Discover Smārde: Park, Cycling Route and Special Experiences

Smārde combines unusual sights, a diverse park and concrete opportunities for active days during your holiday. If you would like to combine a trip with culture, exercise and a distinctive setting, you will find several different points of interest here to help with your planning. A holiday apartment in the town can serve as a starting point if you want to get to know Smārde’s own attractions and organise your days according to your interests.

Park landscape with paths, pond and cycling options

An important point of reference is Vēju dārzs, a dendrological park near Smārde railway station. The park includes a fitness trail and paths for recreation. A footpath connects the pond with the rest of the park grounds. There is also a bathing area at the pond. The park has a car park for the pond approximately 300 m away. This information helps you plan your stay according to different preferences: you can allow time for a walk through the park, use the fitness trail or make the pond a destination in its own right.

The project centred around Vēju dārzs created an attractively designed and more accessible recreational environment for the residents and visitors of Smārdes pagasts. There is also an asphalt cycling path more than 70 m long leading from Vēju dārzs. Those who would like to explore the surrounding area by bicycle will also find a one-day cycling route in Smārde that starts here and is approximately 34 km long. Take this route into account when planning your day and choose your accommodation according to which excursions are most important to you.

Unusual discoveries and traces of cultural history

One of the town’s striking details is the Apgrieztā māja. The building is tilted diagonally at an angle of 7 degrees, making it an unusual subject for anyone who enjoys discovering distinctive buildings while travelling. Smārde is also home to a monument created by K. Zāle commemorating fallen soldiers. For travellers interested in culture, this provides another reason to explore the town attentively alongside the park and cycling opportunities.

In the vicinity of Smārde, Šlokenbeka Manor is one of the rare examples of a fortified medieval manor complex in the Baltics and the only one in Latvia that has survived to the present day. This historical feature adds a cultural-historical perspective to the trip. You can therefore focus your stay more strongly on the park and outdoor activities or set aside additional time for the area’s distinctive historical and architectural themes.

Arrival and planning your stay

The Riga–Tukums electric railway line runs through the Smārde area and stops at Smārde railway station. The station platform also features the first QR code of the “Baltā Vilka ceļš mājup” route. Those arriving by train or wishing to use the station as a point of reference can already take this information into account when planning their trip. Vēju dārzs’s proximity to the station makes the park a natural subject for getting oriented in the town; you should choose other specific routes according to your own daily plans.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Smārde, it is therefore worth first deciding on the desired combination: Should the focus be on the park and pond, on a cycling tour of approximately 34 km, or on unusual and historical sights?

Other places for planning your trip

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Smārde, you can also include Bērzciems, Engure, Ķesterciems, Milzkalne, Apšuciems, Bigauņciems, Plieņciems and Lapmežciems in your further research.

For the broader travel overview: Engures Novads.