Ventspils
Latvia · Kurzeme · 5 m
Description
Ventspils is a working oil and cargo port that spent its transit revenue on making the town pleasant, which is unusual enough in the Baltics to be the reason people visit. The beach has held a blue flag for decades, a narrow gauge railway runs through the open air museum, and cast iron cows painted by artists stand around the streets as a civic joke that stuck. A castle of the Livonian Order from the thirteenth century sits by the river mouth and is the oldest surviving one in Latvia still in its original form.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – August
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Ventspils blue flag beach
- Livonian Order castle by the river mouth
- Painted cow sculptures around the town
- Narrow gauge railway in the open air museum
- Seaside park and the adventure playgrounds
- South pier walk and the lighthouse
- Slītere National Park and the Livonian coast(Day trip)
- Cape Kolka where two seas meet(Day trip)
Getting there
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry