Things to do

Golf

In Riga area are located 2 golf clubs:

Ozo Golf Club. From downtown Riga it takes only 15 minutes to go to a 18-hole golf course. By a scenic lake you can feel the fresh air and a mild breeze as you enjoy your time at the rolling golf course. Founded by one of the Latvian NHL ice hockey stars and local heroes, Mr. Sandis Ozoliņš.

Golf Course Viesturi. Golf course area is 25 hectares, it has 9 holes, which is absolutely sufficient both to organize tournaments and for daily golfing. There is irrigation system under the course; shop, restaurant and dressing room are available for the players. There is also a driving range.

Cycling

When you’re on a bicycle, you are a friend of nature. You can travel through an entire region of Latvia in a just few days time. Latvia’s highlands are the most appropriate for bicycling – in Northern Kurzeme, in Vidzeme, around Aluksne and in the Latgale region. You’ll find curvy dirt roads across hillocks, and you will enjoy one gorgeous and surprising landscape after another. There are few specifically bike trails in Latvia for the time being, but small rural roads do not tend to be overloaded with cars. Latvia has no high hills, so your trip will be neither extreme nor exhausting.

Hiking

When you hike through Latvia, you can really get a good sense of the different kinds of natural beauty that are found in our country. You can walk the shoreline, which is nearly 500 km long. You can wander through river valleys and forests, you can just watch the surrounding environment. There are lots of nature, information and education trails which will point you to the places that are really worth seeing. There are wonderful paths in national parks and other areas that are under environmental protection. In the Gauja National Park alone, there are more than 100 km of walking trails. If you want something new, take your binoculars and visit some of the many places in Latvia where birds can be seen during spring and autumn migration. Be patient, and you will see some very rare birds.

Riding

Latvia does not have flat and boring landscapes which stretch to the horizons. There are not industrially polluted cities which are hundreds of square kilometers in size. Our forests, fields, meadows, river banks and seashore seem to have been created specifically for horseback riding. There are lots of places in Latvia where horseback rides are on offer, and some offer tours that last a day or several days. That, of course, means that you have to know how to stay on the horses back and make contact with the fine animal.

Canoeing

Latvias rivers are not straight ditches, as is the case in some other places in Europe. They twist and turn through the countryside and have never been redirected. Perhaps you’ll find a fallen tree or a beaver dam, and then you’ll have to carry the boat for a while. That should make your trip even more attractive. The water in smaller rivers is clean enough to drink, and there are lovely streams alongside most rivers. There are several hundred kilometers of river to be explored in Latvia. During springtime flooding, when the bird-cherry blossoms, in the summer and during golden season of the fall, each river offers new and exciting adventures. There are beautiful sandstone cliffs alongside many of the rivers. Don’t forget your fishing pole – lots of fish are in Latvian waters.

Fishing

Latvia is a small country on the Baltic coast but rich in spectacular landscapes and unspoilt nature. It’s rivers and lakes harbour various species of fish: pike, perch, carp, pike-perch, bream, crucian, tench, roach, vimba and chub. The favourite forms of fishing in Latvia are: angling, fly-fishing, fishing with a floater or a sinker. Fishing from a boat or from the shore, a well as under-ice fishing in winter are very popular. Fishing in Latvia is regulated by fishing rules. Anyone with a fishing card is entitled to fish. These cards can be obtained at any Post Office or fishing-hunting shop. It costs between 3.00-5.00 LVL. In places where only licensed fishing is allowed, you will need a license, as well as the card, which is available from the local municipality in which you intend to fish.

Extreme adventures

You don’t have to go to the four corners of the world to get your blood pumping a little faster, Latvia has lots of opportunities, too. There are “calmer” activities such as airplane or hot air balloon rides, as well as more exciting ones – glider flights, a bobsled or sled ride on a professional track, boating down the rapids of the Amata or Ogre river. If you want to go completely nuts, hop out of a plane with a parachute. Go Bungee jumping. Dive into the sea to look for shipwrecks.