The four national parks of Latvia are real pearls of the Baltic nature. They protect not only the flora and fauna of the republic, but also unique natural formations - caves and grottoes, lakes and swamps, deposits of healing mud and relict forests.
Briefly about each
Each of Latvia's four national parks allows its visitors to enjoy hiking and watching the smaller brothers:
- The special pride of the Slitere park in the north-west of the country is coniferous forests, where hundreds of species of trees, mosses and shrubs grow. Three dozen of them are found only in the local territory.
- Gauja National Park of Latvia is the largest and oldest in the country.
- Razna Park in the south-east of the republic was established to protect the lake of the same name and its ecosystems.
- In Kemeri, on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, there are deposits of curative mud and mineral springs.
Livonian Switzerland
This is how the lands along the banks of the Gauja River have been sometimes called since the middle of the 19th century. After just a couple of hours drive from Riga, travelers find themselves in a valley with sheer sandstone cliffs framed by beautiful forests. Fans of historical heritage are interested in the city of Cesis, medieval castles near Sigulda, and old churches.
You can get to this national park of Latvia by car along the highway connecting Riga with Pskov. By public transport, the easiest way is to get to Sigulda or Cesis, where you can buy a local bus ticket or arrange a taxi.
In the village of Ligatne, in the park, you can sign up for an excursion to the oldest paper mill in the country or take a ride on the river by ferry. The tourist center is located at Spriņģu iela 2.
A museum with monuments of architecture in the wooden baroque style has been created in the Ungurmuiža estate. The facility is open from May to September from 10.00 to 18.00. The entrance ticket will cost 3 euros.
Dirt is worth its weight in gold
Kemeri National Park in Latvia is a specially protected object. Its landscape is a swampy area, crossed by lakes, on the banks of which dozens of different bird species nest. For convenient observation of birds in meadows and creeks, observation towers and reed bridges have been built.
In the thermal resort of Kemeri, in the park, you can pamper yourself with hydrogen sulphide baths, which have been known since the end of the 18th century. It was then that the first medical buildings were built in Kemeri.
Another natural attraction of these places is the Green Dune. A sandy hill, overgrown with pine trees, stretches for several kilometers and a health hiking trail is laid along it.
The park administration and tourist information center are located at: Engures novads, Tukuma novads, Jurmala. All questions will be answered by phone +371 677 300 78. emeri website - www.kemerunacionalaisparks.lv.
