Ventspils: Beach, Culture and Special Family Experiences

Ventspils combines water-based experiences, maritime history, science and active excursions with special places for shared discoveries. Ventspils Blue Flag Beach has held the Blue Flag during the bathing season since 1999. Those who enjoy dividing their trip between beach, culture and activity will find many different starting points for planning their days in Ventspils.

Beach, park and activities for active days

At Ventspils Blue Flag Beach, specific information makes it easier to find your way around: Each beach access path has a number, the water temperature and a sign indicating whether swimming is permitted or prohibited.

Close to the sea lies the spacious and well-equipped Jūrmalas Park. It offers opportunities for outdoor relaxation and walks for the whole family. An unusual addition is the display of 35 different types of anchors, exhibited there from among the 152 anchors of the Piejūras brīvdabas muzejs. The park therefore combines outdoor activity with a small maritime exhibition feature.

For active holiday days, the Piedzīvojumu parks is a sports and active recreation complex offering a wide range of leisure and sports opportunities for individuals, groups and families throughout the year. The year-round toboggan run at Piedzīvojumu parks is 580 metres long. Those looking for a specific sporting activity can also visit the wake park of Ventspils Adventure Park on the southern slope of the Adventure Park hill “Lemberga hūte”. Visitors can rent wakeboarding equipment on site.

The Ūdens piedzīvojumu parks has a different focus and includes a wave pool, a warm-water pool, a children’s pool, slides, a lazy river, SPA baths and a sauna. This provides another way to plan a holiday day around water and relaxation, whether you prefer to remain active or choose quieter activities.

Fortress, coastal life and music

The Livonijas ordeņa pils is one of Latvia’s oldest medieval fortresses still preserved today. After the restoration and renovation work was completed in summer 2012, the chapel, chapter hall, dormitory of the order’s brothers and refectory were opened to visitors. For travellers interested in culture, this makes the medieval complex tangible beyond its external appearance.

The Piejūras brīvdabas muzejs was founded in Ventspils in 1954 as an open-air museum of sea fishing. Its exhibition depicts the everyday life of the inhabitants of the Courland coast and conveys the lives of Latvian and Livonian farmers and fishermen. Those interested in regional traditions can gain an insight here into ways of living and working closely connected with the coast and fishing.

The “LATVIJA” Concert Hall also expands Ventspils’ cultural spectrum. It is a centre for music, art and cultural education in Northern Courland. The hall houses the pipe organ of the German organ-building company “Johannes Klais Orgelbau” and the world’s largest piano by the Latvian-born piano maker Dāvids Kļaviņš. Guided tours are available for groups of adults and children of up to 10 people.

Hands-on science and a trip on the Venta

The Zinātnes centrs VIZIUM is divided into seven different galleries and has educational interactive exhibition halls with more than 80 interactive exhibits. Science shows, laboratories and technical-creative workshops are also available to visitors. This makes it an engaging choice for families in which children and adults bring different questions and interests.

The excursion boat Hercogs Jēkabs offers a different perspective on Ventspils. It offers a 45-minute trip during which passengers can see the mouth of the Venta, the old town, the industrial area of the Freeport of Ventspils and the sea gates. Along the Ostas Street promenade beside the Venta, a buoy exhibition also presents 14 buoys and channel markers. Each has an information board explaining its respective purpose.

The right accommodation for your travel focus

When choosing your accommodation in Ventspils, it helps to define the desired mix of beach, activity, culture and science. A holiday apartment or holiday house can serve as a starting point for different ideas for each day, without limiting your stay to just one type of experience. If water and walks are the focus of your trip, Ventspils Blue Flag Beach and Jūrmalas Park are obvious themes to consider. For culture-rich days, the Livonijas ordeņa pils, the Piejūras brīvdabas muzejs and the “LATVIJA” Concert Hall are worthwhile destinations to research. The Piedzīvojumu parks, Ūdens piedzīvojumu parks, wake park and Zinātnes centrs VIZIUM offer different highlights. This allows you to choose accommodation based on which experiences occupy the most space in your personal travel plans.

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Ventspils, you can find Usma, Pope, Jūrkalne, Ventava, Leči, Pasiekste, Zūras and Liepene here.

To the overview of the broader travel area: Ventspils.