An Adventure of Flavours on the Coastline of Northern Kurzeme

The Mērsrags and Roja parishes have historically been proud of the fact that one of the main shipbuilding centres in Kurzeme and Latvia was located here. Some 200 larger and smaller sailing ships were built along the coastline. The parishes are joined together by their love for the coastline that they share, but also by fishing and fish processing traditions. They flourished during the Soviet era, when they were under the wing of a fishermen’s kolkhoz. The twists and turns of this history can be examined at the Roja Sea Fishing Museum, its branch at the Kaltene Club, or at the Mērsrags museum known as the “Meeting House.”Travellers who climb to the top of the Mērsrags lighthouse will see a breath-taking view all around the structure.

People visit the parishes to enjoy the charming nature of the sea, the wealth of natural resources, culinary traditions and exciting cultural life. The region is famous for its fishing festival, the “Roja’L” film festival, Bāka Street festivals and Ancient Fire Night events.  Particular charm is ensured by old fishing villages with curving little roads, the homes of the dynasties of mighty sea captains, and the aroma of smoked fish. People are proud of their vast natural resources – nature trails, leisure facilities along the coastline, the Roja River, the Mērsrags canal, Lake Engure, a diversity of birds and the opportunity to look at wild cattle and horses up close. Particularly common are various rocks and stones that can be found on the seashore and deeper in the forest. A particularly magical place in this regard is found in Kaltene, where visitors will find piles of rock that were left behind by the Baltic lake of ice.