Winter & Seasonal in Latvia

In winter and early spring, icefalls up to 10 m tall form on the rocky banks of the Amata, the biggest usually near the Vizuļu and Dzilnas rocks. Depending on minerals in the water the ice is white, clear, yellowish or even pink. The trail is free, with free parking at the Melturi and Veclauči bridges.

A family-run complex by Gaiziņkalns, Latvia’s highest hill. There have been ski runs here since the early 1960s; in the 2025/26 season four runs were open, with snowmaking from November. Café, guest house, saunas and winter equipment rental. The complex used to be called “Golgāts”.

A sleigh ride behind the castle horse Safrāns through the Bīriņi castle nature park, past the landscape park and old water mills to the Love Oak. €20 for 30 minutes or €30 for an hour, up to four people, with warm blankets; without snow it’s a cart ride instead. Open daily 10–16; book ahead for weekends.

A lit 3.5 km cross-country trail in Mežaparks plus the paths around it. Equipment rental at Kokneses prospekts 39; the park is open around the clock, with cafés nearby.

A leisure centre between Jūrmala and Tukums: 11 runs of varying difficulty (the longest up to 320 m), 9 lifts and a snowboard park. Equipment rental, instructors, a ski service, accommodation, a sauna, a café and a crèche. The sledging hill and cross-country trail are free. Mon 14–23, Tue–Thu 12–23, Fri–Sat 12–24, Sun 10–22.

A 12 km cross-country trail through the hills between Ikšķile and Ogre; a 10 km section is lit from October to mid-March. At the park’s highest point stands a 30 m viewing tower with views as far as Riga; rest areas and rental on site.

A ski base in the Augšzeme highland about 20 minutes from Daugavpils: a family run and a blue slalom run with a lift, a tubing run and floodlights in the evening; equipment rental available.

Riga’s public outdoor ice rink in Esplanāde park by the Rainis monument. Free with your own skates; skate hire €2.49 an hour for adults and €2 for children. Weekdays 11–22, weekends 9–22 (ice-care breaks 13–14, 16–17 and 19–20). Open from December to 1 March, weather permitting.

A cross-country and biathlon centre near Madona: a 30 km professional trail plus 3 km and 5 km competition tracks, snow cannons and lighting until 21:00. Sauna, café, instructors and accommodation. Weekdays 9–20, Sat 10–19, Sun 10–18.

A free cross-country ski trail in Pārdaugava with artificial snow, instructors and equipment rental (€4 an hour for children, €5 for adults). On sunny days about 200 people use the rental point.

Horse riding and sleigh rides through the park beside the Valmiermuiža craft brewery, with views of the historic manor grounds. Combine it with a brewery tour and tasting or weekend brunch at the Beer Kitchen. Book ahead.

A winter centre in Cēsis with several runs of varying difficulty on neighbouring slopes, from long gentle descents to steeper sections with sharp turns. It runs what latvia.travel calls the largest professional ski school in Latvia, and has equipment rental, two cafés, a children’s room and a ski-service point. Snow is stored over the summer for an early season start.

A leisure centre about 10 minutes’ drive from Valmiera: downhill skiing and snowboarding lessons, ski rental, a snow-tubing run and a cross-country trail through the forest. There are five camping cabins (40 beds), a sauna, a yurt for events and a climbing wall.

Cross-country loops of 1.1 to 4.9 km in Biķernieki forest for classic and skate skiing. Lit until 23:59, with artificial snow laid around Lake Linezers; rental and instructors available.

A 1 km artificial-snow track and a 2.5 km natural-snow track, both lit after dark and suitable for beginners and pro athletes alike. Rental and service on weekdays 14–20, weekends 10–16.

A lit 1.25 km cross-country trail on an artificially frozen base that keeps skiing going longer than elsewhere, with natural-snow trails up to 3 km. The service building has rental, changing rooms, showers and a sauna; in summer the asphalt loop is used for roller skiing. In the 2025/26 season skiers had 86 snowy days.

A leisure park in Inčukalns parish on the A3 highway with two 200 m runs, a fast one and a slow one, each with its own anchor lift. Ski and snowboard rental and sales, a restaurant-bistro, a bakery and a shop. Mon–Fri 14–21, Sat–Sun 9–21.

A ski area near Sigulda: a main slope (150 m, 35 m drop), a beginners’ run (200 m) and the “Kids Fun” park with a carpet lift. The runs are lit after dark; equipment rental, instructors, a café and a guest house, plus a 2 km cross-country loop.

Described by Sigulda’s tourist map as the most sporting, longest and widest downhill slope in Latvia: 350 m and 200 m runs with a 90 m vertical drop and artificial snow. Equipment rental, instructors and a café; competitions are held here. Visits are booked in the Bookla app. In the 2025/26 season the slope was open for 71 days.

Natural-snow cross-country loops of 1, 2 and 3 km about 2 km from Alūksne; the 3 km loop is lit on weekdays until 19:00. Book equipment rental and ski preparation by phone. The trail is for skiing only.

Cross-country loops of 1.3, 3 and 6.2 km in the Talsi hills (highest point 200 m); the shortest loop is lit. Open daily 9–21, with equipment rental.

Five cross-country trails in the Piebalga hills, more than 30 km in total for classic and skate skiing. They link up with the Vanagkalns and Krepšēni trails into a network of over 50 km. Payment is by donation (at least €5), rental by arrangement, and there is a guest house for 14 next door. Open 1 December to 31 March.

A three-day Christmas fair at the Ķīpsala exhibition hall that bills itself as the largest in the Baltics: free entry, free creative workshops in the “Rotaļnīca Quarter”, an inflatable park and the Baltic Food Zone. In 2026 it runs 11–13 December.

A sports and leisure complex near Baldone: ski slopes in winter, a tree-top obstacle course and a zipline in summer.

A bobsleigh and luge track opened in 1986, with 16 curves. From November to March, by prior booking, you can ride a tourist bob with a professional pilot (over 100 km/h, age 16+), the soft "Vučko" bob (age 6+, with a parent) or the "Frog", lying on your stomach.

The Christmas market on Dome Square: crafts by Latvian makers, hot drinks and treats from more than 80 vendors. At weekends there are concerts and things for kids: Santa, a carousel and creative workshops.

A sports and leisure complex near Līgatne: snowmobile rides through the forest on the edge of Gauja National Park and skijoring behind a snowmobile in winter, quad bikes and speedboats in summer. Rides must be booked in advance.

A rental point in Mežaparks on Kokneses prospekts with bikes, inline skates and one-, two- and four-seat pedal carts for kids and adults to ride along the park’s paths. In winter, when there is enough snow, it hands out ski equipment for the Mežaparks trail.

A leisure park on the Gauja near Cēsis. In summer the "Supervāvere" adventure park has a three-level obstacle course up to 16 m high with about 60 obstacles and a 250 m zip descent; in winter there are ski and snowboard slopes. On site: a campsite with heated cottages, plus raft and boat rental.

Sports complex in Pārlielupe with a tennis court, ice hall, sports grounds, bike rental and a hotel.

A leisure park on the edge of Ventspils with something to do all year. In summer: the "Kaķa taka" rope course and the kids’ "Lācēns" course, a catapult, trampolines, paintball, a wake park and disc golf; in winter the "Lemberga hūte" ski hill with a snow park. The 580 m toboggan run (up to ~40 km/h) operates year-round when the wind is under 18 m/s.