Liepajas Rajons Travel Forum

Hello,
I consider the trip to Lithuania and Latvia seaside this July (2+2children by car).
1.I am thinking about setting "my base" in Pape Lake area for some days.I expect not overcrowded (hopefully almost empty) beaches, and an interesting sight -Pape Lake itself. I can visit Liepaja and Palanga in rainy days. Is that correct?
2.Is Aizpute interesting to visit?
3.Is Kuldiga itself worthy to visit (apart from the waterfall)?
4.I would like to go further north- to visit Vintpils- Kolka (is it interesting area?)- Roja-National Park near Jurmala (is it interesting?) and city itself-Riga and coming back through Bauska (is there 3-rd-(means 15-17 July 2005) weekend of July medieval music fest?) and Rundale.
5.Will I miss something else worthy to visit in Kurzeme?Is there something else interesting for children (8,11) in this area?
4.What could be the average and minimum price/per person for acomodation in a private house or a camping hut - simple (no radio or TV but convenient bathroom/WC)standard in such area? Maybe any recomendations? Maybe quiet or wild camping places also for tents?
5.Has anybody heard anything about canoeing on Bartuva river in Lithuania or Latvia?
6.Could anybody reccomend other easy, short,nice (1-2 days)canoenig in Kurzeme?
7.What is specialite de la maison in Latvia?
Thanks for answer.
Maciek

1) good base, the beaches in the area are definitely not crowded, liepaja is a very attractive city
2) personally, i wasn't impressed with aizpute, it's just a small village
3)definitely worth a visit, kuldiga is a lovely town
4) ventspils is a really nice and tidy city with an excellent beach. the road north to cape kolka is unpaved and takes you through some of europe's most remote coastal areas with miles and miles of endless whit sand beaches.

In addition:
1. We were in Jurmalciems, close to Pape lake, on a very empty beach in summer 2002. There was a B&B with camping nearby, which seemed to have only very few guests..
3/4/5. Kuldiga is very much worth the visit - as is the areas around, especially Abava valley, Edole castle (between K. and Jurmalciems), and the Kolkka area
4. Some good information about accommodation and prices is on www.celotajs.lv. We also booked through them, recommended!~
6. Along Abava river are canoe routes, as well as cycle routes. You can try contacting Kurzeme tourism, www.kurzeme.lv (also in english) for some more information.

A good source for information (especially on Riga are also the inyourpocket guides, www.inyourpocket.com.

About some of the sites mentioned VT members including ourselves have information on their pages, for example try checking/contacting Latvian VT members like Vija_V, LanafromRiga, Lilasel and from outside Latvia Leipzig, Horscheck, BenUK,...

Have a nice trip!
P.

3. Kuldiga itself is a very small town with not much to do besides have lunch and look at the amazing waterfall. It is a cute, quaint town, but the real gem is the waterfall. If you can find the caves near Kuldiga, they are also fun to visit, though I can't remember how or where my Latvian friend found them...

Oh, and #4 Ventspils is a lovely fishing village. I have a friend who is from there. It is nice and friendly with a few places to visit. The jetty was fun to walk out on, and the Swedish castle was very cool, although we went during a remodel and only were able to walk on scaffolding and beams with the fear of falling off into the floors below... :) An interesting experience to say the least...

I think staying near Pape Lake would be very interesting and places to see around are very good.
There are more things to see in that region, for example:
* birds and wild horses which are located near Pape Lake. Horses live in wild and there are special guides who show them. This activity would be also interesting for children. On the way from Liepaaja to Cape Kolka there can be seen ostriches, if you reserve your visit, it can be served omelet.
* the coast line in that region is very interesting. The most beautiful is in Juurkalne - an impressive steep bank which is twenty meters high.
* there are also some light-houses, in which you can get in. So in shinny day it can be possible to see Ronu island in Baltic see and, of course, some panorama sights.
* Also you can visit Juurmalciems, there are some sand-dunes, from which there wonderful views to the place where many years ago was the Baltic see.
* In Aizpute there is only one thing to see. There is "palace" which is made from wooden logs. It's like masterpiece, who made only one man putting logs one to another and making house. No one's living there.
* not far from Cape Kolka in Irbene there can be seen radiotelescope - something interesting with the "smell" from soviet times.
* if you're going to Bauska it's worth to visit Bauska castle, especially the panorama from it in summer is very good and yes don't miss the Rundale palace.
* There are camping in Ventpils: http://www.camping.ventspils.lv
also not far from Liepaaja there is good camping "Gailji", and not far from Cape Kolka in Mazirbe there is also one good camping. The owner of it has interesting collection (museum) with antlers.