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Daugavpils
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Daugavpils blends a grand fortress, Latgalian culture, Rothko’s art, Orthodox church domes and riverside parks in Latvia’s southeastern city.

A Borderland City with Many Voices

Daugavpils stands in southeastern Latvia on the Daugava River, close to the borders with Lithuania and Belarus. Latvia’s second-largest city has a distinctly Latgalian character, shaped by centuries of Polish-Lithuanian, Russian, Jewish, Belarusian and Latvian cultural influences. The result is a place of broad streets, historic churches, Russian-influenced urban architecture and a multilingual public life that differs noticeably from Riga.
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Fortress, Art and Architecture

The city’s defining monument is Daugavpils Fortress, an extensive nineteenth-century military complex whose bastions, gates and residential quarters form an unusual urban landscape. Within it, the Mark Rothko Art Centre honours the Daugavpils-born painter through exhibitions and creative programmes. Nearby Church Hill gathers four significant places of worship, including Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches, while the pedestrianised section of Rīgas Street leads through the central area towards Vienības laukums and the Unity House.

Latgale Beyond the Centre

Daugavpils is also a useful base for discovering Latgale, Latvia’s lake-rich eastern region known for pottery, religious heritage and gently wooded landscapes. Within the city, Dubrovin Park and the Daugava riverbanks provide quieter contrasts to the fortress, while the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre and local museums reveal a cultural life that reaches well beyond the city’s military past. Exploring on foot brings together monumental history, Soviet-era traces, restored public spaces and the everyday rhythms of a regional centre.

When is the best time to visit Daugavpils?

Best: June–August · 22–23°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January020
February116
March312
April119
May198
June (best)238
July (best)238
August (best)229
September1711
October1115
November419
December121

Getting to and around Daugavpils

How to get there

Daugavpils is connected to Riga by road and long-distance rail, with Daugavpils railway station serving as the principal rail gateway. Trains and buses also link the city with other Latvian centres and with destinations in the wider eastern Baltic region, although international services and schedules can change. The nearest major scheduled passenger airport is Riga International Airport, from which travellers generally continue by road or rail; Daugavpils does not function as Latvia’s main commercial aviation gateway. Regional roads provide access from Lithuania and Belarus, but border requirements and crossing conditions should be checked separately before travel.

Transportation

Daugavpils’s central sights are manageable on foot, although the fortress lies west of the main central streets and may require a longer walk or local transport. City buses serve the centre, residential districts and outlying areas, while taxis are available for journeys where walking is less practical. Rīgas Street, parts of the central area and several public spaces are suited to pedestrian exploration. Winter weather can make pavements slippery, and the fortress’s extensive grounds include uneven surfaces. Visitors driving into the city should allow extra time to understand parking arrangements around the centre and fortress.

Best attractions in Daugavpils

Daugavpils Fortress is the city’s largest sightseeing area, with monumental ramparts, gates, former military buildings and long streets that reveal the scale of nineteenth-century imperial planning. The Mark Rothko Art Centre inside the fortress presents the work and legacy of the Daugavpils-born artist alongside changing exhibitions. In the centre, the pedestrian section of Rīgas Street leads towards Vienības laukums, the Unity House and Dubrovin Park, where broad lawns and mature trees provide a quieter urban setting. Church Hill brings together four different Christian traditions in a compact group of striking buildings, while the Daugavpils Regional Studies and Art Museum offers context on Latgale, local history and visual culture. The Daugava riverbanks and nearby walking areas add open views to a city otherwise defined by streets, public squares and fortress walls.

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Best landmarks in Daugavpils

Daugavpils Fortress is the city’s defining landmark, an unusually extensive military ensemble of bastions, defensive walls, gates and nineteenth-century buildings created under the Russian Empire. Its scale explains Daugavpils’s strategic importance more clearly than any single monument. Church Hill offers a striking architectural group: the Orthodox Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedral, the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, Martin Luther Cathedral and the Church of the Resurrection and Saint Nicholas, associated with Old Believer tradition. In the centre, Vienības House represents the civic ambitions of inter-war Latvia and remains an important public building. The red-brick Daugavpils railway station reflects the city’s nineteenth-century transport expansion, while the streets around Rīgas Street and the Daugava preserve layers of imperial, inter-war and Soviet urban development.

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Best restaurants in Daugavpils

Daugavpils’s dining scene reflects Latgale’s position between Latvian, Russian, Belarusian and Polish cultural worlds. Menus may include hearty soups, potatoes, pork, mushrooms, grains, pickled produce and rye bread, while Latgalian home cooking is often less formal and more substantial than the lighter restaurant cuisine associated with Riga. Latgalian ceramics and rural traditions remain closely connected to food culture, particularly in the presentation of baked and oven-cooked dishes. The central streets contain cafés, bakeries and straightforward restaurants serving Latvian and international food, while markets provide opportunities to see seasonal produce, preserves and smoked goods. Russian and Belarusian influences are also visible in dumplings, pancakes, pastries and savoury dishes, though offerings vary between establishments. Food businesses tend to be concentrated around the centre rather than divided into a separate restaurant quarter.

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Best bars in Daugavpils

Daugavpils has a modest evening scene centred on the city centre rather than a large, concentrated club district. Cafés, pubs and bars around the central streets provide places for relaxed drinks, conversation and occasional live entertainment, while the Unity House and Daugavpils Theatre contribute a more cultural dimension through concerts, performances and scheduled events. The city’s multilingual population gives evening life a distinctly eastern Latvian character, with Russian and Latvian cultural programming both present. Nightclubs and late venues may operate on a smaller scale than in Riga, and activity can vary considerably by season and event calendar. Visitors seeking a quieter evening can combine a performance with a walk through illuminated central streets, while those looking for later entertainment should check current local listings rather than assume regular opening patterns.

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Best nightclubs in Daugavpils

Daugavpils has a modest evening scene centred on the city centre rather than a large, concentrated club district. Cafés, pubs and bars around the central streets provide places for relaxed drinks, conversation and occasional live entertainment, while the Unity House and Daugavpils Theatre contribute a more cultural dimension through concerts, performances and scheduled events. The city’s multilingual population gives evening life a distinctly eastern Latvian character, with Russian and Latvian cultural programming both present. Nightclubs and late venues may operate on a smaller scale than in Riga, and activity can vary considerably by season and event calendar. Visitors seeking a quieter evening can combine a performance with a walk through illuminated central streets, while those looking for later entertainment should check current local listings rather than assume regular opening patterns.

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Best shops in Daugavpils

Shopping in Daugavpils is concentrated around the central streets, shopping centres and the Central Market, where everyday groceries and seasonal produce provide a more local experience than a conventional souvenir shop. Visitors may find rye bread, honey, preserves, herbal products, smoked foods and other Latvian specialities, subject to the season and individual vendor. Latgale is particularly associated with ceramics, and handmade pottery, small decorative pieces and folk-inspired crafts are among the most distinctive purchases connected with the region. The centre also contains practical retailers, bakeries, cafés and independent businesses, while larger commercial centres offer standard clothing and household brands. Rīgas Street and surrounding central blocks are useful for browsing at a pedestrian pace, with the market better suited to observing ordinary shopping habits and regional produce than to browsing luxury goods.

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Daugavpils essentials

Currency and Payment
Latvia uses the euro, with the currency code EUR. Cards and contactless payments are widely used in hotels, larger shops, museums and many restaurants, but smaller cafés, market stalls and independent vendors may prefer cash or have minimum card-payment requirements. ATMs are available in the city centre and around major commercial areas. International visitors should check whether their bank applies foreign-exchange or cash-withdrawal charges, and it is sensible to keep a modest amount of euros for buses, small purchases and places where electronic payment is not available.
Safety
Daugavpils is generally approached with the ordinary precautions appropriate to a regional European city. Keep phones, wallets and bags secure in crowded buses, station areas, markets and busy public events, and take care when walking alone late at night in quiet or poorly lit areas. The fortress is a large open complex rather than a single controlled attraction, so visitors should remain aware of traffic, uneven ground and changes in weather. Follow local guidance around derelict or restricted buildings, and use licensed or clearly identifiable taxis when travelling after dark.
Emergency Situations
The national emergency number in Latvia is 112, which connects callers with the appropriate police, fire and rescue, or medical emergency service. Police can also be reached on 110, while 113 is used for emergency medical assistance and 114 for the State Fire and Rescue Service. Operators may be able to assist in languages used by international visitors, but explaining the location clearly is important, particularly inside the extensive fortress. Carry identification and relevant travel-insurance details, and ask hotel or accommodation staff to help with non-urgent medical or translation needs.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress modestly and behave quietly when entering Daugavpils’s churches, remembering that they remain active places of worship rather than simply architectural sights; ask before photographing services or worshippers. Treat the fortress, cemeteries and Holocaust memorial sites with respect, and do not enter marked restricted or unsafe structures. In cafés and restaurants, tipping is discretionary rather than a fixed legal requirement, with a modest amount for good service appreciated. On public transport, allow passengers to exit before boarding and keep voices low. Daugavpils is multilingual, so a polite greeting in Latvian is welcome even when conversation continues in another language.
Local Tips
The central area is easiest to understand by linking Vienības laukums, Rīgas Street, Dubrovin Park and Church Hill in one walking route, then setting aside separate time for the fortress. Latgale’s cultural identity is especially visible in ceramics, religious art and regional food traditions, so local museums and craft displays can add context to the principal monuments. The Daugava riverbanks offer a change of pace from the built-up centre, while excursions beyond the city are best planned separately because rural attractions are dispersed. Public information and cultural programming may appear in Latvian and Russian as well as English.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloSveiki[svay-kee]
GoodbyeUz redzēšanos[ooz rehd-zay-shah-nohs]
YesJā[yah]
NoNē[nay]
Please/You're welcomeLūdzu[lood-zoo]
Thank youPaldies[pahl-dyehs]
Excuse me/SorryAtvainojiet[aht-vay-noh-yet]
How are you?Kā jums klājas?[kah yooms klah-yahs]
Fine. And you?Labi. Un jums?[lah-bee oon yooms]
Do you speak English?Vai jūs runājat angļu valodā?[vai yoos roo-nah-yat ahng-loo vah-loh-dah]
I don't understandEs nesaprotu[ehs nay-sah-proh-too]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseEs vēlētos redzēt ēdienkarti, lūdzu[ehs vay-leh-tohs rehd-zayt ay-dyehn-kahr-tee, lood-zoo]
I don't eat meatEs nēēdu gaļu[ehs nay-ay-doo gah-loo]
Cheers!Priekā![pree-eh-kah]
I would like to pay, pleaseEs vēlētos samaksāt, lūdzu[ehs vay-leh-tohs sah-mahk-saht, lood-zoo]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Palīdzība![pah-lee-dzee-bah]
Go away!Aiziet prom![eye-zyeht prohm]
Call the Police!Saukt policiju![sowkt poh-lee-tsee-yoo]
Call a doctor!Saukt ārstu![sowkt ahr-stoo]
I'm lostEs esmu pazudis[ehs ehs-moo pah-zoo-dees]
I'm illMan ir slimība[mahn eer sleem-ee-bah]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Es vēlētos pirkt...[ehs vay-leh-tohs peerkt]
I'm just lookingEs tikai skatos[ehs tee-kah-ee skah-tos]
How much is it?Cik tas maksā?[tsik tahs mahk-sah]
That's too expensiveTas ir pārāk dārgs[tahs eer pah-rahk dahrgs]
Can you lower the price?Vai jūs varat pazemināt cenu?[vai yoos vah-raht pah-zeh-meh-naht tseh-noo]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Cik ir pulkstenis?[tsik eer poolk-steh-nees]
It's one o'clockIr viens pulkstenis[eer vyens poolk-steh-nees]
Half past (10)Pusdesmit[poos-deh-smeet]
MorningRīts[reets]
AfternoonPēcpusdienā[paych-poos-dyeh-nah]
EveningVakars[vah-kahrs]
YesterdayVakar[vah-kahr]
TodayŠodien[shoh-dyehn]
TomorrowRīt[reet]
1Viena[vyeh-nah]
2Divi[dee-vee]
3Trīs[trees]
4Četri[cheh-tree]
5Pieci[pyeh-tsee]
6Seši[seh-shi]
7Septiņi[sehp-teen-yee]
8Astoņi[ahs-toh-nyee]
9Deviņi[dehv-nyee]
10Desmit[dehs-meet]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Kur ir ...?[koor eer]
What's the address?Kāda ir adrese?[kah-dah eer ah-dreh-seh]
Can you show me (on the map)?Vai jūs varat mani parādīt (uz kartes)?[vai yoos vah-raht mah-nee pah-rah-deet ooz kahr-tes]
When's the next (bus)?Kad ir nākamais (autobuss)?[kahd eer nah-kah-mah-ees ow-toh-boos]
A ticket (to ....)Bilete (uz ....)[bee-leh-teh ooz]

History of Daugavpils

Early Latgalian Settlement

The Daugava valley around present-day Daugavpils formed part of the historic Latgale region, where Baltic communities developed settlements, agriculture and trading links long before the emergence of the modern city. The river was an important route through the eastern Baltic, connecting inland territories with wider commercial networks. Local society was shaped by contact between Baltic peoples and neighbouring Slavic communities, while Christianity and changing political authority gradually altered the region’s cultural landscape. Although much of the visible city dates from later centuries, this early setting explains Daugavpils’s enduring position as a meeting point between eastern and western cultural worlds.

Dinaburg and Livonian Rule

In 1275, the Livonian Order established Dinaburg Castle on the Daugava, creating a fortified centre from which it could control movement through the region. The original castle stood near the present settlement of Vecpils, upstream from modern Daugavpils, and was repeatedly drawn into conflicts between the Livonian Order and neighbouring powers. A later castle and settlement developed closer to the site of the present city. The name Dinaburg remained associated with the town for centuries, surviving changes in political rule and language. Its strategic location made military security, rather than urban comfort, the central concern of the emerging settlement.

Polish-Lithuanian Daugavpils

After the Livonian War, the town became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1561 and was incorporated into the Duchy of Livonia. King Stephen Báthory granted Daugavpils town privileges in 1582, helping to formalise its civic status and commercial role. The town occupied a frontier position within the Commonwealth and served as an administrative and military centre in Latgale. War continued to shape its fortunes: Swedish forces captured it during the seventeenth century, and a Russian siege in 1656 caused severe destruction. The following decades brought reconstruction, religious change and the gradual consolidation of a multi-confessional population.

Imperial Fortress and Industrial Growth

The First Partition of Poland in 1772 brought Daugavpils into the Russian Empire, where it became known as Dvinsk. Its strategic importance increased sharply after the Napoleonic Wars, and the Russian authorities built the vast Daugavpils Fortress between 1810 and 1878, with interruptions and modifications over time. The fortress remains the city’s most important architectural inheritance. Railways reached Daugavpils in the nineteenth century, linking it to Riga, Vitebsk and other parts of the empire. Improved transport encouraged trade, industry and population growth, while Jewish, Russian, Polish, Belarusian, Latvian and German communities contributed to the city’s commercial and cultural life.

War, Independence and Occupation

The First World War severely disrupted Daugavpils, and the city became involved in the political upheavals that followed the collapse of the Russian Empire. In 1920, it was incorporated into the newly independent Republic of Latvia and adopted its Latvian name, Daugavpils. The inter-war period brought civic development but also reflected the tensions of a border city with a mixed population. During the Second World War, Daugavpils was occupied first by the Soviet Union and then by Nazi Germany, and its Jewish community was almost entirely destroyed in the Holocaust. Soviet reoccupation in 1944 led to major demographic and industrial changes.

Soviet City and Contemporary Identity

Under Soviet rule, Daugavpils expanded as an industrial and transport centre, with new housing districts and factories reshaping the historic urban fabric. Russian became dominant in much of public life, while the city’s older Latvian, Latgalian, Polish, Belarusian and Jewish legacies remained important parts of its identity. Latvia restored independence in 1991, and Daugavpils subsequently faced the economic pressures affecting many post-industrial regional cities. Since then, restoration of the fortress, investment in public spaces and the creation of the Mark Rothko Art Centre have strengthened its cultural profile. The city today reflects layered imperial, Soviet and Latvian histories rather than a single historical narrative.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Daugavpils

Explore Daugavpils like a local with Evendo, a 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more. Make the most of your trip now!

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Discover Daugavpils with Evendo, the ultimate free travel guide app. Find attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and book hotels, tours, and experiences—all in one place.

  • History of Daugavpils and travel essentials
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Imagine arriving in Daugavpils, Latvia, with a guide that not only tells you where to go but also how to get there and what to expect. Evendo, the free app-based travel guide, does exactly that and more. With detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities, Evendo is your one-stop solution for exploring Daugavpils.

Visit iconic landmarks like the Daugavpils Fortress, the Church Hill with its beautiful churches, and the Mark Rothko Art Centre. Discover hidden gems and local favorites such as the Latgale Zoo and the Dubrovin Park. Craving a culinary adventure? Evendo guides you to top-rated restaurants like Gubernators and Sokoladna, ensuring you experience the best of Daugavpils' cuisine.

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The app also includes features like the history of Daugavpils, travel essentials, and tons of local advice to ensure you get the most out of your visit. With the 'Near Me' feature, you can effortlessly find what’s around you, making navigation through the city a breeze. Evendo also covers over 7,000 other destinations worldwide, so your next adventure is just a tap away.

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