Jurmala is Latvia’s Only Official Resort. Latvia might still be an undiscovered destination for many travelers, but it’s worth the chance. Riga, the “Pearl of the Baltics,” is one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals. Yet Latvia is more than Riga. Just 25 km from the city center stretches Jurmala – a nearly 32 km-long white sandy beach framed by pine and birch forests.
Jomas iela – The Heart of Jurmala
Jurmala isn’t just one town but a chain of seaside villages connected together. The most vibrant areas are Majori and Dzintari, linked by Jomas iela, the main pedestrian street. It’s lined with wooden houses and Art Nouveau villas, filled with cafés, restaurants, and boutiques.
The street ends with a beautiful Orthodox church, and in front of it stands Zemegule, one of Jurmala’s quirky monuments, often used as a meeting point. Another sculpture, a bronze turtle near the beach entrance, symbolizes the town’s laid-back lifestyle.
Dzintari Park and the Jurmala Observation Tower
From Majori you easily walk into Dzintari, known for its large forest park. Dzintari Park is heaven for families, kids, and teens – with playgrounds and a Tarzan rope course that can keep you busy for hours. Its highlight is the Jurmala Observation Tower, standing 38 meters tall with 12 balconies, offering panoramic views over the forest and coastline.
Kemeri – National Park and the Faded Spa Glory
Another part of Jurmala worth visiting is Kemeri, a former spa resort now in decay. To get there, we hopped on a train – the connections between Jurmala villages are excellent and tickets can be easily bought via app (don’t forget to validate them!).
The main attraction is Kemeri National Park, with trails, sulphur springs, and wetlands. The centerpiece, however, is the Kemeri Water Tower, built in 1929 and renovated in 2021, housing a small museum and viewing platforms at 12 and 42 meters. From here you get a perfect view of the once-grand Hotel Kemeri – a white neoclassical palace that was among Europe’s most modern hotels in the 1930s. Charlie Chaplin once stayed here. Later, the Soviets turned it into a sanatorium. Today, it stands abandoned, a ghost of its golden past.
Nearby you’ll also find romantic bridges, the “Island of Love” rotunda, the Lizard Spring, and the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul, built in 1893 in the traditional wooden style of northern Russia.
Buļļuciems, Fishermen’s Museum
Before bikinis became Jurmala’s trademark, this area was home to hardworking fishermen. You can step into their world at the Buļļuciems Fishermen’s Open-Air Museum, near Ragakāpa Nature Park.
The skansen includes a fisherman’s house, barn, smokehouse, sauna, and boathouse from the turn of the 19th/20th century, along with the richest collection of fishing tools, ropes, anchors, and boats in Latvia. Entry is free, and it’s just a short walk from there to another peaceful stretch of Jurmala beach.
Jurmala Beaches – From Vibrant to Deserted
Jurmala is, above all, about the sea and sand. Each beach section is slightly different – some lively and full of cafés, others quiet and almost deserted. All are covered with soft light-colored sand, and many have the Blue Flag certificate for cleanliness and comfort. If you dream of a summer holiday by the sea, but without overcrowded beaches, Jurmala is the answer. Just be prepared: the Baltic is a bit colder than the Mediterranean.
