Music workshop

MAGICAL SOUNDS OF THE KOKLE - LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT

MAGICAL SOUNDS OF THE KOKLE - LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT

Approx. 3 hours

Riga, Latvia

May - September

Start time: 11 am

Program

Are you curious about exploring local folk music and instruments all around the world? Then this workshop is for you! A local folk musician will introduce you to the kokle, a traditional Latvian string instrument. Latvians have a saying that the kokle is given to us by God, but the bagpipes – by the Devil. It will take only a few seconds to understand why we say that. We can assure you that the kokle has one of the purest, most magical, and calming sounds among all the instruments you have ever heard. You will have an opportunity to lure out some ancient melodies from the kokle by yourself.

You will meet the musician at the entrance of the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia and then choose the best place for the workshop according to the weather – either in the pine forest, or under a roof of one of the buildings. In the beginning the folk musician will provide you with a short background of the kokle history and different types of the instrument. Then the magical sounds of the kokle will cast a spell on you while she plays a few songs. But later – it will be your turn to play! The folk musician will teach you the basics of the kokle and up to three simple, but beautiful Latvian folk songs. Do not worry, you do not need to have any previous experience in playing music, although the ability to read sheet notes would be useful (but is not required).

Meeting point

You will meet the folk musician at the entrance of the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia, and she will take care of the tickets. You can get there from the city center by bus No1 (direction of Berģuciems). The timetable is available here: https://saraksti.rigassatiksme.lv/index.html#bus/1/a-b/map/en. You should get out at the bus stop “Brīvdabas muzejs”. The entrance of the museum is located 5 minutes from the bus stop.

Please fill out the form to request the experience

Foto gallery

Private tour price

For 1 person – €100 (the maximum participant number is one)

Included

The kokle playing workshop in English
Entrance ticket for the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia.

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What travelers say about us

Angela B

2026-01-02

I booked the Trakai snowshoeing tour. This company did a great job communicating with me leading up to the tour date. Unfortunately there wasn't enough snow for snowshoeing so they arranged a hike instead. Tomas was a great guide. He provided a lot of interesting information during both the walk/hike and the tour of Trakai. He was also so kind as to bring tea (which was great on such a cold day) and Šakotis (very delicious), which we enjoyed after walking through the trails at Varnikai Forest. If I am in the Baltic region again, I would definitely consider another tour with Baltic Nature Travel. Thanks for a great time!

Rob and Natalie

2025-10-08

Baltic Nature Travel (BNT) did an outstanding job organizing our 17 day self-driving tour through Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania in Sept. 2025. Every detail was carefully planned and implemented - transportation from & to the airport and ferry; rental car delivered to our hotel; personal guides in the capital cities. The hotels were in excellent locations and often family owned, with great breakfasts included. The trip was designed so that we spent two nights at several places, which made pace of our trip just right. Two hotel had saunas and pools - a good respite. Our trip included urban and rural experiences, lots of opportunity for walking and exploring. As American visitors, we appreciated the reception we received from local residents and the fluent English spoken by most. BNT has our very highest recommendation.

Micha Wierdsma

2025-09-28

We had booked the Best of Ķemeri National Park tour. We had an amazing day together with Rolands. He picked us up right on schedule, and in the car his enthusiasm for the tour was immediately apparent! He told us all about the day, about what we could expect. The tour exceeded all our expectations, it was truly beautiful. Rolands was very informative, told us all about the area, the history, the nature. Not only did we enjoy the hiking and breathing in the fresh air, we also learned some very interesting things! Rolands was very friendly and talkative and we could ask all the questions we want, even about the Latvian language and traditions. He was also very helpfull, when my wife had trouble with some paths, he helped her. Even when she stubbed her toe, it didn't take any joy out of the day.

Julie Grewe

2025-09-22

Our family had the privilege of working with Valdis and his company Baltic Nature Travel, both as our travel planner and guide for what became the most significant, symbolic, and memorable trip of our lives - a family heritage discovery journey through Latvia. Valdis brought Latvia to life for our family in a way we will never forget. From the very beginning, he thoughtfully prepared an itinerary that balanced cultural highlights with deeply personal experiences. He went out of his way to make phone calls and track down historical places in the countryside - sites that were far off the beaten path - so we could walk the same roads our ancestors once did. Because of his dedication, we were able to visit the towns our relatives grew up in, stand in the schools they attended, and step into the very churches where they were married. These moments were profoundly moving and would not have been possible without his diligence and care. Beyond the heritage aspect, Valdis ensured that every detail of our journey was seamless. He made restaurant reservations, arranged impeccable hotel accommodations, comfortable transport, and found us the most wonderful driver, Aldis, whose skill, kindness, and courtesy elevated the entire experience. Both Valdis and Aldis were not only professional, conscientious and gracious at every turn, but they quickly became trusted companions - friends we now consider part of our extended family. We could not recommend Valdis and Baltic Nature Travel more highly. From the first time we were in contact, until our trip was over, Valdis truly took care of us. For anyone seeking assistance or guidance in their travels to Latvia or across the Baltic States, I would choose Valdis a hundred times over. His passion, knowledge and personal touch transformed our trip into something truly unforgettable. -Julie Birznieks

Joan Burns

2025-09-15

Our road trip through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was outstanding! Baltic Nature Travel made it easy by suggesting the itinerary, choosing accommodations and arranging car rental. They provide great advice on things to do, places to eat and they were happy to make special arrangements to personalize our experience. A first-rate company!

Hodo the Frobbit

2025-09-12

We had the most amazing trip hiking through the Gauja national park. Valdis at Baltic Nature Travel was absolutely brilliant. He made planning the holiday incredibly easy, and was always on hand to answer any questions we had. If I could rate the experience ten stars, I would.

Jessica Dickstein

2025-09-01

I would highly recommend Valdis and Baltic Nature Travel for a trip to Estonia and Helsinki. I worked with Valdis over a few weeks to plan a custom trip for my family - including a toddler and our parents. He was very easy to communicate with and helped me plan the perfect trip for 12 days - the quality of the guides was fantastic and the itinerary was well planned for self drive. We absolutely loved Estonia and everything we were able to see and on our grand adventure!

ellen drost

2025-08-30

Odense Carolinekilde Rotary klub is very satisfied with our experience in Riga and Jurmala. Everything was well organized. Good restaurants. Our guide Rita was very skilles with great knowledge and serviceminded. She spoke very understandable English. We really liked her personality. We give your company the bedst recommendations.