Abava Valley

The Abava carves a soft, sheltered valley through Kurzeme, warm enough that Sabile has grown wine on its slopes since medieval times. It is a landscape of small old towns, a rapids and a waterfall, and the gentlest walking and cycling country in the region.

Background

The valley follows the Abava River through Talsi, Tukums and Kuldīga municipalities, running for over 60 km west from Tukums towards Renda. Its width ranges from 0.7 km to 2.5 km, and it is up to 52 m deep near Sabile and 47 m deep at Kandava. An old road linking Riga with Prussia and Northern Germany followed the valley, and it is rich in historic monuments. Nearby are 16 protected nature monuments, Devil's Stone, Devil's Cave and the Chambers of Mara among them, plus five rocks, seven rapids and three old estate parks. It became a specially protected cultural territory on 20 June 1996 and was put forward for the UNESCO World Heritage List on 3 January 2005.

Source: Wikipedia, "Abava Valley"

What's there

• Sabile wine hill - a terraced slope that once made the Guinness book as one of the world's northernmost outdoor vineyards.
• Abava rapids and Kalnmuiza waterfall - the small drops that give the valley its scenery.
• Kandava old town - a compact historic centre with an old stone bridge.
• Valley trails - marked walking and cycling routes along the river.

When to go

Late summer and early autumn for the wine and harvest festivals; spring for higher water in the rapids. The valley is at its best on a slow cycling day.

Before you go

The scenery is pretty rather than dramatic - rolling valley, not gorge. The wine is a curiosity of latitude more than a rival to southern regions, and quantities are tiny. Come for the gentle landscape and the string of small towns, not for one big sight.

Nearby

Kuldiga and its wide falls are further west; the Riga road passes Tukums and the palaces of Zemgale.

Key facts