Tanum - From sweet to salty
These words perfectly describe Tanum’s amazing diversity. Here, coast meets inland, forming a fantastic forest landscape. The western part of the area borders the world’s most beautiful archipelago.
Few areas can boast both a beautiful archipelago and breathtaking wilderness areas with stunning lakes. But we can.
Tanum is also the seafood metropolis of the west coast, which is reflected in the local restaurants, where the raw materials basically land directly on the plate. No boasting, just plain facts, we mean. All year round, we offer almost everything – from sweet to salty.
In Tanum, coast meets inland with rugged cliffs and deep forests. To the west, in the sea, are the exciting Väderöarna islands. To the east, Tanum borders Dalsland and offers mushroom forests and dramatic waterfalls. In between is the Tanum World Heritage Site with magical rock carvings and traces from the Bronze Age. The coastal communities of Grebbestad, Fjällbacka and Hamburgsund attract with entertainment, boating, pier shopping and tasty restaurant experiences. A perfect starting point for archipelago tours, kayaking and seal or oyster safaris. Today, Tanum is one of Sweden’s largest tourist municipalities.
Grebbestad
Welcome to the metropolis of oysters. Grebbestad is home to the world’s best oysters, or so we think. Here you will find the famous Oyster Academy, which every year helps to organize both Oyster Day and the Nordic Championships in oyster opening. Let yourself be enchanted and don’t miss out on enjoying both oysters and bubbles when you visit us! It was in Grebbestad that the singer and poet Evert Taube found much of his inspiration and that is also why he stands as a statue in the square. Grebbestad is the municipality’s largest urban area while the cozy Bohus idyll remains. The fine pier promenade adjacent to the bustling guest harbor, creates life and movement and gives a genuine feeling. It offers shopping, restaurants, outdoor cafés and activities for both young and old. Adjacent to Grebbestad is also the Nordic region’s largest sports shop Sportshopen. Grebbestad is the palace of events and offers a wide range of activities throughout the year.
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Fjällbacka
Fjällbacka archipelago is a place to love. It is here that Ingrid Bergman’s bust is placed with the girl facing this magnificent archipelago. The guest harbor helps to give the resort a wonderful pulse during the summer months. Located below the magnificent Vetteberget, right next to the famous Kungsklyftan, it creates, together with outdoor cafés and shops, a bustling life with people from all corners of the world. But the majestic rock of Vetteberget, which encircles the whole of Fjällbacka, also creates a mysterious and dense feeling. Well, at least in the imagination. Camilla Läckerg’s tire novels are set right here. This modern fishing village offers year-round hustle and bustle, with fishing trips, kayaking and guided tours just a few examples of what you’ll find here.
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Aries Islands
In the outermost coastal strip, just west of Fjällbacka, lie the Weather Islands. The islands are full of memories and traces of centuries of shipping and pilotage. Traces can be found as far back as the 13th century. People go to the Weather Islands to ‘just be’, to dive, fish, paint, swim in the crystal clear salt water and walk among the rocks. On these barren islands, history and natural splendor have never been so evident. A visit to the archipelago will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Hamburgsund
There is something very special about Hamburgsund. The strait that stretches from Hornborg’s cliff in the south to the “sun gap” at Vändigen in the north creates a completely unique environment. Along the strait are settlements with old boathouses and piers, creating a feeling of the truly genuine Bohuslän. There are cozy restaurants, outdoor cafés, shopping and proximity to lots of beaches and hidden gems. From Hamburgsund you can easily get to the magnificent Väderöarna. You can go on an archipelago tour, kayak, learn about the community’s stonemasonry history or experience the unique rock carvings at Torsbo. Experience Hamburgsund all year round, both in the summer and in the fall in the romance of gray weather or when the snow sparkles on the granite slopes.
Havstenssund
Havstenssund is located by the strait at the top of Sannäsfjorden, among islets and skerries. A peaceful oasis where the harbor is the heart of the town. A short boat trip takes you to the nature reserve on Trossö-Kalvö-Lindö, which offers an incomparable nature experience. The islands are also connected to each other by a walking and cycling trail. The harbor area in Havstenssund offers a shellfish café, seaweed shop, studios, a shop and here is also GBM – one of the country’s oldest marine dealers. A walk along Spången will take you to the town’s bathing area and at the same time provide a beautiful archipelago experience. We dare to promise that Havstenssund’s idyll will leave you wanting more.
Bullars
Few areas can boast both beautiful archipelagos and breathtaking wilderness areas with stunning lakes. We can. Just over half an hour’s drive from the Fjällbacka archipelago you will find tranquil Bullaren, where coast meets inland. The meeting will create a taste for more and a desire to come back again and again. During the winter, the lakes invite you to go cross-country skating and the landscape offers sparkling ski trails in the winter sun. Ice fishing, sausage grilling and sauna bathing provide the ultimate experience. In Bullaren you can have a different kind of vacation experience. There are plenty of exciting places to discover. You can choose from the easy paddling waters of the Bullaren lakes, lined with lovely bathing beaches, or the exciting Kornsjöarna lakes, where the wilderness character is even more tangible. Don’t forget your fishing rod and camera! Bullaren is simply vacation recreation at its best. The bullar forests are rich in mushrooms and a wide variety of animals and plants.
Resö & Kosterhavet
A winding road and two small bridges lead to Resö, Tanum’s northernmost point. Here in the varied nature, between meadows and pine forests, beaches and mountain views, the Bohuslän idyll could not be more tangible. Let the granite slopes warm your feet, let the wind dance through your hair and cool off in the clean and clear water at one of the many bathing spots. This is also where the southern gateway to Kosterhavets National Park is located. Located at the geographical center of the park, Resö is the perfect place to explore Sweden’s first marine national park. Swim, dive, fish, go on a boat trip or walk along the beaches – experience the amazing place you are in. Experience Resö.
Tanumshede
Tanumshede is Tanum’s central town, perhaps because the cradle of our area is right here. The old King’s Road between Norway and Denmark passed through Tanumshede and helped to create a natural hub for travelers. And travel has continued to be the charm of the municipality. In the Bronze Age, the waterline was roughly level with Tanumshede. It was also then that our European ancestors lived here and carved their paintings on the rocks by the water. They left us stories that are still alive today, which you can experience by visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Vitlycke outside Tanumshede. Today, Tanumshede offers a wide range of shopping and services. The resort also has Tanum Shopping Center, which has a large selection of shops, restaurants and playgrounds.
Rabbalshede
The forests around Rabbalshede offer peace, recreation and silence. A centuries-old tradition lives on here, with a large market every spring and fall. At Solhem, just north of Rabbalshede, there is a picturesque pottery and gallery in the middle of the countryside between meadows and pastures. Here you will find a place well worth a detour.
Gerlesborg
Gerlesborg is located in southwest Tanum. This oasis is Tanum’s foremost cultural center with Gerlesborg School at the forefront. The school organizes Sweden’s leading art courses and seminars and has many activities and a solid programme of concerts and lectures all year round. The artists’ collective workshop, KKV, shows stone sculptures and you can try your hand at sculpting in their workshop. The calm atmosphere and surroundings with unbeatable views of the Bottnafjord mean that many talented artists find their inspiration here.
Gerlesborg is located in southwest Tanum. This oasis is Tanum’s foremost cultural center with Gerlesborg School at the forefront. The school organizes Sweden’s leading art courses and seminars and has many activities and a solid programme of concerts and lectures all year round. The artists’ collective workshop, KKV, shows stone sculptures and you can try your hand at sculpting in their workshop. The calm atmosphere and surroundings with unbeatable views of the Bottnafjord mean that many talented artists find their inspiration here.