Things to do in Vidzeme

Official bathing site: a beach on the Gulf of Riga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

A restaurant in Valmiera’s historic post and telegraph building, with a modern interior, listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Local produce such as pikeperch from Lake Burtnieks is on the menu, and the place is about art as much as food. Wednesday–Sunday.

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 restaurant in Sigulda in a timber building with a wooden-shingle roof beside an apple orchard. Latvian and European dishes, grilled food all year round, fish and desserts, and a wide wine selection including bottles from its own cellar. Daily 12–23 (orders until 22).

A fortified Latgalian settlement on an island in Lake Āraiši, lived in during the 9th and 10th centuries and partly reconstructed under archaeologist Jānis Apals. Its wooden houses on a log platform show how people lived here a thousand years ago; one of Latvia’s most popular archaeological sites.

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 jewellery workshop in Sigulda’s Castle Quarter making copies of ancient Baltic jewellery and modern pieces with ancient symbols. In a masterclass (about 45 minutes) you make your own pendant or piece of jewellery, such as a Namejs ring.

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 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.

One of the mightiest castles of the Livonian Order, begun around 1213 by the Brothers of the Sword and from 1481 the permanent residence of the Livonian masters. A castle servant leads visitors with lanterns through the Western Tower and the master’s room with its 16th-century star vault; in summer there is a castle garden, craft workshops and multimedia exhibitions in the towers. May–September daily 10–18.

A Neo-Baroque palace built in 1896 for Baron Paul von Wolff, a four-star hotel since 2003, with antique furniture, fireplaces and tiled stoves. A nature spa with massages, saunas and a pool, and a castle restaurant cooking with local produce, including fish from the castle pond.

A two-floor bar and event venue in Cēsis with separate bars, a dance floor and a stage: live music, DJs and themed nights. Usually open Friday and Saturday 22:00–04:00.

Latvia’s highest point, 312 m above sea level in the Vidzeme Upland near Madona. The unfinished observation tower was demolished in 2012 and a small replica now stands by the flagpole; in winter the hill has ski slopes.

Latvia’s largest national park (about 918 km²), along the ancient valley of the Gauja from Sigulda to beyond Cēsis, established in 1973. Sandstone outcrops and caves such as the Ērgļu cliffs, the river valley, trails and castles make it ideal for hiking and canoeing.

Boat trips on the Gauja, Brasla and other rivers. Boat delivery and transport back to the start are included.

The widest and tallest cave in the Baltics, in the ancient Gauja valley near Sigulda. It began to form more than 10,000 years ago when post-Ice Age meltwater washed out the sandstone; it is Latvia’s oldest tourist attraction, and inscriptions on its walls date back to the 17th century. The legend of the Rose of Turaida is tied to the cave.

A country manor in Kārļi near the Amata valley in Cēsu municipality. It has a 100 m² restaurant hall, 15 rooms, a garden terrace, a separate house by the cherry garden, an apple orchard and a historic park — suited to a small company retreat, seminar or celebration in the countryside.

A restaurant in the former fire station of Cēsis, listed in the MICHELIN Guide. The evening starts with a tasting menu, such as a five-course dinner that reworks classic dishes, and carries on in a jazz lounge.

The ruins of a 13th-century castle on a high bank above the Daugava. A reservoir created by a hydroelectric dam built downstream in 1965 partly flooded the castle and the valley, so the walls now rise straight out of the water. Poles, Swedes and Russians fought over the castle in the 16th and 17th centuries.

A mid-19th-century manor complex above the ancient Gauja valley in Gauja National Park. The great hall with balcony seats 60 and the conference hall with salon 30, with extra rooms for group work; it sleeps up to 100 guests in summer and 60 in winter. Café Milly is on site and the terrace looks out over the Gauja valley.

A manor spa on the Vidzeme coast where treatments use organic Latvian countryside produce prepared for each guest. Aromatic steam baths and tubs, couples’ rituals, massages and masks, with herbal teas and healthy snacks in the lounge.

Nature Conservation Agency trails in Gauja National Park, where Latvian forest animals — bears, wolves, lynx, wild boar, deer and foxes — live in large enclosures. Over 5 km of paths (2–2.5 hours), a 22 m observation tower and a covered, glass-fronted platform at the lynx enclosure; open all year.

The only ferry in the Baltics driven by the river current: a platform on two steel boats that the ferryman angles into the stream to drift across the Gauja. It was set up after the war, when Līgatne’s bridges had been destroyed. Daily 7:30–18; €1 one way on foot or by bike, €3.50 by car; it doesn’t run when the water is too high or too low or when the river is frozen.

Official bathing site on Lake Limbažu Lielezers in Limbaži. Awarded a Blue Flag for 2026. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

The University of Latvia’s recreation and conference centre in Līgatne parish, about an hour’s drive from Riga. The grounds hold six restored historic buildings, accommodation for 150 and pitches for football, basketball, volleyball and croquet, with room for outdoor events of several thousand people.

Official bathing site on Lake Lubāns. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

Canoe and raft rental for trips on the Gauja, from a couple of hours to two- or three-day journeys.

A restored Neoclassical manor and architectural monument, now a design hotel with 22 rooms, a restaurant and bar, massages and a conference room. Walk or cycle in the park, or take a boat out on the manor pond.

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.

A 1,750 m motocross track with sand and clay in Ķegums, home of the Latvian round of the MXGP World Championship (6–7 June in 2026).

A lakeside sauna house at a historic mill in Nītaure, with a guest house and spa rituals. Up to 8 people; day visits are possible too.

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 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.

Chef Ēriks Dreibants’ restaurant in Līgatne, holder of a MICHELIN Green Star for sustainability. Vegetables come from its own beds, much is foraged from the woods, and the menu changes daily depending on what is available.

One of the largest open-air adventure parks in the Baltics: 11 rope courses with more than 140 obstacles in the trees, up to 20 m high. There is also a catapult, giant swings, trampolines and a toboggan run on one of Latvia’s steepest slopes, plus rides for kids from age 3.

Glamping at the former Ērgļi railway station in the Vidzeme Upland: seven types of Latvian-made cabins, guided hikes, kayaks and e-bikes.

A deer park in More parish with a 1.5 km trail past 19 enclosures holding about 400 animals — red, fallow and white deer. You can hand-feed them; cash only, and there is a guest house with a sauna.

The Gauja Steep Banks park in Valmiera: a 1.5 km tree-top rope trail 5–11 m above the ground with four zipline crossings over the Gauja, plus a 2 km barefoot trail.

Official bathing site: a beach on the Gulf of Riga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

Bungee jumps from the cable car cabin, stopped about 43 m above the Gauja. Jump solo or as a tandem. The operator has run jumps here since 1992; book a time in advance.

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.

A cable car opened in 1969 across the Gauja valley between Sigulda and Krimulda: 1,020 m long, with the cabin 43 m above the ground. Renovated in 2024. It runs every 20–30 minutes all year; tickets at the Sigulda box office or from the attendant at Krimulda.

Official bathing site on the Gauja in Sigulda. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

Craft workshops next to Sigulda’s New Castle: make and paint your own Sigulda walking stick (a craft on Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage list), cast a bookmark from recycled paper, make a leather key ring or bracelet, or shape a mug with your name on it in the ceramics studio.

The ruins of a castle built in 1207 by the Brothers of the Sword on the edge of the Gauja valley; from 1432 it was the residence of the Livonian Order’s land marshal. Next door is Sigulda New Castle, built in Neo-Gothic style in 1878, and the grounds look out over the ancient valley towards Turaida.

A skydiving centre at Limbaži airfield, about an hour’s drive from Riga. Tandem jumps from 4,000 m with around 60 seconds of freefall, oxygen jumps from 5,500 m and an AFF course for jumping solo. The jump plane is a Pilatus PC-6; gift vouchers are available.

Fat-tyre e-bike hire in Sigulda for the town’s hilly trails and rides into Gauja National Park. The motor assists up to 25 km/h and one charge lasts more than 60 km; rental costs €29–49, booked through Sigulda Adventures.

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.

Official bathing site: a beach on the Gulf of Riga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

A 44-hectare museum reserve on the Gauja opposite Sigulda: the reconstructed brick castle with its main tower, a wooden church, the memorial to the Rose of Turaida, manor outbuildings and more than 38 displays on the Livs and local history. Open daily all year (9–20 in summer); adults €9.

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.

A drama theatre in Valmiera, founded in 1923. In 2024 it moved back into its reconstructed building on Lāčplēša iela.

A craft brewery on a manor estate just outside Valmiera. The 1.5–2 hour tour covers the estate’s history and brewing from raw grain to finished beer, shows antique tools and ends with unfiltered beer tastings. The Beer Kitchen serves seasonal Latvian food such as fish from Lake Burtnieks and pork marinated in winter beer; summer beer garden, shop and rooms for parties.

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.

Sandstone caves on the bank of the Brasla in Straupe parish, carved out by underground springs: the Lake Cave holds two clear underground lakes, with the River Cave and suffosion sinkholes nearby. The caves can only be visited with a guide.

A concert hall opened in 2014, designed by architect Juris Poga. The main hall seats 805, and smaller halls host concerts, plays and film screenings.

A hotel in the centre of Sigulda, in a stone building on Pils iela built in 1889. Its 43 rooms sleep 85, four meeting rooms take up to 100 people, and there is a restaurant, sauna, steam bath, spa bath and pool. A convenient base for a team day combined with Sigulda’s adventure attractions.

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 zipline that follows the cable car line across the Gauja valley, about 55 m up. Classic Zērglis reaches 50–60 km/h, and Turbo Zērglis with turbines up to 100 km/h. Kids aged 7+ and over 30 kg can ride alone; younger ones ride with an adult. Book a time in advance.

A 600 m tree-top obstacle course in the Ogre Blue Hills nature park: 65 obstacles up to 11 m high on three difficulty levels, with two zip descents of 30 and 70 m. Open from spring to autumn, closed in rain and storms; children only with a parent.

A 350 m zipline in Alūksne’s Tempļakalns park, reaching about 50 km/h. Riders must weigh 30–120 kg. In wind or rain, call ahead to check it is running.

A vertical wind tunnel near Sigulda where you can feel freefall without jumping. You fly under an instructor’s watch; 4–6 minutes is recommended for a first visit. With the briefing and suiting up, it takes about an hour. Flyers from age 4; all gear is provided.

Boat rental point for trips on the Aiviekste.

Gym in Ogre for strength and cardio training.

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.

A lakeside resort on Lake Lilaste with a hotel, restaurant and bar, sauna and jacuzzi, gym, bike hire and rooms for celebrations and conferences. The restaurant sells gift cards (from €30).

A leisure complex in Tīnūži parish, Ogre municipality, with four event venues: up to 200 people indoors and up to 2,000 outdoors. The 6-hectare “Valley of Four Winds” hosts outdoor events and sports games, and there is accommodation and catering on site.

A 9-hole course among birch groves and water hazards, 3 km from Valmiera. Lessons for kids and adults, club rental, a driving range and a golf simulator.

Laser tag on a former military site in Sigulda. In the underground bunker a team of up to four searches dark corridors to find and disarm a self-destruct device; above ground there are several outdoor arenas with themed quests. Children can play with an instructor; there are showers and a picnic spot with a grill. Booking required.

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.

Canoe, kayak and SUP rental for trips on the Salaca, Gauja and Brasla rivers.

A pottery workshop in Rauna where a guided tour shows the whole process from digging the clay to the finished piece, and in the creative workshop you shape clay yourself. Groups can order a homemade soup lunch; visits by prior arrangement only.

Electric mountain bike (e-MTB) hire and rides around Līgatne in Gauja National Park. Routes include a Līgatne e-bike tour that can take in the Elephant Cave, an easier Līgatne–Cēsis–Līgatne loop for beginners, Līgatne–Sigulda–Līgatne on forest paths, and a 75 km day ride Valmiera–Cēsis–Līgatne with a lunch and charging stop in Cēsis.

E-bike and mountain-bike hire in Cēsis at the Eži bike shop and workshop. Bikes come fully equipped, and renters get free GPS e-bike routes to load onto their phones. Open weekdays 09:00–18:00 and Saturdays 10:00–15:00; at weekends an e-bike can also be collected by arrangement by phone.

Yoga studio in Sigulda. For women.

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.

Gym in Madona for strength and cardio training. Open daily 07:30–19:30.

Yoga studio in Valmiera. Wellness services are available too. Weekday hours: 05:00–20:00.

Hot-air balloon flights from several launch sites in Latvia, including around Cēsis, Jelgava, Jēkabpils and Kandava. The site and time are agreed before the flight, depending on the weather. Gift cards available, including for companies.

A Nordic-style restaurant in Cēsis old town with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (new for 2026). Dishes are built on regional produce, including flatbreads baked in-house, and there are guest rooms. Thursday–Sunday.

The “Avārijas brigāde” amusement park, spread over 28 hectares with more than 40 activities — a dinosaur trail, carousels, minigolf, laser tag, virtual-reality adventures, a water world and a surf wave. One ticket covers every attraction for the day; the season starts in May, with the next one in 2027.

Yoga studio in Ogre.

Yoga studio in Sigulda. Wellness services are available too.

A five-star spa hotel in Amatciems between forests and lakes that calls itself Latvia’s first eco-village spa hotel. Turkish and Finnish saunas, a hot tub overlooking the pond, a chlorine-free pool, a shungite room, sauna rituals with a sauna master and massages; open to day visitors too.

Combat sports club in Ogre: karate.

Ceramicist Ingrīda Žagata’s workshop near Dunte, where children and adults make their own mug, breakfast plate or souvenir; a session lasts several hours, and the piece is ready after firing (1–2 months). You can also watch a kiln opening; book by phone.

A space education centre in Cēsis, opened in 2023: a two-level replica of the International Space Station called “Auseklis”, linked to a mission control room, models of rockets, robots and rovers, an energy-generating floor and STEM challenges on surviving on Mars. Science shows, plus astronaut workshops in the school holidays.

Outdoor laser tag near Cēsis, plus two RC car tracks, 4×4 RC trucks and kids’ quad bikes on a closed track. There is a playground, a picnic and campfire spot and a tent for parties. Book at least a day ahead.

Boat base in Valmiera.

A two-storey boathouse on Lake Alūksne looking towards the ruins of the Livonian Order castle; sleeps up to 4, with a boat included. Fishing and swimming on the doorstep; pets allowed.

A laser tag park near Valmiera: team games in an obstacle arena with different missions, unlimited ammo and hits at up to 200 m; afterwards everyone can see their stats. Suitable from age 4; games can also be staged elsewhere with inflatable cover. Booking recommended.

Laser tag across 1,000 m² of outdoor ground near Kocēni, with running, climbing, crawling and even wading. There is a party room of about 100 m², a gazebo and a playground, plus VR goggles and a car simulator.

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 public bathhouse by the river in a former paper-mill building, running since 1895. Fridays are for women 13–18 and men 18–22, and two Saturdays a month are family days. It can also be booked for private events for up to 20.

A tree-top net park in Līgatne: net mazes up to 8 m above the ground for climbing, running and lounging, for kids and adults alike. Open daily 10:00–21:00; visits can be booked by phone or email.

Swimming pool and spa in Limbaži. Pool with a sauna at the Limbaži Olympic Centre. Weekday hours: 17:00–21:00.

Yoga studio in Valmiera.

Pilates studio in Valmiera. Wellness services are available too.

A rope park on Kaķīškalns hill: six courses of varying difficulty with 82 obstacles — nets, bridges, swings and zip descents. Every course starts and ends on the ground. Open 11:00–20:00 at weekends; on weekdays groups by booking. In winter the hill is a ski slope.

Four indoor padel courts in Cēsis. Weekday daytime slots cost less than evenings and weekends.

Four outdoor padel courts in Sigulda, an easy way to add a game in the fresh air to a weekend in the Gauja valley.

Two treehouse cabins 5–6 m up in the pines on the shore of Lake Ninieris, just 3 km from Cēsis. Forest trails for walking and cycling all around.

Gym in Ogre for strength and cardio training. Weekday hours: 08:00–22:00.

Swimming pool and spa in Ogre. Open daily 07:00–21:30.

Sports centre in Limbaži with a gym and a swimming pool, plus two tennis courts.

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.

2 outdoor padel courts in Sigulda. In central Sigulda, a few minutes from the station. On site: gear rental.

Outdoor padel court in Valmiera, open daily from morning until late evening. Book online, by phone or on WhatsApp.

Paintball and laser tag run by game leaders with military experience. Five playing areas, one of them indoors and open all year. Groups of 4–25, about two hours per game; equipment and 400 balls each are included. A guest house with a sauna is nearby.

Boat rental for trips on the Pededze river.

A porcelain factory in Ineši where a guided tour covers its history and how porcelain is made, and in the workshop you paint your own porcelain piece — the factory fires it and hands it back to you. Porcelain tableware and gifts are on sale.

Sauna and leisure spot with lodging, plus boat and SUP rental.

A pirts on the outskirts of Saulkrasti where you plan a sauna cycle tailored to you with a knowledgeable sauna master, from warming up and whisking to rest.

A private open-air museum founded in 2008, about 45 minutes’ drive from Riga. Seven bathhouses — six relocated historic ones and one newly built — including black (smoke) and white saunas, with a guided story and sauna sessions led by a pirtnieks, plus workshops and activities for children. Admission €2; visits may be limited in hard frost or deep snow.

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 health and rehabilitation centre in the forest near Līgatne with health and beauty programmes. A sauna with rituals led by a sauna master, mud applications, a Cleopatra bath and massages; treatments are open to day visitors too.

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.

A 9-hole golf course in the Gauja valley at Reiņa trase, which runs as a ski centre in winter. Instructors help beginners, and there is a guest house and café on site.

Gym in Sigulda for strength and cardio training.

Tennis courts in Salacgrīva, on Sporta iela.