Daugpilis with children

Daugavpils is the second largest city in Latvia. He was visited by Jolita, one of the founders of “Kelionės su vaikais” (“Traveling with children”), with her family and quite unexpectedly in the region of Ignalina and in the land of Zarasai, because Latvia appears and the wonderful city of Daugavpils is right here on the Lithuanian-Latvian border.

Daugavpils is especially suitable for a weekend trip with children. Feel free to spend a few days in this city – you will definitely find what to see and do, and there is also a lot of entertainment.

Daugavpils with children: zoos and bat center

Daugavpils bat center

In Daugavpils fortress the second largest colony of wintering bats in the Baltic countries found its place. There is high humidity in the walls of the fortress, the walls retain moderate heat in winter, so there is a wide range of different microclimates throughout the fortress, where bats can find shelter depending on the coldness of winter and the direction of the wind.

In the exposition of the bat center, which is located at the Nikolaus gate of the Daugavpils fortress, you can see bat nests, a collection of postage stamps with bats, artworks with depicted bats, and learn about the way of life of bats and the surrounding environment. Photographs of bats living in the fortress and information materials and exhibits describing their way of life are exhibited.

More information with the exact coordinates of the bat center can be found in the “Travelling with children’s ®” Daugavpils sightseeing map.

Latgale Zoo

Near the historic city center is a small tropical oasis, home to a variety of exotic and local animals. This is the Latgale Zoo, where monkeys, meerkats, iguanas, ostriches, turtles, scorpions, colorful carp, tropical ants and many other inhabitants of the tropics and nature of Latvia live in an artificially created jungle. In the courtyard of the Latgale Zoo, you can visit a farm of wild mice, a real hobbit house for insects and spiders, and a town of European rabbits, where children can pet the zoo’s small rabbits and study their behavior.

More information with the exact coordinates of the zoo can be found in the map of Daugavpils attractions.

JuRita Mini Zoo

“JuRita Mini Zoo” is a great recreation place for families, where you can get to know various animals. You can see them, feed them with food bought in the zoo, talk with them. Here you can see alpacas, llamas, kangaroos, camels, fallow deer, small sheep, small goats , ponies, donkeys, horses, rabbits and other animals.

More information with the exact coordinates of the zoo can be found on the map of Daugavpils attractions.

Museums and exhibitions

Daugavpils fortress

Daugavpils fortress is a unique architectural and cultural historical monument of state significance, the area of ​​which is more than 150 ha. Daugavpils fortress is the last bastion-type fortress in the world. From a bird’s eye view, the fortress resembles the shape of a sun, a star, a turtle or even a bat. Today it is one of the most popular visited objects in Daugavpils.

More detailed information about the history of the fortress, its structure, the most popular places of interest and the vision of the future, as well as about planned events, can be obtained at the Culture and Information Center of the Daugavpils Fortress, Nikolaja Street 5. Here, visitors to the fortress can order guide services, pick up brochures, tourist maps of the fortress, and also get acquainted with a small exposition of history and an exposition of measuring vessels. During the active tourism season, the Kordeguard building is also open to visitors.

More information with the exact coordinates of the Daugavpils fortress can be found on our map of Daugavpils attractions.

Daugavpils Innovation Center

Science in a tangible and visible form: exhibits that make you look at things from a different, unusual point of view, engaging educational activities, unusual experiments, excursions for school groups and families, fun educational holiday parties.

More information with the exact coordinates of the Daugavpils Innovation Center can be found on the map of Daugavpils attractions.

Daugavpils clay art center

The Daugavpils Clay Art Center offers an opportunity to get acquainted with the cultural heritage of Latgale – the traditions of ceramics and pottery. Educational activities, master classes, demonstrations of potter’s work are organized here, and created works can be viewed. Manufactured products can be ordered and purchased. In the Clay Art Center, you can view the exhibition and watch the craftsmen at work. This is the only place in Latvia where you can get acquainted with tempered Baltic raku pottery, which is matured in the liquid of fermented rye flour.

Exhibition of military equipment

Military equipment is unique in that the objects in the collection are found on former battlefields and are professionally restored – some exhibits can be turned on and demonstrated. The tanks on display are believed to be one of the few such well-preserved exhibits of their type in Europe.

Here you can see the tanks of the Soviet army – medium tank T-34 and heavy tanks IS-2 and IS-2M, which are named in honor of Stalin, armored reconnaissance vehicles BRDM-2 and BRDM-1, military vehicles Jeep Willys and GAZ-67, self-propelled guns, guns and other technical units.

Daugavpils with children: entertainment

Daugavpils Tarzāns Adventure Park

In Daugavpils, near the beach of the Great Stropai lake located an object of active recreation tourism – adventure park “Daugavpils Tarzāns” with 9 obstacle courses, intended for active recreation for both adults and children.

The two green courses are intended for adults and children from six years of age and have 16 obstacles up to three meters high. The two Blue Tracks are equipped with relatively easy-to-overcome obstacles that are up to five meters above the ground. The red track is set at a height of 10 meters and includes everyone’s favorite “Tarzan’s Jump”, a flying skateboard and other breathtaking obstacles. And the Black course requires greater physical strength and courage, as the course is equipped with 14 obstacles of a high level of difficulty, which are placed up to 12 meters above the ground.

Parks and places of interest in Daugavpils

Central Park

Located near the bus station. This modern park is a green decoration of the city, with flowers and greenery as its accent. There is a children’s playground, a shooting range, a chess club, which houses the Museum of Chess and Checkers. In 2012, Suolelių alėja and the Tree of Love were installed in the park. Daugavpils Ice Hall is nearby.

More information with the exact coordinates of the park can be found on our map of Daugavpils attractions.

Stalkers Theme Park

The well-equipped park is located in a picturesque location on the Daugava coast, surrounded by a forest, in the territory of the “Daugavas loki” nature park. Various events can be organized in the park. There are children’s playgrounds, outdoor barbecues, tables, terraces, gazebos, etc. The recreation park can be visited by several groups of tourists at the same time – the recreation area is arranged so that several groups of tourists do not disturb each other. The forest park is equipped with unique objects in the form of a fortress. Tourists are given a great opportunity to get acquainted with the interesting things of the forest park and the mysterious history of its creation.

More information with the exact the coordinates of the park on the map of Daugavpils attractions.

ESPLANADO recreation park

Esplanada recreation park is the first bicycle park in the Baltic States, which is located in the city space on the territory of 4 hectares. It has several zones – a skate park, a paved bike track, an adventure track and a children’s zone – where you can enjoy your leisure time and develop and learn.

The park is adapted for 8 different means of movement – mtb, bmx, street bikes, balance bikes, skateboards, longboards, rollerblades and scooters. The territory is equipped with walking paths, which make this park popular with both city residents and guests.

More information with the exact coordinates of the park can be found on the map of Daugavpils attractions.

The central beach of Stropa Lake

Dydys Stropai Lake is the largest body of water in the city of Daugavpils, which gathers many vacationers in the summer season. The central beach of Great Stropai Lake is awarded the Blue Flag every year by the international Environmental Education Fund (FEE) for meeting the requirements of water quality, environmental protection and developed infrastructure.

The central beach area is equipped with various elements of recreation – a pedestrian promenade for walks, illuminated at night, an asphalt bicycle path, a playground with outdoor exercise equipment for lovers of an active lifestyle. Visitors can use the beach volleyball court, changing cabins, benches, parking and all facilities for free. Visitors to Central Beach can enjoy a unique pontoon structure on the lake, which includes a “lake promenade” section, a 25-meter outdoor pool with 4 lanes, a diving tower and a children’s pool with a recreation area with umbrellas and deck chairs, which can be used free of charge.

More information with the exact coordinates  of the beach can be found on our map of Daugavpils attractions.

Riga pedestrian street and Dubrovin Park

You can have a nice walk along the pedestrian street all the way to a very beautiful park with an impressive fountain. The park is a favorite recreation spot for the townspeople. On sweltering summer days, everyone can cool off from the heat at the big fountain, and in the evenings, admire the wonderful play of light and water.

More information with the exact coordinates of the park can be found on the map of Daugavpils attractions.

Daugavpils with children – where to eat

Specialized cafe for children SANMARI

A bright and cozy cafe for children, where everyone can feel like they are in a fairy tale. Children’s menu with a wide range of dishes. Parents will also be able to enjoy the food. This cafe was the main reason why we didn’t get to see many of Daugavpils’ attractions, because it was very difficult to get the children interested in other interesting objects, when there is a fairy house, a slide and an interactive floor game, and even when there weren’t many children – all the entertainment was just for us.

More information with the exact coordinates  of the cafe can be found in the Daugavpils sightseeing map.

Family restaurant “SKOVOROTKA”

The family restaurant “SkovoroTka” is located in the very center of Daugavpils. The restaurant serves Eastern European cuisine and wonderful signature dishes. The menu also includes dishes for vegetarians and vegans, as well as dishes for people with special dietary needs who cannot consume products containing lactose and gluten.

There is a children’s play area.

More information with the exact coordinates of the restaurant can be found in the Daugavpils attractions map.

Cafe “LUNA”

Cozy and stylish cafe “Luna” in the very center of the city. The largest assortment of coffee drinks in the city.

Pizzas, sandwiches, Belgian waffles, salads, main courses and desserts.

A children’s menu is available for children. There is also a children’s play corner.

More information with the exact coordinates of the cafe can be found on the Daugavpils sightseeing map.

Daugavpils with children – where to live

Hotel in the recreation complex “Sanmari”

The complex is also located in the children’s cafe “Bērnu pasaka”, which includes a children’s play corner and an interactive floor.

The resort has a spa center, swimming pool, Turkish/steam room, sauna and fitness room. There is a free parking lot next to the recreation complex.

We found the cheapest accommodation in the Sanmari Hotel in our partner Booking.com system.

Booking.com

Thanks to our friends Visit Daugavpils for information and photos of objects that we did not have time to visit ourselves.

If you want to visit Latvia with children, it will be useful for you to read our tips here: Riga with children.

This article is author’s work and was prepared by “Traveling with Children ®”. Copying and using without permission is strictly prohibited.

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