Top 12 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Latvia

Riga has been, so far, the most popular destination in Latvia. It is not without a reason. Riga is a gorgeous city in the very center of the Baltic States. It has a rich history of over 800 years and a unique cultural legacy.

Riga’s cozy old town (UNESCO heritage site), well-preserved and renowned Art Nouveau architecture, new interesting hipster districts and pubs, and many green parks pull tourists here. 

There is something special about Riga, says National Geographic. You will get a great mixture of old and modern Northern Europe here.

Once you visit Riga, I promise you will almost certainly want to return. One-third of the Latvian population lives and works in Riga: we, locals, like to joke that Riga is a country within a country.

The hustle about Riga is so big that not many visitors know that the real Latvia starts outside Riga.

Sigulda is a small town some 50 kilometers from Riga in the central region of Latvia called Vidzeme. It’s a popular tourist attraction not because of the city itself but because of the stunning views of Gauja National Park.

Gauja National Park is the oldest national park in Latvia. It is also one of the most beautiful places to visit in Latvia, attracting many local and foreign visitors. Sigulda is a popular destination for day trips from Riga.

It is a perfect place for hiking on numerous hiking trails or taking a memorable kayaking or canoeing trip in the beautiful Gauja River.

You may also be lucky to enjoy stunning autumn colors in Sigulda if you come here in mid-October. A must-visit is also the Turaida Museum-Reserve in the nearby Turaida town.

Here, you can have breathtaking postcard views from the top of the tower and plenty of facts about Latvian history and traditions.

Cesis is a small but charming town less than 100 kilometers from Riga. It is almost as old as Riga. Its medieval castle and rich history are what draw people here, but not only that.

Many exciting cultural events are being held in Cesis during summertime. Besides, guess what? This town is again in the stunning Gauja National Park. Just a short drive outside the city, you will see unique, impressive sandstone cliffs at the banks of the Gauja River. 

Jurmala is the closest and most convenient place to go from Riga if you are looking to spend some time on a beach and enjoy all the benefits of civilization at the same time. Jurmala is just 25 kilometers from Riga but stretches along the Gulf of Riga for 32 kilometers.

The significant part of spending time on a Latvian beach is that you can be technically in a city and nature simultaneously.

A stretch of coastal pine forest separates the beach from housing and anything else in Jurmala. Isn’t this great? Jurmala is also one of the few places in Latvia where you can have long walks on the beach and even take long bike rides. The sand is flat and stiff enough for riding a bike here during the summer.

Jurmala is a resort. It shines with historical wooden summer houses, modern, expensive private homes, and lux apartment buildings.

You can also stop at restaurants or cafes on the famous Jomas walking street or have a beer in any summer tents on the beach.

Kemeri National Park is another national park that is close to Riga. Some 40 minutes of driving by car to the West (or an hour by train if you wish) will bring you to a stunning bogland area. The famous Great Bog and its boardwalk attract many visitors.

You won’t see such well-preserved raised bog habitats anywhere else in Europe except for other places in Latvia, Estonia, and Finland.

There is more than that. You can also have a boat, a Standup Paddle Board (SUP), or a fishing trip in Lake Kaieris.

Or you may end up walking in the wooded dunes, breathing the fresh air of the coastal pine forest, and soaking in the sun on the beautiful, uncrowded white sand beach of the Gulf of Riga. 

Just don’t forget to buy a traditional Latvian smoked fish in any fishing village on your way. These are all excellent places with strange names for foreigners, like Bigauciems, Lapmežciems, Ragaciems, and Klapkalnciems.

These places have complex names but tasty fish snacks if you love them.

Liepaja is the third biggest city in Latvia worth special attention. It is on the far south-west coast of Latvia, and it takes some three hours to get there from Riga by car (alternatively, you can take an inland flight or train).

Liepaja is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Latvia if you have more time than just a few days in or near Riga. We call it the city where “the wind is born,” and not without a reason.

It is primarily windy, but it has one of Latvia’s most comprehensive and most beautiful beaches, with white sand that feels like silk on your skin. If the weather becomes too windy, you can hide in the dunes.

This is a luxury you will not find everywhere. Liepaja is a cozy city with predominantly wooden houses in its historical center. The town and the beach are rarely too crowded.

Just 10 – 20 minutes to the city’s South, you will find pure wilderness: Nature Reserve “Bernati.” It has a gorgeous beach and many cozy places to stay. Just be sure to book in advance.

Go more to the South, and it gets even wilder. There is a fantastic nature park of Lake Pape – an excellent place for birdwatchers and all kinds of nature lovers.

Kolka Cape is a peak attraction for visitors in the remote Slitere National Park – the wildest national park in Latvia. Kolka Cape is where the Gulf of Riga (which we call the “Small Sea” here) meets the open Baltic Sea (the “Big Sea”). It’s in the north-west part of Latvia, and it takes about two hours to get there from Riga. 

The wind, water, and streams may play tricks here, and the shape of the Kolka Cape is ever-changing. The waves from the Small Sea overlap with the ones from the Big Sea.

It’s beautiful. Just don’t swim here! It’s dangerous because of the loose sand and underwater streams. 

On a sunny and warm day, you can walk a couple of kilometers away from the cape to the open Baltic Sea or the Gulf of Riga. Here, you can safely enjoy a refreshing dip in neither salty nor warm water.

Yet it is okay to swim on hot summer days (well, “ok” from a nordic person’s perspective). Did you know that the Baltic Sea is one of the least salty seas in the World? The Gulf of Riga is almost like a big lake.

While Kolka Cape is pretty famous in the summer, all the other places in Slitere National Park are wild and secluded. You will find ancient, pristine forests, superb, secluded beaches, and tranquillity here.

Jurkalne’s Steep Coast is spectacular. Jurkalne is at least two and a half hours’ drive from Riga. Yet, it is worth going there or stopping by if you are traveling along the western coast of Latvia.

Jurkalne itself is a tiny village. There are only some guesthouses to stay there. However, you can easily find accommodation and great places to eat in Ventspils port city to the North or the fantastic Pavilosta fishing village to the South of Jurkalne.

These both are just about half an hour’s drive from Jurkalne, very different and great places to stay with splendid sandy beaches at the Baltic Sea.

Like the whole Latvian coastline, Jurkalne is a part of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route. There are at least five reasons why hiking in Latvia is the ultimate experience for nature lovers.

It is easy to fall in love with the charming and cozy Kuldīga town in the western part of Latvia – Kurzeme. It has a stunning, well-preserved medieval town center, delicious places to eat, a historic stone bridge on the Venta River, and the wides waterfall in Europe – Ventas Rumba (Venta Rapid).

While being the widest, Ventas Rumba is not the highest waterfall. It is just about 2 meters high. There are also great swimming spots in the Venta River if you happen to be here on a sunny and warm summer day.

Visit Kuldīga in spring, and you may be lucky to witness local fish called vimba jumping in Venta rapid on its way to spawning places. Kuldīga is not the only beautiful medieval town to visit in Kurzeme.

Kandava and Sabile are smaller but no less charming places in the beautiful Abava River Valley.

Kandava is a tranquil town with a history that dates back to 1230. It has a cozy old town center and great views from the castle hill. Kandava is also a great place to start a kayaking or canoeing trip on the beautiful Abava River.

Sabile is another small town mentioned in the Guinness Records Book as the northernmost vineyard in the World. While you can get traditional wine from grapes in Sabile, a local wine made of fruits or cider is probably better.

Sabile Wine Hill ascends above the town with a gorgeous view of the Abava River Valley and I would definitely recommend climbing it! 

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Latvia is Rundale Palace. It is a Baroque-style palace some 80 kilometers south of Riga and worth mentioning on its own.

The Italian architect Franchesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli designed this wonder and was built at the beginning of the 18th century. He was also the author of the famous Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. 

The palace has a spectacular interior and a beautiful park. Classic day tours are organized to Rundale, but you can also go there by car.

Let’s move to Eastern Latvia or Latgale now. Latgale is a region with a unique culture and even language. Aglona is a local and even regional place of pilgrimage.

Two visits of different popes alone say a lot about the importance of this place for Catholics. Basilica of the Assumption is the main highlight there.

Yet Aglona is not only about the church. Its natural surroundings are nothing less than spectacular. Eastern Latvia is rich with beautiful lakes, so we also call it the “land of blue lakes.” Therefore, Latgale is also a place for fantastic kayaking and canoeing trips.

You may cruise several lakes in a row here, and each one is different. The open waters and the wild islands make the landscapes, boating trips, and camping experiences unforgettable here.

Finally, the Museum of Bread in Aglona and Latgalian cuisine are worth some attention, too. Your taste buds will thank you for that.

Daugava is the biggest river in Latvia. It starts in Russia, crosses Belarus, and its last 365 kilometers are in Latvia. Latvians also call Daugava the river of destiny.

It is essential in Latvian traditions, literature, culture, and the economy. River’s beautiful meanders remind us about many changes in Latvia’s history and our lives. Yet Daugava is also an attractive travel destination.

The river looks very different in Riga city compared to its surroundings near the Latvian border with Belarus and the second biggest Latvian city, Daugavpils.

Nature park “Daugavas Loki” (Meanders of Daugava River) is a gorgeous place in the southeast region of Latvia. It attracts travelers looking for magnificent natural scenery.

Visiting the fantastic viewpoints on the river banks is a perfect way to enjoy nature and the Latvian countryside. Also, kayaking, canoeing, or driving along the Daugava’s riverbank is a memorable experience.

By Rolands Ratfelders. He crafts travel plans, and you can hire him as the local nature tour guide in Latvia at his own small ecotourism company, “i-D?” Adventures.