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Girl sightseeing in Grimstad, Southern Norway

GRIMSTAD

The city of poets

Its cobblestone streets, traditional wooden houses and narrow lanes make Grimstad a cosy town on Norway's southern coast.

The small city of Grimstad is located between Arendal and Kristiansand in Southern Norway. Visitors are often charmed by the town’s traditional white-painted wooden houses, narrow streets and picturesque lanes.

Enjoy a stroll or a bike ride along the seafront, explore the archipelago that comprises an array of beautiful islands and islets, or venture into Raet National Park, which spans a total of 607 square kilometres of coastal nature and sea.

Norway’s most famous playwright, Henrik Ibsen, spent parts of his life here. The Ibsen Museum in Grimstad is Norway’s oldest of its kind.

In the pedestrian streets, you’ll find several small, independent shops and a wide selection of cafés and restaurants.

Girl drinking tea inside the Ibsen Café in Grimstad, Southern Norway
Hands holding up a white bust of Henrik Ibsen. Grimstad, Southern Norway.
A woman walking past the Ibsen museum in Grimstad in Southern Norway.

The old houses also tell exciting stories about those who have lived here before ...

... like the famous Norwegian writers Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun.

When Ibsen was 15, he moved here to become an apprentice pharmacist, but by the time he left the city, several years later, he had written his first play.

Dive into Ibsen's years in Grimstad at the Ibsen Museum, Norway's oldest of its kind.

The museum comprises the pharmacy where the famous playwright worked, as well as the room in which he wrote his first play.

Top things to do

Don't miss these highlights.

A man scanning a QR-code at a wall in Grimstad, Southern Norway.
Two persons standing on a bridge with bicycles in Grimstad, Southern Norway.
Flowers and garden in Grimstad, Southern Norway.

Or maybe you want to go for a walk in a poet's footsteps?

Join a guided tour through the city, or go exploring on your own! If you bring your mobile, you can get to know Grimstad's famous poets through the QR codes posted around the city.

You can also tour the area by bike.

In fact, two of Norway's best cyclists of all time, Thor Hushovd and Dag Otto Lauritzen, come from Grimstad.

So, if you are up for a real challenge, you should try one of Thor & Dag Otto’s cycle routes.

If you are more of a “bike with basket” kind of person, there are plenty of gentle cycling routes to choose from too, both along the coast and further inland.

You can rent bikes at the tourist information office.

Where to stay

Book comfy hotels or cosy cabins. Find your home away from home.

Summer in the Dømmesmoen park in Grimstad, Southern Norway
Raet national park outside of Grimstad, Southern Norway.
Two women with shopping bags outside the shop Lysthuset in Grimstad, Southern Norway
A woman looking at buns and breads at Herlighed café in Grimstad, Southern Norway.

Grimstad can easily be explored on foot as well. Enjoy a stroll along the seafront, admire the beautiful flowers in the Dømmesmoen park (pictured) …

… and let your mind wander as you walk along a scenic coastal trail in Raet National Park, one of Southern Norway’s most popular recreation areas.

If you want to go shopping, the city centre is your place. Here, you'll find several cosy boutiques, cafés and eateries.

Stop by Smag & Behag, Herlighed and Apotekergaarden for amazing food and a good atmosphere.

Food and drink

Taste delicious local food and book a table at a fine restaurant.

People sitting on the grass by the sea during Skral Festival in Grimstad in Southern Norway
A young boy touring with Badebåden boat outside of Grimstad, Southern Norway.
The schooner Solrik sailing outside of Grimstad in Southern Norway.
A woman sitting on the tip of a small rental boat on a sunny summer day in Grimstad, Southern Norway
A family of four relaxing on an islet in Dynamittbukta in Grimstad, Southern Norway.

Festival fans have many reasons to visit Grimstad in the summer. The town hosts several events.

Some of the highlights include the Norwegian Short Film Festival in June and Southern Norway's literature festival (Ibsen and Hamsun) in August.

In summer, you can also hop aboard the beach boat Badebåden Østerøy and head to some of the finest beaches and swimming spots in Grimstad ...

... or go sailing with the schooner Solrik.

If you prefer to explore on your own, you can rent a small boat at the tourist information office.

And remember, the archipelago is beautiful all year round. Explore the area outside the summer season for a completely different experience!

Welcome to Grimstad!

Find more information on Grimstad's official website.

Getting here and around

Plan your trip to Grimstad with Entur, Norway's official travel planner.

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