Mazsalaca is a small town in northern Latvia, close to the Estonian border in Valmiera Municipality. The town sits on the Salaca river, which drains into the Gulf of Riga and is known for salmon fishing. It is a quiet, rural place — the kind of small Latvian town that sees very few foreign visitors and is all the more genuine for it.
The surrounding area has pine forests, sandy riverbanks, and a scattering of small farms. The sandstone outcrops along the Salaca valley are characteristic of northern Latvia and make for pleasant walking. A Wednesday and Saturday morning market in the town square brings seasonal produce, fish from the coast, and local honey — an early-morning affair, mostly finished by 8am.
Getting here is straightforward from Valmiera, Rujiena, or Limbazi by road or local bus. The bus connection to Riga is limited to one morning departure, with two returns from Riga daily. Mazsalaca makes a possible stopping point for travelers moving between Riga and Tallinn via the inland route, though most traffic uses the coastal road.