Kuldiga

Introduction

Kuldiga is a fantastic little town in Latvia, situated to the west of Riga. Kuldiga is famous for having the widest natural rapid in Europe, the Ventas rumba, which measures in at 249 metres in width. First documented around 1242, Kuldiga had become part of the Hanseatic League in 1368 and grew as an important town in what is now the Latvian state. The picturesque town has canals running through it with many beautiful wooden houses and structures dotted all over the place. It is fairly quiet most of the year round and is a really good escape from Riga's busy streets. If you are heading west from Riga, Kuldiga is well worth a stop off.

Sights and Activities

Events and Festivals

Getting There

By Train

There is no train service to or from Kuldiga.

By Car

It is easy to get to Kuldiga by car from all points in Latvia.

By Bus

Buses run from Riga but be aware some of them take 3.5hours! There is a bus Monday to Saturday that leaves at 7.00am and only takes 2 and a half hours. This is probably best for day trippers. You could also visit Kuldīga for the day if you are planning to visit Liepaya, with buses leaving Kuldiga in the afternoon and taking about 2 hours to reach Liepaya.

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

Kuldigas streets are not so busy with cars so getting around by foot should cause no problem what so ever.

By Bike

Bikes can be used as a great means to get around the town and the tourist office even rents some out during the summer months.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Latvijas Pasts is the national postal service of the country and has relatively fast, affordable and reliable services. They have both mail and express mail service, domestically and internationally. For sending letters, postcards and parcels internationally, it is easy to check prices at their price calculator. Prices for international mail start at around 0.45L for postcards within Europe, 0.50L outside Europe, stamps for letters are slightly more expensive. It usually takes at least several days up to a week within Europe, but around 10 days to North America for example. Domestic services are faster of course, usually within 2 days. Post offices are generally open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday, and 9:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, though large central post offices might keep slightly longer hours and can be open on Sunday sometimes. Latvian post boxes are colored yellow, and postage stamps can be bought in post offices or news-stands (kiosks). Specialized package services are provided as well by companies like DHL and UPS, among others.