SPECIAL / January
SPECIAL / January
Bauska Castle stands between the
Mūsa and Mēmele rivers
Līvāni
LĪVĀNI
Līvāni is located at the point where the Dubna and
Daugava rivers meet. The area was settled by
tradesmen and craftsmen in the 11 th century. Today,
several locally and internationally important roads
pass through the town to Lithuania, Belarus,
and Russia.
Must-see place: Līvāni is widely
known for its former glass factory,
which created unique glass objects
for more than 100 years. Now, the
town has a museum dedicated
to the factory’s history and the
production of classic glass objects.
Sign up for a glass-blowing
workshop to experience first-hand
the process from the beginning to
the end.
Did you know? There are only
three ferries in Latvia, and one
of them is in Līvāni. It connects
both banks of the Daugava River
and is the fastest way to get from
Latgale to Zemgale and vice versa.
Bauska
BAUSKA
Must-see place: The Bānītis heritage
railway is the only operational
narrow-gauge railway in the Baltics.
Its route is about 33 kilometres long
and links the towns of Gulbene and
Alūksne. It has become very popular
with tourists, offering a memorable
ride through the beautiful northern
Latvian countryside.
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/ airBaltic.com
Did you know? The love story
of Johann Gottlieb Heinrich von
Wolf (1843–1897) and his wife,
Baroness Marissa (1857–1883), is
one of Gulbene’s most beautiful
legends. Wolf built the Red Castle at
Vecgulbene Manor and dug a pond
in the form of the letter M for his
wife’s birthday. Nowadays, two black
swans, named Heinrich and Marissa,
continue their love story in Gulbene.
Liepāja
Jelgava
JELGAVA
LIEPĀJA
Jelgava is a city in central Latvia. Its old name,
Mitau, is supposedly derived from the Latvian
words mīt and mainīt, meaning ‘to change,
exchange’. With more than 10,000 students,
Jelgava is also recognised as one of Latvia’s top
university towns. Located between a lake and the sea, the port city of
Liepāja has gradually grown from a small fishing village into the
musical capital of the country. It is a great destination to enjoy
art and music, while the sea and sandy beaches attract many
travellers seeking relaxation. Fly to Liepāja in approximately
40 minutes with airBaltic’s direct flights from Riga.
Must-see place: Rundāle Palace is
just a 15-minute drive from Bauska.
Its name comes from the German
word Ruhenthal, or Valley of Peace.
The palace was built in 1736 for the
Dukes of Courland and is the most
prominent treasure of the Baroque
and Rococo periods in Latvia. Must-see place: Jelgava Palace is
the former residence of the Dukes
of Courland and Semigallia and also
the largest Baroque-style palace in
the Baltics. Designed by the famous
Russian architect of Italian heritage
Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli
(1700–1771), today it is home to the
third-largest university in Latvia.
The palace is open to visitors and
features an exhibition of the tombs
of the Dukes of Courland. Must-see place: Karosta is a
giant former military port in
Liepāja. No longer an active army
town, now the area is open to
adventure seekers, history buffs,
and windsurfers. Latvia’s very own
version of Alcatraz, the Karosta
military prison has been turned into
a museum where those seeking a
more extreme experience can even
spend the night in a prison cell.
Did you know? The Baltic Way, a
peaceful demonstration against
Soviet rule organised in 1989 that
became the longest unbroken
human chain in history, also passed
through Bauska. Approximately
two million people from Estonia,
Latvia, and Lithuania joined hands
to form a chain 600 kilometres long
from Tallinn through Riga to Vilnius.
The skyline of Riga’s Old Town
RĪGA
Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in
the Baltics. With over 800 years of history, Riga holds its
secrets and ancient stories for you to discover. With the
Old Town and Art Nouveau buildings, the city has plenty
of draws and charms.
Must-see place: Riga is the
hometown of famous stars like
dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and
opera divas Elīna Garanča and Inese
Galante. Every year, thousands of
visitors enjoy world-class opera
and ballet performances at the
Latvian National Opera and Ballet.
Performances take place in Riga’s so-
called White House, a Neoclassical
building constructed in 1882.
Did you know? Once every five
years, Riga hosts the Latvian Song
and Dance Festival. From the
first celebration almost 150 years
ago, which featured 1000 singers,
the festival has grown into a
massive event drawing more than
40,000 participants.
Did you know? Jelgava has always
been a national centre of economy,
culture, and education. Peter the
Great of Russia, Louis XVIII of France,
Charles XII and Gustav II Adolf of
Sweden, and many other famous
people (such as Robert Schumann,
Richard Wagner, the traveller
Cagliostro, and heart-breaker
Casanova) have all visited the city.
Jūrmala beach
Rīga
Gulbene
Gulbene is a town in northeastern Latvia that
is famous for its heavy snowfalls. The town’s name
comes from the word gulbis (‘swan’). Initially, Gulbene
was a castle in the land of Tālava, a Latgalian county in
northern Vidzeme and Latgale.
Great Amber Concert Hall in Liepāja
Bauska is a town in Zemgale region, which is famous
for its rich fields of grain and is also known as Latvia’s
‘granary’. The first inhabitants of Bauska, however, are said
to have been reindeer hunters. As time went by, major trade
routes from Europe to Riga were developed and passed
through the town.
Gulbene’s railway station
GULBENE
Jelgava Palace
A fountain in Līvāni
Turaida Stone Castle
Sigulda
Jūrmala
JŪRMALA
Jūrmala is the only resort town in Latvia and,
as such, has been delighting locals and tourists for
almost 200 years. With its white, sandy beaches and
stunning Prussian-style villas, Jūrmala is the Baltic’s
version of the French Riviera.
Must-see place: Art Station
Dubulti is the only modern art site
in Europe located in a functioning
railway station. Built in 1977, the
station was renovated in 2015 to
create an art platform open to
the public. Art Station Dubulti is
a great example of how to unite
transport and culture, creating a
convenient place to host lectures,
discussions, and exhibitions.
Did you know? Jūrmala hasn’t
always been a resort city. Fishing
was the town’s main source of
income in former times. Back
then, instead of beach-goers, its
beaches were full of boats and
fishing nets.
Did you know? With a Blue Flag
beach and market-fresh fish, Liepāja
is a place with the sea and wind
running through its veins. In Latvia,
if someone mentions ‘the city
where the wind is born’, they are
referring to Liepāja. It is a famous
nickname for the city.
SIGULDA
Sigulda lies on both banks of the Gauja River
and is often referred to as the Switzerland of Latvia.
Its beautiful landscapes have long served as inspiration
for poets and painters. Many myths and legends have also
originated in Sigulda’s valley and its three medieval castles.
Must-see place: The luge and
bobsleigh track in Sigulda is one
of the few tracks in the world
that is open to the public. It hosts
many international and national
competitions and also serves as
the training venue for Latvia’s
Olympic team. With leading
skeleton sliders Martins and
Tomass Dukurs, Latvia is known as
a powerhouse in these sports.
Did you know? Bobsleigh in
Sigulda traces its roots back to the
19 th century. The first artificial ice
track in the Baltics – a 900-metre
track with one curve – was built by
Prince Kropotkin in Sigulda. Today,
the track is 1420 metres long and
features 16 curves.
Baltic Outlook
/ 2019 / 89