The Tour4Youth project is a team effort between Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Kurzeme Planning Region and Pärnumaa Vocational Education Centre, funded by the Interreg Central Baltic programme. In general, Interreg programmes support the integration of border areas and wider, cross-border cooperation areas, as well as the creation and strengthening of networks between regions and cities. (“Interreg programmes | Structural funds”).
The Tour4Youth project supports young people between 15 to 24 years of age by offering career opportunities in the fields of tourism, hospitality and restaurant sector by providing career management skills, personal coaching, career counselling and opportunities via internships and employment events such as recruitment fairs and online events. The aim is to provide sustainable, quality careers for the youth in the field.
The Tour4Youth project group had a project follow-up meeting in May 2024 in a municipality called Kuldīga, in Kurzeme (Courland) region of Latvia. Spring was catching up after a long winter so quickly, that it seemed like we jumped from winter straight to summer when travelling from Pori in Finland to Riga in Latvia. Our entourage included our project manager Tiina, project experts Jenna and Teija and tourism lecturer Jonna.
We took off with a small plane from the tiny airport of Pori to Helsinki early in the morning and arrived in Riga only a few hours later, but our journey was just beginning. From Riga bus station a bus ride towards the medieval city began. We travelled through the beautiful and serene region of Jūrmala and probably all of us wondered in awe, how charming it would be to be here on a vacation and take a rest by the seaside on a beach after the dark winter. I was amazed just how close to Riga and easily accessible this paradise is and how I hadn’t fully acknowledged its existence before now. After all, Jūrmala has been famous for its spas and vacation destinations already from the 19th century.
The bus ride took over 3 hours, but the scenery was beautiful; it resembled the Finnish countryside a lot, but at the same time it was somehow different. When you take a bus from Pori to Helsinki, it takes about the same time as from Riga to Kuldīga, but in Finland the route goes through highways. Here we got to see small and unique villages, green and yellow fields, cows on the field and local people living their lives. Tourist season had not yet begun, so we had the perfect timing to visit the country.
When we arrived in our hotel in the afternoon, we experienced once again similarities to our Satakunta towns. This time especially Old Rauma, an UNESCO world heritage site from 1991. Old Rauma is the largest well preserved wooden built city district in the Nordic countries. Kuldīga old town has been selected in 2023 to UNESCO’s list. The old town has sustained the sands of time better than Latvia’s other medieval cities, and its history dates to the beginning of the 13th century. You can instantly feel calm and peaceful while strolling on the main street of the old city, admiring the architecture, window frames, beautiful churches, bridges, water elements and the atmosphere.
On the first evening we visited the Venta Rapids, the widest waterfall in Europe (about 240 m). The river itself is called Venta and the waterfall rumbling across it, is named Ventas Rumba. As the waterfall is long in width, but not in height, wanderers can go and wade on the waterfall itself, or even take a refreshing shower under its cooling currents. You can best see the Rumba from a massive brick bridge, longest of the sort in Europe by the way.
Ventas Rumba is also known to be a pitstop for shoals of fish travelling up the river, but unfortunately, the time when the fish wonder upstream to mate had already passed. This sight would have been lovely to witness up close, but now it was left to another time.
Later we had dinner at a restaurant, and discovered we were sitting above The Alekšupīte canal. The canal was not much wider than the Rauma River back home, but it flowed through the old city right by the houses – and even under them.
We got to keep the project meetings close to the town hall and next to the tourism information centre in the heart of the old town. It was pleasant to meet our project partners face to face and get to work together as a team pitching ideas and brainstorming. We had good insights on how young people respond to counselling in the project in different countries. Encouraging, guiding and sometimes gentle pushing is required in each country, however, each case has its nuances and might need tailoring.
The meeting days went by quickly, and the evenings even quicker, but luckily, we got a guided tour from KPR project manager Aija, where she told us more about the wonders of the old town.
After the last meeting day was over, and after taking the three hours bus drive in afternoon traffic, we arrived back to Riga. After quickly rallying our strength, we summoned the troops for dinner in the old town and to watch the gut-wrenching hockey game between two mortal enemies: Finland and Sweden. Sadly, the suspenseful match ended to our disappointment in the Finnish team’s agonizing defeat. The pub accommodated both Swedes and Finns, who coexisted in peace, respectfully but loudly during the game.
Riga old town is also found in the UNESCO World Heritage site list since 1997. Riga has been the major centre and port for the Hanseatic league and its history starts from the beginning of the 13th century. The core of the city dates back to medieval times, built and maintained through centuries with respect to the stunning architecture and cultural heritage.
We had an opportunity to briefly explore the wonders of the streets before heading to the airport on our last day in Latvia. Being in a big city however was not as calm as in Kuldīga, as the tourists had already found their way there. Probably they thought the same about the picture snapping Finnish women. A longing to visit Latvia again was left within our hearts.
Travelling back home took a bit longer than arriving due to delayed flights and longer waiting periods, but back in Pori we discovered spring had arrived in Finland too. Consequently, we were greeted by a mellow spring rain, which had luckily watered the plants. Next, the same entourage travels to a Tour4Youth project meeting to Estonia in the fall.
Meanwhile, we continue doing our best to support young people reaching employment. If you fit to the category, or you have vacancies for internships, please be in contact via website https://tour4youth.eu/ and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TourForYouth.
Until next time!
Text: Teija Nuurma, Researcher, SAMK Center for Tourism Business Development
Pictures: Jenna Turpeinen, Teija Nuurma and Jonna Huuhka