Baltic Forest Hiking - Itinerary

Jūrmala and Rīga

Latvia’s most popular resort town and capital city

Bigauņciems - Jaunķemeri - Kaugurciems - Vaivari - Pumpuri - Jaundubulti - Dubulti: 51 km

This section of the Forest Trail passes through the resort town of Jūrmala and the Latvian capital city Rīga. A sandy beach runs along the coast in Jurmala, though hikers can also proceed through the downtown of Jūrmala to see Jomas iela, its main pedestrian street. The town is popular with summer holidaymakers, with many SPA hotels, cafés, live music in summer evenings. The town features unique wooden architecture of the historic summer-house area, and mansions and villas are still being built there. The forests of the coastal dunes are criss-crossed by a dense network of trails suitable for strolling and Nordic walking. The river Lielupe separates Jūrmala from the forests in the outskirts of Rīga. From Priedaine, you can reach Rīga along the roads and trails of the Kleisti forest and suburban streets leading to the Daugava; having crossed the river, you arrive at the very heart of Rīga — Rātslaukums (Town Hall Square). You can walk through Rīga and explore different areas of the city, or use public transport — a train or a bus.

Vaivari pludmale Janis Salins

ESection 100. Bigauņciems – Dubulti.

The historic resort of Jūrmala

In Bigauņciema village, you can clearly see the whole length of the Jūrmala coast. The first third of this day’s itinerary is part of the Ķemeri National Park where you can get to know historic fishing villages, the Ragaciems village fishing area with net huts and a fish market, dune habitats, as well as watch birds in the estuary of the Starpiņupe River. Starting from Jaunķemeri to Dubulti, the walk takes you across the widest sandy beach of the Gulf of Riga through the historic resort in Jūrmala and the longest city in Latvia. Keep in mind that on warm and sunny summer days there will be a lot of beachgoers.


Racenes peldiestade Ivars Kezbers

ESection 101. Dubulti - Lielupe - Bulduri.

The Most Popular Beaches in Latvia

The widest sandy beach of the Gulf of Riga stretches from Dubulti to the Lielupe River. It is the main asset of the Jūrmala resort offering many beach cafés and different recreational possibilities. The coastal dune forests are permeated with a dense web of trails suitable for walking and stick-walking. The part of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route located between the beach of the Lielupe River and Jūrmala beach is part of the Ragakāpa Nature Park. From here, you can easily get back to Bulduri by taking Bulduri prospekts and the 5th line.


Jurmalas jahtklubs Ivars Kezbers 4

MSection 102. Bulduri - Riga City Center.

Through the Forests To Riga

The itinerary is an alternative way to get from Jūrmala to Riga by going through the forest. After passing the bridge across the Lielupe River, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route snakes through Priedaine with its wooden buildings, goes along the right bank of the Lielupe River, then turns towards the Southern part of Bolderāja Dune and crosses Kleisti forest past Lāčupe Cemetery. Next, it goes along the historic roads of Pārdaugava on the West bank of the Daugava River, namely, Buļļu and Daugavgrīvas iela, through Dzegužkalns Hill, passing the Zunda Canal and Āgenskalns bay until reaching the Daugava River, which the route crosses via the Stone bridge and then stops at Town Hall Square.