Kurzeme

Kurzeme is the westernmost region of Latvia, along the Baltic Sea.

Cities

 * – Named "the city of wind", and the southwestern most city of Latvia. Famous for its sandy beach, numerous music events, and the largest organ in the world. It features modern architecture and a long history along with the formerly secret Soviet military neighbourhood of Karosta (literally: War Port).
 * – A modern and artistic sea resort city in the north-west part of Latvia, has many things to see, and is one of the tidiest places in the region. A long-stretching beach and recreational park provide everything for a relaxing holiday week or weekend. It gets its prosperity from the huge ice-free port, which is the busiest port in the Baltic states, and the oil transit business.
 * – The capital of Duchy of Courland, Venice of Latvia, with unique and wooden architecture, red-tile roofs, bridges, cobbled streets, the widest widest waterfall ledge in Europe, and nearby the longest underground (sand) cave labyrinth in the Baltics.
 * – An important cultural, educational, business and trade centre that boasts a very active cultural life, with local musicians, poets, painters and artists. It is home to a music school (1946) and an art school (1984).
 * – A town on nine hills with old town, lake, cobbled streets, picturesque hills, walking trails, and the "Kokletajs" monument (Kokle player).
 * – A town of medieval atmosphere with little irregular streets, old wooden buildings, small lakes and castle ruins
 * – A town with a port and some sights (see below).
 * – A small fishing village with nice beach, camping and museum.

Other destinations

 * – Livonians, a homogenous ethnic group, have survived the longest in Northern Kurzeme. During Soviet times, many Livonians were “pushed out” by the military, due to the strategic importance of the region. The remaining 12 Livonian villages, have managed to survive till today, are: Ovīši, Lūžņa, Miķeļtornis, Lielirbe, Sīkrags, Mazirbe, Košrags, Pitrags, Saunags, Vaide, Kolka and Melnsils. Here you can learn about the history and culture of the Livonia, see an authentic tavern and community house.

Nature and national parks




Understand
The main attraction of this region is the Baltic Sea coast, an end of the world landscape beaten by the winds. The coastal roads allow to appreciate its wonderful landscapes.

During the period of Soviet occupation the coastline was a restricted military area, because it was easy to leave the country on a boat. One could reach Pelēkā kāpa if one didn't leave footprints on the sand. To get around this problem locals wore tin cans under their shoes.

Until 100 years ago the northern coast was populated with a small autochthonous nation called Livonians who spoke the Livonian language, but they were assimilated into the Latvian nation during the 20th century. Many Latvian cities' names have Livonian etymology. The last native speaker of Livonian died in 2013; there are about 40 reported speakers and 210 having reported some knowledge of the language. A traveller may find some remnants of their houses in villages around Mazirbe.



Itineraries

 * Kurzeme coastline: Rīga – Engure – Roja – Kolka – Ventspils – Jūrkalne – Pāvilosta – Liepāja – Nīca. A 400 km route along the Baltic seashore, abundant in natural and cultural heritage, gives an opportunity to learn how locals live and rest at the sea. Apart from many ancient fishermen villages nestled along the seashore, two beautiful cities: Ventspils and Liepāja — are worth visiting.
 * Romantic small towns of Kurzeme: Rīga – Saldus – Skrunda – Aizpute – Pāvilosta – Alsunga – Kuldīga – Sabile – Kandava – Tukums – Rīga. One of the most picturesque routes in Kurzeme, as it offers to see the beautiful nature of Kurzeme, manors, castles and churches surrounded by centuries old trees, ancient Aizpute with its romantic wooden buildings, the sweetest town in Latvia – Saldus, the rich in traditions Suiti region in Alsunga, the old capital of Kurzeme – Kuldiga, and the ancient Abava valley rich in landscapes and cultural heritage.
 * The Green Circle of Northern Kurzeme: Rīga – Talsi – Dundaga – Pāce – Ance – Ventspils – Ugāle – Tukums – Rīga. Northern Kurzeme offers natural diversity – listen to bird songs at Lake Kanieris and Engure, watch the blue cows and wild horses, enjoy the sunrise and the sunset and watch the waves of two seas meet at Cape Kolka etc.

Eat



 * Sklandrausis (or sklandu rausis) is a traditional dish in Latvian cuisine which has a Livonian origin; it's a sweet pie, made of rye dough and filled with potato and carrot paste and seasoned with a caraway. It's widespread in Kurzeme.
 * Many fish dishes
 * biguzis (layered rye bread dessert)
 * bukstiņputra (pearl barley or fine-ground barley with lard and boiled potato)



Livonian heritage

 * For Livonians, fish represented the main foods, particularly flounders and Baltic herring (boiled, baked, salted, dried or smoked).
 * During the 19th and 20th centuries, Livonians also ate porridge (rok), sour porridge (appõnrok) made from wheat flour and milk. Fermented milk was then added to the hot porridge. The porridge was eaten when it was cold and soured.
 * No-yeast buns stuffed with potatoes, carrots and cream (sūrkakūd) were popular. These were baked for celebrations and remain popular today
 * White sausages made of groats (sūrmõd mõka) were an ancient food. The sausages did not involve blood, but they were stuffed into cattle intestines with boiled groats, bacon and onions.
 * Rye bread (riggi lēba) was baked on Saturday and eaten frugally.

Traditional Livonian foods today can be found at the Ūši campsite in Kolka and the Stūrīši-Branki guesthouse in Mazirbe. Some of the foods are also served in Dundaga Castle.

Sleep
In the following a list of various accommodation options in the region worth mentioning and outside of the above covered cities, towns, and parks:



Go next

 * Riga region – Starting or finishing point for most people coming to Latvia, and also home to numerous sights worth visiting, like Riga and its old city, the holiday and sea resort town of Jūrmala, Sigulda and its castles, as well as The Great Ķemeri Moorland.
 * Zemgale – Flattest region in Latvia, and famous for the neighbouring and historically related Jelgava Palace and Rundāle Palace, near Jelgava and Bauska, respectively.


 * Lithuania – Popular sights include Klaipeda with the famous Curonian Spit, Šiauliai with the Hill of Crosses, the interesting Kaunas, and the number one attraction of the Baltics, its capital Vilnius.
 * Kaliningrad – A Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania.