Kandava: Culture, Old Town and the Abava

• Kandava lies on the Abava River; the Old Town is on the left bank, while New Kandava is on the right bank.
• The interactive walking trail begins at the Kandava Tourist Information Centre. QR codes are available at every point of interest.
• Kandavas tilts is Latvia’s oldest boulder bridge over the Abava River. It has four arches and is 66 m long.
• The protected Čužu Bog and the Čužu Bog Trail are located nearby.

A good starting point for exploring the local history is the Kandava Local History Museum. It was founded in 1995 on the initiative of historian and teacher Viktors Vītols and is based on the materials he collected. The museum presents the exhibition “Ar zirgu uz Kandavas tirgu”. Subject to prior registration, a tasting of Kandava acorn coffee is also offered there.

The historic townscape also deserves a closer look. The Old Town includes enclosed courtyards and two-storey utility buildings with galleries. Pulvertornis was built during the reign of Duke Jacob. Those interested in regional architecture and traditional urban structures will therefore find several different points of interest in Kandava, without reducing the town to a single museum.

For more than twenty years, art plein-air workshops have been held in Kandava in summer. This long-standing connection between the town and art adds a recurring cultural focus during the warm season to the historic sights.

The interactive walking trail makes sightseeing particularly easy to plan independently: It begins at the Kandava Tourist Information Centre and leads to additional information at several points of interest via QR codes. For travellers who want to organise their tour themselves, this format is a practical way to get to know the town.

The Promenāde includes seven bridges built over the stream there in accordance with wedding traditions. It is designed as a recreational area for adults and children. Another prominent landmark is Kandavas tilts. The boulder bridge over the Abava has four arches and is 66 m long. Its status as Latvia’s oldest boulder bridge makes it a destination in its own right within a visit to the town.

Čužu Bog, a rare and especially protected calcareous fen with several sulphur springs, is located nearby. The nearby Čužu Bog Trail offers an additional natural-history perspective. This makes it possible to include both historic urban spaces and a protected landscape area when planning a trip, without treating the two experiences as the same place.

When looking for a hotel or other accommodation, you can use Kandava’s division into two parts as your first geographical reference point. Consider whether your trip will focus more on the Old Town with its courtyards and utility buildings, the interactive walking trail, the museum, the Promenāde or excursions to Čužu Bog.

For a culturally focused stay, you can include the museum, Old Town, Pulvertornis and the bridges in your daily itinerary. Those who also want to experience nature can include nearby Čužu Bog and the bog trail. Families have two different ways to explore the town with the Promenāde, designed as a recreational area for adults and children, and the QR-code walking trail. For further travel comparisons, you can also view Vāne, Rūmene, Cére and Kārkliņi.

How is Kandava geographically divided?

The Old Town lies on the left bank of the Abava River, while New Kandava lies on the right bank.

What can you see at the Kandava Local History Museum?

The museum presents the exhibition “Ar zirgu uz Kandavas tirgu”. It was founded in 1995 on the initiative of Viktors Vītols and based on the materials he collected. Subject to prior registration, a tasting of Kandava acorn coffee is also offered.

What is noteworthy about Kandavas tilts?

Kandavas tilts is considered Latvia’s oldest boulder bridge over the Abava. The bridge has four arches and is 66 m long.

What is located near Kandava?

Nearby are the rare and especially protected Čužu Bog, with several sulphur springs, and the Čužu Bog Trail.

Where does the interactive walking trail begin?

The interactive walking trail begins at the Kandava Tourist Information Centre. QR codes are used at every point of interest.

To the higher-level travel overview: Kandavas Novads.