Top 5 Places Worth Visiting in Latvia
Half of Latvia's territory is covered in green areas. To say that the country can boast of untouched nature would not be an exaggeration. Latvia is perfectly suited for green tourism in various forms – from simple walks in the forest to relaxation by the blue lakes, cycling expeditions through natural parks, and adventures in Latvian swamps. All of this is available in Latvia along with the sincere respect and love Latvians have for nature.
In summer, daylight in Latvia lasts almost 20 hours, providing ideal conditions not only to connect with nature or relax on the Baltic Sea coast but also to explore numerous cultural, architectural, and historical landmarks preserved in Latvia.
Riga
Photo: Riga, Source: https://www.britannica.com
Riga, the capital of Latvia, becomes more popular with tourists from around the world each year. The city is best known for its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, you can visit medieval cathedrals and churches, wooden houses, as well as Art Nouveau buildings like the Cat House and the House of Blackheads. Riga boasts over 800 Art Nouveau buildings, with one of the world's largest collections of this joyful style. Albert Street, largely designed by the Art Nouveau genius Mikhail Eisenstein, whose son, filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, was a founder of modern cinema, is a must-see. Additionally, we recommend visiting the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Theater and exploring the marvelous Latvian National Museum of Art, where you can see masterpieces by Baltic sculptors and artists.
Gauja National Park
Photo: Gauja National Park, Source: https://myadventuresacrosstheworld.com
Gauja National Park is the largest and oldest national park in Latvia. Here, you can find numerous picturesque landscapes, sceneries, and unique cultural landmarks. The national park was founded back in 1973 and covers an area of over 90 thousand hectares in the Gauja River valley. The park features an intricate system of caves, including many record-holders. The largest cave on the Baltic coast is Gutman's Cave, the longest is Kovaļa Cave, and the most unusual is Liela Ellīte. One of the most popular is the mystical Devil's Cave. Moreover, the national park is home to over 500 historical and cultural sites, including hillforts, stone castles, churches, manors, watermills, windmills, as well as other archaeological, architectural, and artistic landmarks.
Jūrmala
Photo: Jūrmala, Source: https://www.wideworldtrips.com
Jūrmala is a city located on the Baltic Sea coast. In addition to its incredible beaches, you'll find the Jūrmala Open-Air Museum, where the lifestyle of local fishermen from the 19th century is recreated. Over two thousand unique artifacts from that time are preserved in authentic buildings here. Meanwhile, the Jūrmala City Museum can introduce you to antique postcards and treasures found in shipwrecks near the Baltic coast.
Kuldiga
Photo: Kuldiga: Source: https://www.latvia.travel
Kuldiga is a Latvian city with a unique atmosphere. The city's tourist magnet is the widest waterfall in Europe, the Venta Rapid, which spans over 270 meters in width but only about 2 meters in height. The waterfall is visible from both sides of the river and from the old stone bridge over the Venta, located 200 meters downstream. In autumn and spring, you can witness the captivating phenomenon of "flying fish," when fish attempt to leap over the waterfall. About 300 years ago, Jacob, the Duke of Courland, invented a way to fish using baskets placed along the threshold. Because of this, Kuldiga was known as the city where you could catch salmon in the air. It is said that in a day, one could catch 80 to 100 salmon here.
Rundale Palace and Museum
Photo: Rundale Palace and Museum, Source: https://rundale.net/en/on
Rundale Palace and Museum is often called the Baltic Versailles. The magnificent building was designed by Francesco Rastrelli and became a true symbol of Baroque and Rococo styles. Most of the palace's interior decorations were created between 1765 and 1768 when sculptor Johann Michael Graff from Berlin and Italian artists Francesco Martini and Carlo Zucchi worked here. In the eastern wing of the palace, you'll find the world-renowned Gold Hall, White Hall, and Great Gallery, all open for tourists to visit. In the center of the palace are the Duke's apartments along with reception rooms and private chambers. The eastern wing of the building houses a fully restored complex of the duchess's apartments.