Jurmala is a resort town in Latvia facing the Gulf of Riga (part of the Baltic Sea), famous for its beaches, dunes, national parks and pine trees!
On the other side of the town there is the Lielupe river which makes this place squished by water bodies from both sides.
Let’s see some of the attractions you can find here!
Main sights of Jūrmala
Silky sandy beaches of Jurmala are one of the main attractions of the city. We noticed many people bathing in the shallow Baltic Sea waters, playing games and chilling out.
However, I must note that infrastructure feels a bit underdeveloped compared to the beaches of popular southern destinations; there are some changing rooms, toilets and sunbeds belonging to some hotels; there are just not many of those. During our visit the water – in August – was nice and warm and coloured like a good British earl grey tea.
The main artery of Jurmala is Jomas Street, a pedestrianised alley lined up with souvenir and art shops, cafes, and different other facilities. We even spotted a few locals selling delicious berries, fruits and home made jams!
This place is very lively as locals and tourists alike come here for some entertainment, restaurants and people spotting. The title of the street comes from the Latvian word field, meaning kind of vast empty sandy land.
At the end of this street you can spot Church Of Our Lady Of Kazan: this is an Orthodox church of the Moscow Patriarchate erected in 1896, demolished in the 1960s by the USSR government and rebuilt just a few years ago.
Right in front of it there is a large bronze globe, one of the most famous monuments of Jurmala.
There are also quite a few other monuments to spot on the streets of the city such as the Bear Slayer and the Turtle.
Dzintari concert hall is probably the most well known site of Jurmala. It’s been one of the most famous musical venues in the USSR and later both for Latvian and Russian artists. There is a historical wooden concert hall dating to 1936 and designed by Alexander Birzenieks and Victor Mellenburg, and just behind it there is a garden and a modern large open air concert hall dating to 1960.
Unfortunately, Dzintari forest park and viewing tower are closed for now – probably because of the recent storm that might have left many tree branches broken. By the way, Dzintars – which you can spot in the many toponyms in Latvia – means Amber, one of the main symbols of the country!
What else to see in Jūrmala?
Come to see Jurmala Museum and Jūrmala Open Air Museum, the summer house of Mr. Morberg, Latvian architect of the late 19th century, house of Aspazija (Johanna Emīlija Lizete Rozenberga; famous Latvian poet and activist, and wife of poet Rainis), Art Nouveau Dubulti Evangelical Lutheran Church and Dubulti Train station.
You might also like my guide to Riga.
Riga: ultimate guide in 30 sights
Hope you liked my blog,
Yours,
Anna xxx
