7th of August 2026 - Liepāja

Liepāja is Latvia’s third largest city and an important ice‑free port on the Baltic Sea with a history stretching back to the 13th century.  It is known as “the city where the wind is born” for its constant sea breeze and coastal character.  I would describe Liepāja as very windy especially at the port where our ship docked.

Our tour of Liepāja started with a short organ recital in Liepāja Holy Trinity Cathedral famous for housing one of the world’s largest mechanical organs.

Liepāja’s Rose Garden has colourful flower beds and a series of plaques set into the paths and flower beds that honour Liepāja’s twin towns and partner cities.  Each plaque carries the name of a city and often its coat of arms.

The Hotel Līva displays a large historic photograph of pre‑war Liepāja in its lobby and sits right beside the Rose Square fountain.

St. Anne’s Church was built in the late 19th century in Neo‑Gothic style.

The Liepāja Marketplace (Pētertirgus) is an historic market hall built in 1910 and still quite lively today.

Jūrmalas Park is a long, tree lined park running parallel to the beach which is dotted with stone pedestals honouring notable Latvian cultural figures including composers, writers, artists and performers connected to Liepāja.  Each pedestal carries a bronze plaque with the person’s name and contribution.

The Ghost Tree (Spoku koks) is a sculptural tribute to the legendary Latvian rock band Līvi who were born in the city.  It commemorates Līvi’s musicians, especially those who passed away, and symbolises the band’s lasting influence on Latvian rock culture.

Our tour of ended with a walk down to the beach from Jūrmalas Park which has the most beautiful soft sand.

We finished our day with dinner at our favourite restaurant on board ship.  We cook meat or fish exactly the way we like them at our table on a slab of super-heated lava stone brought to our table at around 400–450°C.