Discover Liepāja: Culture, History and Parks

When looking for a hotel in Liepāja, the focus of your trip can be a good starting point: cultural venues, the market and parkland each offer a different experience. The city combines museums and architecture with crafts, historic walking routes and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

Culture, History and Architecture

The “Lielais dzintars” concert hall is a cultural and event centre and home to the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra. On a guided tour, you can visit the concert and art spaces, step onto the stage and enjoy panoramic views from the seventh floor. This gives you the chance to discover the building not only as an event venue but also by exploring its spaces.

At the Liepāja Museum, the permanent exhibitions tell the story of the city from the Stone Age to the 19th century. The collection comprises more than 130,000 objects and artefacts. You can also learn about the art and life of 20th-century woodcarver Miķelis Pankoks. The exhibitions therefore offer both a broad overview across time and a distinct perspective through the work of an individual artist.

The “Liepāja – kā pa notīm!” walking route takes you to significant historical, cultural and architectural sights in the city centre. A map and musical notes embedded in the pavement help you find your way. The Amatnieku nams offers another way to experience culture and crafts: a group of 16 artisans from the Kurzeme region work together there. Visitors can watch traditional costumes being woven and silverwork, ceramics, woven goods, leather products and amber items being made.

The “Hoijeres kundzes viesu nams” interior museum has a restored floor plan dating from the late 17th century. Its rooms and historic details include a tavern room, Hoijeres kundze’s living quarters, a mantel chimney and a bread oven. Accounts passed down through the years link Tsar Peter I with Liepāja: according to these accounts, he visited the city and Hoijeres kundze’s inn in 1697.

Pētertirgus also combines architecture with a specific market offering. Its Art Nouveau pavilion was designed by architect Louis Melville and opened in 1910. The market offers a wide selection of seasonal fruit and vegetables, forest produce, flowers, plants and other farm products throughout the year. The pavilion and the changing seasonal produce each offer a different reason to visit.

Following its reconstruction, the “Pūt, vējiņi!” concert garden offers an extensive cultural programme throughout the summer. If a particular event date matters for your plans, it is advisable to check the dates in advance.

Parks and Outdoor Routes

Beberliņi Recreation Park covers 45.3 hectares. A protected pine forest growing on dunes surrounds Beberliņi, an artificial body of water covering 8.8 hectares. These two figures describe different parts of the site: the extensive parkland and the body of water within it. The protected pine forest also adds special natural value.

Jūrmalas Park is three kilometres long and covers 50 hectares; it is one of the largest landscaped parks in Latvia. A path for pedestrians and cyclists runs through the entire park. Alongside walking paths, there is an activity area for children, cafés and various attractions. The park also has football and basketball courts as well as tennis courts. This means that a single park offers routes for walking and cycling as well as several designated activity areas.

A nature trail about four kilometres long offers peaceful walks, crosses wooden boardwalks and has two viewing platforms with expansive views of Lake Liepāja. Its approximate length, the boardwalks and the two platforms provide concrete guidance about the route. A separate two-kilometre path is available for rollerblading and cycling.

The Trade Canal connects Lake Liepāja with the sea. In the urban section, yachts moor there in summer. This seasonal detail may be useful when planning your trip if you are considering visiting the canal during the warmer months.

Discover more destinations: Liepāja, Inčukalna Municipality, Alsunga Municipality, Limbaži Municipality, Mērsrags Municipality, Aizkraukle Municipality, Ozolnieki Municipality, Olaine Municipality.

Back to the main travel overview: Latvia.