This calm fishing village on Sweden's west coast is known for its red wooden houses, fresh seafood, and rocky shoreline. The local museum documents the area's fishing traditions.
Grebbestad sits along Sweden’s western coast in Bohuslän, known for shellfish harvesting and stone-lined paths from centuries past. Watch fishermen unload Norway lobster at the harbor, where more than half the country’s catch arrives daily. Walk to the Ulmekärr stone labyrinth, a circular pattern laid out during the Iron Age, or take a trail leading to cliffs above the rocky islands. Between June and August, the village fills with visitors tasting oysters pulled straight from the sea, joining boat tours, and eating in former fish-packing buildings. Local like like the May oyster-shucking competition highlight traditions tied to the ocean, with seafood markets and boat rentals available year-round.
Harvesting and Eating Seafood
Book a boat tour with Everts Sjöbod, a family business working from a wooden boathouse built in the 1800s. Guides such as Per and Lars Karlsson teach how to collect oysters using methods passed down through generations. If you visit in May, head to the harbor to see professionals race to open oysters fastest at the annual competition. Eat at Restaurang Telegrafen, located in a stone cellar, where the menu includes fish caught nearby, like char grilled over open flames. Stop by Grebbestad Bryggeri to try beer made with ingredients from the coast, such as seaweed or oyster shells.
Traces of Early Settlers
Just outside the village, Greby graveyard holds over 180 stone-marked graves from the Iron Age, with many more hidden underground. The Ulmekärr labyrinth, a ring of stones arranged over a millennium ago, lies near the water—historians debate whether it was used for rituals or navigation. Walk through Otterön Nature Reserve to see layers of fossilized red seaweed pressed into the ground, a rare sight found in few places worldwide. The granite Grebbestad Church, constructed in the 1890s with tall windows and a pointed spire, rises above the village near the docks.
Exploring the Coast by Land and Water
Sign up for a kayak trip with Catxalot, run by guides who explain how to find edible seaweed like sugar kelp in the shallows. Rent a paddleboard from Skärgårdsidyllen to glide between small islands or into quiet bays. Swim from Edsvik beach, four kilometers northwest of town, where a wooden platform lets you jump into deep water. Families often gather at Tanumstrand’s sheltered bay to play volleyball or wade in the calm shallows. Climb the metal stairs at the harbor’s south end for a view of the archipelago, or follow the trail from Innfartsparkering through pine trees to reach a cliff edge.
Where to Eat Fresh Seafood
At Restaurant Grebys, inside a red-painted cannery by the harbor, try lobster soup or prawns smoked with juniper wood. Latitude 58° at Tanumstrand grills steaks and fish over an open fire, with tables facing the marina. During summer, Sältan Mat & Bar sets up temporary seating near the water for dishes like crayfish boiled with dill. For hearty meals, Restaurant Hertigen mixes Italian and Balkan recipes, serving pizza topped with local shrimp or mussels.
Places to Stay
TanumStrand provides spa treatments and rooms with balconies facing the sea, plus a pool and docks for private boats. Grebys Hotell, painted in shades of gray and navy, has a top-floor room with windows overlooking the fishing port. Grebbestads Vandrarhem hostel offers affordable beds in a wooden building with a shared kitchen and sloped ceilings like old ship interiors.
Travel Directions
Grebbestad is a 45-minute drive from the Norway border, connected by a major coastal highway. The closest airport, Trollhattan-Vanersborg, is 46 miles east and has flights to Stockholm and Gothenburg. Park near the church at the village entrance, then walk five minutes to reach the harbor.
