Jurmala’s historical part Kemeri (Bad Kemmern) was founded as a resort in 1838, when the Russian tsar Nikolay II gave this land for building the first bath-house with mineral water, from that time people started to come here for treatment.

Since in 1870 dr. Johann Christian Nordstrom built the first spa and started to use climate therapy, Jurmala became very popular among aristocratic society. More and more spas and resort clinics started to be founded, some of them up to this date with the original architecture create the unique atmosphere of Jurmala.

Jurmala is a unique resort because it combines three main factors: healthy climate (sea, pine forests, fresh air); mineral water springs (sulphur, bromine and natrium-chloride); healing muds (peat and sapropel).

A big treasure of city are natural resources located in its territory – ionized sea air and air of pine tree woods that is enriched with phytonicide, quartz sand on the beach, mineral waters (sulphur hydrogen, bromine and sodium chloride), healing turf and sapropel mud that improve mental and physical comfort, as well as contributes to recovery of health. Due to natural conditions and local natural healing resources, Jūrmala can be proud of having two kinds of resorts in one place – balneological and maritime climate resorts.

For busy people Jūrmala spa hotels, resort rehabilitation establishments and sanatoriums offer resort rehabilitation and SPA treatments, anti stress programs for reducing of tension and increasing working capacity. Combined courses offer to reach the best result in a short time. City’s resort establisments offer complex packages for treatment, recreation and rehabilitation that include physical therapy, physiotherapy, water gymnastics, different kinds of massage, air-climate therapy, thalassotherapy, salt rooms, horse riding therapy and other treatments, based on natural resources. These therapies have already more than 150-year old traditions.
Spending time in Jūrmala gives not only a positive effect on human organism, but also a spiritual wellbeing, resulting from the change of usual environment, a big quantity of sunlight, stay-away from the big city hustle, good sleep, peace and quietness, sports and meditation, as well as long walks along the beach and good food.