Engure – Grey Dune, Harbour and Maritime Culture

Grey Dune and Harbour of Engure

Engure Beach features a grey dune. This rare type of coastal dune occurs only in small areas of Latvia and gives the place a distinctive landscape feature. At the same time, Engure has a harbour used as a fishing and yacht harbour. The coast and harbour represent two different perspectives on the place: its distinctive dune landscape and its connection with fishing and seafaring.

Several-hour trips out to sea are possible from the harbour on the yacht Mahindra. Trips are also offered during which you can watch sunsets from the sea. Mahindra is therefore associated with several-hour trips, while the “Vējā” water sports centre offers kitesurfing as well as the hire of SUP boards, bicycles and equipment for beach tennis and volleyball.

Lighthouse, Historic Sites and Coastal Landscape

The Engure Lighthouse was built as a lattice tower in 1954. It is 19 metres high; the light source is 26 metres above sea level, and the range of visibility is 15 nautical miles.

Marijas kalns is also known as Engures pilskalns, Baznīcas kalns and Māras kalns. The four names refer to the same place. It is located on an oxbow of the Engure near its mouth into the sea and is a nationally significant archaeological monument protected by the state.

Engure Evangelical Lutheran Church is one of the rare wooden churches that have not been converted into stone churches. The first records of the church date from 1567. Zušuciema Park was opened in 2018 as a cultural and historical site for environmental education, presenting the original activities of Engure’s inhabitants, which were connected with fishing and seafaring. The church and park therefore focus on different aspects: a historic wooden church in one case, and environmental education about fishing and seafaring in the other.

Water Sports, Exhibitions and Trail Markers

Engure Saieta nams houses a tourist information centre, an exhibition hall and a historical exhibition. The three functions are brought together in one location. “JŪRAS STĀSTI” invites visitors to learn about the stories of a seafaring and fishing family connected with Engure over five generations.

The “APKĀRT ENGUREI” hiking trail is marked in the forest with white-yellow-white markings and in the villages with stickers. The trail therefore uses two types of markers: colour markings in the forest and stickers in the villages. For activities on the water, in addition to “Vējā” in summer, SUP boards can also be hired from “Pērle rada”. “Pērle rada” complements its SUP hire with a shop run by craftspeople and artists. Trips from the “BŪDA” café are available by prior arrangement.

Engure in Regional Comparison

If you would like to compare Engure with other places at the same regional level, you can also find Bigauņciems, Milzkalne, Ķesterciems, Apšuciems, Bērzciems, Klapkalnciems, Plieņciems and Lapmežciems.

For the higher-level travel overview: Engures Novads.