Attractions in Latvia

A 33 km, 750 mm-gauge railway between Gulbene and Alūksne — the only narrow-gauge line in the Baltics with regular passenger services. A ride on the “Bānītis” through the Vidzeme countryside is a trip for the whole family.

A castle where the Mēmele and Mūsa rivers meet: its oldest part, from the mid-15th century, is the only Livonian Order fortress built specifically for artillery, and the newest is a late-17th-century fortified residence with bastions. It is the only partly preserved residence of the Kettler dukes of Courland and Semigallia. Adults €9; November–April 10–16, closed Mondays.

A Neoclassical manor house in Tukums, one of the most interesting classical manors in Latvia. It houses part of the Tukums Museum collection and is surrounded by a park.

A Gothic Revival castle on the shore of Lake Ēdole, surrounded by a landscape park. It originally consisted of two residential buildings joined by a stone wall and is an architectural and archaeological monument of national importance.

A red-brick castle built in 1901 for Riga’s mayor George Armitstead and now an architectural monument of national importance. With its towers and grounds it is a popular place to visit and to celebrate near Tukums.

A medieval castle at Jaunpils that is more manor house than fortress and now houses a hotel. You can look round the rooms and courtyard, stay the night and soak up the medieval atmosphere.

The largest Baroque palace in the Baltics, built in the 18th century to Bartolomeo Rastrelli’s design as the residence of the Dukes of Courland in their capital, Jelgava. Today it houses the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, and its basement holds the family vault of the Dukes of Courland with their sarcophagi.

A former military prison in Liepāja’s Karosta district, built in the early 20th century and now a museum with a theatrical twist. Tours take in the cells and solitary-confinement cells and an exhibition on the Second World War and Soviet times; you can sit through a “discipline” show, eat in the prison canteen or spend a night in a cell. May and September 10–18, June–August 9–19, October–April Fri–Sun 12–16.

A Byzantine-style Orthodox cathedral with gilded domes in Liepāja’s Karosta district, built in the early 20th century for the Russian Empire’s naval port. One of Latvia’s four Orthodox cathedrals and the landmark of Karosta’s skyline.

Riga’s Orthodox cathedral in Esplanāde park, built in Neo-Byzantine style in 1876–1883 to a design by Nikolai Chagin and Robert Pflug. In Soviet times it housed a planetarium; today it is a church again, with gilded domes and a richly decorated interior.

A small municipal zoo in central Daugavpils, laid out as an artificial jungle: pythons, caimans, koi carp in the pond, macaques and sugar gliders among the lianas, plus rabbits and guinea pigs that children can stroke. Wed–Sun 10–18, closed Mondays and Tuesdays; cash only.

A military history museum in the Powder Tower and the building attached to it in Old Riga. Founded in 1916 as the Latvian Riflemen Battalion Museum, its exhibitions trace Latvia’s military history from the Middle Ages to the present.

The “Castle of Light” on the left bank of the Daugava: the national library building designed by architect Gunnar Birkerts and opened in 2014. The library was founded in 1919; the building hosts exhibitions and looks across the river to Old Riga.

A natural history museum in central Riga with roots in the Riga Naturalists’ Society, founded in 1845. Exhibitions cover Latvia’s nature, geology, animals and plants — a good stop for families with children.

The main building of Latvia’s national art museum, on the edge of Esplanāde park. The permanent exhibition covers Latvian painting, graphic art and sculpture from the 18th century to the mid-20th; the museum grew out of the Riga City Art Gallery, which opened to the public in 1869. Tue–Thu 10–18, Fri 10–20, Sat–Sun 10–17, closed Mondays.

A museum on the 51 years in which Latvia was occupied in turn by the USSR (1940–1941), Nazi Germany (1941–1944) and the USSR again (1944–1991). Founded in 1993, it has a new interactive exhibition, with Miks the teddy bear as a guide for children. Daily 10–18, Thursdays until 19; adults €8.

The cathedral of the Bishop of Liepāja in the old town, an 18th-century Lutheran church with a richly decorated Rococo interior. Its organ was once the largest mechanical organ in the world, and organ concerts are held here.

A museum in the former Riga Stock Exchange building by Dome Square, holding Latvia’s largest collection of world art, from Ancient Egyptian objects to Asian art and European painting. Founded in 1920.

An art centre in the artillery arsenal of Daugavpils Fortress, devoted to the abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, who was born in Daugavpils. It is the only place in Europe where original Rothko paintings, on loan from his family, are permanently on show; there are changing contemporary art exhibitions too.

One of Old Riga’s best-known buildings, on Town Hall Square. The first house here was built in 1334 as a warehouse and a place for merchants to meet and celebrate, and from the mid-15th century it was used by the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild of unmarried merchants and foreigners. Destroyed in the Second World War, it was rebuilt at the end of the 20th century; inside you can see the halls and cellars.

A Neoclassical palace on the Lielupe, one of the finest examples of the style in Latvia, linked to the Lieven family and set beside an English-style park. Since June 2025 it has been open to visitors under the Rundāle Palace Museum; adults €5. May–September 10–18, October–April 10–17, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

A once-secret Soviet bunker about 9 m underground, beneath the rehabilitation centre at Līgatne. The tour takes in a diesel power station, air-purification equipment and a communications centre; the café serves a 1980s-style meal, and there’s an “Object X” spy game. Check tour times in advance.

A museum on Alberta iela devoted to Art Nouveau, the style that shapes much of central Riga. Opened in 2009, it is set in the apartment of architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns, restored to its early-20th-century look. The street itself is one of Riga’s showcases of Art Nouveau architecture.

The zoo in Mežaparks by Lake Ķīšezers covers around 20 hectares and keeps thousands of animals of several hundred species, from giraffes and lions to red pandas. The tropical house is home to birds, reptiles, frogs and insects, and there is also a country branch, Cīruļi, in Kurzeme. Tram 11 takes you there.

One of Riga’s oldest churches, first mentioned in the chronicles in 1209 and Lutheran since 1523. Its spire has collapsed and burned several times, most recently in 1941, and was rebuilt in 1973. A lift takes you up to the tower’s viewing gallery for a view over Old Riga.

The oldest museum in the Baltics, which began in 1773 as the private collection of Riga doctor Nikolaus von Himsel. It sits in the Riga Cathedral ensemble in Old Riga and holds the largest collection on the history of Riga and its shipping.

The Baroque palace of the Dukes of Courland, built to Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli’s design in two stages, 1736–1740 and 1764–1768. Lavish state rooms and a large French garden; main exhibition €12 for adults, garden €6, combined ticket €17.

A wooden Baroque manor house built in 1731–1732 for Lieutenant General Balthasar von Campenhausen; the Campenhausen family owned the estate from 1728 to 1939. One of the few such well-preserved 18th-century wooden manor ensembles in Latvia.

One of the oldest and best-preserved Livonian Order castles, which has kept its original 13th-century layout. Over 700 years it has been a fortress, residence, garrison, school, military base and prison; it was restored in 1995 and turned into a museum.

A memorial museum on Ķīpsala, opened in 2012 next to the home of Žanis Lipke. During the Second World War Lipke built a hiding place here and saved Jews from the Riga Ghetto; inside, the building recalls a hideout and tells the story of the rescuers.

An observation deck on the 17th floor, about 65 m above the city, in the Academy of Sciences high-rise, completed in 1961 and for many years the tallest building in Latvia (about 108 m). A lift goes to the 15th floor, then two flights of stairs. Opening hours can change with the weather.

A museum in the former St George’s Church in Old Riga. While its “Design Process” exhibition is open, children can use the Design Studio, trying ceramics, kinetics, poster design and weaving with worksheets linked to the works on display.

Latvia’s oldest concert hall: the enclosed Small Hall dates from 1936 and was restored in 2015; the summer Great Hall with about 2,100 seats was built in 1963. Festivals and big concerts in summer, concerts in the Small Hall in winter.

A house of Latvian traditions and crafts in Jelgava’s old town with weaving and ceramics workshops and a kiln: watch the craftspeople, shape clay yourself, try weaving, join a bread-baking masterclass and learn about the Zemgale folk costume. Tours in Latvian and English.

A concert hall and culture centre in Rēzekne, opened in 2013: concerts, shows and festivals in the capital of Latgale.

A museum in a former locomotive repair shop in Pārdaugava, holding the largest collection of broad-gauge rolling stock in the Baltics. On set days children can climb into historic trains such as the ER2 electric train and the TE3 diesel locomotive, ride a hand-pumped draisine in summer and join school-holiday workshops.

The home of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet by the City Canal. The building opened in 1863 as the Riga City Theatre; today it stages operas and ballets, concerts and guest performances.

A drama theatre in a building from 1902, where the state of Latvia was proclaimed on 18 November 1918. Performances run in three halls, mostly in Latvian.

The historic Great Guild hall in the Old Town, rebuilt in the Gothic Revival style in the mid-19th century. Its concert hall is home to the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra.

A concert hall on Liepāja’s waterfront with an amber-coloured facade, opened in 2015 and designed by architect Volker Giencke. Home of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, with pop concerts and shows too.

A glassblowing workshop at the Latgale Art and Craft Centre, where glassblower Aleksandrs Logvins makes objects and sculptures from molten glass and visitors can blow into the pipe themselves (€4 per person, by appointment). Glassblowing in Līvāni is on Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage list, and the centre also houses the Līvāni Glass Museum.

The University of Latvia’s botanical garden in Zasulauks, with a palm house and a Tropical Butterfly House where, from spring to autumn, blue morphos, owl butterflies and other exotic species fly among banana and coffee trees and orchids. The butterfly house opens daily 10:00–16:00 with a garden ticket.

An Art Nouveau manor built in the early 20th century near Rāzna National Park, originally conceived as a place for art and music; it later served as a school, military headquarters, parish office and library. Today it hosts exhibitions and tours, and rooms can be rented.

A museum at Dunte Manor, where Baron Munchausen lived with his wife Jacobine: wax figures, weapons and hunting trophies, distorting mirrors and a shooting gallery. In the forest there is a trail with 55 wooden sculptures (1–4.3 km), a 1 km path to “Munchausen’s Beer Mug” and an amusement ship.

One of Europe’s largest markets: five pavilions rebuilt from First World War zeppelin hangars, plus an outdoor trading area. Meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, bread and spices; inside the pavilions there are places to eat Latvian dishes, fish, grills and craft beer. Pavilions 7:30–18, outdoor market 7–18.

The largest medieval church in the Baltics, built from 1211. The Dome organ (1884) has more than 6,700 pipes; organ and choir concerts are held regularly.

The largest collection of historic vehicles in the Baltics: more than 100 cars and motorcycles over three floors and 4,000 m², from a replica of the Benz Patent Motorwagen to Soviet-era and Kremlin cars and racing cars. Interactive displays, a children’s play zone and a café. Open Tue–Sun 10–18; adult ticket €12.

An Old Riga museum holding about 8,000 porcelain pieces from the mid-19th to the late 20th century, with porcelain making and painting workshops — for example pressing textures into a small porcelain dish (from age 6). Pieces are ready a few weeks later; booking required.