More Actual construction work at the Karosta could start in 2028 The first tender for expert services for port and naval design was launched earlier this year State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Aivars Puriņš said The call for tenderers will close this week They will develop the technical documentation for further design within half a year but the actual construction could take place in 2028 according to the plan," Puriņš said the Port of Liepāja is considered one of the strategically important objects Latvian and NATO funds will be invested in the development of the military base in Karosta. The project will include the construction of new berths Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Manager Uldis Hmieļevskis (Liepaja Party) explained that the work is being done in close cooperation with the Navy to find the best solutions for ship movements for a development project of this scale with military infrastructure being reinforced in the Liepaja Karosta it is the area from the Karosta Canal to Katedrāles Street There are already a number of military facilities there - the Naval Diving Training Centre This area is already wisely being developed year after year for military functions It is planned to build completely new piers on the coast where the Soviet army used to be and where various military facilities were located in the times of the Tsar and infrastructure for aviation was created," Hmielevskis explained Although more attention is being paid to maritime infrastructure and piers the development of land will also be important "We have talks and agreements with both the Ministry of Transport and Liepaja on a wider transfer of this territory both for the National Defence Service and for the development of the needs of the Navy all the naval units in Karosta will be relocated and merged ships are now also docked in the city canal," said Puriņš The development of any major military infrastructure in the future would also change the capabilities of the Karosta itself There could also be interest in restoring historic buildings for housing and developing various services "The next five to ten years will be important for the development of the Port of Liepāja as several large investment projects will be implemented both private investment projects and this naval project; it will significantly change the way the port looks today and how it will be in ten years," said Hmieļevskis Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor Mēs neuzņemamies atbildību par tulkojuma precizitāti While a few decades ago Karosta was still a closed military town today it is gradually transitioning from a "Kara-Osta" (War Port) to a "Rad-Osta" (Creative Port) business sites and artists all share the same space here These are the days of the third artist residency at the Karosta Water Tower The open artist residences are shared by painters Reinis Liepa and Veronika Frolova you are welcome to visit the Tower and watch professional artists at work You can visit the Water Tower free of charge until 31 August on Wednesdays and Fridays from 13.00–18.00 and Saturdays from 12.00–15.00 You can also book a visit at other times by calling the guide on +371 29 930 936 More information: www.facebook.com/karostas.udenstornis travel website and magazine Premier Travel USA has included  Karosta Prison in Liepaja western Latvia on its Top 10 list of unusual stays The magazine says it has selected ''picks for places that offer memorable experiences— ten wild wacky and wonderful stays around the globe that just might provide you with that touch of adventure for which you’ve been searching all along'' it’s a hike along a glacier; sometimes it’s simply a stay in an unusual place that defies all description where the adventure lies right in the spot where you lay your head,'' the portal points out and goes on to describe ten unusual accommodation sites all over the world ''Are you a victim of your own bad behavior but this experiential hotel will not only provide you with a stay straight out of the factual past but will actually treat you like the prisoner you might have been had you crossed the wrong authorities once upon a time." ''Your meals will be just like those thrown at the prisoners who long ago suffered within these very walls (many of whom were shot in the head before checkout) You’ll sleep behind iron bars in a room with only the bare necessities And the “guards” will bark orders hurl abuse and punish you with exercise if you dare to disobey S&M never had it so bad,'' Premiere Travel writes Karosta Prison is claimed to be the only military prison in Europe open to tourists It was originally built as a hospital at the start of the twentieth century while Latvia was part of the Russian Empire; after the failed revolution of 1905 which remained its use throughout the Soviet occupation In 1997 it stopped operating as a prison and shortly afterwards opened as a museum A subscription to The Baltic Times is a cost-effective way of staying in touch with the latest Baltic news and views enabling you full access from anywhere with an Internet connection. Subscribe Now! 2025 © The Baltic Times /Cookies Policy Privacy Policy the Liepaja City Construction Board Commission commissioned the new production facilities of LSEZ “Jensen Metal“ SIA in the Karosta Industrial Park The new stainless-steel plant of 13.5 thousand square meters has been built next to the already existing Jensen Metal production facilities Construction of the plant was begun in February and only one year was needed to SIA “Bukoteks“ to finish construction works according to SIA “LVCT“ design Direct construction costs amount to 8.6 million euro alongside with about 4 million euro invested in purchasing the equipment and machinery LSEZ SIA “Jensen Metal” SIA appears to be the first tenant in the Karosta Industrial Park The idea to create the Karosta Industrial Park arose in 1999 in order to promote creation of new jobs to increase the amount of taxes to the city and the state budget so that to gain additional funds to education culture and sports and other vital city projects in cooperation with the Liepaja SEZ Authority managed to attract the European Union Regional Development Fund and the Karosta Industrial Park project “Development of Business Territories and the Necessary Public Infrastructure in Liepaja” was implemented more than 20 hectares of the former military brownfield lands were re-cultivated and equipped with the necessary business infrastructure your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt With picturesque beaches on the Baltic Sea and an array of historic architecture the Latvian neighbourhood of Karosta is a hub for the country's creatives authors and poets are now flocking to the area in search of creative freedom for many years people were desperate to flee from it was founded as a naval base under the Tsarist empire in the late 19th century It retained this use during Nazi occupation in World War II the Soviets modernised the area and turned it into a closed city where hard-to-obtain permits were required to get in and out up to 20,000 people lived and worked in the “outdoor prison” The final members of the Soviet Army left the base in 1994 leaving behind distinctive marks of their rule — brutalist apartment blocks and the icon of communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin on the façade of the gold-domed St the former military base earned a reputation as a dangerous neighbourhood Residents of Liepāja tended to avoid going there after sunset, and the area soon became a fully-fledged ghost town — one of many places plunged into crisis by the end of communism rundown warehouses and barracks built in red brick were the only vestige of its Tsarist origins Latvia underwent a significant transformation eventually entering the European Union in 2004 the “city within a city” opened up to the outside world In 2013, a competition was launched to re-design the urban landscape of Karosta and its harbour The main tourist attraction is currently its prison which has become a must-visit for fans of dark tourism who can relive the experience of the Soviets’ prisoners by being insulted threatened and shaken for two hours by mock guards in old uniforms another Karosta has emerged that has taken it away from its dark past painters and activists has emerged in Karosta taking inspiration from its twisted history and seeking to transform it into a creative hub The K@2 Artists Center was established there in 2000 other artistic enterprises have also chosen Karosta as their headquarters Among the creatives who have found a safe haven in Karosta is novelist and poet Andra Manfelde a popular figure in the Latvian underground literature scene After converting to Orthodox christianity while recovering from a drug addiction in the early 1990s Andra went on a pilgrimage in which she made her first visit to Karosta “My first impression was one of a surrealistic place: all these buildings seemed having popped up after a nuclear explosion And this place got stuck in my soul,” she recalls and says she is inspired “every single day” by its inhabitants and architecture Andra explains that the peaceful atmosphere in Karosta helps creativity flow This atmosphere couldn’t be further removed from the one she arrived to “In the 90s here it was completely different But while the city has transformed from a war port to one of peace and tranquility Andra muses that its current inhabitants may not be too dissimilar to those of the past “People used to say that only marginalised people COMPETITION _ Homemade Dessert invites to participate in the atest architecture vision competition „Ghost Town Challenge” on Karosta a former soviet military town about 10 km North from Liepaja city centre Karosta translates as War Port (or Navy Harbour) It is used to be a closed secret military town for the Russian Empire As Latvia regained its independence in 1990 As a result the population dropped dramatically from 25 000 to 6 000 leaving many abandoned buildings behind which have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair Homemade Dessert in collaboration with Liepaja City Council and a number of local artists has created a design brief on Karosta´s revitalization There are number of impressive historic monuments as St Nicholas Ortodox Marine Cathedral in the central part of Karosta the  Horse Arena or Manege  and Karosta Prison Specific and unique poetic value can also be found in brutalist architecture „soviet style” apartment buildings.The Brief will more closely examine development of Karosta´s urban core by planting a building complex that will be the main attraction of the town and would help to bring back the life to this part of Liepaja city The annoncement looks for architectural vision for a multi-purpose cultural centre that would include exhibition hall and conference centre with possible entertainment as retail zones and a restaurant This international architecture vision competition is open to everyone 1st prize - US$ 60002nd prize - US$ 30003rd prize - US$ 1000 Materials must be sent by 1st December 2013 https://hmmd.org/ for most of the 20th century Karosta Prison was actually used as a Nazi and Soviet military prison in which hundreds of Latvian deserters were housed guards still walk Karosta's halls and courageous people occupy its cells—even though the prison has been obsolete for decades Prisoners have been replaced by tourists looking for an authentic jail experience in the form of a "boutique hotel." being locked into a cold cell for a night literally in prison Before embarking on the full prison experience tourists are made aware that disobedience in the prison could result in insult or even physical punishment by means of exercise or cleaning They are then required to sign an agreement Be warned: Not all of the guards are completely fluent in English and American visitors are often surprised by the amount of abuse they receive Karosta Prison is said to house the spirits of many who died within its walls So if you see a lightbulb unscrew or your cell door opens by itself the culprit may in fact be a fellow prisoner from another era The antique hotel still has a jail in the basement This Italian ski resort rose to fame when Benito Mussolini was held prisoner there and then rescued by the SS This tiny museum kept in a B&B laundry room holds the death mask of notorious bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd This brightly made over hotel hides decades of suicide A station built to repel pirates now attracts wealthy vacationers this was once a prison facility and a hospital for the “criminally insane.” This bright and bubbly Palm Springs hotel was the brainchild of an iconic drag queen This museum stands out for its poignant portrayal of the atrocities of the Vietnam War and serves as a vital educational tool for promoting peace and understanding the ‘karosta [kube]’ by UK artist isaie bloch of eragatory and gilles retsin have won second prize in an architectural competition for the homemade dessert and liepaja city council the brief called for the design of a public building in karosta a former military town in the south-west of latvia karosta’s urban space is defined as a vast open terrain with unique objects or artefacts adding new elements with strong social interactions despite the request to redevelop the complete site and add a big cultural centre the project deliberately maintains the existing fabric of garages and storage areas already located there programmed with civic commonplace amenities including a canteen and a workshop located into neighbouring garage boxes / storage units it is composed of custom made prefabricated concrete panels that are mounted on a steel frame transitioning into a fibrous yet highly striated and rectilinear structure of thin folding into the interior to form columns and ornamental features on the concrete shell prefabricated concrete panels mounted on a steel frame which transitions into a fibrous structure of thin designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style This might seem a strange thing to say – it certainly doesn’t have the grandness or cultural richness of Riga semi-rural allure of country towns like Cesis or Kuldiga But charm doesn’t reside in attractiveness alone as any number of aesthetically disfavoured seducers know a raffishness or a swagger that draws you in and makes you want to stick around I don’t know if it’s something about the miles of sandy beach that cushions the town from the roaring Baltic Sea; the fact that it’s swaddled from cares and worries by vast swathes of forests and fields (there’s not another large town for over 100 km) or just the long-standing allure it has had for creative types people in Liepaja seem a good deal more easy-going and whimsical than just about anywhere else in the Baltics and the whole odd mixture seems to draw people in and make it hard for them to leave.    Snagged on a narrow spit of land down towards Lithuania Liepaja is a city that seems to want everything: simultaneously a beach town Although a relatively old city (it was first recorded in the 13th century as “Lyva”) it was late to rise to prominence compared to Latvia’s other main cities; it was not until the 18th century as the sea trade became more important that it began to grow to major-city dimensions it’s Latvia’s Hamburg or Liverpool: a tough likeable city whose existence is largely dependent on the crashing waves that are audible from much of the town This was not always a blessing – following the Soviet occupation it became a strategically important naval base on the Baltic Sea where special passes for access were needed for anyone not a resident the weird district on the edge of town that was the most closed bit of the whole closed city; it’s been suspended almost in amber since the Soviet collapse semi-abandoned apartment blocks formerly home to Soviet navy employees – as close as you’ll come to Chernobyl without the radioactivity This is not to say it’s not an attractive city – the largely German-constructed wooden mansions and town houses that cluster along the seashore and the adjacent parks are both appealing and a little absurd – overdone concoctions of twisting balustrades and precarious jutting balconies Parts of the city also have a strikingly Teutonic air (the city had the same architect for almost forty years) if faded Jugendstil and National Revival constructions and if the centre itself is a rather antiseptic Soviet concoction much of surrounding Vecliepaja (Old Town) has been preserved – a mix of sober brightly-painted buildings dating from earlier centuries As the largest city and unofficial capital of Latvia’s western region of Kurzeme it punches above its weight culturally as well It’s three and a half hours from Riga but sees itself more than just a remote port city – like its counterparts in Lithuania and Estonia it’s distant from the rest of the country but closer to the rest of the world This has led to an enduring rivalry with Kurzeme’s only other significant town the wealthy oil terminal city of Ventspils which Liepajans disdain as moneyed but soulless Although first mentioned in documents in the 14th century Liepaja spent most of its existence as a sleeping fishing village in the shadow of the castle city of Grobina around ten km away and now with a population of just a few thousand Liepaja can really thank Russia for the sudden reversal of roles that happened in the early 19th century; it owes its present pre-eminence largely to Tsar Alexander II If his predecessor Peter the Great had conquered the Baltics because he wanted a “window on the West” with a good view Alexander was determined to make sure it was a double-glazed reinforced one Liepaja’s strategically significant position as Latvia’s closest city to Sweden and Western Europe made it an obvious candidate for a military port Not unrelated to this military significance it has always had a much larger Russian population than any other cities in heavily Latvian Kurzeme it was the Baltic Germans who controlled almost everything Their stranglehold on the city’s commerce and society has left its marks – many of the red-brick sort-of-Gothic buildings in Liepaja could easily slip into towns in the north of Germany without anyone dropping their bratwurst in shock The fact that it had the same town architect for over thirty years led to an unusual coherence and sympathy between the buildings of Liepaja one that even subsequent misfortunes have only broken up Liepaja also gained a certain kind of significance as the final point of their homeland that many people would have seen in their life – during the early part of the 20th century it became the most common departure point for émigrés from the Russian Empire dreaming of new lives in North America: at one point tens of thousands were leaving every year from the port The chaos after World War I also profoundly affected the city; indeed Liepaja served as the acting capital for some time during the Latvian War of Independence after Karlis Ulmanis’s provisional government was driven west from Riga – they even had to take refuge on a British warship just off the coast for a month after being driven out of the city itself Latvian independence was not especially kind to Liepaja specifically while achieving a degree of economic success elsewhere directed attention away from industry and towards agriculture World War II devastated the city and region once again almost totally wiping out the city’s previously significant Jewish population and the eventually victorious Soviet Union stamped its dreary mark in the city in the form of grey template apartment blocks and pompous colonnaded municipal buildings It became an even more heavily industrial city – at its peak was producing around 3% of Latvia’s entire GDP by itself Although heavily Russified during these decades – by 1989 the population was almost 70% Russian-speaking – it was one of the centres of eventual Latvian resistance to the Soviet occupation in the late 1980s The human rights movement Helsinki-86 was formed in the city and began the first acts of open resistance to the Soviet occupation in all of the Baltic States openly flaunting the banned national flag and commemorating deportations to Siberia and the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact The Russian military withdrawal (which did not take place until three years after the restoration of Latvia’s independence) affected Liepaja more than probably any other city in Latvia dropping over 20,000 residents in the ten years following independence Occupying a little spit of land pinched between Liepajas Ezers (Liepaja lake) and the Baltic Sea it’s one that is pleasing to see by tram clanking old dinosaurs might not compare to Riga’s sleek soundless new machines for convenience or comfort and a ride on the city’s single tramline from the train station to its terminus at the city limits is a satisfying way to watch history develop – from the stolid often brightly-painted wooden shacks of the hilariously named Jaunliepaja (New Liepaja) over the canal,  through the semi-Sovietised city centre passing by the later equally wooden houses and sand-swept streets that border the old town and ending by the Soviet “sleeping district” of Ezerkrasts with its lakeside ranks of towers that mark the end of the line It’s true there’s not a whole lot to do in Ezerkrasts once you’re there but on a nice day a walk by the lake is a pretty wonderful thing.        were forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 they did also undergo three years of Nazi occupation after the breaking of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the German invasion of Russia the following year was recaptured by the Red Army in autumn of 1944 but aided by the remoteness and rural nature of western Latvia not to mention the fact that after the Soviet victory in the siege of Memel (Klaipeda) on the Lithuanian coast they literally had nowhere else to go apart from into the sea forces in the more distant reaches of Kurzeme around Liepaja continued to fight on until the German capitulation in May 1945 – and longer; so isolated were they from central German command that some sources say that a number of units there did not surrender until 10 May – a week and a half after Hitler’s suicide and a full two days after Germany’s official capitulation Just about every town and village in Latvia has a museum chips of pottery and poorly translated generalisations It gives a good overview of the town’s development up to the 20th century There is also an interesting selection of temporary exhibitions mostly concerned with aspects of traditional Kurzeme life The sculpture garden outside is delightful Liepaja Occupation Museum (Klava Ukstina iela 7/9) Liepaja has often been among the first cities in Latvia to fall to western invaders and the last to those from the east It was the scene of one of the most dreadful events of the Holocaust in Latvia when over 3,000 of Liepaja’s Jewish community were executed in horrifying scenes on the beaches north of Karosta The museum also does a good job of collating everyday items and newspapers so you can track the changing zeitgeist in Liepaja There’s a good selection of photos and accounts of the Latvian National Awakening in the 1980s as resistance to Soviet rule increased among the local population Liepaja was one of only three Latvian towns where barricades were also constructed to protect sites of national importance from Soviet troops Then there’s Karosta (literally “war port”) possibly the most visually stunning relic of Soviet occupation in all the Baltics It’s like a palimpsest of all that the Russians have given to Liepaja – originally constructed as a result of Tsar Alexander’s determination to turn the Baltic into a Russian-held sea reinforced and padlocked to outsiders under the Soviets The once-fine turn-of-the-century houses that line the main roads pay testament to the fact that it was once a place that the officer class were happy to live looking to contain at least twenty or thirty rooms although they’re now mostly abandoned and almost all have been knocked around Some of the more mistreated ones seem almost to be gazing in astonishment at the walls of apartment blocks that the Soviet Union subsequently gifted the place One of the most spectacular Orthodox cathedrals in the Baltics anchored right in the centre of the district The image of its gilded bulbs rising above Karosta’s looming grey apartment blocks is one that is hard to forget Soviets and under independent Latvia to punish errant sailors as well as make you very grateful you were not one of those at the receiving end of this corrective treatment It also doubles as a hostel for those who are true gluttons for punishment. Karosta is at the northern extreme of Liepaja and it takes a good half hour or so to get there by bus Liepaja’s wonderful beach may not be why the town developed in the first place The city swells with visitors at this time of year and bars pop up in otherwise abandoned buildings on and around the strip of sand itself and Liepaja seems as laid-back and easy-going as a Latvian town could conceivably be It is more of an acquired taste in the winter when the sky seems like a mirror of the ghostly sands and the line of the horizon fades into conjecture While there is a great deal of wooden architecture throughout the city the most dramatic and elegant examples can be seen within a stretched oblong that runs between Kurmajas Prospekts and Jurmalas iela including around the edge of the lovely Jurmalas Parks you’ll be treated to a fair few buildings that look like they’ve spent a good while at the bottom of the sea and are none the less attractive for it is a functional creation unrecognisable from photos of its elegant pre-war incarnation there is one constant in Liepaja’s centre rising up in ever more precarious segments like an elongated wedding cake featuring 131 separate parts; Liepaja are pushing for it to be included in the World Heritage List There are excellent views from the top of the tower Liepaja Old Cemetery  (access from Kalju iela) Liepaja has more than its fair share of cemeteries and they’re a sobering and evocative reminder of its history as one of the most multicultural cities in Latvia – the last one I went to is a particularly visually striking example casting the mostly German crosses and headstones into particularly grim relief The mistreated and gaping red-brick crypt on the slight hill overlooking the canal makes for a particularly atmospheric image during winter Liepaja is not over-stocked with cafes where people can work sleek interior and more powerpoints than tables A pleasantly odd selection of local art and photography on the walls heavily dressed salads – even if the burgers are a bit sparse; a preposterously reasonable lunch menu Boulangerie (Kursu iela 2) Owner and Liepajan Mikus lived in Paris working as a photographer before returning to his hometown to raise a family and open up this charming cafe which if it wasn’t for the friendliness and cosiness They’ll even do you snails if you’re odd or French enough to be into that kind of thing Not really somewhere to go for a full meal but the best coffee – and freshest bread – in Liepaja hands down all to a soundtrack of French jazz and classical music and incessant chirping from the birdcage at the far end Pastnieka Maja (Frica Brivzemnieka iela 53) “The postman’s house” occupies a well-scrubbed wooden house set back from Rozu laukums – Liepaja’s central square It has quite a lot of charm: the menu will tell you an affecting story about the rather lonely life of the postman who once lived here A good place to find Liepaja’s signature dish (described as its “national food” by a possibly slightly confused Latvian newspaper) a thick stew prominently incorporating fish and potatoes Odd attraction      Latvian Musician’s Walk of Fame (Zivju iela) Perhaps it was the easy access to other distant shores but Liepaja has always been known among Latvians for its music written for it by Latvian music legend Imants Kalnins – “City Where the Wind is Born” a sentiment anyone visiting the city between October and April will easily appreciate Liepaja now boasts a starry Hollywood-style Walk of Fame a couple of minutes’ walk long – although its significance may be lost on most international visitors The city’s heritage pops up elsewhere as well – in Jurmalas Park by the beach a silver metal statue of a “ghost tree” has been constructed to pay tribute to the Latvian hard rock group Livi for reasons that probably only fans of Latvian hard rock can truly appreciate Louie Fontaine (not his real name) is like the guardian angel of Liepaja – and appropriately for this slightly disreputable port town Watch the campaign video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN4e_gzYLq8) he made to support his bid to get onto the city council to get a flavour of how Liepaja likes its politics – drinking Jim Beam in a bath and swaggering around on a roof shooting at imaginary enemies might not have seemed the best advert for political competence Many residents comment that Fontaine has lost some of the cool and raffishness it had a few years ago and on a bad night Fontaine Palace certainly can seem like any large it’s a really special mix of good people and good music His canalside empire also stretches to a comically over-the-top hotel a vaguely ‘50s-esque fast food joint specialising in burgers with slightly unusual combinations of ingredients (you’re unlikely to find a better burger in Riga; now with branches in Riga and Jelgava) and the prison bar which is more or less what it sounds like.      Kursas Putni (Fricas Brivzemnieka iela 28) this bar/cafe is possibly the friendliest spot you’ll find in the whole country cheery staff and frequent musical nights – as well as a few quirks like a Novuss table and a wide selection of Soviet-era Latvian music – make this a welcome addition to one of Liepaja’s most rickety backstreets The outside may look like a rather dodgy betting shop but inside this is a tremendously cosy kind of place A great place to hibernate in winter with a good selection of Latvian beers Nearby trips (contributed by Geoff Chester) Grobiņa is one of the oldest settlements in Latvia with old castle ruins and Viking burial mounds/runestones Aizpute is a charming historic countryside town with one of Latvia's oldest churches Pavilosta is the surfing capital of Latvia (dead in the winter) Palanga/Klaipeda: The Lithuanian Riviera and the Curonian Spit are only an hour or two away Pape: The famed nature park with its wild horses and excellent birdwatching boasting 37 breeds of Latvian fauna including blue cows (Ideal for half-way point between Riga and Liepaja) Geoff - Liepaja is a living monument to Latvia's turbulent history every district showing the ups and downs of the past century probably due to its proximity and tense coexistence with the sea has a sense of freedom and cosmopolitanism mixed with faded grandeur in every corner which is easily felt wandering around the city in the summer Stina - Liepaja just has a really great vibe It's a small town that has a completely different pace to Riga I love walking around the streets of Liepaja They've got lovely old wooden buildings some of them are quite colourful and bright Aya - Liepāja is special to me because of the indescribable feeling of freedom its incessant wind in my hair gives me Ksenia - The empty streets make it easy to imagine living in a city a hundred years ago I love all the untouched historical bits of Liepāja especially the melancholia of that place.  Visit Liepaja’s tourist information office at Rozu Laukums 5/6 for further information RIGA - Around 500 people are involved in the search for a missing five-year-old boy in Liepaja Madara Sersnova from the State Police's Kurzeme Administration told LETA and volunteers participate in the search effort across the city Sightings of the missing boy have been reported from several places in the city: yesterday he was reportedly seen in the center of the city The five-year-old Ivans Berladins left his home on Pavilostas Street in Liepaja at 8:30 a.m wearing a green or orange T-shirt and a blue tracksuit but most of those tend to offer the same sort of perks and experiences There are times when a vacation calls for as much beer as you can drink and stuffing your face for days but there are other times when you want something different Like staying at one of the weirdest resorts in the world This one is certainly not for the faint of heart guests can take on the role of a prisoner of the former Soviet Bloc country at Karosta Prison This "event" is intended for groups of 10 or so and begins at 9 p.m the prisoners are be treated to prison food and "taking abuse from prison guards." Visitors must (obviously) sign a release before partaking in this.. The name here is much more than just a marketing gimmick This former research lab has been converted into a hotel and guests must scuba dive down into the Largo Sound to even reach the door this place isn't lacking in amenities: you can even get a pizza delivered from the surface You must be a certified scuba diver to get into the lodge and the company offers a discover scuba certification for those not qualified upon arrival How about staying the night in an old crane in Amsterdam Guests at the Crane Hotel have a choice of three suites it was used to unload timber brought in from Russian and Scandinavia The motor allows the rooms to rotate 360 degrees the rooms are high enough that they blow and sway in the wind.. You can find a standard spa resort anywhere in the world. Thankfully, there is nothing standard about the Yunessun Spa Resort in Japan's Hakone prefecture but resort-goers can also bathe in themed pools filled with coffee Not content with just making these vats of goodness the spa owners have even decorated the areas around the pools with giant wine bottles The original Icehotel has been operating for over 20 years in Jukkasjarvi and near-frozen river water are combined to make unique rooms and create a hotel experience unmatched anywhere else in the world and even reindeer pelts are provided for warmth Just hope that nature doesn't call in the middle of the night.. The Ariau Amazon Towers Resort is located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Manaus This is an eco-tourism resort where guests can live among the monkeys and other native wildlife populations in the Amazon The resort features over five miles of walkways through the treetops along with various guided trips and activities in the local area.