Things to do in Jūrmala
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Jūrmala
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Peak season and best overall, warmest sea, full beach infrastructure and Dzintari concert season.
Shoulder sweet spot, empty boardwalks and migration in May and June, golden forest and full spas in September.
Superb autumn colour in October, then November is the worst stretch with short days, rain and closures.
Winter spa and snow trip with lit ski trail, aquapark and Small Hall concerts, seven hours daylight or fewer.
Spring thaw, flooded alder swamp and returning birds at the lowest prices, beach life not yet started.
What's on
- Jūrmala Festival July
A week of orchestral, opera and popular concerts at Dzintari Concert Hall including Born in Latvia.
- Sunrise Concert July
Free pre dawn concert on Dzintari beach with organist Iveta Apkalna, register ahead.
- International Ballet Festival Stars of Ballet in Jūrmala early August
Annual ballet festival at Dzintari Concert Hall in early August.
- Dzintari summer season closing concert first week of September
Summer season typically closes with a Raimonds Pauls programme in the first week of September.
- Christmas tree lighting on Jomas late November/early December
Tree lighting on Jomas iela with a holiday market in late November or early December.
Best things to do in Jūrmala
Jūrmala Beach
Broad pale sand running for kilometres with lifeguarded sections at Majori and Dzintari, best walked at dawn or sunset.
Dzintari Forest Park
Pine forest park with free paths, playgrounds and a 33.5 metre viewing tower for the definitive pines to sea view.
Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk
Raised moss bog crossed by boardwalk loops past dark pools and stunted pines, most atmospheric in early morning mist.
Dzintari Concert Hall
Open air concert hall in the pines by the sea, home to the Jurmala Festival and ballet stars each summer.
Wooden architecture walk, Majori
Self guided walk past hundreds of protected wooden villas on the side streets back from Jomas iela in Majori and Dzintari.
Latvian pirts
Traditional Latvian sauna ritual with venik whisking, herbal steam and cold plunge, led by a pirts master for three to four hours.
Līvu Akvaparks
One of the largest indoor water parks in the Baltics with over 20 slides and a spa zone, the default rainy day family answer.
Jūrmala Open-Air Museum
Preserved 19th century fisherman farmstead with boats, nets and over 2,000 exhibits near the Lielupe river mouth.
Where to stay in Jūrmala
Majori
first trip, all-round base
Centre of gravity with Jomas iela, the station, beach and widest restaurant choice, no car needed.
Dzintari
couples, concert-goers and second visits
Same beach and forest as Majori with fewer crowds, grand villa streets and the concert hall, quieter at night.
Bulduri & Lielupe
families, spa resorts and travellers with a car
Bigger resort hotels with grounds and pools near the aquapark and open air museum, a short train ride to Majori.
Dubulti, Asari & Melluzi
long stays and local life
Quieter residential districts with summer houses and cheaper week plus rentals, best for cooking or training to Majori.
Ķemeri
nature-only trips
National park gateway for bog trails and quiet, with few restaurants and limited lodging and no real beach scene.
Think twice about
- Kauguri
Soviet era panel block district at the far east end with almost no hotels, dining or resort atmosphere for visitors.
- Sloka
Industrial former paper mill district inland on the river, not on the beach at all despite Jurmala listing headlines.
- Ķemeri village centre
Historic resort core shows severe decay and empty former sanatoria, isolated and short on food and lodging at night.
Best restaurants in Jūrmala
36.line Grill Restaurant
Beachside grill in Dubulti for seafood and meat on a sunset terrace, the best and most booked dinner in Jurmala.
Faces
Seafood and Mediterranean cooking in a Bulduri villa, the best all rounder and the local pick when 36.line is full.
Grilbārs House of Light
Light filled grill restaurant on Jomas itself, the exception to tourist street food, with strong cocktails and a shaded terrace.
Light House Jūrmala
Beachside Dzintari restaurant for seafood and long lunches that become sunset drinks, the Baltic Riviera splurge.
Majorenhoff
Dependable Italian Mediterranean restaurant in a pretty house with a garden terrace in the middle of Majori.
Zem Burām
Family run restaurant in the Bulduri pines with generous portions and local prices away from Jomas.
Alus Krodziņš
Beer tavern in Majori for hearty Latvian pub food and local beers at a third of a fine dining bill.
Kinza House
Georgian cooking in a Dubulti garden setting with khachapuri, khinkali and grilled meats, a smart palate cleanser.
Best coffee in Jūrmala
De Gusto
Bakery cafe near Majori station voted top of the town list for breakfast, pastries, fruit tarts and excellent coffee.
Madam Brioš
French leaning dessert cafe in Majori for brioche, cakes and coffee on a slow afternoon before a concert.
Outdoor things to do in Jūrmala
Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk
Guided sunrise or sunset version of the bog boardwalk in near solitude, with tea and breakfast on the viewing platform.
Bog-shoeing in Ķemeri National Park
Guided bog shoe walk off the boardwalk across open sphagnum and past pools you can only look at from the boards.
Black Alder Swamp Boardwalk
Short accessible boardwalk through flooded black alder swamp starting at the Meza maja information centre in Kemeri.
Sloka Lake Trail
Lake walking trail of about three to four kilometres with a birdwatching tower, quieter than the Great Bog.
Green Dune
Fourteen kilometre circular forest route for cyclists and walkers through Kemeri National Park, free and little visited.
Sulphur Ponds Trail
Short trail past mineral springs that stain the water yellow in spring, at their most colourful in May.
Riga-Jūrmala cycle route
Flat pine shaded cycle paths running the length of Jurmala and on to Riga, the best way to grasp the town geography.
Jūrmala Waterski & Wakeboard Park
Lielupe river base renting kayaks, rowing boats and motorboats as well as running waterski and wakeboard activities.
Best hotels in Jūrmala
Baltic Beach Hotel & SPA
Flagship hotel directly on Majori beach with seawater pool and a large spa, best in a renovated sea view room.
Hotel Jūrmala Spa
Large four star spa hotel on Jomas with multiple pools and five saunas, the reliable mid range default in town.
Villa Joma
Small boutique hotel in a historic building at the quieter end of Jomas with a well regarded restaurant downstairs.
Guesthouse Airava
Simple central guesthouse in Majori from a low rate, where location does the work over facilities.
Concordia
Among the cheapest respectable beds in the central districts, simple and well placed for the train and beach.
TB Palace Hotel & Spa
Small five star palace style hotel with pool and spa near Dzintari, the quiet luxury pick ahead on service.
Pegasa Pils Spa Hotel
Spa hotel in a historic complex near Dzintari Forest Park with indoor pool, calmer and roomier than central Majori.
Parus Boutique Hotel
Twelve room boutique hotel with a garden five minutes from Majori beach, small and consistently well kept.
Is Jūrmala expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €55 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €130 a person |
| Splurge | €270 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Dzintari Concert Hall: weeks ahead
- Latvian pirts: weeks ahead
- Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk: a few days ahead
- Bog-shoeing in Ķemeri National Park: a few days ahead
- DelaWake: a few days ahead
- Jūrmala Golf Club & Hotel: a few days ahead
- Jūrmalas Jahtas: a few days ahead
- 36.line Grill Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Dzintari festival and gala nights, 36.line sunset terraces and guided pirts sessions sell out in July and August.
- Kemeri sunrise, sunset and bog shoe tours run in small groups. Book 3 to 7 days ahead in summer.
- Cheap central beds and good Majori apartments for late July go earlier than luxury hotels. Book them first.
- Buy Livu Akvaparks tickets online to skip the queue on wet weekends and check outdoor opening that morning.
Is Jūrmala safe?
- Overall safety is high in this quiet resort city. Watch bags on crowded Majori beach and trains and lock rental bikes.
- Swim at lifeguarded Majori and Dzintari sections and respect flags. The river mouth is not for casual swimming.
- Stay on Kemeri boardwalks except with a bog shoe guide. Mosquito repellent is essential June to August and ticks occur.
- Emergency number is 112. Full hospital services are in Riga, 30 minutes away.
Jūrmala travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Jomas iela headline restaurants charge the highest prices for average food. Eat at House of Light or Majorenhoff, or one street back.
- Il Sole inside Baltic Beach Hotel aggregates poorly. Eat at 36.line or Faces instead at the same spend.
- Livu Akvaparks at full price on a peak Saturday is the worst value day out. Go weekday and early.
- Listings labelled Jurmala in Kauguri or Sloka are a location trap. Always check the district and the map.
- The Globe and the Turtle are five minute photo stops, not attractions.
Getting around Jūrmala: public transport and more
- Trains run Riga Central to every Jurmala district every 20 to 30 minutes in season, about 30 minutes to Majori.
- Walk within a district and train hop between districts. Bolt taxis are available and cheap by Western European standards.
- Cars entering the special regime zone need a paid entry pass, about 5 euros for a day. Buy before the checkpoint.
- Riga Airport is about 15 to 20 minutes drive from Majori. Taxi or Bolt is the practical transfer.
Who Jūrmala suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | OK |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Jūrmala your trip
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