Backpacking in Latvia - Karosta Former Naval Base
Reposted: May 10, 2020
Visiting the former Naval Base of Karosta in Latvia.
Karosta was constructed in 1890-1906 as a naval base for the Russian Tsar Alexander III and later served as a base for the Soviet Baltic Fleet.
This post has been rewritten for Nomadic Backpacker and is based on my travels to the Baltics in 2018
Karosta was a purpose-built port city. Construction began in 1890 and designed to be a fully autonomous zone with its own infrastructure, power plant, water supply and sewage system and hospital which was never used as such and became the prison.
Karosta Prison / Karosta Cietums
Karosta Prison was constructed around 1900, and it served as a prison for military personnel and has been used by the Soviets, Germans and the Latvian Navy and was in use until 1997.
I made a tour in the prison. They have made one part of the old prison into a hostel. Yes, you can stay overnight in a lock-up!
Up the coast a bit are the coastal defence bunkers or rather, ruins of. The best way to reach them is to take the coastal road going north and turn off to the mile-long breakwater and walk along the beach. The spots are located on google maps.
Karosta Prison was constructed around 1900, and it served as a prison for military personnel and has been used by the Soviets, Germans and the Latvian Navy and was in use until 1997.
I made a tour in the prison. They have made one part of the old prison into a hostel. Yes, you can stay overnight in a lock-up!
Up the coast a bit are the coastal defence bunkers or rather, ruins of. The best way to reach them is to take the coastal road going north and turn off to the mile-long breakwater and walk along the beach. The spots are located on google maps.
The St Nicholas Cathedral was built in 1901.
Karosta is a suburb of Liepaja. A town within a town, to the north. Allow a full day for exploring.
Karosta is a suburb of Liepaja. A town within a town, to the north. Allow a full day for exploring.
How to get to Liepaja:
Ecolines has 1 bus per day from Klaipeda to Liepaja departing at 18:10, arriving at 19:50. The fare is just 6.60€. And there is an earlier service at 10:50.
Latvian Railways runs 1 service a week from Riga to Liepaja on a Friday. Fare is 7.20€.
From Riga to Liepaja, and bus travel throughout the Baltics, you can find all the options for on Info Bus. This is a ticket agency, not the bus company so there is a mark up on all tickets but its listings are comprehensive. So armed with the time table, go the day before to the bus station and buy your ticket. Or book online with the relevant bus company. Prices vary with departure time and company running the service.
From Liepaja you can walk to Karosta.
