1. Daugavpils has one of the most beautiful Christmas trees in Latvia
The Christmas season is the most magical and enchanting time of the year. A stately and magnificently decorated Christmas tree in Unity Square complements the festive atmosphere in Daugavpils every year.
This year, the Christmas tree in Daugavpils is decorated with Latvian symbols of strength. The mountain ash brings blessings and protects against bad energy. Red mountain ash is a source of vitamins for people and an excellent source of food for birds in the high season. Red-breasted woodpeckers, or redbreasts as they are popularly called, are winterers and willingly stay and spend the winter in coniferous forests. This year they have flown to Daugavpils to spend the winter. This is a great honour for the city, because redbreasts symbolize family values and resilience. In turn, the “Auseklītis” (Morning star) in the decoration patterns is a sign of protection, symbolizing the struggle of light with darkness and protecting people.
Santa’s’ residence has opened in Daugavpils Fortress
2. From December 14 to 29, you can visit Santa’s’ residence in the yard of the Daugavpils Technical and Industrial Design Centre „Engineering Arsenal”. It hosts various activities and master classes, and Santa’s’ mailbox is also located there.
The yard of the „Engineering Arsenal” is opened for visitors from Wednesday to Sunday. Participation in activities and entrance to the yard is free.
3. The Rothko Museum has opened its Winter Exhibition Season
This Winter Exhibition Season, the Rothko Museum is hosting six Latvian and foreign exhibition projects. Among the most notable are the exhibition „Beginning and Light” by Italian artist Ernesto Morales and the emotionally profound message „I am at home” by Jekaterina Griškjāne.
Foto: Didzis Grodzs
4. You can visit Christmas markets in Daugavpils
December is the right time to capture the Christmas spirit and get gifts for your loved ones. During the pre-holiday period, from December 4th to 29th, charity fairs are held in the House of Unity and the Daugavpils Palace of Culture to support seniors and people with disabilities. At the fairs, you can buy handicrafts made by seniors and people with disabilities. A wide range of textile products are offered at the fairs – knitted and crocheted gloves, as well as socks and hats, costume jewellery and accessories.
On 21 December, from 10 am to 4 pm, a fair on Rigas Street will take place in Daugavpils. Visitors will be able to buy products from local producers and craftsmen, and other interesting things.
5. Stropi active rest and sports track – a great place for active recreation in winter
Rent skis, put them on your car roof and go enjoy the beautiful nature. Every year, ski slopes are created in the Stropu forest, where you can leisurely glide forward, enjoying the landscapes of the snowy forests.
You can indulge in the joy of cross-country skiing on the Stropi active rest and sports track. The track is fully illuminated, so you can ski during both daylight and dark hours. The track is designed for freestyle skiers, and its length is just under three kilometres.
6. Only in Daugavpils can you take a ride on a tram manufactured at the Riga Wagon Factory at the end of the last century
Dodoties braucienā ar retro tramvaju, ikvienam ir iespēja redzēt ne tikai pilsētas vēsturiskās vietas, bet arī ikdienas dzīvi Daugavpilī. No retro tramvaja logiem pavērsies brīnišķīgi skati uz nozīmīgākajiem pilsētas objektiem, ļaujot izbaudīt pilsētas arhitektūru un kultūru.
The retro tram tour is available by prior arrangement only. To book, please contact SIA “Daugavpils satiksme” by phone +371 20012140 or e-mail: reklama@dsatiksme.lv.
7. Daugavpils is easily accessible by public transport
All roads lead to Daugavpils! When traveling to Daugavpils, you have the opportunity to choose the most convenient form of public transport for yourself:
- With the new Lux Express bus route, Daugavpils is easily accessible even from Liepāja.
- Daugavpils is reachable by Flixbus buses from Vilnius, Warsaw, Tallinn, Prague and other European cities.
- On December 15, 2 new train routs to/from Daugavpils will be introduced, increasing the total number of train services to Daugavpils.
8. In Daugavpils, you can spend an unforgettable New Year’s Eve and enjoy a concert by the band „Citi zēni”
New Year’s Eve in Daugavpils will be bright and exciting. On December 31, from 23:00, a New Year’s Eve event will begin with dance music at Unity Square,
at 24:00 – New Year’s Eve, at 00:15 – a concert by the group „Citi zēni” and from 01:15 to 03:00 dance music will be played. At the culmination of the festivities, New Year’s fireworks will sparkle joyfully on Daugavpils.
9. At the Daugavpils Ice hall, you can enjoy the joy of skating with your family or friends.
Daugavpils Ice hall offers everyone the opportunity to improve your skating skills. Skating enthusiasts have the opportunity to enjoy skating with the stick.
10. Daugavpils invites you to enjoy an extensive holiday program that will delight both adults and children!
Until January 16, 2025, Daugavpils will mark the time of waiting and celebrating Christmas with various events and activities: from the lighting of the Advent wreath and the main holiday tree to Christmas and New Year, the celebrations of which, in anticipation of the 750th anniversary of Daugavpils, promise to be especially joyful and fun this time.
Information prepared by:
Department of Public Relations and Tourism of Daugavpils City Municipality
Tourist Service Centre
Phone: +371 65422818:
Mobile phone: +371 26444810
E-mail: turisms@daugavpils.lv
Web: www.visitdaugavpils.lv
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Daugavpils.travel
www.facebook.com/Daugavpils.Events
Instagram: www.instagram.com/daugavpils.travel
