx of items.

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