On Jūrmala

Jūrmala is Latvia’s premier resort town. Originally a series of fishing villages by the sea just a short distance from Rīga, it transformed from a 19th-century Baltic spa destination to the Soviet Union’s most exclusive holiday retreat. It is still a wonderful place to relax. Join me as we explore Jūrmala's past and present.

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Transcript

On Jūrmala

Jūrmala is Latvia’s premier resort town. Originally a series of fishing villages by the sea just a short distance from Rīga, it transformed from a 19th-century Baltic spa destination to the Soviet Union’s most exclusive holiday retreat. It is still a wonderful place to relax. We will uncover the hidden stories behind this unique coastal destination, which once hosted the Communist Party elite, while preserving its distinctive wooden architecture and therapeutic traditions. Join me as we explore Jūrmala's past and present.

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The story of Jūrmala begins in the 18th century, when the first guests were the landed barons of the Duchy of Courland. In 1738, they would attend the Plienciems, followed later by the Kaugurciems beaches. Bathers stayed in fishermen's dwellings; however, in the 1830s, cottages were built in Dubulti for visitors who arrived in Jūrmala by stagecoach or horse-drawn carriage. Horse riding along the seashore was the most favoured entertainment for the bathing guests.

The resort’s reputation flourished when wealthy landowners established the tradition of seaside relaxation. Steamboats began carrying passengers from Rīga to Dubulti regularly in 1844. Volunteer bathing associations provided landscaping, bathing amenities and cultural activities. In 1834, a hotel was built in Dubulti for visitors, and in 1847, a hall was built for concerts and social events. At the time, bathing hours were divided into male and female units, and enforcement was ensured with fines for those who disregarded the regulations.

Here is an interesting story. In the mid-19th century, warm sea water baths were installed in the dunes. Seawater was heated for the procedure, then salt was added, sometimes with the addition of iodine. Later, bathing institutions were built where water was pumped in through pipes. The first such institution, where water was heated with a boiler, was established in Dubulti in 1858.

A particularly interesting early development occurred in the Ķemeri district, where healing properties in the mud and sulphur springs were discovered in the early 19th century. The springs at Ķemeri first gained recognition for their curative properties in 1796, with the first chemical analysis of the spring water performed in 1818. This scientific validation of the area’s therapeutic qualities laid the groundwork for its later development into a medical tourism industry. Please listen to my podcast, ‘On Ķemeri’, to learn more.

The transformation from fishing villages to resort destination accelerated dramatically with the opening of the Rīga-Tukums railway in 1877, which still passes through Jūrmala today. This railway connection significantly boosted visitor numbers and development, making the 25-kilometre journey from Rīga practical for regular tourism. An interesting social milestone occurred in the 1890s when Jūrmala became the first resort in the Russian Empire to end segregated swimming, reflecting its progressive atmosphere. In 1896, the first cinema was established in Majori, and a roller skating rink was constructed near the sea in 1911. Hotel Bulduri opened a casino in 1922, offering various gaming tables, roulette, card games, and bingo.

In the 1870s, Dr. Nordstrom emerged as a pioneering figure in Jūrmala’s early spa culture, serving as the resident physician at the Marienbad sanatorium in Dubulti. He was among the first to champion the practice of climatotherapy - harnessing the natural healing powers of the seaside environment. Dr. Nordstrom prescribed a regimen for his patients that included jogging along the beach, swimming in the invigorating Baltic seawater, and practising gymnastics in the open air. These activities, grounded in the belief that fresh sea air and physical movement could restore health and vitality, became part of Jūrmala’s reputation as a wellness destination. His innovative approach helped usher in the resort's heyday at the turn of the 20th century, attracting visitors from across the Russian Empire and Europe who sought the restorative benefits of the Baltic coast.

The 1930s were a period of significant popularity for the resort in the Baltic States and northern Europe. Advertisements in brochures hailed the resort as the "Baltic Riviera". A high level of comfort, quality service, and an acceptable price attracted tourists. Towards the end of the 1930s, "sun baths" became popular, and beaches became more active. They were characterised as having a sporty atmosphere. A new fashion emerged: two-piece swimsuits for women and bathing shorts for men. There were also areas and time slots designated for female nude bathing. During this time, concert life prospered in the many outdoor pavilions and concert halls.

The resort gained town status under the name “Rīgas Jūrmala” (Riga’s Seaside) in 1920, as the villages closer to Riga became collectively known by this designation. Today, the city of Jūrmala is the largest resort along the Baltic seashore. It is comprised of two historical resorts: Rīgas Jūrmala, the seaside resort, and Ķemeri, the hydrotherapeutic spa resort. The administrative area of Jūrmala was established in 1959 when three towns were merged - Rīgas Jūrmala, Ķemeri, and Sloka.

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The Soviet period represents Jūrmala’s most fascinating and politically significant era. After Latvia’s occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940, many elegant villas and hotels were nationalised, with some demolished to make way for massive concrete sanatoriums and hotels. However, much of the “Old Jūrmala” character remained, and the city retained its charm while accommodating unprecedented numbers of tourists.

“Hello, this is Leonid Brezhnev. It is 1978, and I am in Jūrmala to get away from the noise of Moscow for a few weeks. I come to the Amber Coast sanatorium ever year as it isn’t as hot here as in Sochi. I stay in state dacha number two, just a short walk from the main sanatorium. They call it the sanatorium of the Kremlin as it serves as a retreat for us senior government staff”.

An incredible story involves Jantarnij Bereg, the Amber Coast sanatorium, which features a dacha where Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev would stay with his guests. This residence, complete with a clock featuring a hammer-and-sickle pendulum, boasts a basement that includes a private cinema, sauna, and swimming pool. At the same time, the first floor contains bedrooms and a fully equipped office, complete with “nuclear emergency” telephones. The ground floor features a large dining hall, a library stocked with Marx and Lenin, and a lecture room. A portrait of Lenin hangs on the wall. The property is registered as a branch of a Russian federal state institution managed by the President’s Office, and it remains under Russian state control, despite being closed to visitors since 2022 following sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The high-ranking guests at the sanatorium would have eaten Soviet cuisine. My memories of Soviet cuisine stem from living in Moscow in the 1980s. After sitting at a restaurant table, the waiter would bring an extensive menu with many items on it. Unfortunately, over the course of two years, I rarely found anything besides Olivier salad, chicken or mushroom julienne served on special spoons, and Chicken Kiev. All washed down with vodka. Nothing else was available! A story about Brezhnev. He used to love his Rolls-Royce car, which he used to drive himself. You can see the car, the one that he crashed, in the Rīga Motor Museum. It even has a mannequin of Brezhnev behind the wheel!

After the Second World War, Rīgas Jurmala and Ķemeri became favourite resort destinations within the Soviet Union. The right to rest for workers was enshrined in the 1936 constitution of the Soviet Union. Article 119 guaranteed “annual vacations with full pay for workers and employees and the provision of a wide network of sanatoriums”. The 1960s and 70s saw the greatest number of guests from the other Soviet republics. Ministries and other institutions of the Soviet Union were building their own sanatoriums and guest houses within Ķemeri and Rīgas Jūrmala. Many visitors came independently and rented rooms from the local inhabitants. By the end of the 1970s, on a sunny Sunday, the number of guests in Jūrmala could reach half a million while the city's population was only 62,000.

Jūrmala became the third-largest resort in the Soviet Union after Yalta and Sochi, and was regarded as especially chic. During the 1970s, Jurmala had approximately 105 sanatoriums, pensions, and guesthouses. Sanatorium Jaunkemeri, founded in 1967, is the only sanatorium from that era which has survived and continues to provide medical and rehabilitation services.

The resort attracted the highest levels of Communist Party officials, including Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev, whom we just discussed, with holidays often given as rewards to top party members. Russians travelled to Jūrmala “as if they were going abroad”, highlighting its exotic appeal within the Soviet system. The resort’s popularity extended far beyond the elite. The Soviet vacation voucher system, known as “putevka,” made Jūrmala accessible to workers who met production targets and demonstrated their loyalty to the Party. These coloured vouchers covered accommodation, food, entertainment, and health treatments, with Jūrmala putevki being especially coveted throughout the Soviet Union. With the influx of visitors came the need for more accommodation, which was provided in the form of enormous sanatoriums that were either brutalist or modernist in design. These date back to the early 1920s and were established, at the order of Lenin himself, as a place where Soviet workers could be sent for a couple of weeks each year to recharge their mental and physical batteries before returning to their daily jobs. The schedule for guests staying in these sanatoriums was pretty rigid. These weren’t resorts designed for enjoying yourself in the traditional sense of being on holiday, but rather a kind of medical hotel/spa where any ailments you might have could hopefully be cured. The programme also includes plenty of exercise and a good night’s sleep. Sanatoriums were initially funded by the state, and at their height, received millions of citizens from all over the Soviet Union on an annual basis.

There is a Russian way to sunbathe. You do it standing up, and rotate by a few degrees every 15 minutes or so to ensure an even tan. It's strange to see a large group of people standing motionless on a beach. Like zombies! Latvians lie down on a beach, European style. And get burnt!

The Belarusian Sanatorium was constructed in Jūrmala in the 1970s and was initially built for the exclusive use of citizens from the Byelorussian SSR (now Belarus). It is apparently still owned by the Belarus state on a 99-year lease. After the Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the sanatorium took on special significance as children from contaminated regions of Belarus were sent there to improve their health. The Belarusian Sanatorium welcomes children, whereas most sanatoriums in Jūrmala (and the Soviet Union at the time) were not child-friendly. The sanatorium still exists with its retro style and a massive stained glass window.

Another Soviet sanatorium that still exists, albeit in an exterior-only state, is the Baltic Beach Hotel and Spa. This 1981 building protrudes over the beach, resembling a beached cruise liner, and was initially known as Sanatorium Rīgas. Today, it is one of the smartest health resorts in the area – all the bedrooms and public areas have been renovated. Only the property’s shape reveals that this sanatorium’s roots are deeply embedded in the former Soviet Union. There are other Soviet-era sanatoriums dotted around Jūrmala. Some have been abandoned for the last 30 years.

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The collapse of the Soviet Union initially devastated Jūrmala’s economy, with visitor numbers plummeting from 220,000 in 1991 to just 25,000 by the mid-1990s. Many hotels closed, and spas fired staff as the voucher tourism system disappeared overnight. Russian nationals have required visas since 1991, and following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, tourist visas to EU countries are no longer available for Russians. I used to see lots of Russian number-plated cars - big Mercedes and BMWs belonging to wealthy people being driven around Jūrmala. Russian cars are now banned from Latvia. I wonder whether the new apartment blocks in Jūrmala, built primarily for wealthy Russian businesspeople, are now empty. Difficult to tell.

However, Jūrmala has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptation in the face of these tourism setbacks. The resort has gradually attracted European tourists, particularly from Scandinavia, the UK and Germany, who come to enjoy the pristine beaches and an unspoilt resort. The resort has regained the popularity it once enjoyed among the Soviet elite, although it now caters to a different international clientele.

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Modern Jūrmala offers visitors a unique blend of historical significance and contemporary amenities across its 24-kilometre stretch of silky quartz sand beaches. The resort town extends 32 kilometres and is sandwiched between the Gulf of Rīga and the Lielupe River, with some areas only 300 metres wide.

The easiest way to get there is to take the new Vivi train from Rīga Central Station. There isn’t a stop called “Jūrmala”, which confuses tourists. The railway stations in Jūrmala take their name from the village within Jūrmala. I recommend getting off at Majori station, approximately 30 minutes from Rīga. The very helpful tourist office is across the road from the station. Just around the corner is the lovely Jūrmala City Museum. This is free, and you can spend a pleasant 20 minutes there. The exhibits will give you the resort's history and help you find your bearings on where to wander next.

Walk from the museum to Jomas Street, the pedestrian heart of Jūrmala. Jomas Street derives its name from the Latvian word for valleys naturally formed between sand dunes. Head eastwards along this central street of cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and souvenir shops. The annual Jomas Street Festival entertains guests in July with theatre performances, musical acts, and a special children’s programme.

At the end of Jomas Street, turn left. Soon, you will be at the Dzintari Concert Hall, which dates back to the 19th century when it was known as the Edinburgh Concert Hall. The village of Dzintari was originally “Edinburg”, yes, after the capital city of Scotland, with a Latvian accent. The concert hall hosts regular ballet, opera, and classical music concerts featuring renowned artists; however, it is recommended to book tickets in advance. Near the hall is Dzintari Forest Park, which features a 38-meter viewing tower offering panoramic views over pine trees to the sea horizon. On clear days, visitors can see Riga’s towers in the distance. The park is excellent for kids, featuring playgrounds, boardwalks, and a tree-top climbing experience that can be paid for. Not for me or my family, as we don't like heights.

Walk the short distance to the beach and stroll westwards along the beautiful yellow sands. The shallow sea is excellent for swimming or paddling in summer. In winter, it starts to freeze, which is an eerie sight. The beach stretches for miles and miles, but once you come to the giant turtle sculpture, head back towards Majori train station. Along the way, take a moment to enjoy the wooden villas. 

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Jūrmala’s architectural landscape tells the story of its evolution across different eras. The most distinguishing feature is the prevalence of wooden houses dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Most buildings were constructed by Latvian, Baltic German, and Finnish architects, with influences from Russia and other international architects.

The city maintains an official list of 414 historical buildings under protection, alongside over 4,000 wooden structures. This represents one of Europe’s most significant collections of wooden resort architecture, creating what can justly be called an open-air museum. The contrast between these historic wooden villas and the Soviet-era concrete sanatoriums creates a unique architectural dialogue that reflects the city’s complex political history.

Jūrmala’s historic wooden houses are characterised by an eclectic mix of architectural styles, most notably neo-classical, art nouveau, and national romanticism, each with distinct features that can be spotted on a walk through the town. Look for ornate woodcarvings decorating window frames, facades, and roofs. These imaginative details are a hallmark of Jūrmala’s wooden architecture. Many houses feature glass verandas, often with coloured glass, which add elegance and serve as a signature element of the resort’s design. Art nouveau villas stand out with their fanciful facades, turrets, asymmetrical layouts, and intricate plant or animal motifs carved into the wood. National romantic buildings often have corner towers, fragmented shapes, and decorative trusses, reflecting Latvian folk influences. Neo-classical houses tend to be more symmetrical, with grand porches and classical details, while some buildings even blend in Swiss chalet or neo-gothic elements, like the Morbergs' summer house, which I will describe in a minute. As you stroll, watch for these features - towerlets, glazed verandas, richly carved details, and playful asymmetry - all set against the backdrop of pine forests and sandy lanes.

One of Jūrmala’s most striking examples of its celebrated wooden architecture is the neo-gothic summer house built by Kristaps Morbergs, a visionary Latvian architect, contractor, and philanthropist. Constructed around 1883 in the Dzintari district, Morbergs’ summer cottage stands out with its ornate wooden facades, high ceilings, stained glass windows, and decorative towers—a seamless blend of gothic, renaissance and art-nouveau styles. Inside, visitors can still admire the original painted ceiling panels, colourful tiled stoves, and a grand fireplace, all of which are preserved as part of Latvia’s national architectural heritage. Beyond its architectural splendour, Morbergs’ legacy endures through his generous estate bequest to the University of Latvia, ensuring this unique landmark remains a cultural treasure and a living part of Jūrmala’s story. It is situated to the east of Dzintari Forest Park on Dzintaru prospekts. It has restrictive opening hours, but you can still see the building's exterior and garden through the railings if it's closed.

During Latvia’s first period of independence, Jūrmala was home to Latvia’s most famous literary couple, poet Rainis and his wife, the feminist writer Aspazija. She spent the last 10 years of her life, from 1933 to 1943, in a two-story wooden summer house. The building is now a national architectural monument, known as Aspazija’s House, and is open to the public as a free museum. Even if you are not interested in literature, the museum rooms have original furniture and household items that will help you experience what it was like to live in Jūrmala nearly 100 years ago. The museum is located at Meierovica prospekts 20 in Dubulti.

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The therapeutic aspects of Jūrmala that have attracted visitors across centuries - the sea breeze, pine aroma, mineral springs, and sandy beaches - are still there to enjoy. You can walk the same beaches where the Communist Party elite once strolled, stay in renovated sanatoriums, and experience the same treatments that attracted visitors for over 200 years.

Jūrmala represents a unique European destination where visitors can walk through layers of political and social history, from 19th-century Baltic German elegance through Soviet social engineering to contemporary European integration, all while enjoying one of the Baltic’s most beautiful coastal environments.

[Image of Jūrmala by An Englishman in Latvia. Music by Pixabay. AI-created voice of Leonid Brezhnev]