Weekends are the best time to explore your own country, but every time there is the question – where should we go where we haven’t been yet? This weekend we discovered a place just 15 minutes away from the center of Riga called Bumbu Hill. This location has an impressive fire watch tower.

You can see the city (and the spooky shadows) on the left side of Daugava river as well as the nearby forest and houses.

Before coming here be mindful of the weather, as it is very windy at the top of the tower, above the trees, much windier that in the forest, so extra layers of clothing should be worn.

You can park almost at the tower and the location is also reachable by public transport (buses 36 and 56, stop “Bumbu kalniņš”).

Take into consideration that due to safety no more than five people are allowed at the tower at once, so if you would like to take pictures of the sunrise, arrive on time!

There were no other visitors on the day we came, probably because -20C is not for everyone!

People say you can even see the sea from here, but as the air was filled with icy fog, we didn’t see it this time.

Bumbu Hill is a historic location as the fights for freeing Riga took place here in 1919.

The little house above the tower is not accessible to visitors, the highest you get is the top platform.

All pictures by Jekabs Andrusaitis.