Visiting the remnants of Eric the Red's thousand-year-old Norse colonies is a must do if exploring southern Greenland. At their peak, it's estimated that something around 5,000 Norsemen lived throughout Greenland. Why the settlements died out remains a mystery. A visit to the sites of the ruins is a fascinating journey back in time into the lives of these hardy hunter-gatherers. There are several Viking ruins found in the region including the Hvalsey Fjord Church (oldest in Greenland - highly recommended) and Brattahlid near the town of Qassiarsuk (20 minutes' boat ride from Narsarsuaq international airport).
