Jūrmala

Jurmala, the pearl of Latvia, is the largest resort town in the Baltic. No other place has beaches with tens of kilometres of such white, fine sand. Nowhere else do the pines on the dunes murmur so restfully. And the air is full of ozone and sea freshness. Right behind the dunes are the wooden houses so characteristic of Jurmala, with their finely divided window, verandas and rooftop structures. Beside them are contemporary buildings, blending admirably into the landscape.

Jurmala is a city on the crest of a wave. A wave of achievement, of hope, of love and success. The waves in the Gulf of Riga, with their white crest, are calm and inviting only in the summer. In the autumn storms, they grow harsh and impose their own rhythm. Just as varied as the sea is life in the different parts of the town along its whole 33 km length, between the Lielupe, one of Latvia's major rivers, and the Gulf of Riga. At the narrowest spot, a distance of only 300 metres separates the river from the sea.

The town has many hotels and guest houses, catering for widest range of tastes. There are pools with seawater and mineral water. Tennis courts and yacht clubs. Jurmala offers diverse cultural, recreation and sporting activities. Favourites are the traditional festivities — the Jomas Street Festival, and the Fishermen's Festival, both held in the middle of summer, in July. For unforgettable moments, take a summer ferry trip down the River Lielupe. The town's history, along with people well known in Latvia and the world, is seen in six museums, including one of Latvia's few open-air museums. By walking the nature trails, you can acquaint yourself at leisure with the outstanding relief, flora and fauna.

Jurmala is beautiful and interesting at any season of the year, but most visitors arrive in the summer months, from June to August. The town is gradually developing into a venue for conferences and meetings, where guests arrive throughout the year.

1188.lv provides up-to-date bus and train schedules, route planner and prices.

By bus:

1 Jūrmala Bus Station (Jurmalas autobusu parks), Ķemeru iela 26, ☏ +371 67761558, info@jurmala-sv.lv. (updated Oct 2017)

By train:

Jūrmala is served by suburban trains on the Riga-Tukums route, leaving approximately every 30 minutes from Riga Central Station (€2, 30 minutes). Jūrmala has several stations, but Majori is the most central.

By car:

A fee of €2 is charged for entering the Jūrmala area by car. Entry is monitored with cameras and vehicles entering the area without a valid ticket will be fined €70.

By plane:

The closest airport is located in Riga. From there, you can take minibus line 241 to Imanta railway station (10 minutes, €0.70), and continue by suburban train to Majori station in central Jurmala (15 minutes, €2).

A direct taxi ride between Jurmala and the airport should cost around €25.

By boat:

2 Jūrmalas Jahtklubs / Marina, Tīklu iela 10 (Local bus and train service to Riga. Airport Riga International - 14 km.), ☏ +371 26613344, osta@jurmala.lv. VHF channel: Ch. 12. Capacity of berth: 80 m bearths (pontoon), 30 boats. Depth on approach: 2.5–3.5 m. Depth alongside: 3.5–4.0 m. Neighbouring marinas: Engure 25 NM, Riga-Auda 4 NM. Directions for approach: From Lielupe Safe Water buoy (57°01.5' N; 23°55.64'E) proceed along the channel marked by lateral buoys to River Lielupe estuary and then proceed to starboard in navigation Channel No.3 along the channel marked by lateral buoys. The marina berths are on starboard side of the river. Services: Fresh water, WC, disabled WC, showers, sauna, security 24/7, waste disposal, grey water from holding tank disposal, Internet, laundry, boat and SUP rental. Sandy beach nearby.