Old Rīga
Built in 1225, this church has ping-ponged many times between Catholic and Protestant, and has been home to many languages and communities, including…
Must-see attractions in Latvia
Central Rīga
This small and rather informal space briefly recounts the city’s history of Jewish life until 1945 through artefacts and photography. Rīga’s Jewish…
Central Rīga
The expansive Esplanāde is a large park dotted with tall trees, wooden benches and open-air cafes. The Latvian National Museum of Art graces it on one…
Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum
Rīga
If you don’t have time to visit the Latvian countryside, a stop at this open-air museum is a must. Sitting along the shores of Lake Jugla just northeast…
Rīga
The Brothers' Cemetery features a monument by Kārlis Zāle (the designer of the Freedom Monument) dedicated to the Latvian soldiers who died during WWI…
Central Rīga
Its polished gilded cupolas gleaming through the trees, this Byzantine-styled Orthodox cathedral (1883) adds a dazzling dash of Russian bling to the…
Latvia
Switch on your imagination in this 13th-century church where armour-clad Livonian knights prayed and buried their dead in what was then a lonely island of…
Vērmanes dārzs (Vērmanes Garden)
Central Rīga
From Brīvības, pass the swirls of colour at the 24-hour flower market along Tērbatas iela to find the inviting Vērmanes dārzs. During the summer months,…
Janis Rozentāls & Rūdolfs Blaumanis Museum
Central Rīga
Surmount the wonderfully lavish stairwell up to the 5th floor to find the former apartment of Janis Rozentāls, one of Latvia’s most celebrated painters,…
Maskavas Forštate, Avotu Iela & Grīziņkalns
This moving Holocaust Memorial is on the site of a large 1871 synagogue that was burned to the ground on 4 July, 1941 during WWII, with the entire…
Latvia
The most important church in town: Katrina (St Catherine) is Kuldīga’s patron saint and protector, and is featured on the town’s coat of arms. The church…
Old Rīga
Occupying a historic merchant's house from 1500, this little museum displays early images from Rīga along with changing exhibitions of contemporary…
Latvia
Ancient trees, manicured flower beds, water features, elegant walkways and cycling trails make this 3km-long park the very definition of an urban oasis…
Old Rīga
Latvian Riflemen Sq, on the west side of the future home of the Occupation Museum, is dominated by the imposing and controversial statue honouring Latvia…
Old Rīga
Built in 1695 as the home of a wealthy German glazier, this sparsely furnished house offers insight into everyday life for Rīga's successful merchants…
Latvia
Close to Latgales iela and the old Jewish quarter, this 1845 synagogue is indeed green. Restored inside and out to past wooden glory, there are displays…
Latvia
Rihards, a local wood carver, has filled a 10-hectare park with his unique creations. Short trails snake past modern art installations, a classical garden…
Ķīpsala, Āgenskalns & Torņakalns
A rare example of an all-wood art nouveau building, this 1909 four-storey apartment house was built as worker housing. Now renovated for the better-heeled…
Latvia
This engaging museum is housed in what a local legend 'claims' was a Russian pavilion from the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The 2nd floor recreates the…
Latvian National Museum of Art
Central Rīga
Latvia's main gallery, sitting on the edge of the Esplanāde's leafy grounds, is an impressive building that was purpose-built in a baroque-classical style…
Latvia
This blocky building doesn't look obviously castle-like from the outside, but the 13th-century interior is home to an entertaining interactive local…
Latvia
The stolid church in this tiny village predates its first recorded mention in 1640. The interior is a stunner, it’s a perfectly proportioned flamboyant…
Old Rīga
Built into the city’s medieval walls in 1698 while the Swedes were in power, this arched gate is the only one left in Old Rīga. Set in the largest…
Latvia
The namesake castle is the centre of everything in this hamlet. It’s part manor house, part fortification dating to 1264. It has a park-like setting and a…
Latvia
Disappointed in the modest height of Kuldīga's waterfall? Head over to what is – yes! – Latvia's tallest waterfall (4.2m). Sure it's lined with concrete…
Latvia
This museum occupies a farm that remains unaltered since the 1920s, when many Latvians received generous chunks of land in the agrarian reform. Contact it…
Latvia
Exhibits at this enjoyable museum complex along the Gauja River are housed in eight historical buildings. Also on the grounds are medieval castle ruins…
Central Rīga
One of Latvia's greatest writers, Blaumanis (1863-1908) wrote the short story 'In the Shadow of Death.' one of his most famous works. This statue was…
Latvia
Enjoy terrific views by catching a ride on the cable car over the Gauja River. From the Sigulda side, it departs from a rocky precipice south of the…
Latvia
The area’s spring water is perfectly potable and supposedly quite healthy. Try filling your water bottle at the Lizard, a stone sculpture at the mouth of…
Latvia
Centuries ago, bonfires were lit at the cape’s tip to guide sailors around the protruding sandbar. Today, the solar-powered lighthouse guides vessels to…
Latvia
Check out the largest piece of amber art in the world, plus legions of old women knitting scarves, mittens and blankets available for purchase. The…
Teiči Nature Reserve Watchtower
Southern Latvia
Stop at this roadside watchtower for sweeping views of the 20,000-hectare Teiči Nature Reserve, which boasts the largest moss marsh in the Baltics. The…
Latvia
Built in 1893 and now beautifully restored, St Peter-Paul Orthodox Church is the oldest place of worship in Ķemeri and, if you look closely, you’ll notice…
Jūrmala
This well-funded museum features a cool permanent exhibit detailing Jūrmala’s colourful history as the go-to resort town in the former USSR. One popular…
Latvia
Built in 1875 out of cast iron, this 21m-tall lighthouse stands over a popular beach that mixes gravel patches with white sand and dunes. The views of the…
Latvia
In the middle of the town's square stands Māra, a statue twice destroyed by the Soviet authorities in the 1940s and only re-erected in 1992. Its…
Latvia
Extending out into the Baltic Sea, the Southern Promenade follows a breakwater with thrilling views of huge freighters passing close by. The walk is…
Latvia
An elegant and modern addition to the middle of town, Gors is a large cultural centre. Art exhibitions, cultural displays, concerts, films, poetic…
Latvia
This modern centre provides a good introduction to local Livonian culture, including their love of berries, songs and their unique red-checked wool socks…
