Discover Latvia's Secret Surf Culture

Surfing in Latvia
Surfing in Latvia | © Ted/Flickr
Gita Ozoliņa

When most people think of surfing, it’s usually the sunny beaches of California or Australia that spring to mind – but there’s a new surfing destination rising to prominence. With a secret subculture that has been building for years, Latvia is putting Baltic surfing on the map.

Latvian beaches

In the west of Latvia lies Liepaja – or, as the locals call it, ‘the city of wind’ – well known for its beautiful but somewhat rough beaches. Along with another city on the same coastline, Pavilosta, it offers visitors a unique chance to experience surfing in the Baltic Sea, allowing them to feel like they are watching California waves crashing against the sandy shores – just without all that sunshine.

Surfing in Latvia

The best season for surfing in Latvia

But as the cold weather arrives, the wind finally picks up and Latvians can get ready to enjoy some water sports, including surfing. All you need is a surfboard, wetsuit and some good boots, gloves and a hat – and, of course, some good waves.

Surfing in Latvia

Growing popularity of surfing in the Baltics

There is still very little known about the surfing opportunities in Latvia – in fact, many Latvians are not even aware of it. The first surfers in Liepaja and Pavilosta beaches began to appear about 10 years ago, but the surfing culture got its first big boost in December 2011, when Liepaja held Latvia’s first ever surfing competition, the Surf Cup, sponsored by skate, snow and surf brand Boards.lv.

People were shocked when photos of surfers heading out on the Latvian coast started flooding social media. From that moment on, many windsurfers and snowboarders decided to try out surfing in Latvia and the culture steadily began to develop.

Surfing in Latvia

Surfing culture in Latvia

There’s no doubt that surfing is becoming more and more popular in Latvia. Pavilosta is already a surfing hotspot, with professionals conquering the big waves during the windy months and beginners learning the basics during the summertime. The city offers several surf schools and camps for children and adults throughout the summer, most of which teach windsurfing or kiteboarding in the event that there isn’t enough wind to surf. And – when the weather is nice and warm – its beaches can even be reminiscent of a miniature Canggu in Bali or Lagos in Portugal.

As the popularity of Latvian surfing grows, both Pavilosta and Liepaja are sure to attract an ever-larger number of guests from far and wide, keen to try out the Baltic waves and see how they measure up.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article