Grand coastal hiking tour along the Lithuanian and Latvian national and nature parks

This long-distance tour follows the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route from the Lithuanian coast, starting on the island of Rusnė and continuing to the Curonian Spit, running along the Baltic Sea coast to Cape Kolka and finally reaching Rīga.

On this route you will hike some sections of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route and experience the diversity of coastal landscapes: rocky beaches, steep shores, overgrown beaches, bird migration sites, vast sandy beaches. You will walk on solitary beaches with no-one in sight for several kilometres just to suddenly find yourself in lively resort towns. There are both sections of hiking and bus transfers along the route.

Initially you will visit the peculiar island of Rusnė with its bird migration sites, observation towers and the delta
of the river Nemunas, which is Lithuania’s lowest point. Next, a ferry will take you to the just-as-impressive Curonian Spit – a lengthy spit of sand-dunes extending into the Baltic Sea of the coast of Lithuania. Here you will walk two sections of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route enjoying the magnificent dunes and visiting the Lithuanian Sea Museum and the Dolphinarium. Then, heading north along the coast through the Seaside Regional Park, you will reach the Lithuanian beach capital Palanga and pay a visit to the Amber Museum.

Crossing the Lithuanian/Latvian border on foot you will stop over at the Pape Nature Park and enjoy its lighthouse, wild horses, the authentic fishermen village and local museum. The walk on lone beaches takes you to the top of the highest dune in Latvia – the Pūsēnu dune – and afterwards continues to reach the village of Bernāti. Next on the route is the windy seaside city of Liepāja, also known as the Latvian capital of rock music. Karosta is another distinctive site in Liepāja – it is the former military town and nearly every street of this part of the city has some footprints of its military heritage.

Heading further, your feet will take you through the solitary beaches of Ziemupe to the village of Pāvilosta. If you are lucky, you might find some ambers washed ashore. Pāvilosta is a small charming village with a marina and some notes of smoked fish lingering in the air. Moving on, from Ventspils through Slītere National Park, through the Livonian fishermen villages to finally reach the Kolka Cape – the meeting point of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga. Also, a top site for bird watching.

At the end of the tour, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route leads to Engure Nature Park, meandering through reed trails running between the villages of Mērsrags and Engure. The tour ends in Jūrmala with its wide sandy Beaches, the bustling urban life of a resort town, impressive villas and summer cottages, and the Ragakāpa Nature Park in the resort’s neighborhood Lielupe.