Welcome to Grimstad! The town was established as its own municipality on January 1, 1838. The municipality is centered around a maritime downtown with a quay, surrounded by many small beautiful islands. As of January 1, 2023, the population was just over 24,500 inhabitants.
Grimstad is the largest agricultural municipality in Southern Norway. The municipality also hosts several shipping- and offshore-related companies, has an active coastal fishing fleet, and several international high-tech firms including IT and telecom businesses.
The University of Agder (UiA) has around 14,000 students and 1,300 employees. The school was accredited as a university on September 1, 2007, becoming the seventh university in Norway. Grimstad is proud to host one of the two university campuses of UiA.
Living and Exploring
Grimstad can be described by many names: ‘The Town of Poets’, ‘The Cycling Town’, ‘The University Town’, ‘The Maritime Town’, and ‘The Technology Town’. All of these indicate that Grimstad has much to offer its residents. The town is surrounded by a beautiful 25-kilometer coastline, with numerous islets and islands with sheltered beaches. There are also excellent opportunities for walking, cycling, skiing, and other activities suitable for all ages.
It is also worth checking the official websites of Visit Sørlandet and Visit Norway, which are also updated in English. There is a nice Facebook group for ‘New in Grimstad’ even though it is in Norwegian, or Grimstad International Group, where most activity happens in English.
It’s in Our Nature
The most typical and common outdoor activities among Norwegians are hiking in nature or taking a Sunday walk nearby. Cross-country skiing is mandatory during the winter season.
To plan your trip, whether in summer or winter, you can explore the website DNT.no (The Norwegian Trekking Association). You can select English, German, or French. DNT has 550 cabins across Norway and a network of 22,000 km of marked hiking trails and around 7,000 km of ski trails.
The local DNT.no website is unfortunately only in Norwegian, but it is still worth a visit here. You can also visit one of their offices in Kristiansand or Arendal for local advice and assistance. There is also a local Facebook group for DNT Sør.
Their offices are located at:
Gyldenløvesgate 2 B in Kristiansand city center
Langbryggen 21 in Arendal city center
Grimstad Cultural Center
A cultural center where children and youth can study visual arts, performing arts, and music. For more information, see here. The website is unfortunately only in Norwegian, but you can copy and paste the URL into Google Translate to get an English version for international readers.
Other music experiences in Grimstad: https://www.klassiskisentrum.no
Follow events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klassiskisentrum
Grimstad Activity Calendar
A good place to get ideas for events for both adults and children is through What’s on Calendar for upcoming activities in Grimstad and the surrounding area.
Transport
The nearest airport to Grimstad is Kristiansand International Airport Kjevik, which has direct flights to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Malaga, and Split.
Transport to and from the airport: see Avinor.
Local bus services are available here AKT.no/English, where you can plan your trip and purchase tickets.
For taxis, you can contact Arendal & Grimstad Taxi at 07000.
If you plan to travel by train or bus outside Agder, you can plan your journey at Vy.
Other Relevant Information for Living in Grimstad
GIS Grimstad International School
An inquiry-based learning school for grades 1 to 6, with future plans to expand to lower secondary school in the near term. The school is planned to be a candidate for IB International Baccalaureate World School, with school starting in August 2025. Applications are accepted continuously. See the school’s website for more information, or contact Program Coordinator Antonia Fiksdalstrand by email or phone 99 46 71 08.
Find Waste Collection Days in Grimstad
Most households have four trash bins for waste and recycling. Bins are collected according to the scheduled collection day for your address. To find the correct collection day, enter your address in the text box here, and you will get a full overview of which bins are emptied on which dates. These pages are unfortunately only in Norwegian. This recycling guide in English may be useful.
Contact Information for Public Services
Emergency Numbers
- Ambulance: 113
- Police: 112
- Fire: 110
- Emergency Clinic: 116 117
Police Station
Grimstad Police Station, Agder Police District
Arendalsveien 25, 4891 Grimstad
Phone: 38 13 60 00
View on map
Tax Administration
Skatteetaten Grimstad
Jon Lilletunsvei 1, 4879 Grimstad
View on map
NAV (Social Support and Benefits)
NAV Grimstad
Skolegaten 2, 4876 Grimstad
View on map