Central Rīga
Like a huge painting that you can spend hours staring at, as your eye detects more and more intriguing details, this must-see Rīga sight is in fact a…
Must-see attractions in Latvia
Latvia
Turaida means ‘God’s Garden’ in ancient Livonian, and this green knoll capped with a fairy-tale castle is certainly a heavenly place. The red-brick castle…
Latvia
This impressive riverside citadel is enjoying an ongoing renovation that's recreating its historic atmosphere. Look for the restored Nicholas Gate near…
Old Rīga
Forming the centrepiece of Rīga’s skyline, this Gothic church is thought to be around 800 years old, making it one of the oldest medieval buildings in the…
Latvia
The city of Sigulda has done a fine job developing the historic buildings at its core into one unmissable complex. The highlight is the Livonian Order…
Latvia
Cēsis Castle is actually two castles in one. The moody dark-stone towers belong to the increasingly restored old castle. Founded by Livonian knights in…
Central Rīga
A real-life house of horrors, this imposing fin de siècle building is remembered by generations of Latvians as the local headquarters of the notorious…
Ķīpsala, Āgenskalns & Torņakalns
There is hardly a place in Latvia that can tell such a poignant and optimistic story as this quietly stunning memorial. Žanis Lipke saved over 50 Jews…
Rīga Ghetto & Latvian Holocaust Museum
Maskavas Forštate, Avotu Iela & Grīziņkalns
The centrepiece of this arresting and challenging museum is a wooden house with a reconstructed flat, like those that Jews had to move into when the Nazis…
Rīga
Between 1941 and 1944, the Nazis – aided by Latvians – shot more than 35,000 Jews at 55 different sites in this forest. It is one of several killing sites…
Abava River Valley
Located 1.5km south of the centre, this open-air art extravaganza was founded by Ojars Feldbergs, a Latvian sculptor. Pedvāle showcases over 100 thought…
Museum of the Barricades of 1991
Old Rīga
Latvia's independence came after enormous struggles. One of the most remarkable stories involves the barricades built by thousands of citizens around…
Latvia
These striking pine-covered cliffs loom above a pristine white-sand beach dissected by a glistening stream. This is one of the most enchanting places…
Rīga
A lovingly restored courtyard with several vintage wooden buildings is home to creative cafes, shops and restaurants. It's also home to a fantastic…
Abava River Valley
Latvia's answer to the Chinese terracotta army is entirely comprised of straw-filled unarmed civilians. Local folk artist Daina Kučera has filled a…
Latvia
Spanning 249m, Ventas Rumba is branded Europe's widest waterfall, though it's far from the tallest. Its subtle beauty becomes compelling the longer you…
Southern Latvia
These massive gardens draw throngs of visitors each spring when the scores of fruit trees are in bloom. There are apricot, cherry and plum orchards, as…
Latvia
See how one of Latvia's best-known craft beers is made on an entertaining tour: expect friendly guides and plenty of samples. Enjoy hearty pints and…
Latvia
Watching the Baltic swells crash into the blue swells of the Gulf of Rīga is mesmerising. Find a spot away from the summertime crowds on the narrow beach;…
Latvia
For Ventspils, the wide stretch of dazzling white sand south of the Venta River is its main treasure. During the warmer months, beach bums of every ilk –…
Latvia
This Blue Flag beach is a fabulous place for a dip. The fine white sand is over 50m in width and the shore stretches for 8km. In summer you'll find a few…
Latvia
The vaulted arches of the 1874 red-brick bridge are one of Kuldīga's favourite sites. At 154m, it's the third-longest brick bridge in Europe.
St Nicholas Maritime Cathedral
Latvia
The stunning cathedral, with its bulbous cupolas, shines like a precious stone through the grey concrete of the decrepit Soviet apartment blocks that…
Southern Latvia
Built as a grand residence for the Duke of Courland, this magnificent palace is a monument to 18th-century aristocratic ostentatiousness, and is rural…
Central Rīga
Pilsētas kanāls, the city’s old moat, once protected the medieval walls from invaders. Today the snaking ravine has been incorporated into a thin belt of…
Maskavas Forštate, Avotu Iela & Grīziņkalns
Haggle for your huckleberries at this vast market, housed in a series of WWI Zeppelin hangars and spilling outdoors as well. It's an essential Rīga…
Old Rīga
Founded in 1211 as the seat of the Rīga diocese, this enormous (once Catholic, now Evangelical Lutheran) cathedral is the largest medieval church in the…
Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre
Latvia
The old imperial Russian arsenal inside Daugavpils Fortress is now an excellent contemporary art gallery honouring Daugavpils native Mark Rothko. The…
Old Rīga
Built in 1344 as a veritable fraternity house for the Blackheads guild of unmarried German merchants, the original house was bombed in 1941 and flattened…
Old Rīga
Rīga’s lavishly restored 1852 stock exchange building is a worthy showcase for the city's art treasures. The elaborate facade features a coterie of…
Southern Latvia
Bauska Castle sits on a picturesque hillock squeezed between two rivers – the Mūsa and Mēmele – that flow parallel to each other. It is actually two…
Latvia
Slītere National Park protects 265 sq km of land back from the coast on the Kolka peninsula. The park's focal point is the Slītere Lighthouse, a towering…
Šķēde Dunes Holocaust Memorial
Latvia
The beauty obscures the horror. Some 10km north of Liepāja, off a long dirt coastal road, is a memorial at a place of death. Amidst a flawless white sand…
Latvia
Veczemju klintis, halfway between Saulkrasti and Salacgrīva, is a dramatic spot for a picnic and a walk. The jagged cliffs have a deep reddish hue and are…
Jūrmala
Before the clothing of choice in Jūrmala was the bikini (with or without a parka), the peninsula was home to fishing people who eked out a living through…
Southern Latvia
Stop at Koknese to admire the ruins of Kokenhausen, a medieval castle. It has a stunning location overlooking the confluence of the Daugava and Perse…
Rīga History & Navigation Museum
Old Rīga
Founded in 1773 and situated in the old Rīga Cathedral monastery, this engaging museum presents the sweep of local history, from the Bronze Age all the…
Latvia
Beautiful Ungurmuiža is one of the best preserved manor houses in all of Latvia. The stately red mansion was created by Baron von Campenhousen, who served…
Jūrmala
Jūrmala's ribbon of white sand stretches for 24km. The sand is hard-packed and ideal for walking – or packing into sand sculptures or castles – and the…
Old Rīga
The spooked black cats mounted on the turrets of this 1909 art nouveau–influenced building have become symbols of Rīga and Instagram stars. On any tour,…
