This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Jurmala.
Jurmala, Latvia, is a small city on the Baltic Sea in Latvia, close to the capital Riga. It is primarily a destination to be visited for its beach.
It has a nice sand beach, although the water is not the cleanest. In summer, you can go for a swim, and on days with good weather you will find many people from the region doing so. If you are from a warmer place, you may be freezing in the water, though. Jurmala is particularly nice on the weekends, as many locals will go there for a day trip. There are several cafes on the beach where you can have some drinks and sunbathe. Five minutes from the beach you can find Jurmala’s main street. Here, you can also find many restaurants, cafes, and (souvenir) shops. Apart from the main street and the beach, there is a forest-like area just outside the centre where you can go for a hike. At the beginning of this area there are also facilities for kids to play and some pop-up stores.
At this writing, your options for hostels in Jurmala, Latvia, are extremely limited. If you plan to spend most of your time in Latvia on the beaches of Jurmala, you may want to book a hostel in Jurmala, Latvia. If you just want to spend some time on the beach, but prioritize exploring cultural things in Riga or spend more time at bars, then you are better off booking a hostel in Riga, which is only half an hour by train, with an average of three trains departing per hour. So whether you want to book your hostel in Jurmala, Latvia, or book it in Riga and visit Jurmala for one or several day trips, depends on your personal wishes, but both are possibilities.
Jurmala is nice to visit for one or a few days. It is typically busy in summer and will be almost abandoned in off-season, but if you want to avoid crowds and are not into swimming or sunbathing, then visiting at this time of the year might be worth it as well.
Written by local enthusiast for Jurmala hostels
Martin Straatman