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State city in Courland, Latvia
Photo: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Actually a sundial-shaped design object, is on the promenade, and is created from thousands of pieces of amber, donated by anyone who wanted to do so. The sundial shows time every hour on the hour, by a special light performance. The performance can be seen much better, when it is dark outside.
The House of Craftsmen
Latvian craftwork in the former home of the mayor Schröder. See the longest amber necklace in the world (123 m or 403 ft), weighing almost 20 kg (44 lb). You can also watch weavers working a creating beautiful tablecloths, skirts etc. Also, craftsmen workshops, demonstrations of crafts, and exhibitions.
Liepājas muzejs
Liepāja okupāciju režīmos
Kalpaka Tilts
This iconic swinging metal bridge to Karosta is often opened to make way for ships. Designed by the German engineer Harald Hall and built in 1906. Check out the times at the bridge when the bridge is closed and ships are let through.
Liepājas Svētā Trīsvienības Evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca
Has a 55 m (180 ft) high tower, which is a perfect sightseeing place. It also has a huge church organ, made of more than 7000 pipes, which was the biggest organ in the world till 1912. It is still the biggest in Latvia and one of the biggest and most beautiful in Europe.
Liepājas Svētās Annas Evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca
Built of red brick and the oldest of Liepāja's churches. The organ is the third biggest in Latvia. First mentioned in 1508 with a 9.70 m high wooden baroque altar from 1697. The tower can be climbed.
Liepājas Svētā Jāzepa Romas katoļu katedrāle
The biggest Catholic church in Liepāja. Built of yellow bricks, with many small towers. There is a ship model in the church, which was believed to bring good luck for fishermen.
Meinarda baznīca
Very different from all the others, because it is much newer. It was a gift from Vatican. It was the Vatican's pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, and brought here in 2002. The church is not in the city centre.
There is a "beach" in Karosta. There you will find some pebbles and the sand might not be that soft as in the previous beach. On the seashore of Karosta you can also see a "breakwater", the longest of Liepāja's breakwaters, stretching 1.8 km into the sea, and you can go on it by car for approximately half of its length. Just be careful of waves in windy weather. And wind is famous in Liepāja. A Latvian expression says "the city where wind was born". And as any Latvian would tell, it's Liepāja. On the shore you can also see two fortresses. This is a wild beach with steep coasts, unlike the central beach with dunes.
They are all around the city, but the most scenic and interesting ones are these two on the shores of Karosta. The one closer to the breakwater (you can even see a small part of it from the breakwater), is the Nearby Forts. The other one, further to the north, is the Northern Forts.
Tuvējie forti
It was blasted up shortly after being built.
Ziemeļu forti
The ruins of a 1908 fortress. Military heritage, tours with torches, underground labyrinths, fortifications, seashore, history of Karosta. It was not blasted up. So, it has much more underground labyrinths and tunnels to explore, but it is not as scenic and dramatic from the outside as the first one. Nearby the Northern Forts you can see nature-friendly energy being made by a huge wind power generator, which can be seen from far in the distance.
Liepājas Sv. Nikolaja pareizticīgo jūras katedrāle
An impressive church in a depressing place. Just nearby Soviet-style apartment buildings surround the church, making it very surreal and contrasting. It was used as a cinema and a gym for soldiers during the soviet occupation years. Nowadays, the St. Nicholas maritime cathedral is a church again and the sound of its bells can be heard from afar.
Empty Soviet style apartment buildings, left in 1994. Some are already destroyed, some 10 are still there. Many older houses are empty as well.
Karostas cietums
A real military prison until 1997 and now for tourists. You are treated like a prisoner in a reality show and, if you are brave enough, can even stay overnight. Military heritage, show, prison cells, prison buffet, tours, lodging, museum, adventures.
Liepājas Karostas ūdenstornis
The water tower is part of the formerly Russian Tsar Alexander III Mořských city. The construction is assumed to have happened between 1903 and 1905.
gallery k.Māksla
Modern, a bit weird, but always original and interesting exhibitions. You can also rent bicycles here.
The remains of a submarine base that was once here. There are also former dormitories, beautiful red brick buildings. All are abandoned and partially demolished.
Manēža
A roofless building, which was once used for soldiers' training to ride horses, as well as for official celebrations for up to 4000 people who could fit there. These days the building is not used, except for one nice event, when Liepāja symphony orchestra made an open-air concert here.
Liepājas teātris
Also sells tickets to various other venues all over the city, like the organ music festival.
Lielais Dzintars
New and modern building with a grotesque brown glass façade.
Jurmala Park
In the center of the city, beside the beach, is the most beautiful park of Liepāja. It has many different tree species, three stadiums, a concert garden, bowling center, minigolf, and in summer – cafeterias and many cultural events. You will find fountains there, and if you are lucky, you will see a squirrel running up the tree.
What attracts tourists the most is probably the whitest and softest sandy beach. Part of it receives the Blue Flag every summer. This indicates that the beach is really good and safe to swim at. A good thing about Liepāja beach is that it is rarely too crowded. In the evening, night or early morning, or in winter, you can sometimes find yourself all alone on a magnificent beach, stretching as far as you can see. This concerns Vecliepājas and Dienvidrietumi beach, which are located in the central and southwestern part of the city. There are also beaches in Karosta.
Windsurfing activities are popular and the city has both the sea and the lake, so there are wide opportunities for this and equipment can be rented in windsurfing club Rietumkrasts in Katedrales street, Karosta.
Latvia's biggest music festival held at the central beach.
Mostly happening in the Trinity Church. Get you ticket at the Liepāja Theatre.
Dzīvās Vēstures festivāls "Seeburg"
West coast of Latvia has Viking heritage dating to 9th century.
Has great cakes and pastries costing €0.40.
A restaurant with good and cheap pizzas, meat dishes, fish - everything.
In Karosta Prison there is an authentic Soviet style canteen, but it does not operate regularly and is used by group requests only.
Postman's house
A hotel's music club in an old warehouse, capacity 600 people, offering live bands from around the globe. Popular with travellers and internationals.
Coffee shop and bar full of cosy antique furniture. Also has an outdoor garden.
Craft beer bar with a large outdoor seating area.
Charming hotel in 2 old wooden houses on the same street, dating 1760 and 1890, with a nice backyard. Each room has its own design and charm. The reception is also a shop selling antiques and souvenirs.
Refurbished rooms, WiFi throughout the hotel, modern conference facilities, and fitness center. Also features Restaurant Upe, which serves international cuisine.
The Karosta prison is probably the most inhospitable hotel in the world. There is no hot water, mattresses consist of wooden planks, and prison guards bark at the guests also known as prisoners. The hostel is in a former prison noted for its exceptional brutality during the Soviet era.
Average ratings, but cheap.
Kitchen, washing machine, WiFi, large common room. Average ratings.
Four-star hotel on the Bank of Trade channel in the centre, only 15 minutes walk from unique white sand beach. Hotel is preferred for businessmen and those travelling on leisure, friendly for families.
An interesting hotel for how artwork surrounds you in the halls and even in your room.
This place, with its Industrial Age look right on the canal, is quite a large hotel and actually has quite a bit of eye appeal. You can watch boat traffic here or try out their sauna or casino or restaurant.
Pētertirgus
It has big indoor and outdoor sections, where you can find food and non-food items. There is a fish market in the basement of the indoor market building. Some craftworks, amber and souvenirs can be bought outside, such as amber bracelets etc. This is the best place to buy local, ecologically clean fruit and vegetables, and July is strawberry time! Everything is relatively cheap.
Annas tirgus
It is smaller than Petertirgus, but similar products and has a big flea market section, where you can find many things from the Soviet era.
By train
The Liepāja railway station is located in the same building as the bus terminal. The now-daily train to Liepāja leaves Riga at 18:34, arriving in Liepāja at 21:47.
By car
There are two main roads to Liepāja. From Riga, the A9 runs westward for 220 km. From Klaipėda in Lithuania, the A11 runs north for 100 km. From Ventspils, on the coast further north, take the P111.
By boat
A ferry service connects Liepāja with Travemünde (near Lübeck) in Germany once a day.
By thumb
Hitch-hiking is fairly common in Liepāja, and for Latvia as a whole.
By plane
Liepāja Airport (LPX) lost its only route, to/from Riga, in 2020 – meaning you'll have to arrive by one of the above means of transport instead.
By tram
There is only one tram line running from Ezerkrasts (lakeside) residential district in the southeast to the west, then north through the center to Jaunliepāja, and ends near the metallurgic factory.
By bus
There are many bus routes, the most important for tourists being 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 – with these you can get from the city center to Karosta and back.
By minibus
Number 22 and 23 minibuses serve Karosta, however 23 only goes to Karosta swing bridge and you might have to wait over an hour if the bridge is closed.
By taxi
Taxis are relatively expensive compared to other types of transport, but still cheaper than in Western Europe. This is the only public transport available at night (approximately 00:30-05:00).
By thumb
Especially getting to or from the Northern Forts can be achieved by hitch-hiking, which is about 5 km.
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