Jūrmala: Beach, Nature and Culture on the Coast

Jūrmala combines 24 kilometres of coastline along the Gulf of Riga with pine forests, natural areas and cultural sites. The town is known for its healing mud, mineral waters and pine forests. Whether you want to spend time on the beach, stroll through a forest park or learn about the region’s history, Jūrmala has different sides to suit different travel interests.

Beaches, pedestrian streets and nature trails

The beach has gently sloping shores and golden, shimmering quartz sand. It is ideal for barefoot walks and cycling. Jomas Street, a pedestrian street about 1.1 kilometres long, offers a different perspective on everyday life in the town. It has numerous restaurants and pubs. The beach and Jomas Street cater to different travel interests: spending time outdoors by the sea or enjoying a lively pedestrian zone.

If you want to experience the landscape away from the coast, Ragakāpa Nature Park is a specially protected natural area. A trail about two kilometres long runs through the pine forest, mostly along wooden boardwalks. The protected area also includes seven habitats protected by the European Union. The trail and protected habitats make Ragakāpa a specific nature destination to consider when planning your stay.

Jūrmala’s tourist attractions also include several nature trails in Ķemeri National Park and the surrounding areas, including the Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk, the Black Alder Swamp Boardwalk, the Sulphur Ponds Boardwalk, the Forest Trail, the Sloka Lake hiking trail and the Green Dune. At the Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk, you can choose between two loop sections: the short section is about 1.4 kilometres long, and the long one is about 3.4 kilometres. The longer route offers the option of climbing an observation platform with elevated views over the bog. The boardwalk makes it possible to explore safely an area that is difficult to access, with mosses, small bog pines, acacias, dark lakes and wild rosemary.

Dzintari Forest Park offers another way to experience the pine landscape: its trees are 200 years old. The park’s observation tower has a total of twelve platforms. These details help you distinguish the park and the bog trails as different nature experiences, rather than treating them as the same kind of excursion.

Concerts and insights into history

The Dzintari complex brings together two concert venues from different decades: an elegant concert hall from the 1930s and a concert garden from the 1960s, which is used in summer. The historic concert hall, the enclosed part of the complex, was built in 1936 to a design by architects Viktors Mellenbergs and Aleksandrs Birzenieks. The concert programme ranges from folk music and classical music to rock and pop. The complex is defined by both its architecture and its diverse music programme.

For a glimpse into coastal life, the Jūrmala Open-Air Museum focuses on the work and everyday lives of fishermen in Jūrmala in the 19th and 20th centuries. It has nearly 2,000 exhibits. Visitor programmes include the traditional smoking of fish: visitors can watch, take part in the preparation and taste hot-smoked fish. The programme can be booked; check availability before your trip.

The Jūrmala Museum covers the history of the Riga-Jūrmala and Ķemeri resort towns from the 18th to the 21st century. It also has Latvia’s largest swimwear collection. The two museums offer different perspectives: the open-air museum focuses on fishermen’s lives, while the Jūrmala Museum centres on resort history and swimwear.

More experiences and planning your journey

Līvu Water Park is divided into areas for active recreation, family recreation, and spa and sauna use. One of its distinctive features is a wave pool with waves up to 1.5 metres high. When planning your trip, you can consider beaches, nature trails, museums, concerts and the water park as different options, then decide which are most important for your stay.

Jūrmala is about 20 kilometres west of Riga, on the A10/E22 motorway. From Riga Airport, it is about a 15-minute drive via the A10; actual journey times depend on traffic. Allow some extra time for this journey. When looking for a hotel in Jūrmala, it can help to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay—for example, beach walks, nature trails or culture.

Discover more destinations: Jūrmala, Cesvaines Municipality, Krustpils Municipality, Balvu Municipality, Ikšķile Municipality, Alsunga Municipality, Iecava Municipality, Preiļi Municipality.

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