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Liepaja, Latvia

Will be spending a day in Liepaja, Latvia as part of a Baltic Cruise and not real happy with the excursions offered. Any suggestions of things to do there or close by?

Posted by
6918 posts

My first suggestion is to not post the question in the reviews forum, that might result in more answers.

However, how much time do you have in Liepāja? Just exploring the town on your own does not sound like a bad idea. There is probably enough there to keep you getting bored.

Posted by
27908 posts

I haven't been to Latvia yet but have researched the country for a trip that didn't happen in 2020. I looked at the map to see whether I could offer any advice, but most of the places referenced in my notes are rather far from your port. I suspect that in your shoes I'd stick to Liepaja unless I found a posting on a cruising forum about another passenger or two who wanted to hire a taxi for the day. The simple fact is that Riga, the capital, seems to be by far the most important tourist destination in Latvia, and it's too far from Liepaja to be a day-trip.

Posted by
1600 posts

Suggest you get a copy of the lonely planet guidebook 2020 edition. Here is the intro to Liepaja:
- Liepaja doesn't fit any cliche - its a port city of gritty red-brick warehouses with a gentrifying waterfront, and home to both a notorious old soviet prison and one of the country's most beautiful beaches. Its rough-around-the-edges vibe translates into grungy musical sounds that reflect the city's own slow self discovery.

Alternatively, send me a PM and I'll send you pics of the 3-4 pages devoted to Leipaja.

Posted by
4027 posts

The In Your Pocket city guides are great (and free on the web!) --> https://www.inyourpocket.com/liepaja

I also find the Culture Trip website to be good at highlighting big things to see in a city/town --> https://theculturetrip.com/europe/latvia/articles/the-top-10-things-to-do-and-see-in-liep-ja/

The Sane Travel Blog also has highlights --> https://thesanetravel.com/travels/latvia/top-things-to-do-in-liepaja-latvia

If you search Liepaja on YouTube, you will find lots of videos about the city there, too.