Things to Do in Kuldīga, Latvia: Walking Guide

Kuldīga is a historic town in Courland, western Latvia, where old streets meet two rivers and one of Europe’s widest waterfalls. The town is worth visiting for its restored heritage, distinctive churches, and the broad, shifting curtain of water at Venta Rapid. Neywo’s free audio guide for Kuldīga narrates 7 places in 11 languages.

What to See in Kuldīga

The main sights are compact enough to explore on foot, moving from the town’s public spaces and historic buildings towards the riverside.

Pilsētas Square

Pilsētas Square is a natural starting point for exploring Kuldīga. The public square offers a place to pause and take in the town before continuing through its historic center.

Kuldīgas novada muzejs

The Kuldīgas novada muzejs is a regional museum dedicated to the history and archaeology of the surrounding area. Its collections and research provide context for understanding Kuldīga and the wider region.

Kuldīga’s former synagogue

Kuldīga’s former synagogue was built in 1875 and 1876, when the town was known in German as Goldingen. Its history changed profoundly in 1941, after the German invasion of the Soviet Union brought Latvia under Nazi Germany’s control and the destruction of almost the entire local Jewish population began.

After the Second World War, the building was used as a warehouse and, from 1958, as a cinema. Following renovation in recent years, it now houses Kuldīga’s city library, giving the historic building a new public role.

Church of the Holy Trinity in Kuldīga

The Church of the Holy Trinity is Kuldīga’s Roman Catholic church and the only Catholic church in the city. It belongs to the Liepāja Diocese within the Roman Catholic Riga Metropolis. On October 6, 2018, it was declared a holy place in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of Life.

Church of Saint Anne in Kuldīga

The Church of Saint Anne, or Svētās Annas baznīca, is an Evangelical Lutheran church at 14 Dzirnavu Street. It was built in 1904 as a place of worship for Kuldīga’s Lutheran congregation.

Church of Saint Catherine in Kuldīga

The Church of Saint Catherine is one of Kuldīga’s oldest buildings and a national monument of architectural significance. Known locally as Svētās Katrīnas evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca, it is described as the oldest church in Kuldīga. The church is on Baznīcas Street 31 beziehungsweise 33.

Venta Rapid

Venta Rapid, known in Latvian as Ventas rumba, is Kuldīga’s defining natural landmark. It is celebrated as the widest waterfall in Europe, although its width changes with the river’s water level. With an average amount of water, the waterfall stretches about 100 to 110 metres; during floods, it can expand to roughly 270 metres.

The waterfall is low rather than tall: its drop varies between 1.8 and 2.2 metres. What makes it memorable is the breadth and movement of the water as it spreads across the Venta River.

A Kuldīga Self-Guided Walking Tour

Kuldīga’s sights work particularly well as a self-guided walk. The route can connect Pilsētas Square with the former synagogue, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Church of Saint Anne, the Church of Saint Catherine, and finally Venta Rapid.

This sequence brings together the town’s religious and architectural history with its most important natural sight. It also makes it easy to experience Kuldīga at a steady pace, without having to follow a group.

Kuldīga’s position in western Latvia makes it a natural stop while exploring Liepāja, Pāvilosta, and the rest of Courland.

Explore Kuldīga with Neywo

Download Neywo and explore Kuldīga with its free audio guide. The app offers 1 walking tour: “Kuldīga: Old Goldingen from the Square to Europe’s Widest Waterfall”, a 2.37 km route lasting 64 minutes, with 6 narrated stops.

The stories play as you reach each place, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. You can listen to the history of Pilsētas Square, the former synagogue, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Church of Saint Anne, the Church of Saint Catherine, and Venta Rapid as you walk between them.