Saldus Municipality: Landscape, Culture and Regional Experiences

If you want to combine nature watching, waterside trails and cultural history in Saldus Municipality, there are several reasons to visit: protected wetlands, historic parks, museums and local producers. For planning, it may help to choose a focus—such as birdlife and landscapes, architecture and history, or individual visits by prior arrangement. That way, you can shape your trip around the subjects that interest you most.

Nature, Water and Trails

The Sātiņi Ponds are a Natura 2000 nature reserve and are important for both nesting and migratory waterbirds. A 9.8-metre-high birdwatching tower stands there. If birdlife is the focus of your visit, it is a specific place to start; access conditions may vary, so it is advisable to check in advance. The Zvārde Nature Reserve is also known for its birdlife: it includes the Stūri and Zvārde bogs and the area around Lake Ķerkliņi, and is considered an important breeding ground for rare bird species.

Historic parks offer a different perspective. The landscaped park at Jaunauce Manor covers seven hectares and has preserved its historic size, layout and planting. Remte Manor House is surrounded by a 26-hectare landscaped park dating from the early 19th century; its design includes varied plantings, ponds and a canal system. The different sizes and features give you an idea of how varied historic green spaces can be.

The nature and walking trail along the Ciecere River runs between the bridge on Kuldīgas iela and the bridge on Saules iela. Some sections cross wooden boardwalks, which were built because the terrain is limited and low-lying; the trail is also suitable for walks with a stroller. The paths in Kalnsēta Park are different: there are narrow, steep paths as well as wider paths for more leisurely walks. This distinction can help you choose a route that suits the type of path you prefer, without confusing the narrow sections with the wider ones.

Lake Saldus has a developed beach with a recreation area, volleyball courts and playgrounds. An open-air café and SUP rental are also available during the summer season. At Zaņa Mill Pond, you will find fishing piers, a swimming area, a playground and a beach volleyball court; a license is required for fishing. Another nature and history trail is near Ezere: it is three kilometres long, starts at the former manor complex and also leads to the Customs House.

If you want to explore the area by bicycle, contact the Saldus Tourist Information Centre or the Brocēni Tourist Information Point. Both rent bicycles for rides around the town and on routes in the surrounding area. Availability may change, so it is best to check in advance.

Architecture and History

Jaunauce Manor is designated a state-level architectural monument. The “VĀRTI” augmented reality app lets you view paintings, busts and historic dances in 3D; the app’s availability may vary. At Remte Manor, the new manor house was built in 1800 in the Berlin Classicist style. These places offer different ways to explore architectural history: one through a designated architectural monument, the other through a specific year of construction and a named style.

Saldus is home to the city’s oldest building, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John. Inside are historic organs, a pulpit in the Mannerist style and a 19th-century altarpiece. The J. Rozentāls Museum of History and Art displays original works from the early creative period of Latvian painter Jānis Rozentāls. Exhibitions at the Oskars Kalpaks Museum focus on Colonel Oskars Kalpaks, the Kalpaks Battalion, the First World War and Latvia’s independence struggles. The open-air exhibition “Kaujas priekšpostenis” opened in 2023.

The Ezere Customs House is also linked to a specific historical date: on 8 May 1945, the instrument of surrender was signed there by the German troops surrounded in the “Courland Pocket.” If you take the three-kilometre nature and history trail, you can include this historic site in your route. The barn at Nīgrande Manor has exhibitions about writer Jēkabs Janševskis and his work, traditional life and the furnishings of manor houses, and the Soviet era. A replica of a mammoth tusk found in the area around Nīgrande is also on display.

Local Visits and Insights

At Saldalus Brewery, production and tasting go hand in hand: five varieties of “live beer” are traditionally brewed there, with the production process carried out by hand. Seasonal brewery tours with tastings are offered to small groups by prior arrangement. At the Gotiņa confectionery factory, visitors can learn about the production process for milk caramels and watch a film about it; the visit also includes tasting the caramels and buying them on site. Visiting conditions may change, so it is a good idea to check before planning your visit.

At the “Silavas” mini-zoo, visitors can feed the animals with food prepared on site. An indoor exhibition features parrots, dormice, fish, a tortoise and pythons. The feeding and the exhibition offer two different experiences: an activity with the animals and an indoor display of various species.

Your itinerary can help guide your hotel choice: consider which nature and cultural attractions matter most to you, then compare hotel locations based on the places you want to visit. If an activity requires advance booking or operates seasonally, it is worth checking the conditions beforehand.

Discover More Destinations

Šarlote, Jaunlutriņi, Druva, Kursīši, Saldus, Ozolnieku Municipality, Aglonas Municipality, Alsungas Municipality.

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