Sabile – Art, Vineyard and History

Sabile lies in the valley of the Abava River. This destination brings together a historic center, archaeological traces, outdoor art and wine traditions. If you are looking for a hotel in Sabile, you can consider whether local history, art or seasonal offerings should be the focus of your trip when choosing where to stay. These different themes offer practical pointers for exploring Sabile according to your interests.

Town History and Archaeology

Sabile’s historic center is an urban monument of national significance. The town’s historic buildings are monuments to urban development from the 15th to the 19th century. The Sabile Hillfort tells a much earlier story: it was inhabited from the 11th to the 13th century and lies on a promontory on the right-hand slope of the Abava Valley.

Natural barriers protected the hillfort on three sides; the open side was fortified with a ditch and rampart. More than 1,200 artifacts have been recovered from the settlement site. They provide evidence of the crafts, trade and agriculture of Sabile’s inhabitants at the time. Thus, traces of settlement from the 11th to the 13th century sit alongside the later urban development represented by the historic buildings dating from the 15th to the 19th century.

Religious architecture is also part of the townscape. The Sabile Arts, Culture, and Tourism Center is housed in the former Sabile Synagogue and hosts exhibitions of local and international art. The former synagogue is a state-protected architectural monument. It was a building of Sabile’s Jewish community; the masonry structure was built in 1890, and its foundations date from 1875. Sabile Evangelical Lutheran Church took on its present appearance in 1876. It preserves a bell cast in 1450, which still rings for Sunday services.

Art and Vineyard

Pedvale Art Park is a cultural monument of national significance in Sabile and offers visitors more than 150 outdoor works of art. The number of works may change as pieces are added or relocated. Visitors are also invited to experience and take part in the activities of the Pedvale Open-Air Art Museum. At Pedvale, both the open-air artworks and the invitation to participate are in focus.

The Sabile Wine Hill garden covers 1.5 hectares and contains about 30 different grape varieties and around 800 plants. The cultivation and collection may gradually change as vines are added. The Guinness Book of Records lists Sabile Wine Hill as the world’s northernmost open-air vineyard. Outdoor artworks and a garden of grape varieties offer different points of interest: you can explore these themes separately, depending on whether art or wine growing is of particular interest to you.

Landscape and Seasonal Offerings

The area around Sabile has deep ravines, pine forests and springs. In the wider Sabile region, the “Abava Valley” Nature Park is designated a Natura 2000 site and has the special status of a protected cultural-historic area. This protected status applies to the wider Abava Valley.

The Sabile Wine Festival has been celebrated on the last weekend of July since 1999. During the summer season, Sabile Cider House welcomes Sabile residents, visitors and passersby. There, you can enjoy a glass of cold Sabile cider and taste and buy a range of wines from Latvian winemakers. A guided tour of the Cider House can be reserved. The timing differs for planning purposes: the festival takes place on the last weekend of July, while the Cider House’s visitor offering is seasonal. Before your trip, check the current festival program as well as opening dates and reservation information.

Discover more destinations: Lielvirbi, Sukturi, Dzedri, Mērsrags, Talsi, Pastende, Ģibuļi, Jaunpagasts.

For the overarching travel overview: Talsu Novads.