All places

Waterskiing, wakeboarding and SUP on Lake Ozolnieki, plus an inflatable water park with obstacle courses, slides and a trampoline.

A producer of sparkling, fruit and berry wines, ciders and stronger drinks, and since 2021 of grape wine from its own vineyard on the Abava in Sabile, described as one of the northernmost in Europe. Guided tours, tastings for individuals or groups, workshops and a small shop; arrange your visit in advance.

A manor in Zaļenieki parish that presents itself as a retreat for the creative industries and team building. Its celebration barn holds up to 150 guests, with halls of 70 m² and 35 m², a 400 m² granary, a restaurant, ponds and a park, plus accommodation for more than 70.

Sightseeing flights over Riga from Spilve airfield in a Cessna 172 with room for 2–3 passengers. A typical flight lasts 30 minutes.

Latvia’s most important Catholic pilgrimage centre: an Italian Baroque basilica built in 1768–1780 and consecrated in 1800. In August thousands of pilgrims come for the feast of the Assumption; the grounds are large and include a spring.

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

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.

An unrestored manor on the Dubna river in a historic park that keeps its original look; guests stay in the “gentlemen’s rooms”. On the riverbank is an old-style smoke sauna.

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

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”.

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

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 bar right on the beach at the Baltic Beach Hotel: grilled meat, seafood and cocktails with sea views. Sit at the bar or rent a sun bed on the sand. Open 12–22.

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 national cultural monument on the Zemgale plain, with hotel rooms in the renovated stable building and breakfast included. The restored manor park has a children’s playground.

A 42 m monument unveiled in 1935 in honour of the soldiers who fell in the War of Independence, by sculptor Kārlis Zāle. The granite, travertine and copper composition is crowned by a woman holding up three stars, and it is a symbol of Latvia’s freedom and independence. An honour guard stands at its foot.

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

Official bathing site on Lake Būšnieki in Ventspils. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

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.

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

Official bathing site: a beach on the Gulf of Riga in Riga. Awarded a Blue Flag for 2026. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

The main Orthodox church of Daugavpils, with room for 5,000 people. It stands on Church Hill in the Jaunbūve district next to Catholic, Lutheran and Old Believer places of worship — four faiths side by side is a Daugavpils hallmark.

An early-19th-century fortress whose construction began in 1810 by order of Tsar Alexander I ahead of Napoleon’s invasion. It is the only fortification of its kind and age in Northern Europe to survive without significant changes; the Mark Rothko Art Centre is within its walls.

Sports complex with two pools and a spa area, a gym, a CrossFit hall, a multi-purpose sports hall and a football pitch. Café and free parking on site.

An adventure park by Lake Lielais Stropu: rope courses with 102 obstacles up to 12 m high, a separate net park and a 100 m zipline. Little ones (3–6) have a kids’ park; the red and black courses require age 10+ and a height of 140 cm. Gift cards available.

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 laid-back sports bar on Jomas iela with an industrial, steampunk-style interior and a summer terrace. Burgers, wings, cocktails and Latvian and foreign draft beer, with sport on screen. Weekdays 18–23, weekends 12–23.

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

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.

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 33.5 m viewing tower in Dzintari Forest Park with 12 platforms at different heights; from the top you look out over the pine tops to the sea horizon. Free to visit; open daily 9–22, during the park’s hours.

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

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 45-minute trip round the port of Ventspils: the mouth of the Venta, the old town, the industrial port and the Freeport sea gates. The boat has 150 seats; May–September Wed–Fri at 11, 13, 15 and 17, with an extra 18:00 sailing at weekends. Adults €5, pupils and seniors €2; it sails with at least 5 passengers and may be cancelled in strong wind or fog.

Official bathing site on the Lielupe in Jūrmala. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

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.

The rental point of a Latvian outdoor-shop chain, in Pārdaugava. It hires out touring and mountain bikes with helmets, child seats and bike bags, plus hiking kit — tents, sleeping bags, mats, backpacks, dry bags, stoves, cookware, lamps, camping furniture and trekking poles. Gear can be booked online and also collected at Gandrs points in Valmiera or Liepāja; the longer the rental, the lower the daily price.

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.

Tours of the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) at the former secret Soviet complex in Irbene: a walk around the 32 m RT-32 radio telescope, the RT-8 tower with an exhibition on how the antennas worked in Soviet times, the old RT-16 antenna and an underground tunnel. Season 1 April to 1 November; times and booking on the VIRAC website.

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 fishing village from the late 19th and early 20th centuries at the foot of Raga Dune: a net shed, a dwelling house, a granary and a fish-smoking hut, plus a large collection of anchors and fishing boats. On Thursdays in July and August there are rope- and net-making masterclasses and fish smoking. Tue–Sun, free entry.

Boat, kayak and SUP rental with routes on the Lielupe and Buļļupe rivers.

A late-19th-century villa turned culture venue. In summer there is live music in the courtyard every week, the M/Darbnīca bar-club gives artists a stage, and the hip-hop club De Flou is on the villa square.

A quarter of restored 19th-century wooden houses across the river. On Saturdays 10:00–16:00 there is a market of local producers and craftspeople with free workshops for kids, and seasonal festivals bring concerts, exhibitions and open-air plays.

A professional karting circuit in the forest by Kandava: 1,012 m and 11 turns, rebuilt in 2008 to CIK-FIA standards with a layout by Hermann Tilke. It hosts Latvian and Baltic championship rounds, and hobby drivers can rent karts with lap timing.

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.

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

A campsite on the Gulf of Riga between Roja and Kolka, where barrel cabins stand right by the beach looking out to sea.

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

Official bathing site on the Daugava in Riga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

Riga’s first “Kiwi pub”: a big bar with Latvian and foreign beers, sport on several screens, pub food and a summer terrace.

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

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.

Official bathing site: a beach on the Baltic Sea. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

The northern tip of the Kurzeme peninsula on the Livonian coast, where the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga. The two waters collide here, so swimming is dangerous, but watching it from the shore is impressive; in spring and autumn the cape is one of the best bird-watching spots.

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

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.

The Latgale liberation monument “United for Latvia” in central Rēzekne, unveiled in 1939; it was made by sculptor Kārlis Jansons to a design by Leons Tomašickis. The Soviet authorities pulled it down and it was restored in 1992; it is a symbol of Rēzekne and of all 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.

One of Europe’s oldest open-air museums, founded in 1924, in pine woods on the shore of Lake Jugla. More than a hundred historic rural buildings — farmsteads, churches, windmills and bathhouses — have been brought here from every region of Latvia; in summer craftspeople work on site and there are festivals and fairs.

A LIDO restaurant complex: a timber building with a windmill on Krasta iela serving Latvian food. It opened in 1999, with its first guests arriving for the millennium New Year, and added an amusement park and a skating rink in 2003.

A wooden boardwalk across the raised bog in Ķemeri National Park: the short loop is 1.5 km (about an hour) and the long one 3.5 km (about an hour and a half), leading to an observation tower. The boardwalk is free; the car park, about 800 m away, costs €3 for the first hour (Mobilly). Not wheelchair accessible, slippery in rain, and snow isn’t cleared in winter.

Official bathing site on Lake Lielais Stropu in Daugavpils. Awarded a Blue Flag for 2026. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

The only surviving manor complex in the Daugavas loki nature park. For families there are swings, a playground, a climbing wall and outdoor fitness equipment, with morning coffee and Latgalian dishes. The manor also rents touring kayaks (for 2–3 people) for trips down the Daugava, such as Krāslava–Lielborne (15 km) or Lielborne–Elerne (25 km); transport for the boat and paddlers to and from the manor is included in the price.

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

The Latvian National Sports Centre’s tennis base in a pine forest: nine courts in two indoor halls and nine outdoor courts. There is also squash, beach tennis, a mini-tennis court and a gym.

Official bathing site: a beach on the Baltic Sea in Liepāja. Awarded a Blue Flag for 2026. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

Sports complex with a pool and spa, an ice hall, an indoor football hall, a gymnastics hall, an indoor arena and stadiums. The tennis hall is separate, on Liedaga iela.

An 8 km white-sand beach with a Blue Flag every summer since 2001, lifeguards, and access for people with visual and mobility impairments.

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.

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.

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

Official bathing site on the Daugava in Riga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

The ruins of a Gothic Livonian Order castle in the centre of Ludza, built on the site of an older Latgalian wooden castle as an eastern outpost guarding trade routes. Impressive fragments of wall survive, one of them three storeys high, and the hill looks out over Ludza’s lakes.

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.

Latvia’s State Forests nature park in the Tērvete pinewood, about 1,200 hectares: the Fairy Tale Forest, the Gnome Farmstead, wooden sculptures, trails and boardwalks over the Tērvete river valley, and three ancient hill forts. A new visitor centre and a 25 m observation tower opened in 2026; the park drew a record 166,700 visitors in 2025.

Official bathing site: a beach on the Gulf of Riga in Jūrmala. 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.

Official bathing site on the Venta in Kuldīga. The Health Inspectorate tests the water regularly during the bathing season.

A restored manor in the Lielupe valley, Bauska municipality, with a four-star hotel of 26 rooms. The restored barn and stables serve as event spaces for up to 80 guests, and Rundāle and Mežotne palaces are nearby.

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

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

The main stage of the Song and Dance Festival in Mežaparks, held here since 1955. After the first phase of reconstruction (2018) it seats about 30,000, and Latvia’s biggest summer concerts take place here.

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 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 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.