Not every capital can be proud to have white sandy beaches and a sea just 20 minutes away from the city centre. Jurmala has for more than a century been the largest resort in the Baltic countries. It is well known for its natural treasures; the mild climate, the sea, pine forests, the healthy air, curative mud and mineral waters. The whisper of the waves can be heard along the 33 km long sandy beach.

This is where the rich and the aristocracy have come for more than a century. The numerous fantasy-like wooden summer houses, the spas, health temples and luxurious hotels with a view on the white beach have always acted like a magnet who want to rest and recharge their batteries.

The countryside around Riga is dotted with numerous palaces, castles, and manors built through the centuries when Riga and the surroundings were ruled by Germans, Swedes, Poles and Russians. 

The most famous place is the Summer Palace at Rundale, about an hour’s drive from Riga. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the one who designed the Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

The Museum was founded in 1924 and is one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. Historical dwelling, peasants’, fishermen’s and artisans’ homesteads, a tavern and windmills have been gathered here from all over Latvia