Att göra i Grebbestad - 12 tips till ostronens mecka

What to see and do in Grebbestad? This charming west coast town offers an idyll of boat trips, fishing and seafood, as well as historical attractions. Here you will find our best tips for sights and experiences in Grebbestad and the surrounding area.

Grebbestad in Bohuslän

Shipping and fishing have long been important in Grebbestad. Today, shrimps, crabs and lobsters are fished, but what Grebbestad is best known for is wild oysters. No less than 90 per cent of Sweden's oyster production comes from Grebbestad! The non-profit organisation Ostronakademien (Oyster Academy) was founded here in 2004, which works to increase knowledge and interest in the Swedish oyster ostrea edulis.

Grebbestad is located in the municipality of Tanum in Bohuslän, about four kilometres south of Strömstad.

What to see and do in Grebbestad?

So what can you see and do in Grebbestad? The fact is that there is a lot to see and experience, whether you like history, culture or wonderful nature experiences. We have collected our best tips here in a list.

1. Eat in restaurants with a sea view

Grebbestad offers a fantastic atmosphere, with a whole bunch of restaurants located down by the water. Now we took our photos on a slightly grey and rainy autumn day, but it's easy to imagine that the atmosphere is at its best here when the sun is shining.

For example, you will find Greby's seafood restaurant, Q-Skär restaurant and bar, Restaurant Telegrafen and Madvraget on the lower deck of the M/S Donalda.

2. Shopping for seafood

Would you rather do your own shopping and cooking? Maybe you're travelling with a motorhome like us? Then it can be perfect to buy some goodies and set the table in the motorhome. At Grebbestad Fiskhandel we found all sorts of goodies!

3. go on a lobster or oyster safari

Lobster fishing starts on the first Monday after 20 September, and is a big deal in Grebbestad. If you want to experience the fishing yourself, you can book a "lobster safari", for example via Evert's boathouse.

Grebbestad is also the centre of Sweden's wild oyster production and every year, on the first Saturday in September, the "Oyster Day" is organised. You can also book oyster activities at other times, such as oyster weekend and oyster diving with the Klemming brothers, or oyster safaris and oyster tasting at Evert's boathouse.

4. Go on a boat trip with M/S Donalda

The absolute best thing we chose to do in Grebbestad was to join a boat trip with M/S Donalda. In the summer, you can join a guided archipelago tour / seal safari or a trip to the Weather Islands.

When we were here, in autumn, there were still guided tours once a week. The fine boat can also be booked for fishing trips, and in winter the lower deck is transformed into a cosy little restaurant.

READ MORE: A lovely boat trip with M/S Donalda in Grebbestad.

5. Kayaking

Kayaking in the beautiful archipelago around Grebbestad can be a fantastic experience. If you want to go on a paddling adventure, but do not have your own kayak, you can book tours via "Nautopp Kajakcenter" or "Skärgårdsidyllen Kayak & Outdoor".

6. Bada

Swimming is a popular thing to do in Grebbestad in the summer. Here are some bathing spots that you can find in the area:

Bathing place Edsvik, 4 kilometres northwest of Grebbestad, on the way to Havstenssund.
Bathing place Grebbestad, at the southern entrance to the town.
Bathing place Grönemad, just north-west of Grebbestad.
Swimming area Tanumstrand, 2 kilometres south of Grebbestad.

7. Walk on rocks at the Monk's Church

Munkkyrkan is a tunnel-like cave, located by the sea just north of Grönemad, which in turn is just north of the centre of Grebbestad. We took the motorhome here and walked over the rocks, while the rain increased more and more ... We got really wet, but still we did not want to give up. On the way to the cave, we also saw a large rock that is usually called the "altar stone".

Eventually we found the cave, which is about 11-12 metres deep and was formed during the ice age. The cave is fascinating, as are the other rock formations. An amazingly beautiful place to visit!

8. Hiking in the Tjurpannan nature reserve

If you like nature, you will also like Tjurpannan Nature Reserve. This nature area is located by the sea, just north of Grebbestad. The environment is fantastically beautiful with bare rocks and a small natural harbour. There are several hiking trails around the area.

READ MORE: Tjurpannan nature reserve - western coastal idyll in Grebbestad

9. Visit Greby cemetery

Greby burial ground is by far the largest burial ground in Bohuslän, and is a fascinating place with lots of old burial mounds. There are more than 180 visible graves here, but the actual number is believed to be much higher. Legend has it that fallen Scottish warriors are buried in the mounds.

The graves are dated to around 400-500 AD. Eleven of them were investigated in 1873, and it was discovered that the dead had been cremated and buried with simple personal belongings.

10. See the labyrinth in Ulmekärr

In Ulmekärr, just north of the centre of Grebbestad, there is a strange labyrinth. The labyrinth was probably built in the Iron Age, perhaps to be used in a fertility ritual.

11. Discover Tanum's Unesco heritage rock carvings

Not far from Grebbestad you will find a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the form of the Tanum rock carvings. The area contains over 10,000 images, all of which were carved in the Bronze Age. The images tell us about a time long before us, and it is fascinating to look at the different images and think about what our ancestors wanted to tell us.

Four sites are prepared with car parks and signs: Litsleby, Aspeberget, Vitlycke and Fossum. It is also interesting to visit the Vitlycke Museum, where you can learn even more about the people of the Bronze Age.

READ MORE: Rock carvings in Tanum - a Unesco World Heritage Site

12. Holidaying at TanumStrand

TanumStrand is a large hotel and spa by the beach, which we passed when we were out on a boat trip. Here you can stay in a hotel or cottage and enjoy things like sauna, bathing, spa, training and restaurant visits.

More to do in Grebbestad for those who like culture and history

There is of course more to see and do in Grebbestad than what we have described above. Here are some more tips for those who like culture and history:

Evert Taube statue by Willy Gordon recalls that Evert Taube spent a few months in Grebbestad in 1954.
Falconry red offers summertime café, glamping, concerts, yoga and more. (Falkerödsvägen 8)
Lute stone walkway is a meglit grave, consisting of large boulders. (Riding school, Tanumshede)
Poor pedestrianisation is another megalithic tomb in the area (Skäggeröd 18).

More things to do in Grebbestad for nature lovers

Do you like nature best? Then you will find even more tips on things to see and do in Grebbestad here, which may be suitable for you.

The Bohus Trail starts on the border with Halland and runs through Bohuslän up to Strömstad.
Diving in Kosterhavet, Grebbestad/Fjällbacka archipelago and Väderöarna can be done with Bröderna Klemming (Kräftvägen 8).
Evert's boathouse offers fishing, oyster safaris, oyster tasting and accommodation near the sea (Grönemadsvägen 61).
Falkeröd-Siljevi hiking trail starts from Falkeröds Hembygdsgård in Grebbestad or Siljevi sports ground.

More to do in Grebbestad with children

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you'll find even more tips for things to do in Grebbestad here.

Fishing for crabs is popular with almost all children. All you need is a bucket, a line, a clothespin and some clams as bait.
Playgrounds are located in several places: Parken, Rörvik and Strandvägen, and the playground "Kuling" on the Grebbestadsbryggan.
Horse riding, in the form of trail rides and riding camps, are organised at Klockaregården's horse activities (Präste-Säm 4, Tanumshede).
Sports shops is the largest sports shop in the Nordic region, where you'll also find playgrounds, skateboard ramps and other things for the family. (Rörvik 1)

Göra i Grebbestad med barn — Kuling playground on the Grebbestad bridge

Historisk plats rolig skylt — Next to the Kuling playground we found an interesting sign ...

Where can you stay in Grebbestad, or park your campervan?

There are of course many different accommodation options in Grebbestad, for example at TanumStrand or in Villa Rosenhill B&B. If you want to stay at a campsite - in a guesthouse, cottage or in your own motorhome/caravan - you can stay at Camping GrebbestadFjorden.

If you want to park your motorhome on a pitch, there are also a few options. During the summer season, you can park at Naturställplats Grebbestad, which has a good location near the campsite. Another suggestion is the Sportshopen site, which is open all year round.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

When you visit Grebbestad, you can of course also take the opportunity to experience more of the west coast. If you are travelling north, we can recommend nice Strömstad and the lovely Koster Islands. If you head south instead, you can visit charming places such as Fjällbacka, Hamburgsund and Hunnebostrand.

More suggestions for things to do in Grebbestad?

Have you been to Grebbestad? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do in Grebbestad?

Facts about Grebbestad

Landscape: Bohuslän
County: Västra Götaland County
Municipality: Tanum
Residents: More than 1900 (2020)
Name: Grebbestad means Greby's town, where town in this case refers to the boatyard, in other words "the boatyard at Greby farm". Greby in turn comes from grjotby, formed from the Old Norse word for stony ground.

All our top tips about Sweden! Click on the image

READ MORE: What to do in Bohuslän - tips for sights and experiences

2 Comments

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Husis blog says:

I often get to visit Grebbestad because my male owner's younger brother and his family have a summer cottage in Grönemad, where I usually stand perfectly.
Just below the cottage is the bathing area with a jetty so anyone who wants to can jump in. Last summer, the company played padel on a nice course in the forest.
I will tell the owners about this post because they have probably missed a lot of things to see up there. But the food on the bridge they have tried many times, and also in different restaurants.
All good

02 October 2022 - 14:38

BP says:

What a cosy and charming city - during summer and autumn that is. I had a good laugh at the sign of the playground Kulings:-)
Oysters - mmmmhhhhhhhh. I buy French oysters sometimes at our local ICA, but I guess fresh, newly caught oysters like in Grebbestad taste even better.

02 October 2022 - 19:47

Things to do in Grebbestad - 12 tips for the oyster mecca

Grebbestad in Bohuslän

What to see and do in Grebbestad?

1. Eat in restaurants with a sea view

2. Shopping for seafood

3. go on a lobster or oyster safari

4. Go on a boat trip with M/S Donalda

5. Kayaking

6. Bada

7. Walk on rocks at the Monk's Church

8. Hiking in the Tjurpannan nature reserve

9. Visit Greby cemetery

10. See the labyrinth in Ulmekärr

11. Discover Tanum's Unesco heritage rock carvings

12. Holidaying at TanumStrand

More to do in Grebbestad for those who like culture and history

More things to do in Grebbestad for nature lovers

More to do in Grebbestad with children

Where can you stay in Grebbestad, or park your campervan?

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

More suggestions for things to do in Grebbestad?

Facts about Grebbestad

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BP says:

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