Talsu Novads – Hotels, Coast, Nature and Culture

Talsu Novads combines coast, forests, historic sites, and regional cuisine. Between Talsi, Sabile, Roja, and the coastal area of northern Kurzeme, you will find a variety of attractions: museums preserve the region’s history, nature parks combine landscapes with activities, and along the coast, unique habitats meet a maritime past.

Culture and History

An important cultural landmark is the Talsu County Museum. It was founded in 1923 on Tiguļu Hill, the highest of Talsi’s nine hills, and researches, collects, and preserves the history, nature, art, and cultural heritage of the county.

Sabile is home to the Sabile Synagogue, a Jewish religious building. The masonry building was constructed in 1890, after its foundations had already been laid in 1875. Today, the former synagogue houses the Sabile Art, Culture and Tourism Centre. It serves as a venue for contemporary and professional art and hosts exhibitions at local and international levels, as well as concerts. Another combination of landscape and culture can be found at the Pedvāle Open-Air Art Museum: More than 150 works of art are displayed outdoors, combining landscape, cultural heritage, and art in a shared setting.

The Lībiešu tautas nams is an architectural monument of national significance. Since 1989, a major Livonian festival has been held there every year on the first Saturday in August. The Rojas Maritime Fishing Museum focuses on maritime history. It documents Krišjānis Valdemārs, the Roja maritime school, the construction of sailing ships in the 19th century, families of shipbuilders and sailors, the history of fish processing in Roja, and the Soviet period on the Roja coast.

Nature and Landscape

Latvia’s first disc golf park was opened at Laumu Nature Park in 2012. The course is located in a forest; trees, shrubs, hills, and water serve as obstacles. The park also offers insights into the world of bees and beekeeping along the Bee Trail, with guidance and playful elements. On warm summer days, visitors can put on protective clothing and, under the guidance of an experienced beekeeper, learn about a bee colony. There is also a 2.3-kilometre forest trail with a beaver dam, a meadow frequented by wild animals, and a pond-like habitat for numerous dragonflies. Cross-country skiing is available in winter.

The Kaltenes Kalvas are large, wooded piles of stones near the coast of Kaltene and are considered a characteristic coastal formation. Visitors can choose between circular trails of approximately 800 metres and 1.5 kilometres. The Slītere National Park is located in the coastal area of northern Kurzeme, where the sea coast, deciduous forests, bogs and wetlands, boreal forests, and black alder swamp forests form a diverse landscape.

A walking and sightseeing route of approximately 100 kilometres through the Abava Valley connects viewpoints as well as natural and cultural monuments and can be undertaken year-round. On the coast, Kolkasrags marks a prominent headland. Here, the waves of the open Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga meet; during bird migration, tens of thousands of birds pass through the area. Kolkasrags has a visitor centre where local souvenirs are available, tourist information is provided, refreshments are offered, and visitors can rest before continuing their journey.

Cuisine and Regional Traditions

The Taizeļi family’s culinary experience in Branki offers lunches, snacks, and tastings in the Taizeļi family style by prior arrangement. It includes a collection of old household objects as well as stories about the Livonians and the Taizeļi family. Traditional coastal dishes of northern Kurzeme include sklandrausis and smoked fish. Dundaga Castle also offers visitors tastings of local specialities, among other things.

A landmark of Sabile is the vineyard on Sabiles Vīna kalns. For several years, it was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the northernmost vineyard with grapevines growing outdoors. The Sabile Wine Festival takes place in July.

Coast and Livonian Culture

The Livonian Coast, also known as “Līvõd rānda,” stretches along an approximately 50-kilometre coastal strip in northern Kurzeme near the Irbe Strait. It includes twelve villages: Lūžņa, Miķeļtornis, Lielirbe, Jaunciems, Sīkrags, Mazirbe, Košrags, Pitrags, Saunags, Vaide, Kolka, and Melnsils.

Other places and areas: Dižstende, Dārte, Pastende, Sukturi, Aklaisciems, Brieži, Ģibuļi, Lielvirbi, Kalnmuiža, Dzedri, Mordanga, Jaunpagasts, Upesgrīva, Valdemārpils, Spāre, Mērsrags, Strazde, Sabile, Roja, Talsi.

For the overarching travel overview: Latvia.