Kolka, where Baltic Sea meets Gulf of Riga
From white sandy beaches to rugged sandstone cliffs to secluded pepple beaches lined by forests, you will definitely find your favourite part on Latvia's long coastline.
Last Sunday we started our day trip in the morning and drove along Latvias majestic coastline from Riga to Kolka(quite far and I suggest leaving Saturday and returning Sunday).
Along the route we stopped for brunch at a restaurant with a beautiful view.
We arrived in the afternoon in Kolka, where we found ourselves a secluded empty beach of which there is plenty here in Latvia.
We stopped by at two fisherman spots where we bought smoked fish to eat at the beach.
It was a hot day and the water was cool and refreshing but not cold, so we went swimming.
Cape Kolka
Cape Kolka is the most pronounced horn on the shores of Latvia, and it is where the waves from two seas clash – the open Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.
During the bird migration season, dozens of thousands of birds fly over the cape, and this is the best place to start a visit to Slitere National Park.
Things to do At Cape Kolka
See the waters of the Sea Inlet (Gulf of Riga) and the Great Sea (Baltic Sea) meet
Visit Cape Kolka Pine Trail and climb the Cape Kolka observation tower
Taste smoked fish prepared by local fisherman
Watch a sunset and wait for the sunrise
Visit Kolka Village – the Liv cultural centre of Kuolka and three confessions’ churches - Kolka Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nativity of Christ Orthodox Church, Mother of God the Morning Star Roman Catholic Church
Taste the traditional sklandrausis at Dzeneta Marinskas Usi.
Commence your tour of Slitere National Park
Liv Coast
The old Liv fishing villages, including Kolka (Kuolka), are located on the shores of Kurzeme from Melnsils to Luzna. Livs or Livonians are a small, westernmost group of Finno-Ugric peoples living at the Baltic Sea. The spirit of the Livs permeates everything in this part of Latvia – from the way the locals speak, to culture, traditions, and tenacity of those who have been living at the sea for centuries. The small fishing villages on Kurzeme shores feature boat wharves, net warehouses, old buildings (starting from the 18th century), and exhibitions of traditional and ancient items, they also have ample lodging options for rural tourists.
VENTSPILS
After sunbathing and swimming in the warm Baltic Sea, we headed to the town of Ventspils where we walked around and took photos of the harbour and the tourist attractions.
Beyond its bustling port, Ventspils is a city of beaches and public art.
Founded over 700 years ago, Ventspils is one of Latvia’s oldest ports, and the smell of the sea and the wind blowing through your hair are constant reminders of the maritime heritage.
But as its superbly restored, interactive and visitor-friendly medieval castle shows, this is a city very much in tune with today.
The riverside promenade is rich in interesting monuments, and the city is sprinkled with reminders of the Cow Parades, in which artists imaginatively decorate bovine figures. Some are auctioned for charity but over two dozen remain to bring colour and joy to the streets.
We sat down for an early dinner at a restaurant.
After that it was a long drive back to Riga and we ended up at home just past 23h00 but the Sunday was definitely worth it.