Discover Valka: Nature, Border and History

Valka combines nature experiences, cultural history and an extraordinary border situation: in the city centre, the Latvian-Estonian border makes it possible to stand in two countries at once. For families and other travel groups, this creates a trip with unusual photo opportunities, walks and historical discoveries. When looking for a holiday apartment in Valka, you can therefore consider whether you mainly want to explore the landscape along the Pedele River, the city’s history or combine both.

Along the Pedele between Valka and Valga

The Pedele nature trail runs through Valka and Valga along both banks of the Pedele River near the Latvian-Estonian border. On the Valka side, the path follows one bank for 350 metres. There are walking paths, benches and a shelter there. This means the route can be included in your daily plans as a short nature experience in its own right, without having to focus your visit exclusively on cultural destinations.

From the shelter on Putraskalns, you can see the Pedele River in two countries as well as Valka and Valga. This viewpoint clearly brings together the special geographical location of the two cities. If your travel group enjoys being outdoors, you can combine a walk along the Pedele with the view from Putraskalns and then choose further destinations in Valka.

A Border with History

In Valka, the border is not merely a geographical marker but also part of the city’s history. On 1 July 1920, Valka was divided when the border between the independent states of Latvia and Estonia was drawn. At the Latvian-Estonian border, there is a border post and EU signs bearing the messages “Latvia begins here” and “Estonia begins here”. They make suitable photo subjects and make the course of the border visible in the cityscape.

The former railway service is also part of this history. After the state border was drawn, Valka II railway station became a border station. Valkas vecā stacija, also known as Valka II, was built around 1896/97 for the 750 mm narrow-gauge railway line Valka–Rūjiena–Pērnava. Anyone interested in transport and regional history will find another perspective on the city’s development here.

Museum, Church and Historic Sites

The Valkas novadpētniecības muzejs offers individual and group visits to its exhibitions and displays. It is located in a building constructed specifically between 1850 and 1853 for the teachers’ seminary of the community schools of Vidzeme. In terms of content, the museum focuses on the cultural heritage of Jānis Cimze and his students. The exhibition “Valkas slimnīcas vēsture” presents the medical life of the hospital through photographs and exhibits, including medical equipment and instruments, furniture and staff clothing.

Lugaži Church provides another historical focus. Its name first appears in historical sources in 1477. The church features elements of Gothic, Classicism and National Romanticism. The church tower also serves as a viewing tower and offers views of Valka and Valga, a city in two countries. This allows you to combine cultural and historical impressions with a view of the divided city in your daily plans.

Other memorial sites include the Schrader Chapel in Cimze Cemetery, which dates from 1773 and is considered one of the oldest buildings in Valka, as well as the Brāļu-kapu Memorial. The names of 414 fallen fighters are inscribed on the memorial’s granite plaques; it is dedicated to the Soviet Army soldiers who fell in the Second World War. These sites complement a museum visit with different chapters of the city’s history.

Valka as a Starting Point for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to combine walks, a border experience and culture, Valka is a clearly defined location to search for accommodation. A holiday apartment or holiday house in Valka gives you the opportunity to tailor your daily activities to the interests of your travel group: for example, with the Pedele nature trail and Putraskalns, a museum visit or historic sites such as the church, chapel and railway station. As you make your further selection, check which location best suits your own plans within your desired itinerary.

For further trip planning, the destination pages Turna, Omuļi, Zaķi and Ērģeme are also available.

For the overarching travel overview: Valkas Novads.