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Forest, sea and cultural recreation, or how to relax in Jurmala. Open left menu Jurmala Beaches in Jurmala where to swim

Jurmala is, without a doubt, the most advertised and famous resort in Latvia. Like all seaside towns that are popular with tourists, it has grown along the coast of the Gulf of Riga for as much as thirty-two kilometers. So now it is quite possible to talk about “Greater Jurmala”, which includes the once separate villages: Kemeri, Dzintari, Bulduri, Lielupe, Majori, Jaundubulti and others. Life at the main Latvian resort is completely subject to the seasons. In summer it is crowded and noisy. And at other times the town freezes and finally begins to live “for itself”, and not for holidaymakers. But this does not mean that holidays in Jurmala are exclusively for summer. In this article we will tell you everything about the most famous. What is the climate there, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and what to do - read below. We will also list prices in Jurmala. You can also come to the resort in an organized manner by purchasing a tour package.

Where is Jurmala located and how to get there?

This town is located only twenty kilometers from the capital. Therefore, a holiday in Jurmala is also attractive because you can get here quickly and without problems. Air Baltic and Aeroflot planes make regular flights to Riga. From Moscow, St. Petersburg and others major cities from the western part of Russia to the capital of Latvia, route and tourist buses. But you won’t be able to get directly from Riga airport to Jurmala. You will have to go to the railway station, from where trains depart quite often in the direction of Tukums or Sloka. Travel time is less than half an hour. The train makes stops in all satellite villages of Jurmala.

A minibus in the same direction departs from the main railway station. In summer there is a direct express bus from Riga Airport. The ticket costs three euros. The trip on the New Wave boat will be unforgettable. It departs from Riga Castle and arrives at the resort village of Majori. This route is the longest (two and a half hours), but very interesting.

There is an excellent road to Jurmala from Riga, and the journey by your own car will take about twenty minutes. Before entering the city you will have to pay a resort fee of two euros. But if you have booked a hotel or sanatorium, you do not need to purchase a pass.

Weather in Jurmala

The climate of the Baltic Sea coast is not pleasant with warmth. But it is quite small and warms up well. The holiday season in Jurmala is short. It officially opens at the end of May. And it ends already in mid-August, and if the weather in Jurmala allows, then at the end of the month.

It should be said that the most precipitation occurs at the beginning of autumn, which is Riga seaside doesn't keep you waiting long. But summer is really warm. The climate in Jurmala is suitable for those who cannot stand the heat. Even in July, the thermometer rarely rises to +28. Spring comes to Jurmala in mid-March. Winters here are very cold and windy.

When to go to Jurmala?

During high season (July) the resort is very crowded. Prices are rising, and crowds of people are walking along the streets. Travel agencies from all over Latvia send their tours to Jurmala: weekend, health, excursion (together with a tour of Riga) and so on. If you like a more or less secluded, relaxing holiday, avoid coming here in July. A noticeable decline in the number of holidaymakers is observed already in the first ten days of August. The last month of summer can bring unpleasant surprises with the weather, but it’s worth the risk. Jurmala in August pleases warm sea. And the average air temperature this month is twenty-one degrees.

August at the resort is eventful. Instead of Russian shows - KVN, "Jurmalina" and "New Wave", other concerts and festivals are held in Dzintari. In particular, the humorous program “Evening Kyiv” is on tour. In mid-August, the Summertime festival takes place in Jurmala. Since September, resort life in Jurmala has been slowly calming down. A short revival occurs only during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Garden City

This colorful epithet is often given to Jurmala. If some ancient cities are called “open-air museums,” the main Latvian resort is called a park. Holidays in Jurmala invite you to spend time contemplatively, leisurely walks along the dunes or the water's edge. In addition to carefully planted flower beds, there are many pine trees that, like sentinels, guard the coast.

The beaches in Jurmala are sandy. It was mainly they who gave the resort its fame. Because this sand is quartz, white. Every year the beaches of Jurmala receive the highest award for livability and cleanliness - Blue Flag. Entering The Gulf of Finland very smooth, so parents can be calm about their bathing child. Jurmala itself was conceived as fashionable resort. The main type of building here is two-story mansions, small masterpieces of wooden architecture of the nineteenth century. “Greater Jurmala” includes fifteen villages. The most glamorous is the section of the pedestrian street Jomas, as well as the coast from Majori to Bulduri.

Wellness holiday

Jurmala has not only the sea and a lot of entertainment in addition. There are also mineral springs. Their water is used internally, and in sanatoriums (of which there are plenty at the resort) baths, showers and other spa procedures are practiced. The Sloka swamp, which is located near the village of Kemeri, supplies sanatoriums with therapeutic mud. Health tours to Jurmala are available all year round. Of course, sanatoriums are most crowded in the summer, as vacationers want to combine treatment with swimming in the sea. The most famous health resorts of the resort are “Belarus”, “Amber Coast”, “Jurmala-Spa” and “Baltic Beach Hotel”. Treatment with mud and water is combined with physiotherapeutic procedures, massages (Ayurvedic, Thai, aromatic, volcanic stones), cryo-, halo- and speleotherapy. Health resorts successfully combat neurological, gynecological diseases, problems of the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system.

Beaches in Jurmala

Sand treatment (psammotherapy) is practiced everywhere at the resort, and not only in sanatoriums. In any case, a holiday in Jurmala by the sea will be healthy. After all, the sand here is not simple, but quartz. And no matter what village you stay in, everywhere: in Asari, Dzintari, Bulduri, Dubulti, Vaivari, Lielupe, Pumpuri, Melludzhi - velvet dunes in a green frame of pine trees await you. Do you want maximum comfort on the beach? Then visit one of the beach clubs. “Jurmala-Spa” is not only four hundred meters of clean sand, but also a lot of entertainment for children and adults. In the beach complexes “Chaika Family” and “Havana Club Lounge” you will find first-class service, restaurants and cafes.

Entertainment in Jurmala

You won't be bored at this Latvian resort. There is no need to introduce the Dzintari Concert Hall - every resident of the CIS knows it. But there are other entertainments. The Yantarny Bereg sanatorium offers excursions to the former

Latvia is a country on the coast of the Baltic Sea, where the largest resort town among residents of the Baltic states and Russia - Jurmala. This city stretches along the shores of the Gulf of Riga. During the summer season, many humorous and music festivals, concerts and other entertainment events are held here for vacationers from many CIS countries.

Resort area for children and adults

Almost the entire city is one large resort area; for children there is the following list of active entertainment:

  • roller skating;
  • skating;
  • cycling;
  • sport competitions;
  • adventure park "Tarzan";
  • water skiing, jet skiing and wakeboarding;
  • swimming in the pool and in the sea;
  • children's playgrounds coastline.


And for adults there is a huge variety of relaxation styles:

  • excursions to the natural beauty of the coastal city;
  • hiking trips;
  • cycling;
  • wellness treatments and spa;
  • beach holiday;
  • outdoor recreation (camping).

Where is

The best place to look for outdoor recreation, breathe pine air and go hiking is in national parks Priedaine and Kemeri.



Summer holidays in Jurmala primarily mean beach activities, which you can find along the entire coastline of the resort. Best beaches concentrated in the central regions of Dzintari, Bulduri, Majori. Health resorts and resort rehabilitation centers are concentrated in Vaivari and Jaunkemeri.

Jurmala Map

How to get there from Moscow

Directly from Moscow to Jurmala can only be reached by car; for those who do not have their own transport, there are standard flights from Moscow to Riga, and then from Riga to Jurmala.

Travel by car

There is a fee of 2 euros to enter the region by car during the holiday season; payment is made at special machines upon entry. Parking within the city is free.

A trip under your own power from Moscow to Jurmala takes less than a day, about 15-20 hours, it all depends on the speed of travel and the duration of passport control at the border.



Here are a few points to consider first:

  • visa. Latvia is in the Schengen area, so you should apply for a Schengen visa first. The cost of standard visa processing costs 35 euros or 70 to speed up the process;
  • documentation. Regardless of the route, you will need documents to cross the border;
  • GPS navigator- the best and safest way to choose a route for a trip and not get lost in the nooks and crannies of your native or foreign country;
  • refueling Be sure to think about where and how to fill the tank before your trip;
  • Traffic Laws. Study the Latvian traffic rules, as a European driver, for example, must always give priority to cyclists and pedestrians.

Railroad trip
In Moscow, train 001Р departs from Rizhsky Station, departing at 17:05 Moscow time and arriving at Riga Passenger Station at 9:17 local time. You can book and buy a ticket on any resource convenient for you or at the station ticket office; the ticket price can vary from 2 to 45 thousand rubles depending on the ticket class and departure date.



Latvia is in the EEST +2 time zone - Eastern European Time, but in the summer (April-November) it switches to summer time EEST +3.

By plane
Every day there are flights from Moscow to Riga at any time of the day or night, the choice is very large. On or on another resource convenient for you, you can select the time, airline, date, cost and other services and amenities. The flight time takes only 1 hour 45 minutes, and tickets cost from 5-6 thousand rubles.

By bus
The Norma-A bus departs every day from Tushino station at 20:45 from Moscow and arrives at the Riga bus station at 10:15. You will spend 13-14 hours on the way, the ticket price will be 3500-4500 rubles.



From Riga to Jurmala
You can get from the capital of Latvia to Jurmala by train, which departs from the only railway station in Riga. There are three stations in Jurmala where you can get off, depending on the area you have chosen for your stay: Dubulti, Sloku, Tukums.
You can also rent a bicycle at a special bicycle parking lot or rent a car, which is available near the airport and train station. Or take a boat ride on the Lielupe River; the ship arrives in Jurmala at Majori station.

There is no Jurmala stop, so look on the map in advance to see which stop is most convenient for you to get off at.



Districts of Jurmala

The city is conventionally divided into 12 districts, each of which has its own characteristics, its own attractions and its own type of recreation.

  • Priedaine- the village is located along the Lielupe River and is a little distant from the Gulf of Riga. There are many summer cottages and individual cottages; the village is perfect for outdoor recreation.
  • Lielupe- well suited for sports recreation, for those who like to walk and hike. The area is adjacent to both the sea line and the river line, and there is a large natural park on its territory.
  • Bulduri, Majori and Dzintari- the most popular villages of Jurmala, since they are concentrated here active entertainment, nightclubs, restaurants and museums, as well as beach recreation in the form of a variety of water parks and free white sand beaches.
  • Dubulti, Pumpuri, Melluzhi and Asari- areas on the coast of the Gulf of Riga that are intended for beach holidays.
  • Yaundubulti A very green area, it will be most comfortable to relax in the forest here.
  • Sloka. Here it is administrative center city, many indoor recreational facilities.
  • Kemeri. Kemeri is home to several sanatoriums and the largest national park; the area is perfect for a health trip.


Weather and climatic conditions

Latvia is located in a temperate climate zone, so Jurmala in summer is a warm, but not hot city. It is quite rainy here at any time of the year, the amount of precipitation, on average, can reach 70 mm per month, but at the same time precipitation favorably alternates with sunny days. The climate here is considered the mildest and beneficial for blood vessels and lungs, although it may not be suitable for lovers of hot and dry resorts.

Water temperature

Many tourists go to the resort not knowing how cool the sea is in Jurmala, but the general climate of the resort is in perfect harmony with the water temperature in the Gulf of Riga. It can fluctuate from month to month; the water begins to heat up by the end of May or even by mid-June. Maximum temperature +18…+22 °C daily. It may seem that this is too cool, but such water is considered the most useful for swimming, so it is recommended to go on holiday to Jurmala from the end of June to the end of August.

Air temperature

The average maximum air temperature in the hottest month (July) fluctuates around +22 °C, but with high humidity of 80-85% it feels like +27...+30 °C. This combination creates a warm, sometimes hot, but not suffocating effect, ideal for vacationers. During December-February, as a rule, snow falls and remains until the beginning of March, while the air temperature does not fall below -10...-15 °C. In winter in Jurmala, the average minimum temperature in the coldest month (February) is only -7...-8 °C.



Top attractions in Jurmala

From museums to natural parks and cultural historical treasures, this city will not leave any ruler bored, everyone will find objects of interest.

  • The Jurmala Open Air Museum is located at the very beginning of the city, where the Lielupe flows into the Baltic Sea. This museum is free and you can learn a lot about the life of fishermen in the late 19th century.
  • Even if you are not religious, the Gothic Evangelical Lutheran churches of Dubulti and Bulduri are still worth noting.
  • The White Dune in Priedain is a natural monument; the dune is special in that it is perpendicular to the sea line and offers a beautiful view of the river.
  • Concert hall “Dizntari”, which hosts almost all the most popular concerts and festivals in Jurmala.
  • Europe's largest water park, Livu, is ideal for visiting with children.
  • Ragakapa Nature Park and National Park Kemeri is considered the most mysterious and beautiful sights of Jurmala. Their visit carries an educational and healing meaning, thanks to the pine trees and salty sea air.

Latvia is famous for having the fastest Internet in the world. It is faster than the United States and the United Kingdom.



Majori, Dzintrai, Bulduri and other beaches

The beaches of Jurmala, famous for their snow-white quartz sand, are European-style clean and well-groomed. Of the 11 villages of Jurmala, Dzintari, Bulduri, Majori, Jaunkemeri and Dubulti have a blue flag - a sign of cleanliness and compliance with international sanitary standards. The sea level along almost the entire coast is quite shallow - it takes several minutes to go to the depths.

  • Maiori has a large stage for festivals, a sports ground for a variety of sports activities, and a river pier.
  • The beaches of Jaunkemeri, Kauguri and Vaivari are equipped for people with disabilities.
  • In Dzintari there is a concert hall right on the shore.
  • Bulduri Beach is more suitable for relaxing holiday and even tanning.


Almost along the entire 25-kilometer coastline there are coastal cafes and restaurants, small swimming pools, waterslides, rental of water skis, motorcycles. Every summer season, local or international sports competitions (for example, volleyball and tennis) and races are held on the Jurmala coastline. In winter, the beach turns into a snowy ski area.

Leisure

Among large quantity possible options, it is worth noting the most interesting ones, such as the adventure park “Jūrmalas Tarzāns” in Dzintari. This park is equipped with obstacles on the ground and on tree branches, and is equipped with an imitation of wild natural conditions.
For lovers of hiking, there is the large Ķemeri National Park with trails through the swamp and the Rogakapa Nature Park for a walk or jog through the pine thickets.
In Priedaine there is the Jurmala water ski park, and at the Majori sports ground you can go roller skating. You can also rent a bicycle in any area of ​​Jurmala and navigate cycling route with the help of a consultant at the tourist information support office.



Jeans were invented by the Latvian tailor Jacob Yofis, who was once asked to sew a pair of thick pants for a woodcutter.

Nightlife in Jurmala

Despite the fact that Europeans do not like to work after 18:00 and on weekends, most establishments in Jurmala are open around the clock. At night you can catch transport, rent a car or bicycle, attend a concert, cinema, performance of street performers on the beach or on main street Majori. On the main website of Jurmala https://www.visitjurmala.lv/ru/delai/meroprijtij/ you can track the list of all events.



Among the nightclubs and bars of Jurmala, which are located along the entire coast and in the central areas, it is worth noting the Black Magic bar because of its interesting interior design. Also, almost every hotel has a night bar and dance floor.

Accommodation and meals

If you are traveling on your own, then a seaside holiday in Jurmala will not be complete without renting accommodation. The most expensive type of overnight accommodation is renting apartments and hotel rooms. Next come sanatoriums and rehabilitation centers, where you can order not only overnight accommodation, but also a list of health procedures. A more budget option would be guest houses and hostels. Such housing is rented on the principle of a commune (dormitory) with shared kitchens, showers and sometimes common rooms for a group of up to 20-30 people. For outdoor recreation in Jurmala there are several campsites - these are small tourist camps located either on the banks of the Lielupe River or in the depths of pine forests.



In Latvia it is prohibited to drink alcohol in public places. Smoking in public places is punishable by a fine.

Car rental and transport

In Jurmala, in addition to walking, of course, there are other ways to get around:

  • Taxi. Taxis in Latvia are of the European type, they all have checkers, each car has a telephone number and tariffs for travel, landing and 1 km/h printed on them. On average, a taxi costs 1.5 euros for boarding and half a euro for 1 km/h, plus 10 euros per hour for waiting.
  • bike. Rental cost 1-2 euros per hour;
  • public transport. An unlimited ticket for a day costs 5 euros, without it a single trip costs 1-2 euros;
  • car rental. The average cost of renting a car can cost 20-30 euros per day.


Cafes and restaurants

Jurmala abounds in restaurants and cafes, both in the city center and on the coastline. Majori, Bulduri and Dzintari are the most expensive areas of Jurmala, so there are more restaurants and classic cafes here. On the beach, along the entire length of 25 kilometers, there are beach cafes, bars and restaurants with nightclubs. You can find more casual cafes and bakeries throughout the city, and bistros are also popular in Jurmala. In the bistro you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner, like a business lunch; almost all establishments have vegetarian cuisine and their own baked goods. During the season, most cafes and restaurants open a summer terrace.



Famous medicinal alcoholic drink“Riga Balsam” is an invention of the inhabitants of Latvia. The balm contains 24 different medicinal herbs and is infused in oak barrels.

Baltic resort hotels



Shopping

During excursions and visiting museums you will find an abundance of souvenirs, but the focus of tourist shopping is on Yommas Street. This pedestrian street is the oldest street in Jurmala, it is located in the village of Majori. There are many different shops, boutiques and cafes, as well souvenir shops and street exhibitions of artists and other craftsmen.



In Jurmala, anyone can find the perfect way to relax: there is something to see, where to go, where to swim, lie down or ride. The resort, in a European way, tries to take care of all possible interests, from active to passive. That is why you should come here at least once in your life to fall in love and come back again.

Stretches for 26 kilometers along the Gulf of Riga. This endless beach also has a place for lovers active rest, and for lovers of silence. In Majori, the central district of Jurmala, the sun-drenched beaches in summer are crowded with holidaymakers enjoying the cool sea waves. Restaurants and cafes are not filled with people, and the epicenter of the cultural life of the resort is. If you are looking for a quieter place to listen to the sound of the sea waves and watch the sunset, the beaches of Jaunkemeri are the best place for you.

Variety of activities for children

Enjoy the joys of summer with your children - on the shallow coast of the Gulf of Riga, children can frolic in the water and build sand castles. On the beaches of Jurmala there are many children's playgrounds with swings, slides, ladders and walls. There are several playgrounds, a skatepark and a place to play street basketball. Fun awaits children and...

Blue Flag Beaches

The Blue Flag flies over several beaches in Jurmala - Majori, Dzintari, Bulduri, Dubulti and Jaunkemeri, which confirms their cleanliness, safety and amenities. In some places, the beach is specially adapted for people with special needs.

Resort for better health

Jurmala has been known as a resort for several centuries. Today, wellness tours, spa treatments, medical and rehabilitation services are also offered here.

How to get to Jurmala

Vakarbulli

Vakarbulli is a Blue Flag beach with playgrounds and attractions for children, basketball, volleyball and football courts and outdoor cafes. A wooden path has been laid to the sea so that people in wheelchairs can access the beach.

You can get to Vakarbulli by bus number 3.

Beaches in winter

The seashore is beautiful not only in summer, but also in winter. In very cold winters, when the Gulf of Riga freezes, piles of ice floes - hummocks - form on the coast. If you take precautions, you can walk on frozen ice. In snowy winters, skiing along the coast will be a particular pleasure.

On the weekend of August 17-19, we decided to go for a swim in the Baltic Sea and see Old Riga. The border was a cause for concern because it was our first time crossing it in our Ford S MAX. The fears turned out to be unfounded; the border was crossed in Burachki at approximately 7 am - this is along the Riga-Moscow highway 150 km from Velikie Luki. There were practically no cars, this procedure took about a couple of hours due to our dullness (on the way back the border took 1 hour - experience played a role) - either we stood in the wrong place, or we marked our passports in the wrong place, in Latvia we got caught in a shift change . Cars are not strictly inspected - just lift, lower the hood, open and close the doors, but there is no particular friendliness, Article 49 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation (presumption of innocence) does not apply at the border, from the strict tone of the men and women in uniform it is clear that they suspect you before they saw it. Come on, that’s their job. It even seemed that Latvians were friendlier, and not at all slower, as in jokes.
After crossing the border in Terehovo, Latvia comes, but the impression is created as if you are traveling through Russia. The ruined patch road to Rezekne and Varakljan in the EEC country, poor villages and hamlets near the border - all this is native and familiar to our Russian eyes. The speed limits are 90 and 50, but everyone calmly drives 100 on the highway, the ride is very comfortable, no one overtakes, you You also don’t have to overtake anyone, everyone goes in the flow. The road after Jekabpils was very good, we calmly reached Jurmala, we knew that there was a fee to enter the city, we were guarding this entrance, but we still made a mistake. This happens due to the fact that many drivers cannot immediately understand how and where to pay for entering Jurmala. We look at the photo and learn how to enter Jurmala. The forest begins on the right

Another half kilometer to go


there are 2 turns here, take a left

and finally we got to the goal, long-legged Latvian beauties stood here and helped pay for the fare
We were among these many, the sign at the entrance to the city is absolutely unreadable, the top lines are in Latvian, the bottom lines are in English, the sign is large white, with small letters. A girl in uniform ran out, they stopped us, invited us into a police car, along the way the person in uniform announced the verdict - 40 lats (2400) and 2 punctures according to the European protocol (entry into Jurmala costs only 1 lat. 1 lat = 63 rubles, the coupon is valid for 24 hours and having bought it, you need to drive into the city within an hour,) an officer was sitting in the car who gave a lecture. what a malicious offender I am, I, in turn, said that we were tourists, we were taking money to Latvia to spend, I realized the gravity of the crime and was counting on leniency. Then there was a painful pause, the officer puffed and sniffled, finally pulled out a piece of paper from the folder and wrote “10 Ls for a folder”, the spelling is preserved. (630 rubles at the exchange rate). This is how we entered Jurmala at 10 times more expensive than expected. But we still thought with relief that we got off cheap. In Jurmala, we booked an apartment through the website www.airbnb.ru, here you can rent an apartment, a cottage, an apartment, a castle in any part of the world - whatever you can afford, we rented a 1-room studio apartment, 115 euros for two nights three days for three, for the owners this apartment is not the main business, you need to google pribaltdom
We took all the phones, we were promised some discounts for the future, the prices at the time of our stay in Jurmala were announced by the owners as follows: small apartments 60 euros (2 adults + 2 children), large apartments (6 adults) 160 euros, they call apartments without breakfast,
we lived like this






everything turned out as the owners promised on the website, we were met by Vika, a hospitable hostess, a little worried because of our hour’s delay, she handed us the keys and told us where to find things in Jurmala. And we went to the sea

access to the sea
Despite the fairly warm weather (25C), the beach was not crowded




white, clean sand that blinds the eyes. In general, the beach is very clean, everywhere there are containers for collecting garbage that do not smell, toilets, changing rooms, and other signs of a higher civilization than in Russia.
Sand of Jurmala youtu.be/TBj62q0OiNo
Swimming in Jurmala (and we lived in the Dubulti area) is a rather unique event youtu.be/XM3CSZNkQ74
Two tiny figures in the background, Masha and Ira (let’s meet - daughter and wife), went into the water about 100 meters, to get in waist-deep, you have to walk another 100 meters, this is a feature of the Baltic Sea in the Jurmala area. The sea is quite cool, the temperature the water is 17-18 C, when you go waist-deep, you already forget that you wanted to swim.
I filmed the video on my phone - it’s one of a kind video - either it’s what it turned out to be, or it wouldn’t have existed at all.
Next, I wanted to see people (and show myself), the main place for walking in Jurmala is, of course, the pedestrian street Jomas with many restaurants, cafes and small eateries for every taste, a unique business card Jurmala.






girls from the Uzbekistan restaurant posed




shopping malls with all sorts of things


tired cats after a hard day of work


cute mouse family being invited to a restaurant


people are just walking


there are tired

at times it looks like Arbat

such a sky can only be 200 meters from the sea


wanted to drink coffee, but the toad won - coffee cost 270 rubles per cup


this is how the Dzintari concert hall seemed to us, there was someone singing in a retro style similar to Bravo, people just stood and sat on the benches, enjoying the free sound
I’ll tell you separately about the lat exchange rate, there are no problems exchanging any currency for lats, small points for exchange are present in Jurmala even in small shops, but at least 1 lat to enter Jurmala must be bought in Russia. Hucksters and goons from the Velikiye Luki Sberbank, with the official exchange rate of 61.535, sold me 10 lats for 740 rubles; there were no other places to buy lats in the city. On Jomas Street the exchange rate was around 65 rubles per lat, but it turned out to be the most profitable credit card, when paying using a Privatbank card, the rate is 63.18.
After Dzintari we turned to the sea and made our way back along the beach, which at 10 o’clock in the evening was even more crowded than during the day


evening beach of Jurmala


Legs tired from the day enjoyed the cool water of the sea


and even managed to admire the sunset
Tired but happy, we barely crawled to our apartment. I periodically refreshed my waning strength with beer, I highly recommend the lively dark Bauskas, Aldaris is also quite good, the price is around 2 lats per mug. Absolutely everywhere (even market traders) accept a credit card for payment.
The plan for the next day was to visit Old Riga. In Riga, parking is quite expensive, it is zoned, in the very center where we need it (zone R), the first hour of parking costs 5 lats (315 rubles), the 2nd and further hours cost 8 lats (520 rubles). I recommend the very useful website www.prorigu.ru/, it has absolutely everything; with the help of the website, free underground parking was chosen in the Olympia shopping center near the cable-stayed bridge


by navigator - T/C Olympia, Āzenes iela 5
We parked calmly, it’s a 15-minute walk to the Old Town, on the way across the bridge we don’t forget to admire the Western Dvina (aka Daugava) and the views of the city from the cable-stayed bridge youtu.be/rG_1V3SnEuw






Cyclists in Riga prefer the road to be twice as wide
The architecture of Old Riga is a separate story, it cannot be described in a note; it requires a monumental work of 200 pages. Each building is a separate story, everything still breathes with medieval times.






















on the right is me, the only photo is of me, it looks like it turned out well



Bremen Town Musicians, it is clear that the figures of the donkey and the dog are polished, as the most accessible in height

a small Italian restaurant, which seems to contain Albano Power, when I looked in, it was playing LIBERTA www.youtube.com/watch?v=94IGca5Q0GY


sorry, please, it’s not a very fragrant topic, but Masha feels like everything is at home, it’s at the entrance to Vets Riga, there are sinks on the left, you can wash your hands
It was cool on the Town Hall Square and on the square in front of the Dome Cathedral





medieval buffoons performed a performance
youtu.be/_InYcFqI3mQ Latvians, parents and children found it funny.
Shopping arcades have opened on the square in front of the Dome Cathedral


we bought white bread with cranberries and black plain bread, ate it for 10 days, finished it in September, the bread did not lose any of its taste, did not become moldy,


gingerbread


It must be nice to eat fried fish from a plate like this



these are also plates from 0.7 wine bottles


Cats always make me happy in any form
The girls continued to pose happily






Meanwhile, an air show was unfolding over the Dome Cathedral youtu.be/9Qy9iRqCN7Y


in the evening on the beach it turned out that we were in Riga for City Day and in the evening there would be a grand fireworks display in the city near the cable-stayed bridge.
Then we returned to Jurmala, here our paths diverged, Masha was sick in the sun, sea, beach, she went there, Ira and I planned a visit to Kemeri in advance. Kemeri is located 25 km from Jurmala, the place positions itself as a national park, it is not easy to find, coordinates 56.975502, 23.429375 and is... just a swamp. It is of course landscaped


walkways


signs


very beautiful at times


but the essence of the matter does not change - it’s still just a swamp. 100 years ago I tried to pick cranberries and I saw a lot of such swamps, only without bridges. I even saw a swamp, when you step on the grass and hummocks it goes a big wave, as if on water. Moreover, the walkways are laid very cunningly - it seems like the observation tower is close, 200-300 meters, and then the walkways abruptly change direction, and you stomp, moving away from the tower. It took an hour to walk to the tower, the wife quickly understood this temptation and left me after 20 minutes, and I finally made it to the tower.


approximately 3 floors high, people climbed onto it and drank Riga Champagne with pleasure
and took a few pictures of Kemeri National Park from above




Far on the horizon you can see a forest, there is a car parked there, decide for yourself whether you should visit Kemeri National Park
After Kemeri we returned to Jurmala and went to the beach to visit Masha. A young couple was sunbathing nearby, and the girl was topless youtu.be/cGfJIw0k8UI , no one paid much attention, only a pensioner with ski poles (it’s fashionable there to walk along the beach with ski poles and imitate skiing) came up and reprimanded the girl for a long time, probably about the decline of morals and the decay of morality. The young lady stuck to her guns and delighted the eyes of those around her for a long time. After calmly sunbathing until sunset, we went home, since the next day was the departure day, but plans were also made for it, and we needed to have a good rest.
The plans for the next day were to visit a couple of shopping centers, have lunch, preferably to try Latvian cuisine, and then go home. Among the shopping centers, I chose SPICE www.spice.lv/ru because there is RIMI www.rimibaltic.com/ (I wanted to buy Latvian food products and souvenirs like Riga balsam for friends) and LIDO www.lido.lv/rus/ , it was planned to have lunch here on the road. About shopping mall SPICE I won’t write anything, the center is like a center, only very big, it instantly stole 5 hours of time, despite the fact that we didn’t go to SPICE HOME - everything for the home and interior is there. It’s time to eat on the go and we’re immediately at 2 On the 1st floor we visited LIDO. LIDO is a chain of affordable budget restaurants built on the self-service principle. You walk around with a tray and pick up everything you like, then go to the cash register. Calm interior, stylized as if it were an old Latvian village






The dishes are prepared right in front of you, everything is hot, delicious, everything is piping hot




We took, in order to try as much as possible, 2 or 3 types of cutlets, pork ribs, shish kebab, salmon or trout steak, 3 types of salads, first course. Very tasty homemade food, large portions, for everything we paid 1200 rubles, large portions. After all I barely got up from the table with what I ate, my stomach was dragging along the ground before the car, and this lunch at LIDO was enough for us for the entire 8-hour journey. I will definitely come back when I’m in Riga, very decent food for a good price.
For finances - overnight stay in a one-room apartment studio apartment, ordered through www.airbnb.ru - 115 euros x 44.15 = 5077 rubles
travel along the route Velikie Luki - Jurmala - Velikie Luki + trips in Latvia - only 1170 km. Our 220-horsepower car showed an average consumption of 8.6 l/100 km, i.e. we burned 100.6 liters of A95 gasoline x 31.5 = 3170. But not all the gasoline was purchased in Russia, 10 liters had to be purchased in Latvia at a deserted Neste Oil gas station, the difference between gasoline prices is 33 rubles (in Latvia A95 costs approximately 1 lats or 64 rubles), so we feel free to add another 330 rubles to the travel costs, total travel 3460 RUR
This also includes the not entirely “successful” entry into Jurmala (see above) 740rub
meals with LIDO using store receipts amounted to 2400 . My girls are smart in this sense, they really liked the cheap Latvian milk, they leaned on it, but I liked the local beer and I... guess for yourself. Total mandatory expenses (overnight, food and accommodation) amounted to approx. 12000 rub. Well, we won’t say how much we spent on our loved ones, since this is an individual matter and depends on the thickness of the wallet that you take on the trip.
Latvia, Riga, Jurmala - it seemed to me a place where I wanted to return. Three days flew by like three minutes, we came home tired but happy. The sea, the quiet streets of Old Riga, the friendly, friendly people - we will remember this on the long autumn evenings.