If you are looking for an unknown or known places to visit during your trip around Latvia, read about the 2020 winners of the “New Tourism Product” competition below!
Long-distance hiking trail "Mežtaka"
Looking for long hikes in nature? Then “Mežtaka” is the right hike to consider! “Mežtaka” is a long-distance hiking route, about 1,060 kilometres, from Riga to Tallinn. It passes through several regions with different landscapes, terrains, and natural treasures, and provides a unique hiking experience. An important thing to mention – it is walkable all year round, so look for suitable clothes and shoes, a bottle of water, and go!
"Sailing and fishing in Liepāja”
Recreation on water or, in this case, getting acquainted with sea fishing by sailing with a real coastal fishing vessel and its crew, watching the pulling of nets, learning about the job of a fisherman and about various fishes in the Baltic Sea, and of course grilling fresh fish on board, are all part of this adventure. There is also an option to enjoy a sailing boat trip in the Baltic Sea, flaunting a special sail representing the city of Liepāja. If you are planning to visit Liepāja, this is definitely an option to consider!
Ecotourism adventure "Lost in Latgale Kayaking"
“Lost in Latgale Kayaking” offers guided, educational boat trips with kayaks exploring the Latgale lake system and small rivers. It is not an ordinary boat trip; the adventure also includes meaningful stops with interesting stories told by the tour guides, group activities, and a bit of Latgalian history. The motto of this adventure is “I want to get away” (#esbraucupazust), so if you are looking for leisure activities away from crowded places, try “Lost in Latgale Kayaking”.
The history of Jēkabpils city Exposition
This historical exposition in Jēkabpils is a new object in the city. It is set up on the first floor of Krustpils Castle and is both exploratory and interactive, allowing visitors to participate and gain emotional enjoyment. Experience the aura of history combined with modern elements!
Zilākalns Cultural History and Visitor Centre "Ztornis"
“ZTornis” is located in a water tower which offers a great view of the surrounding landscape and is an interesting travel destination. In the city’s centre, you can see the historical exposition about Zilākalns hill and parish and about they city’s industrial heritage – the water tower and a narrow-gauge railway. You can listen to the tour guide’s story and learn about the history of the place both with the help of the exposition and through virtual reality – with virtual reality glasses, you can ascend over Zilākalns and ride the historic narrow gauge railway locomotive.
Passenger ship from Helsinki to Riga
You may already have had the opportunity to travel from Riga to Helsinki by ship, but if not, the route will be resumed next season. You can go to Helsinki or Riga together with a partner, friends, or family, see the most remarkable places in both cities, and even stay for more than a day.
Every year the Latvian tourism industry holds the “New Tourism Product” competition, during which three winners are selected; the jury also gives out acknowledgements. Despite the challenges of 2020, awards and congratulations were given out to this year’s winners.
The aim of the competition is to promote the recognition of Latvian tourism products and popularize the most successful new tourism products that are sustainable, innovative, high-quality, of added value, engaging to the visitors, and suiting of the needs of local and foreign tourists according to the target audiences stated in the Latvian Tourism Marketing Strategy 2018-2023.