Saulkrasti Municipality
"Sun Shores": 17 km of Gulf of Riga coast, resort since 1823. The White Dune (18m, 350M years old) once guided fishermen home. Catherine II allegedly planted lindens.
Saulkrasti means "Sun Shores"—a name earned by 17 km of Gulf of Riga coastline where Vidzeme nobility built summer cottages starting in 1823. The German name was Neubad ("New Bath"). By mid-century, a resort had grown around therapeutic swimming and sea air.
The White Dune is the landmark: 18 meters of white sandstone formed 405-350 million years ago, topped with pine forest. Fishermen once used its distinctive profile to navigate home. Legend claims Catherine the Great planted linden trees during a seaside vacation; whether true, the trees still stand on the path to the dune.
The coast varies from "singing" sand at Lilaste to the stony shore at Zvejniekciems. The nature park Piejūra protects part of the territory. Historic fishing villages merged into a single municipality stretching from the Inčupe River to Skulte.
Saulkrasti sits 50 km from Riga—far enough for vacation, close enough for day trips. By 2026, the challenge is familiar: balancing tourism development against the coastal environment that makes the sun shores worth visiting. The dune's slopes have already been reinforced. How much reinforcement can nature tolerate?