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No minimum number of attendeesNo minimum number of attendees is required for the tour
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Free booking and cancellationFree payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
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I'm not the youngest guide around, but hopefully my experience can compensate for the grey hair!:) I was born in Australia, but moved to Latvia, my parents' homeland, in 1994. I've worked as a journalist, a translator and a guide, and have lived through some huge changes in this amazing part of the world. My passion is showing visitors around this country, especially fascinating Riga and beautiful Jūrmala. I have tons of history, stories, images, songs and jokes to share with you - so come and join me for an in-depth but fun journey!:)
Literally meaning "the seaside" in Latvian, Jurmala is a wonderful escape just minutes from Riga.
On the Jurmala free walking tour, we explore the history of Jurmala, from ancient amber trading to the 19th-century sea bathing boom and its bubbling life today.
We visit genteel timber cottages, beautiful churches, Soviet sanatoriums, legendary prewar mansions, and of course the pine-fringed beach. We delve into the Jurmala life of the great poets Aspazija and Ranis, hear seafaring stories, and learn how swimming etiquette has changed over the years.
And I'll play some music which encapsulates this enchanting shore!
I will meet you in front of Hotel Jurmala Spa on Jomas iela, Jurmala's pedestrian boulevard. I will be wearing an orange hat. If you are coming from Riga, take the train to Majori Station then walk 10 minutes to the starting point. The tour concludes near Majori Station.
Our Lady of Kazan is a beautiful Orthodox church which was destroyed by the Soviets and superbly rebuilt a few years ago. We take a look inside its stunning interior.
This iconic sculpture of a globe shows us Jurmala's sister cities around the world and is a favourite place for holiday photos.
At this legendary concert hall, I'll tell you about Jurmala's rich musical history.
We stroll down this pine-fringed shore, discovering pre-war bathing pavilions and hefty Soviet sanatoriums. And I'll share stories of dramatic mutinies and disastrous shipwrecks in the sea beyond...
Meet one of Jurmala's most eye catching visitors, who has a fantastic view of the beach!
This famous sculpture blends Latvian mythology with exotic influences, just like Jurmala itself!
We discover Jurmala's most famous mansion! Built as a modernist masterpiece in the 1930s by Latvia's richest woman, it was used as a summer retreat by top communist officials, and was the place where Baltic independence was finally achieved in 1991.
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
