People don’t come to Talsi for the sights, but for the city’s special atmosphere. Between the nine hills and small lakes wind cozy streets with small old houses and lamplight cafes. They can lead you to a 16th century Lutheran church, or to a colorful cemetery with many ancient graves, or to the central lake where you can go boating, or even to a mysterious house with strange sculptures in the windows. In general, Talsi is a very multifaceted city where everyone will find something to their taste.
The best view of the city
Talsi is called the city of nine hills. They give the city the charm that people fall in love with at first sight and then return here again and again.
One of the best views of the main sights and the lake is from Sauleskalns Hill. It’s easily recognized by the large, three-dimensional letters that represent the town’s name. Best of all, there’s the Chimney Cake House, a street-side cafe with a decent selection of reasonably priced food at the top. Warning: there’s a good chance you’ll be constantly harassed by an extremely cheeky bird, which has become a local landmark. During the cold season the cafe stops working.
Learn about history and buy rarities for next to nothing
There is a small and very cozy museum on Kārļa Mīlenbaha 19 in Talsi. Even if you’ve been here before, we recommend visiting again, as the exposition is regularly updated and there are temporary exhibitions.
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An important feature of this museum is the large number of old catalogs at very low prices. The Neighborhood editorial staff has traveled to many cities in Latvia, but rarely have they seen such abundance. Here you can easily buy a color catalog of an exhibition that took place a few years ago for only 50 cents. The average cost of printed publications in the local museum shop varies from 1.5 to 3 euros. A real treasure trove for Latvian art lovers, because where else will you find such prices?
Socio-cultural meeting place
In the summer of 2022, a new cultural space KURTE opened in Talsi on Baznīcas Square, 3. Here you can listen to music, taste original dishes, visit exhibitions or look at books. It is located in a very convenient place, in the very center of the city, but it is not open every day. You can follow the schedule of events on Facebook.
Strange coat of arms
The peculiar image on Talsi’s coat of arms is sometimes interpreted in a joking manner: a zombie’s hand climbing out of the ground, holding its tombstone wreath. In fact, it’s not so scary: the green hillock is not a grave, but one of the nine hills on which the city stands, and the hand with the oak wreath symbolizes strength and tradition.
In 2021, the artist Katrīna Vīnerte created a sculpture depicting this coat of arms. Her work adorned Sauleskalns Hill for a while, but in 2023 it was moved to the park at the Talsi Region Museum. Apparently, so many people were taking pictures with it that a more secluded place had to be found.
Where to eat
Walking along Lielā Street you will certainly notice a cozy courtyard with tables and hanging lanterns — this is one of the most colorful restaurants in the city. The restaurant Pannas has a large selection of dishes and a cozy interior, which fully corresponds to the lamp atmosphere of the city. The menu is available here.
What about coffee?
There are quite a few coffee shops on the city center streets, but one of them is especially appreciated among locals. If you come to Talsi for a few hours and walk only around the main tourist spots, you may not even notice this iconic place — Piena Sēta. It is located at Kalna 10, the site of a dairy factory whose products are sold in almost all supermarkets in the country.
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A wooden bridge leads to the small cafe and terrace, which makes it even more cozy. Inside there is a chamber room and pastel-colored interior with several tables and a large counter. Here you can taste exceptionally fresh cakes and buns, as well as several types of coffee. If you’re not too keen on sweets, the café also offers locally produced dairy products.
The romance of disc golf
This sport is popular in the Baltic States. Almost every more or less large settlement in Latvia has an equipped disc-golf course. Brief rules of the game: the winner is the one who reaches the final basket for the smallest number of disk throws. Natural obstacles such as trees, hills and bodies of water are important parts of the game. For this reason, disc golf courses are most often found in city parks.
Not far from the romantic Sauleskalns Hill and the city’s bandstand, there is the Deviņkalnu Disku Golfa Parks, a large sports ground named after the city’s nine hills. It is one of the best places in the country where you can comfortably play and learn the rules of disc golf if you are a beginner.
Where to stay overnight
Many people who come to Talsi for just a few hours decide to stay longer. The city is so romantic that you don’t just want to walk around and look at its cute houses, you want to spend the night in one of them. There is a secluded corner on Kalēju Street 2, where small apartments Kalēju ielas rezidence are located. Just take a look at this place and you will fall in love with it at first sight.
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facebook.com/kalejuielasrezidence
Where to get inspiration for your trip
If all of the above isn’t enough to make you want to drop everything and immediately go and admire Talsi in the fall, then be sure to check out one of the most enjoyable Instagram pages — @talsu_apkartne. It is run by a native of these parts, who now lives in Riga, but often comes to visit her hometown. She tries to keep her profile anonymous so as not to draw attention to her personal life. By the way, in addition to the cozy streets and wonderful views of nature, there are often kitties, of which there are many in Talsi.
