The Talsu County Museum was founded in 1923 on Tiguļu Hill, the highest of Talsi’s nine hills. It researches, collects, and preserves the county’s history, nature, art, and cultural heritage. This broad range of themes alone shows how closely landscape and cultural history sit side by side here.
Coast, Bird Migration, and Trails
Near the coast of Kaltene lie the Kaltenes Kalvas: large, wooded piles of stones that are considered a distinctive coastal formation. For a walk, you can choose circular trails of about 800 metres or 1.5 kilometres.
In the coastal region of Northern Courland lies the striking headland of Kolkasrags, where the waves of the open Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga meet. During bird migration, tens of thousands of birds pass by—a different perspective on this distinctive headland. The Livonian Coast, “Līvõd rānda,” also shapes the coastal landscape of Northern Courland: it stretches for about 50 kilometres near the Irbe Strait and comprises twelve villages, from Lūžņa and Miķeļtornis through Sīkrags, Mazirbe, and Kolka to Melnsils. Other named places include Lielirbe, Jaunciems, Košrags, Pitrags, Saunags, and Vaide.
Slītere National Park lies in the coastal region of Northern Courland. Its landscapes include seashore, deciduous forests, bogs and wetlands, boreal forests, and black alder swamp forests. This diversity makes the natural area a clear counterpoint to the museums and cultural sites, without limiting the experience to a single type of landscape.
History and Art in Special Places
Sabiles Synagogue is a Jewish religious building. Its foundations were laid in 1875, and the masonry building was constructed in 1890. The former synagogue is home to the Sabiles Art, Culture and Tourism Centre, a space for contemporary and professional art. Its program includes local and international exhibitions as well as concerts. Here, a historic building and a cultural events venue come together in one place.
More than 150 works of art can be seen outdoors at the Pedvāle Open-Air Art Museum. The museum brings landscape, cultural heritage, and art together in a shared setting. The Rojas Maritime Fishing Museum has a different focus: its exhibition themes range from Krišjānis Valdemārs and the Roja seafaring school to 19th-century sailing shipbuilding, families of shipbuilders and seafarers, fish processing, and the Soviet-era coast of Roja. Individual exhibits may change.
Lībiešu tautas nams is an architectural monument of state significance. A major Livonian festival has been held there every year on the first Saturday in August since 1989. Check the exact dates and program for your trip. Sabile’s vineyard on Sabiles Vīna kalns is also a landmark: for several years, it was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the northernmost vineyard with grapevines growing outdoors.
Nature Experiences with Different Foci
Latvia’s first disc golf park opened in 2012 at Laumu Nature Park. The course is in the forest, with trees, shrubs, hills, and water serving as obstacles. As the course layout may change, it is worth checking the details before your visit. The 2.3-kilometre forest trail passes a beaver dam, a meadow frequented by wildlife, and a pond-like habitat for numerous dragonflies. Cross-country skiing is offered in winter, depending on conditions.
Another way to experience nature is along the Bee Trail. With guidance and playful activities, visitors learn about the world of bees and beekeeping. On warm summer days, they can put on protective clothing and, under the guidance of an experienced beekeeper, get to know a bee colony. This seasonal activity is quite different from the forest trail and its landscape observations.
Local Food and Stories
In Branki, the Taizeļi family’s culinary experience offers lunches, snacks, and tastings in the family’s style by prior arrangement. It also includes a collection of old household items and stories about the Livonians and the Taizeļi family. If you plan to take part, book in advance and check availability before your trip. Dundaga Castle also offers visitors tastings of local specialties; it is best to confirm this in advance.
Traditional coastal dishes of Northern Courland include sklandrausis and smoked fish. This regional food culture adds another dimension to a trip that also takes in museums, art venues, and coastal landscapes—though individual dishes may not be available everywhere.
Discover more destinations: Talsi, Roja, Mērsrags, Strazde, Sabile, Upesgrīva, Valdemārpils, Spāre, Jaunpagasts, Mordanga, Dzedri, Lielvirbi, Kalnmuiža, Ģibuļi, Brieži, Aklaisciems, Sukturi, Pastende, Dārte, Dižstende.
For the broader travel overview: Latvia.
