Salaspils – Nature, Culture and the Daugava Riverside

One of the defining sites is the Salaspils Memorial on the grounds of the Salaspils camp, which operated from 1941 to 1944. The National Botanic Garden includes an arboretum with more than 4,500 species and forms of trees and shrubs. At the Daugava Museum, a permanent exhibition presents the history of the Daugava and Salaspils Municipality interactively.

The Salaspils Memorial represents a thoughtful engagement with the history of the site. The Daugava Museum offers a different perspective on regional history: its permanent exhibition covers both the river and Salaspils Municipality and is designed to be interactive.

Historic buildings and park landscapes are also possible destinations. Dole Manor Park was established in 1776 and features landscape design dating from the late 18th to the early 19th century. The ruins of St. George’s Church are an architectural monument from the 14th century with Romanesque and Gothic features.

The National Botanic Garden is interesting for more than just its arboretum. The “Botania” centre has six thematic exhibitions with more than 100 topics related to the plant world. Visits take place by prior registration, which you should take into account when planning your day.

The Rīgavas Mūzikas un mākslas dārzs offers a literary perspective. It is a stop on the Knuts Skujenieks Poetry Walk and contains an artistically designed wall dedicated to Knuts Skujenieks. Zirņu Island adds leisurely cycling, walking and picnicking to this selection. There is a rest area along the cycle path with a bench, a bicycle rack and a rubbish bin.

The Dole Island Nature Park lies in the wider regional area. It is a nature reserve of European importance with valuable, specially protected habitats. Opportunities for birdwatching, walking and cycling are available there. Dole Island is also home to a dolomite outcrop that is 3 to 4 metres high and is designated as a protected national natural monument site.

The destinations differ considerably: the nature park focuses on habitats and wildlife observation, while the dolomite outcrop focuses on geology. This allows you to plan your stay in Salaspils and its wider surroundings around cultural interests, nature observation or gentle activity.

The educational tree walk in Salaspils is approximately 6.3 kilometres long and takes around 2 to 2.5 hours. An activity game focuses on large and notable trees in the city.

The approximately 7-kilometre Knuts Skujenieks Poetry Walk features eight stops in the urban area of Salaspils. Signs with QR codes introduce the poet; you can also listen to excerpts from his poetry.

What offers are available at the Daugava Museum outside the museum grounds?

The Daugava Museum offers guided excursions with visitor transport outside the museum grounds. This expands the museum visit into an accompanied excursion format.

Where can you spend time by the water in Salaspils?

The Salaspils municipal bathing area is located on the Daugava riverside next to the dam of the Rīga HES reservoir, on the right bank of the Daugava.

What should you bear in mind when visiting the “Botania” centre?

Visits to the “Botania” centre in the National Botanic Garden take place by prior registration.

For the main travel overview: Salaspils Municipality.