Nuuk, Greenland's capital, is a surprisingly cosmopolitan hub where over a third of the country's people live. Its heart includes the Colonial Harbour, Nuuk Cathedral, and the Greenland National Museum, home to the Qilakitsoq mummies. Above are downtown apartments, shops, parliament, city hall, cafes, and Katuaq Cultural Centre. Despite its modern side, Nuuk remains distinctly Greenlandic, with local markets, the country's only traffic lights and university, and proud, welcoming residents.

Evighedsfjord (Eternity Fjord) is a 75-km fjord northeast of Kangaamiut in southwest Greenland. It branches and bends repeatedly, seeming to go on forever; Qingua Kujatdleq Glacier lies at its southeastern end. At the northwestern end, a U-shaped valley has seven glaciers from the mountains. The glaciers peaked around 1870 and have since advanced and retreated. Peaks exceed 2,000 m, the fjord is up to 700 m deep, snowline is 1,100 m, and the area is one of Greenland's best heli-skiing spots.

Sisimiut, Greenland's second city, is North America's largest Arctic city and a hub between the country's south and north. Home to a young, fast-growing population, it has been inhabited for 4,500+ years and grew into a trade center in the Danish Colonial Era. Sisimiut Museum preserves old buildings and artifacts. Known for skilled artisans, seafood processing, shipping, and KNI's base, it also offers hiking, fishing, sled dogs, snowmobiles, and the Polar Circle Marathon route to Kangerlussuaq.

Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut, Canada's newest territory; Nunavut means "our land" in Inuktitut. Located at the head of Frobisher Bay on southeastern Baffin Island, the bay was once thought to be a possible Northwest Passage entrance. The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum and the Nunavut Legislative Assembly Building both feature Inuit art, with local prints for sale at the museum shop.

Named for Sir John Franklin's widow, Lady Franklin Island is a lonely, uninhabited island off Baffin Island's Hall Peninsula at the entrance to Cumberland Sound. Its striking vertical cliffs of Archean rock may be among Canada's oldest. The surrounding waters are rich in seabirds, ducks, seals, and walrus, and may even offer Atlantic Puffins and rare Sabine's Gull.

Monumental Island is a splinter of ancient metamorphic rock in Davis Strait, named for Sir John Franklin. Surrounded by drifting Greenland icebergs, it is a key den for polar bears, including mothers with cubs, who stay ashore until summer ice returns. Harp seals are common and often curious near boats, and Atlantic walrus haul out on the island's bluffs. Few places in Nunavut offer such rich Arctic wildlife in such a dramatic setting.

The Lower Savage Islands are a small group of islands off of the southeastern tip of Baffin Island, and a common location for polar bears to be found during the summer months. With plenty of land to roam while giving each other a wide berth, plus opportunities to feed, it seems perhaps bears can be found here as the ice vanishes with the summer season's warming temperatures.

Manaus, deep in the Amazon upriver from the Atlantic, is a busy port at the meeting of the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões. Founded by the Portuguese as a fortress, it became a trade hub and, in the late 19th century, the center of Brazil's rubber boom, funding grand landmarks like the Public Market and Amazon Theatre. Today it is a diverse, wealthy city with industry and traditional river livelihoods, while nearby rainforest and the famous Meeting of Waters define its unique character.

Manaus, deep in the Amazon upriver from the Atlantic, is a busy port at the meeting of the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões. Founded by the Portuguese as a fortress, it became a trade hub and, in the late 19th century, the center of Brazil's rubber boom, funding grand landmarks like the Public Market and Amazon Theatre. Today it is a diverse, wealthy city with industry and traditional river livelihoods, while nearby rainforest and the famous Meeting of Waters define its unique character.

On Labrador's wild and windswept coast, Hopedale offers a glimpse of remote Arctic life shaped by Inuit heritage, dramatic seascapes and the rhythms of the North. Watch for ice-strewn waters, stark tundra and abundant wildlife, while the village itself provides a quiet, authentic welcome far from the bustle of the big cities.

Remote and rugged, Gannett Island in Labrador offers a true taste of Canada's wild north, where dramatic coastlines, open waters and pristine landscapes create a sense of untouched adventure. Wildlife may be spotted in the surrounding seas and skies, while the journey itself is the highlight for travellers drawn to raw beauty and northern serenity.

Step back into Labrador's seafaring past at remote Battle Harbour, a beautifully preserved 19th-century fishing settlement set amid stark coastal scenery and icy North Atlantic waters. Weathered wooden buildings, heritage sites and sweeping views of the surrounding islands create a true sense of frontier life, while the chance to spot icebergs, seabirds and marine wildlife adds to the appeal of this atmospheric Canadian port.

Woody Point on Newfoundland's west coast is famed for its Mars-like Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park. Made of peridotite, the barren landscape draws NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, which study it for clues to life on Mars. UNESCO named Gros Morne a World Heritage Site in 2010. Formed 485 million years ago when Africa and North America collided, the area still overlooks the tiny village, whose historic 1870s buildings are well preserved.

Nova Scotia's capital, Halifax, blends music, outdoor events and seafaring history around a busy harbour. Above the city stands the star-shaped Halifax Citadel; below, the waterfront boardwalk, pubs and restaurants, Pier 21's Canadian Museum of Immigration, and the Maritime Museum tell its story. Nearby Peggy's Cove lighthouse watches the Atlantic. Eat scallops, mussels and warm blueberry grunt.