Famous Latvia | Famous Places in Riga, Liepaja, Kuldiga, Sigulda and more...

Venta Waterfall (Ventas Rumba)

Famous Latvia — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Ventas Rapid or (Ventas Rumba in Latvian) is the widest waterfall in Europe. It falls on the Venta river near town Kuldiga and is 249 metres wide (up to 270 metres during spring floods). It is 1.80m - 2.20m high. The height depends on the water level in the Venta river.

Located about 150km from Riga. You can reach the waterfall by car. From Riga drive to Ventspils direction, until left turn to Kandava, then follow the signs to Kuldiga.

Detailed information on the map.

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More information: Kuldiga tourism information site.

Wooden Architecture Of Riga

Famous Latvia — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:35:27 +0000

About four thousand wooden houses. Doesn’t sound like a typical 21st century European capital, but who says Riga is typical? No other European city has so much wooden architecture left from previous centuries.

You can enjoy these nice old buildings already coming from Riga International Airport to the city center on Kalnciema Street where wooden houses stand between stone houses. And this is how it is almost anywhere in Riga. Stone buildings, brick buildings, art nouveau, modern buildings and between them original wooden architecture even from 18th century.

If you head out of the city center you can even find whole quarters of wooden architecture. Ķīpsala is definitely a must visit! But try other places too - Āgenskalns, Maskačka. Or just walk around just outside the UNESCO heritage city center - you may find some unexpected true treasures!

More information: Riga City Council.

The Sun Museum

Famous Latvia — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:00:14 +0000

Right in the heart of Riga there is a museum similar to which you will not be able to find in Europe. It is the Sun Museum holding a collection of more than 300 suns from various countries. This collection started with a tiny sun in year 1999 and has grown to the largest collection of suns in Europe.

The Sun as the giver of light has been worshiped from the ancient times and still is today. In the Sun Museum in Riga you will be able to see the Sun as a clock, a wind chime, a bird feeder, a fountain. The Sun almost always has a face and the grimaces are very impressive.

In the basement of the museum there is a creative studio where individuals and groups are invited to paint the plaster suns themselves and have them as a gift from the museum. This sun you will be able to take home with you to always have good memories about this warm place!

The Sun Museum is located right in the center of Riga near its City Council.

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Links

- The Sun Museum

Longest Amber Necklace

Famous Latvia — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:00:33 +0000

Liepājas House of Craftsmen (Amatnieku nams) is the place where you can take a look at the world’s longest amber necklace.

In 2003 there was an event in Liepāja “Donate amber to your city”. During that event people donated so much amber that the world’s longest string of amber beads could be made. The result of donation is the necklace of 123 metres and 19 kilograms.

Links

- Official Site of Liepāja

Photo taken from the page Sightseeing in the Center of Liepāja.

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Large Bed Of Elizabete

Famous Latvia — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:59:14 +0000

Riga has many pearls and jewels hidden and accessible to only those who know where to seek.

In a quiet and peaceful area but still near the Old Town of Riga there is a nice small DECO-style hotel named Elizabete. And inside the hotel, its roof hosts the high class connoisseur restaurant Gourmand.

But in the hotel’s cosy and historical inner yard there is something you won’t be able to see in every hotel. Yes, of course there is a bed in every hotel, but only in the inner yard of Hotel Elizabete on the very beginning of Dzirnavu Street you can experience Europe’s largest bed.

This bed is the place where your body rests but your spirit flies high. Come here to enjoy food or drink, to chat with a friend or a stranger, enjoy the bed during cultural events organized here time after time.

More information: The Large Bed of Elizabete

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Lesser Spotted Eagle

Famous Latvia — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:50:08 +0000

Considering the area of Latvia, how small it is, the country could be named as the Land of Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina). Latvia has the highest density of nesting lesser spotted eagles in the world. According to ornithologists about 20 percent of world’s and about 24 percent of Europe’s lesser spotted eagle population is nesting here in Latvia. In the beginning of the 21st century the size of the population was about 5000 pairs.

The lesser spotted eagle is one of the bird species we are paying for our wealth - among their enemies is intense, chemicalized agriculture, they don’t live well together with forestry, escpecially in the springtime.

In 2007, when preparing the new edition of IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it was considered to list the lesser spotted eagle there mainly because of processes taking place in Latvia where the population of lesser spotted eagle has shrunk by 20 percent since the very end of 20th century.

But anyway - Latvia still is the Land of Lesser Spotted Eagle and the most possibility to see the eagle is right here!

Links and More Information

- Kaspars Funts (Funtaputni) - thanks for the information

- Photo by Jānis Stomers

Vaidava Willow

Famous Latvia — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:13:42 +0000

When we think of willow we think of small trees planted in parks. Sometimes it even can be mistaken as a bush.

But not if we let it grow in natural habitat for more than hundred years, then its girth of the trunk can reach almost 9 meters near the soil and the crown about 26 meters in diameter. That is what has happened to Vaidava Willow near Dzenīši farmstead. Growing there for more than 120 years it is now the largest willow in Europe.

About 100 meters from this willow there was once one even greater. Unfortunately it wasn’t spared in the storm in 1992.

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Photo: Thanks to Ape town Tourism Information Center.

Sabile Wine Hill

Famous Latvia — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Sabile Wine Hill is oficially the world’s most northern vineyard, as mentioned in Guiness World Records Book.

Height of Wine Hill is 33.7m (about 115m above sea level), area of the vineyard is 1.5 hectares.

The production of wine took place here already in 16th century but rebirth of the vineyard began in 1936. Then WWII stopped its development which again restarted in 1989. This vineyard has been so important to the town of Sabile, that the wine grape has become the symbol of the town and is displayed on its coat of arms.

The best time of the year when to visit Sabile and its wineyard is the last weeks of July when Sabile Wine Festival takes place. In 2009 Wine Festival will be held on July 25th.

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Salacgrīva Lamprey Weir

Famous Latvia — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:33:14 +0000

Lamprey is a very tasty fish but some people don’t like it because it looks like a snake to them and they don’t feel like eating snakes is the most appropriate thing to do. But when prepared correctly it is really tasty and is liked very much by gourmets or any other person loving good food.

In the world lamprey fishing is not a very widespread activity. But what you can see here in Salacgrīva, you are not able to see anywhere else in the world. Here they are using lamprey weir to catch the fish - it’s the only place in the world where they are still using this unique fishing method - a tradition with hundreds of years of history.

The lamprey weir is made of spruce wood and without one nail - like they were made in the old days.

Lamprey fishing season is from August till February. This is the time when you can visit the place, taste the lamprey and enjoy the calmness of one of the most beautiful Latvian rivers - Salaca. You must book the tour before but since it can be booked only by telephone and using Latvian or Russian Language, visit our About Latvia page and ask us to plan your visit there.

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Aerodium Wind Tunnel

Famous Latvia — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Aerodium Wind Tunnel is the first vertical wind tunnel in Eastern Europe. Everyone remembers flying men show from Turin Winter Olympics closing ceremony - this was our Aerodium!

In Aerodium one can fulfill his or her dream to fly. You don’t need any experience at all. Aerodium instructors will do everything you need to go flying high in the air.

There are no such air tunnels in Northern Europe. And Aerodium team is world’s best known team because of Turin Winter Olympics.

Getting to Aerodium is easy. Drive from Riga to Sigulda and where four lane road ends - there it is!

Detailed information on the map.

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More information: Aerodium site.
Photo: Aerodium.