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Jurmala - Latvia's Riviera Resort
It is tempting to claim that Jurmala is
unique. It's 30 kilometres of the finest
sandy beaches, with safe bathing, warm
waters in summer, and elegant
residences nestling among scented pine
woods certainly make it the Riviera of
the Baltic. Add to this numerous spa
and curative facilities, a "micro-climate"
of it's own, and easy access to Latvia's
capital Riga, and you have a very special
resort destination. Jurmala is only 25km
from Riga, with excellent road and rail
communications, and lies between the
winding River Lielupe and the sea. In fact
it is so convenient that many visitors prefer to base themselves in the town's
pleasant hotels, rather than in the city.
A RESORT OF 15 DELIGHTFUL VILLAGES
You don't realise until you get there that Jurmala actually consists of 15
individual villages, on average two km apart, that were united administratively in
1959. Each has its own character and its own railway stop. 
There is no
massive central downtown area, no high
rise blocks, few cars. Instead you have
attractive wooden houses of the
Edwardian era, pedestrian walks and
unrestricted activities, from watersports
and fishing to picking mushrooms in the
woods. There is a true sense of freedom
and unspoilt nature in Jurmala.
LEISURE ATTRACTIONS
Of course the unending beaches are the great attraction in the high season of June to September, when daytime temperatures run between 20 and 30 C and even the shallow inshore waters are around 20 C. The micro climate created by the pine forests keeps the autumn warm for longer too. Only minutes walk from the beaches you'll enjoy chic restaurants, bars and shops, especially along Jomas iela, a pedestrian street between Dubulti and Dzintari. In summer Jurmala is artistically active too. As well as exhibitions and museums, there are concerts, song festivals, events of all sorts; and discos. Artists and musicians from many parts of the world have come here to relax and recover their energies. It's easy to see why. And, of course, the resort is famous for its spa treatments.
CURATIVE TREATMENTS
Legends attest to the rejuvenating powers of the medicinal waters that spring up here. Sulphur-water baths were first installed in houses in the 18th century and the mineral-rich waters at Kemeri have been exploited by doctors since 1796. Later the curative value of local mud was discovered. Today Kemeri has an exceptionally elegant sanatorium and other sanatoria dot the coast.
Jurmala home page: http://www.jurmala.lv/en/
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