Latvia

Beaches, forests, and medieval villages are competing for your attention, and the only answer is to check out all the best places to visit in the country of Latvia. From Sigulda’s wooded trails, the magic palace at Rundale, to Liepaja’s white-sand beaches, here are the top eleven places to visit in this Northeast European destination.

Riga is an obvious place to start exploring Latvia, a stunning city with a staggering range of both traditional and unique attractions. The most significant cultural attractions in Latvia are concentrated in Riga, one of them being Riga Castle, now serving as the official residence for the President of Latvia. Riga is dotted with wonderful historic landmarks, including the Riga Castle, Freedom Monument, and Saint Peters Church.

Taking an elevator up St. Peters Church to get 360-degree views of Riga is a definite must, as is visiting the Gothic House of Blackheads and Riga Cathedral. Places that you cannot miss while in the Riga Old Town are the Blackheads House, St. Peters Church (make sure you climb up to its dome to take in breath-taking views of the city), Riga Cathedral, the pretty Three Brothers (three colourful adjoining buildings), and the beautiful Swedish gate -- it gets its name from when Latvia was under Swedish occupation.

If castles and history are your thing, then one of the unmissable things to do in Latvia is visiting Ceceis medieval castle. One of the day trips you can take from Latvia’s capital is visiting the Ceis Castle, a medieval castle located 2 hours north of Riga.

Riga Cathedral is one of the most recognized attractions of the Latvian capital, one of the first tourist attractions that you must visit when you are in Riga. A museum and home to Latvia’s President, the castle of Riga stands out because of its prominent location and an interesting mix of architectural details. It is one of the most outstanding structures built in Latvia in the 20th century, and as such was included in UNESCOs list of world heritage sites along with medieval Old Town in 1998.

Latvia is filled with history, mainly forgotten, and left out from European history books, and one of the best ways of re-discovering the history is visiting all museums of the Latvian capital. In just Riga, check out the new Museum Live, which presents history in a ground-breaking, interactive way.

Even if you are in Latvia only a couple of days, you should manage to do visiting not just Riga, but some places around it. If you have only brief time in Latvia, it is easy to spend all your time in Riga -- just keep in mind, though, that Riga also serves as a great hub to see the rest of the country. While Riga is a tourist hotspot, few people venture beyond the capital to explore the many treasures in the Northeast European destination has to offer.

As you wander the Old Town in Riga, you will discover stylish churches, and there are plenty of coffee shops and museums. The old town part of Riga is located along the beautiful Daugava river, and you can walk around the old cobblestone streets here and imagine that you are walking around in medieval Latvia. A series of stairs and an old, sometimes overcrowded elevator take you up, where you can take in the red roofs and cobbled streets of Old Town, as well as the gorgeous, bright blue Daugava river, which divides the left and right banks of Riga.

There are plenty of walking tours that you can take to Latvia’s capital, taking you on food tasting tours around the central market in Riga, all the while explaining how life is really for the locals here. If you have only limited time in Riga, taking a guided tour is a fantastic way to maximise your time, since the tour guides will know where all the sights are located and give you the history and background behind places.

Looking for things to do in Latvia during the winter, you could head for Sigulda Ski Resort or Madonna Ski Resort for a fun activity-filled vacation, or visit beautiful Riga during winter, home of Riga’s medieval castles and other old buildings. If you would like to learn more about the history of this incredible culture, you can visit one of the many outdoor museums scattered throughout the region, or spend some time chatting to nature in parks, reserves, and waterways that Latvia is known for. A visit to the Rundale Palace is one of the best things to do in Latvia for lovers of baroque and rococo architecture, or for anyone infatuated by the grandest palaces of Europe.