The Venta Rapid

The Venta Rapid is the widest waterfall in Europe, spanning a width of 650-820 feet (200-250 meters) depending on the season. However, if you’re picturing something along the lines of Niagara Falls or Iguazu Falls you will be very surprised. The height of this Latvian waterfall is only about 6 feet (less than 2 meters).

Thanks to its relatively squat height, the Venta Rapid (Ventas rumba in Latvian) is much less well-known than Europe’s famous drops. But it is no less a natural wonder. Visitors can enjoy walking along the width of the waterfall and even bathing in it. In spring and autumn, when spawning fish migrate upstream, you can watch from the banks as flying fish try to jump over the rapid.

Around 300 years ago, the Duke of Courland invented a technique to catch up to 100 salmon a day using baskets placed all along the waterfall. The neighbouring town, Kuldiga, grew in size as fishermen were drawn to the site. Today, Kuldiga is a beautiful town worth wandering around to admire its views of the waterfall and its quaint buildings. And it’s able to boast that it’s the only place in Europe where fish are caught right in the air.