Liepāja is the 3rd largest city in Latvia and the 10th largest in the Baltic States. About 70,000 people call Liepāja their home, their place of study and work.
Season’s highlights
Walking Tour “Let`s meet at the Square of Roses!”
Every day at 12 PM there is an opportunity to go on an exciting walking tour around Liepāja’s centre in the company of the professional tour guide.
During the tour you will learn the architectural magic and small streets’ charm with its stories and legends.
A tour guide holding Liepāja’s flag in the hands will wait for you at the Square of Roses.
Liepāja has historically been an industrial city as well as a closed military territory, however, over the years the city’s residential, recreational and business environment has seen ongoing improvements put in place. It has become a modern city with a global outlook, but at the same time retaining the comforts typical of a small town.
Featuring as the centrepiece of most events is the recently built concert hall “Great Amber” – a genuine cultural and architectural treasure. It is the venue for high quality culture and art events. Music lovers particularly enjoy the outstanding acoustics which enable them to hear even the tiniest nuances of sound. The concert hall is home to the oldest orchestra in the Baltics – Liepāja Symphony Orchestra.
Get to know the paradoxes of Liepāja
Liepāja is a true paradox city, you can find opposites at every step here – vivid contrast is the strongest feature of our city. But as you already know – you can’t explain Liepāja – you just have to feel it!
Liepāja is a favourite travel destination, enticing many with its unique tourist attractions in the former military garrison – Karosta; enchanting people with a city centre rich in cultural and architectural treasures, as well as tempting with its spacious beach where beachgoers revel in the unusually fine white sand. Notwithstanding its compact size, the city combines everything necessary for a complete and memorable vacation.
Great holidays in the surroundings of Liepāja
Bernāti – Nīca – Rucava – Pape
The trip begins at Bernāti Nature Park, on its walking trails, recreation and picnic sites.
Did you know that there is one of the largest windmills in Latvia located in the Otaņķi county? Meet wild herbivores at Pape Nature Park, enjoy a beauty of the dendrological garden with exotic trees and a lounge with a viewing platform from which you may even observe the territory if the neighbouring Lithuania.
Enjoy a relaxed meal on café terraces or cook it yourself at indicated well-equipped picnic sites.
The Amber Trail
Saraiķi – Ziemupe – Vērgale – Pāvilosta
Gaze into horizon from the high bluffs, feel the mightiness of 37-metre-high lighthouse, which has once signalled the most dangerous navigation point off the coast of the Baltic Sea. Find peace and serenity in the Garden of the Soul Relieve. Get to know wild plants, taste real country bread, smoked fish. Lunch on the seashore. Treat yourself with marine bijou, glide down the surface of the water on the SUP board, sail and catch fish.
Don’t forget to refresh yourself with a satisfying meal in Ziemupe or Pāvilosta.
The Trail of Secrets – “Leišmalīte” Borderland
Bārta – Priekule – Vaiņode – Embūte
A walk down the wooden footbridge path in the Dunika bog at sunrise, a silent tribute to the majestic history of the largest burial sites of soldiers in World War II in the Baltic, the love story of Indulis and Ārija, the roots of ancient Curonian settlement, the mouthful of water from the Lielbāta Spring.
The Viking Trail
Grobiņa – Durbe – Kalvene
There is a spoiler in the name of the trail and rest assured the secrets of the history of real Vikings will be revealed. Set your foot on the Ālande Trail and start your trip at the ruins of the Grobiņa castle, finishing by the Fundamental Pillar – a huge wooden pile, carved with the ancient Latvian pagan symbols. And on your way to the Rīga Zoo Branch in “Cīruļi” take a detour to visit the Lake Durbe. From its observation tower you will get a beautiful view over the lake and the diversity of birds populating the area.
The Trail of Manors
Tāši – Apriķi – Aizpute – Kazdanga
Baroque-style estates and Baron’s Manor, parks and ancient towns and settlements. Kilometres of walks and hikes. Gourmet pleasure and rural goodies. Winery and delicacy treats. You will get to experience everything along this trail too.
Plan a route for one day, weekend or vacation, travel with a tent or choose the most comfortable accommodation.
The beach is available for anyone to enjoy
The Blue Flag flies over the beach in summer – a sign of a clean swimming area. The Central beach by the lifeguard station is equipped to accommodate visually and physically impaired people. Special audio buoys have been set up in the water to aid visually impaired people and a wheelchair designed for swimming is available for those with some type of movement disability. A wide wooden boardwalk leads to the sea from the lifeguard station for easier access. There is also a room for parents with young children, so they could take care of their specific needs.
Beyond the officially designated bathing areas, dogs are also allowed on the beach as long as kept on a leash. The areas where dog walking is allowed are indicated by signs located at the entrances to the beach. A favourite spot for dog walking is north of the Monument in Commemoration of the Perished Fishermen and Seafarers, located at the end of Kūrmājas Prospekts.
Amber and fake amber
Following strong southwest wind gusts, those attentive enough can search among the seaweed and seashells and find a piece of amber – the gem of the sun. Great care must be taken while hunting for amber pieces however, because white phosphorus also sometimes washes up on shore. Pieces of phosphorus look similar to amber, though a bit paler and easier to crumble, but most importantly they are very dangerous as they quickly ignite once dry and thus may cause burns. Because washed up phosphorous is remarkably similar to real amber, it is suggested to put the amber pieces into a closed container to protect yourself and make sure that your amber find is authentic. Do not put the amber pieces into your pockets!
The dream of a concert hall in Liepāja is more than a century old. The city council decided on the necessity of a concert hall in Liepāja at the end of the 19th century in 1896.
This dream finally came to fruition in 2015 with the grand opening of the concert hall “Great Amber”. Excellent acoustics, modern architectural design and its multi-purpose functionality have attracted the attention of professionals worldwide and have resulted in several awards bestowed on the concert hall. The modern facility is appropriate not only for high quality cultural events and exhibitions, but also for conferences and corporate events.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
The church’s outer architectural style is late Baroque with features of Classicism. The interior of the cathedral has the luxury and splendour typical of the Rococo style. Still present is a luxurious box meant for seating the dukes of Kurzeme.
Many buildings have kept the historical decorative finishes of stairwells, the original wooden doors, metal gates, handrails, fireplaces, floors, and other testimonies to the handiwork of local craftsmen.
The names of the most popular “Līvi” songs can be seen on the bricks laid around the tree and the contours of 5 different musical instruments
Alley of Fame of Latvian Musicians
The Alley of Fame of Latvian Musicians was created in 2006. There on display are 39 plaques with handprints of musicians cast in bronze and 12 plaques with the names of popular Latvian music groups.
The Alley of Fame has the handprints of, among
The music groups “Credo”, “Eolika”, “Pērkons”, “Zodiaks” are several of the legendary ensembles that have their logos and group member’s names cast in bronze.
Memorial to the Holocaust Victims and „The Righteous Among the Nations“ Alley
37 m tall lighthouse is the main highlight of Akmensrags. The first lighthouse on this location was built in 1884. It was destroyed during World War I and rebuilt in 1921. Climb up to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy a wonderful view over the sea and the surrounding woods! The collection of amber found near Akmensrags lighthouse may be seen in the “local museum” – an open-air exhibition arranged next to the lighthouse.
Akmeņrags lighthouse stands out of the other lighthouses of Latvia with its location as one of the most dangerous to navigation in the whole Baltic Sea coast area.
The memorial plaque at the lighthouse
Prenclavu Windmill
One of the biggest windmills in Latvia – with four grinding sections, which provides vast grinding opportunities. Mill and its machinery is maintained in its original appearance.
The windmill is an object of national architectural heritage.