The 15 best things to do in Latvia
Latvia is a country with two distinct moods, embodied by cosmopolitan Rīga and the calm countryside and beaches. Here are the top things to do.
Latvia is a country with two distinct moods. On one side, you have cosmopolitan Rīga, the country’s only major metropolis, accounting for 52% of the population. The rest of the country is thinly populated, showcasing stunning landscapes and a gentler, more relaxed way of life.
When it comes to exploring, most people start in Rīga, a fantastically cozy and welcoming city that doesn’t go overboard with razmataz, but displays quietly understated charms. Be sure to explore the city beyond the tourist-thronged Old Town – there’s lots to see.
The countryside beyond Rīga is surprisingly diverse, with four historical regions – agricultural Kurzeme in the west, hilly and forested Vidzeme in the north, history-rich Zemgale in the south, and the lakelands of Latgale in the east – presenting an intriguing interplay of farmland, natural landscapes and idiosyncratic old towns.
But the main treasure is the coastline, with 500km (311 miles) of stunning beaches and pine-covered dunes flanking the Gulf of Rīga and the open Baltic Sea in the west. From the bird-filled marshlands of Kemeri National Park to Rīga’s cultured museums, here are the best things to do in Latvia. 
1. Find local history in Riga’s Old Town
Latvia's cultured capital, Rīga is composed of historical layers left behind by its former overlords. The tall spires and cobbled streets of Old Town (or Vecrīga) are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the legacy of the city’s Baltic German and Swedish rulers.
A canal and a chain of pretty parks – the Green Belt – separates the more modern city center from the old part of Rīga, which is centered on Dome Square, a vast cobblestoned space in front of the enormous Rīgas Doms, the country’s most important cathedral.
Facing the Town Hall, Blackheads’ House was built in 1344 for the Blackheads guild of unmarried German merchants. The building is actually a modern reconstruction of the original house, which was ruined in 1941; this was reputedly the spot where the first ever Christmas tree was decorated.
Nearby, the three stone houses dubbed “The Three Brothers” exemplify old Rīga’s diverse collection of architectural styles. The house at No 17 is over 600 years old, making it the oldest dwelling in the city.
Detour: Head to the city’s Central Market to sample fried herring with cottage cheese, a favorite Latvian delicacy; Siļķītes un Dillītes is a good place to try it.
2. Take a stroll around central Rīga
The center of Rīga is best explored on foot. Start your tour by the rosarium at Vērmanes dārzs (Vērmanes Garden) and exit into Tērbatas iela to make a short detour to the Splendid Palace cinema, an art nouveau masterpiece hidden within a modernist Soviet-era structure.
Continue along Tērbatas iela, noting the brightly colored art nouveau facades. At the next crossing, you’ll reach an important cluster of bars; if you’re feeling thirsty, the top choice here is Gauja.
Once refreshed, turn into Stabu iela, one of Rīga’s most elegant streets, and cross Brīvības iela near the Stūra Māja – the former Soviet secret police headquarters, now open to the public on tours. Turn into Baznīcas iela where you may be tempted to down a gimlet at a much-lauded venue called, well, Gimlet.
You’ll find yourself near central Rīga’s top landmark, the St Gertrude Church, which is located in a beautiful oval-shaped square. Continue to the next crossing and turn into Lāčplēša iela to find the famous Kaņepes Kultūras Centrs, a former music school turned beer garden and concert venue. 
3. Admire the architecture of Rīga’s art nouveau district
In 1901, Rīga celebrated its 700th anniversary by inaugurating a new street, Alberta iela, built in the revolutionary Jugendstil (art nouveau) style and named after the founder of Rīga, Bishop Albert von Buxhoeveden.
Today, this street forms the heart of what is known as the Jugendstil quarter, an art nouveau gem of a district filled with eye-catching buildings adorned with whimsical ornaments, Greek drama masks and sphinxes. Wander northeast along Alberta iela from Kronvalda Park and admire the lavish decoration of the facades.
4. Browse galleries in the Latvian National Museum of Art
Before you leave Rīga, be sure to investigate the city’s artistic heritage. Housed in a palace-like building on Janis Rozentals Sq, the Latvian National Museum of Art is the country’s greatest art treasury, covering the output of a diverse range of Latvian artists from the 18th to late 20th centuries.
The most interesting part of the collection comes from the Latvian revival era of the early 20th century, when the nation’s artists started to experiment with more personal and expressive subjects and styles. Wander the galleries to follow the nation’s artistic journey, noting how historical events (two World Wars, the Soviet occupation) shaped the nation’s artworks.
Detour: If you want more, head to the excellent Zuzeum, a privately owned art center that stages top-notch exhibitions. Also, consider timing a visit to coincide with the annual Survival Kit festival, which fills crumbling and semi-abandoned buildings across Rīga with intelligently curated art displays each September.
5. Walk through the marshlands of Kemeri National Park
Inland from the gulf, about 35km (22 miles) west of Rīga, Ķemeri National Park might be the most meditative place in the whole of Latvia. To the southwest of Ķemeri train station, the 3.4km (2.1-mile) Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk goes through an enormous area of multicolored marshland interspersed with round waterholes reflecting white clouds. There’s an observation tower for bird watching and plenty of benches along the way to sit and admire nature’s beauty.
Planning tip: The best season for bird-watching in Kemeri National Park is spring, when white-tailed eagles and migratory birds gather on the wetlands.
6. Hike in Gauja National Park
About 80km (50 miles) northeast of Rīga, Gauja National Park encompasses an enchanting landscape of forested hills, guarding the white ribbon of the meandering Gauja River. Providing a vertical dimension to this lowland country, the hills serve as Latvia’s "Alps," drawing hikers, downhill skiers and rafters (on fairly tame whitewater).
But the main pull is the quiet, unmarred beauty of this area – especially in autumn when the hills turn yellow and bright red with fall foliage. It’s possible (and popular) to visit on a day trip from Rīga, but there are camping areas and plenty of places to stay located close to the park.
Planning tip: The most memorable way of traversing Guaja National Park is hiking or cycling the Mēžtaka trail. Get here from Rīga by hire car or use a combination of train and buses.
7. Enjoy Jūrmala’s beaches
Jūrmala, Latvia’s fifth largest town, is the setting for the country’s longest beach promenade. Stretching for 24km (15 miles), this white-sand beach is hard-packed and ideal for walking, though kids may prefer to pause and stack it up into sand castles. Come in any season and you’ll see promenading urbanites and cyclists – and even skiers in winter – moving along the seafront.
It’s worth exploring the rest of Jūrmala. The oldest part of town near Dzintari, Majori and Dubulti stations resembles Prussian resorts on the German Baltic coast. Start your explorations on pedestrian Jomas iela, running between Majori and Dzintari stations, where you’ll find most restaurants and visitor-oriented things to see, including the well-funded Jūrmala City Museum.
Planning tip: Taking the train is one way to reach Jūrmala, but you can also rent bicycles at BicycleRental.lv in Rīga and cycle the 25km (15.5 miles) to Jūrmala along a route that runs along the railway line. Heading in the other direction, bikes can be rented at Velopark on Viestura iela in Jūrmala.
8. Dive into history at Sigulda
About 50km (31 miles) northeast of Rīga, Sigulda has been an important site since the 13th century, when the Livonian Brothers of the Sword built a castle here. In the 19th century, Russian prince Nikolay Kropotkin, a nephew of anarchist thinker Pyotr Kropotkin, reinvented Sigulda (then known as Segewold) as a resort town.
The Livonian Order Castle, constructed in 1207, and Kropotkin’s grand manor stand close together, with the mansion’s neo-Gothic architecture designed to match the castle’s medieval angularity. Today, both are entered on a single ticket at the Sigulda Castle Complex, perched on a hill above the forested Gauja Valley.
The medieval ruins are being restored and you can walk along the ramparts and ascend a tower for wonderful views over the Gauja. The restored Kropotkin’s manor house is a visual delight both inside and out; decorated by the best artists of the time, it’s a gem of the Latvian national revival style.
Planning tip: Sigulda’s attractions are quite spread out, but the area is a cyclist’s paradise, with several rental shops dotted around town, including Veloriba by the train station. Bus 3112 connects Sigulda and Turaida, or you can travel by Bolt taxi. 
9. Soak up Baltic history and culture at Turaida Castle
About 4km (2.5 miles) north of Sigulda, Turaida means “God’s Garden” in ancient Livonian, and this green knoll capped with a fairytale castle is an enchanting place to explore. The red-brick fortress with its tall cylindrical tower was built in 1214 on the site of a former Livonian stronghold.
What you can see today is partly the result of a 1980s reconstruction. A museum inside the castle’s 15th-century granary offers an interesting account of the Livonian state from 1319 to 1561. More exhibits can be viewed in the tall Donjon Tower and the castle’s western and southern towers.
The rest of the site features a variety of buildings housing small galleries and exhibits on local life. It’s worth stopping by the blacksmith’s house, where you can buy crafts and try your hand at pounding Liv pagan symbols into small chunks of iron.
The nearby Folk Song Garden is dotted with 26 sculptures dedicated to Latvian heroes immortalized in the dainas, poetic folk songs that are a major national tradition.
10. Roam the stunning castle town of Cēsis
Livonian knights founded the settlement of Wenden, about 80km (50 miles) northeast of Rīga, which was rebranded as Cēsis seven centuries later. Despite a few successful sackings by rival armies, the beauty of its hilltop castle town has long been celebrated across the nation.
Cēsis Castle
is actually two castles in one, forming a single museum. The moody,
dark-stone towers belong to the restored medieval castle; you’ll be
handed a candle lamp to ensure that your exploration of the dark ruins
is suitably atmospheric.
The newer castle is a stolid 18th-century manor house once inhabited by the von Sievers family, a dynasty of German counts. It now houses a museum that features original fin-de-siècle interiors. Exhibitions lead to the owners’ library and study under the cupola at the top of the mansion.
11. Admire the baroque Rundale Palace and Museum
Built as a grand residence for the Duke of Courland, the magnificent Rundāle Palace, about 60km (37 miles) south of Rīga, is a monument to 18th-century aristocratic excess. It's rural Latvia’s architectural highlight.
The palace was designed by Italian baroque genius Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who is best known for creating the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. About 40 of the palace’s 138 rooms are open to visitors, as are the wonderful formal gardens, inspired by Versailles in France.
The East Wing was devoted to formal occasions, while the West Wing was the private royal residence. The palace was badly damaged in the Franco-Russian War in 1812 and again during the Latvian War of Independence in 1919 – what you see now is the result of a painstaking restoration between 1972 and 2015.
Planning tip: It’s possible to get to Rundāle Palace from Rīga by bus, changing in Bauska, but it’s easier to come by hire car, following the A7 or A8.
12. Go with the flow at Bauska Castle
The nearest town to Rundāle Palace, Bauska was once an important seat in the Duchy of Courland. Today, it’s worth a brief stop to check out its most prominent attraction, Bauska Castle, which sits on a picturesque hillock squeezed between two rivers – the Mūsa and the Mēmele – that flow parallel to each other through the countryside.
As is often the case in Latvia, Bauska Castle is actually two castles melded together. The older part is in ruins and dates back to the Livonian period in the 15th century; the newer portion is a fortified manor house built by the Duke of Courland in the 16th century and is mostly intact. A museum covers the tangled history of the castle and the region.
Planning tip: Latvia and Lithuania are both in the Schengen Area, so it’s straightforward to continue south from Bauska to Vilnius on the Ecolines bus. 
13. Eat, drink and soak up the atmosphere in Ventspils' lively market
The town of Ventspils, 167km (104 miles) west of Rīga on the Baltic coast, is worth visiting for its attractive beach and the appealingly renovated Ventspils market in the heart of the Old Town. It’s a great place to stock up on fresh produce such as veggies, homemade cheeses, honey or forest mushrooms and berries.
Open until 3pm, the market is best visited in the early morning, especially on weekends. A bell tower on the side of the market square plays popular Latvian tunes on the hour. Across the square, the Courlander pub makes its own beer and has a menu largely based on Baltic fish. Nearby, Windau Wines sells fruity vintages from its namesake winery.
Detour: Just south along the coast, the village of Jūrkalne celebrates the summer solstice in June with a lively festival, complete with bonfires and dances by villagers in flower wreaths.
14. Get the local experience at Peter’s Market in Liepāja
Vendors have touted their wares at Peter’s Market in Liepāja since the mid-17th century, providing another reason to visit this Baltic Sea town about 200km (124 miles) west of Rīga, on top of its broad and gently shelving white-sand, Blue Flag-rated beach.
The market expanded in 1910, when an art nouveau pavilion was constructed adjacent to the square. Today, you’ll find stalls inside and out selling everything from secondhand clothes and beautiful handicrafts to fresh, locally grown produce and baked goods. Venture to the underground floor to find the photogenic fish market.
Planning tip: While in Liepāja, don't miss the St Nicholas Maritime Cathedral, a gold-domed jewel-box built in the classic Russian Orthodox style. 
15. Take in Europe’s widest waterfall in Kuldīga
About 154km (96 miles) west of Rīga, Kuldīga’s most famous feature – Ventas Rumba – is branded “Europe’s widest waterfall.” This description might be a little grand for this 2m (7ft) drop on the Venta River, but this zigzagging ribbon of white water is an awe-inspiring sight when seen from above.
This idyllic scene is best observed from the town’s castle hill, which has only a few stones left behind from the city’s medieval fortress. Today, the hill is home to a sculpture-filled park presided over by the stately Castle Watchman’s House from 1735.
Detour: Disappointed by the modest height of the Ventas Rumba? Just head over to Latvia’s tallest falls – the 4.2m (13.8ft) Alekšupīte Waterfall – part of an old Kuldīga mill at the confluence of its namesake stream and the Venta River.
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania guidebook, published in June 2024.
