No 50132
Self drive tour
Self drive tour Independent travel Latvia, Lithuania

Kurzeme – Zemaitija: fishing and fish food heritage by the Baltic Sea

8 days

This trip will allow you to see seaside landscapes, learn interesting facts about the ancient process of fishing, and enjoy traditional seafood dishes.  Your first stop after leaving Rīga will be Ragaciems, where you will find a popular fish market that always offers a wide range of smoked fish from the sea.  On the shores of the sea, you can look at a restored fishing boat pier and huts for nets.  Further along, groups of 15 people or more can enjoy the "Fisherman's Banquet" programme in Roja.  There you will hear stories about the lives, songs, dances and games of fishermen and, of course, enjoy an elegant banquet.  Next you will visit Cape Kolka and the Slītere National Park, where men still go fishing in the sea.  The aroma of smokehouses will be evident.  Travellers can purchase freshly smoked fish there.  Along the way to Ventspils, it is worth stopping at the Irbene radio telescope, which has a military history, but is used for scientific purposes today.  Next you will drive toward Liepāja and stop at the charming town of Pāvilosta, which is popular among surfers, as well as the steep shores of Jūrkalne, where you will be able to taste fresh baked bread that has been kneaded by hand at a farm.  Then you will get to Liepāja, which is the birthplace of Kristaps Porziņģis, a basketball player who plays for the New York Knicks in the NBA.  A special treat in Liepāja ir smoked cod with potatoes and sweet cream.  You can visit a windmill that was built in 1885 and is still operational, as well as the Pape Nature Park and the ethnographic Ķoņi village.  Once you get to Lithuania, you will spend a day at the popular seaside sea town Palanga, and then continue the route to Cape Vente and the Rusne Island, both of which are famous because of fishing and fish smoking traditions.  Visit the village of Minija, which is known as the "Venice of Lithuania."  Finally, visit the Kurši dunes, the Sea Museum and dolphinarium, as well as the port city of Klaipeda.

Agri Heritage