Sabile lies in the valley of the Abava River. Open-air art, archaeological history and wine-making traditions give the town several distinct aspects that can be considered separately when planning a trip. The landscape is also part of the picture: the surrounding area has deep ravines, pine forests and springs. So the view extends beyond the historic centre to take in the wider valley.
The Abava Valley and the area around Sabile
Sabile’s historic centre is an urban monument of national significance. Nature and cultural history can be found side by side around the town, without having to combine them into a single day trip. The Abava Valley Nature Park is in the region around Sabile. To understand Sabile, it is therefore helpful to distinguish between the town itself and the wider landscape.
History from the hillfort to the synagogue
Sabile Hillfort was inhabited from the 11th to the 13th century. It is located on a promontory on the right-hand slope of the Abava Valley. Natural obstacles protected the site on three sides; the open side was fortified with a ditch and rampart. More than 1,200 artefacts have been recovered from the settlement site. They point to the crafts, trade and agriculture of Sabile’s inhabitants at the time. The site can therefore be described both in terms of its location and the traces it preserves of everyday life in that period.
Sabile’s historic buildings also reflect the town’s long development: they are monuments dating from the 15th to the 19th century. The former Sabile Synagogue is a state-protected architectural monument and was a building of Sabile’s Jewish community. Its foundations were laid in 1875, and the masonry building was constructed in 1890. Today, the former synagogue houses the Sabile Arts, Culture, and Tourism Center, which hosts exhibitions of local and international art.
Another historical landmark is Sabile Evangelical Lutheran Church, which took on its present appearance in 1876. It preserves a bell cast in 1450, which still rings for Sunday services. The recorded history of the buildings and culture thus spans from medieval settlement to 19th-century structures; the bell adds an older surviving object to this timeline.
Art, wine and seasonal activities
Pedvale Art Park is a cultural monument of national significance in Sabile and features more than 150 works of art outdoors. The number may change as works are added or moved. Pedvale Open-Air Art Museum invites visitors to experience and take part in the processes taking place there. These art attractions form a distinct focus alongside the town’s historic buildings and archaeological sites.
Sabile Wine Hill is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the northernmost open-air vineyard in the world. Its garden covers 1.5 hectares, with around 30 different grape varieties and approximately 800 plants growing there. These approximate figures describe the garden without highlighting each grape variety individually. For visitors interested in wine-growing, the vineyard is a distinctive feature of Sabile.
The Sabile Wine Festival has been celebrated on the last weekend of July since 1999. Check the current programme before travelling. During the summer season, Sabile Cider House welcomes residents, visitors and passers-by. There, you can enjoy a glass of cold Sabile cider and taste and buy various wines from Latvian winemakers. A tour of the Cider House can be booked; check the latest visitor information in advance, including dates for seasonal activities.
Sabile offers a range of themes to shape your trip: the settlement history at the hillfort, the town’s architecture, open-air art, or wine and seasonal events. Those particularly interested in the landscape can also consider the wider context of the Abava Valley. This lets you tailor your stay according to whether cultural history, art, wine or the regional landscape is your main interest.
Discover more destinations: Dižstende, Kalnmuiža, Dārte, Roja, Mērsrags, Brieži, Aklaisciems, Talsi
For the overview of the wider region: Talsu Novads.
