Things to do in Latvia

The 18 best things to do in Latvia

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1. 1Riga

   Wander the lanes of Riga's Old Town

   Riga began in 1201 as Bishop Albert's trading base on the Daugava and soon became a leading member of the Hanseatic League. The Old Town (Vecrīga) is the medieval heart of that city, with more than 500 buildings in styles from Gothic and Mannerism to Baroque and Modernism. Its historic center has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Cobbled squares, churches, guild houses and courtyards sit close together. Rozena Street is the narrowest in the city, and John's Courtyard and Konventa Courtyard are quiet corners in the middle of town.

   Tip: Start early or after dinner when the squares are calmer, and keep your bag zipped and in front of you, since the Old Town is one of the places where pickpockets work.

   Free to visit
   Sources: Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); LiveRiga (Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, liveriga.com); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism)
2. 2Riga

   Walk the Art Nouveau facades of Alberta iela

   Alberta iela, in Riga's Quiet Centre a short walk from the Old Town, is the best place to experience Riga's Art Nouveau. Its houses went up between 1901 and 1908, and eight of them are recognized as architectural monuments of national significance. Architects including Mikhail Eisenstein and Konstantīns Pēkšēns decorated the facades with sculptures, ornate balconies and symbolic motifs, and much of the street survived the 20th century intact. The Riga Art Nouveau Museum at Alberta iela 12 is in a building completed in 1903 as Pēkšēns' own home, with a spiral staircase as its trademark. The museum's apartment shows the interiors as they looked in 1903. Riga has over 800 Art Nouveau buildings in all.

   Tip: Walk the whole street in daylight and look up at the facades, then visit the museum, which offers a guide service if you want the stories behind the buildings.

   Free to visit
   Sources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal)
3. 3Riga

   Climb St. Peter's Church tower for city views

   St. Peter's Church was first mentioned in 1209 and grew into a grand Gothic church. Parts of the outer walls and some interior pillars date from the 13th century. Inside you can see tombs, restored memorial plaques and a giant bronze seven-branched candlestick made in 1596. The spire, rebuilt in the 1970s, is one of the landmarks of Riga's skyline. A lift takes you up the tower to a viewing platform, where you look over medieval and modern Riga, the Daugava River with its harbor and the Gulf of Riga. The church is in the Old Town, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Riga Central Station.

   Tip: The tower is open later on Fridays and Saturdays, so plan an evening visit then, and check the hours on the church's own site before you set out.

   EUR[fee] for the towerKnow the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal)
4. 4Riga

   Browse the zeppelin hangars of Riga Central Market

   Riga Central Market fills five huge pavilions that began life as German army zeppelin hangars, built in Vaiņode in Kurzeme and reused in the city. When it opened in 1930, it was recognized as the largest, best and most modern market in Europe. Today hundreds of vendors sell fresh fish, smoked fish, rye bread, cheese, honey, fruit, vegetables, flowers and handmade goods, and a food court serves Latvian and international dishes. The market is part of the UNESCO-listed historic center. It sits on the Daugava, a few minutes' walk from the Old Town and next to the central train and bus stations.

   Tip: Come hungry and go with a bag you can keep in front of you, because the market is one of Riga's busiest pickpocket spots.

   Pay as you go
   Sources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism)
5. 5Rundāle

   Tour the Baroque rooms of Rundāle Palace

   Rundāle Palace was built for Ernst Johann von Biron, who bought the estate in June 1735. The Russian court architect Francesco Rastrelli, who also designed the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, arrived that August, and the plans were ready by January 1736. More than a thousand craftsmen worked on the palace. Most of the Rococo interiors date from 1765 to 1768, and the Gilt Hall, White Hall and Great Gallery are open to visitors, along with the Duke's and Duchess's apartments. Outside are a French-style formal garden and a rose garden. It lies about 67 km from Riga, and a direct bus runs from the capital.

   Tip: Ticket offices close 40 minutes before the museum does, so arrive with time to spare if you want to see both the rooms and the garden.

   Main exhibition: €12 (about $13) · Buy at the ticket office or onlineFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Rundāle Palace Museum (official); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Rundāle Palace Museum (official); Rundāle Palace Museum (official)
6. 6Sigulda

   See Turaida Castle and Folk Song Hill

   The Turaida Museum Reserve stands 5 km from the center of Sigulda inside Gauja National Park. Its stone castle has a 13th-century main tower, the Bergfried, whose fifth-floor viewing area looks over the Gauja valley, 70 to 80 m deep. Nearby are a wooden church consecrated in 1750, one of the oldest in Latvia, and Folk Song Hill, opened on 7 July 1985 with 15 sculptures by Indulis Ranka. The hill became a gathering place of the Singing Revolution, the non-violent movement that carried Latvia to restored independence in 1991. The historical center of Turaida was awarded the European Heritage Label in 2021. The reserve is open every day all year.

   Tip: Buy tickets at the on-site ticket office, as online sales are not available, and book guided tours at least three days ahead.

   Entry: €9 (about $10) · Buy at the ticket officeFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official); Turaida Museum Reserve (official)
7. 7Jūrmala

   Spend a day on the beach and Jomas iela in Jūrmala

   Jūrmala is a seaside resort that stretches along about 24 km of the Gulf of Riga, a ribbon of fine sand, pine forest and wooden villas. Majori, the central district, is reached from Riga Central Station by train in 30 to 33 minutes, and Majori beach is one of the most popular stretches. Jomas iela, one of the oldest and main streets of the resort, is the place to stroll and eat after the beach. The city has 103 architectural monuments of national significance and 295 of local significance, many of them wooden houses. Dzintari Forest Park and Dzintari Concert Hall are also in Jūrmala.

   Tip: Buy a ticket to Majori, because there is no station called Jūrmala, and go in June to August for the warmest weather; the sea stays cool even then.

   Free to visit
   Search tours on TiqetsSources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); latvia.travel (Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the national tourism board)
8. 8Riga

   Learn Latvia's 20th-century story at the Occupation Museum

   The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia tells the story of 1939 to 1991: the Hitler-Stalin pact of 23 August 1939, the Soviet and Nazi German occupations, repression and resistance, and the renewal of the Latvian state. The main exhibition, in the building on Latviešu strēlnieku laukums, opened in its current form on 30 May 2022 and is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00, apart from a few holidays. Audioguides come in ten languages, including English. The museum also runs guided tours of the former KGB building at Brīvības iela 61, where you walk through authentic rooms. Those tours are not recommended for children under 12.

   Tip: Buy KGB building tour tickets online in advance, arrive 10 minutes early, and note that the tour is not accessible to visitors with limited mobility.

   EUR[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (official); Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (official); Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (official); Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (official)
9. 9Riga

   Hear the great organ in Riga Cathedral

   Bishop Albert laid the foundation stone of Riga Cathedral on 25 July 1211, and it grew over centuries into the largest medieval church in the Baltic States. You can read the changes in its stonework: Romanesque beginnings, a Gothic spire that burned in 1547, a Baroque tower added in the late 18th century. Its great organ was built in the late 19th century and has more than 6,700 pipes. The cathedral is still a working church, the seat of the Evangelical Lutheran archbishop, and one of Riga's main concert venues. It stands on Dome Square, within a short walk of the House of the Blackheads and St. Peter's Church.

   Tip: Check the concert calendar on the cathedral's website before your trip, since an organ concert is the best way to hear the instrument.

   Entry: €5 (about $6) · Pay at the doorFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Riga Cathedral (official); LiveRiga (Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, liveriga.com); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism)
10. 10Riga

    Admire the rebuilt House of the Blackheads

    The House of the Blackheads on Town Hall Square was built in 1334 as a venue for meetings and feasts. In the 17th century it became the home of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a brotherhood of mostly German merchants, whose symbol was the head of a Moor, linked to their patron Saint Maurice. The building was destroyed in World War II. Archaeological digging began on the site in 1992, construction started in 1996, with donations from Latvian residents, and the new house was consecrated on 9 December 1999. The wish once written on the gates, "If I were to ever collapse, raise me up once again," had come true.

    Tip: Look at the facade from the middle of Town Hall Square to take in the whole decoration, then continue on foot to St. Peter's Church and the Dome, which are close by.

    EUR[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: House of the Blackheads (official); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); LiveRiga (Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, liveriga.com)
11. 11Riga

    Pay respects at the Freedom Monument

    The Freedom Monument has been the central landmark of Riga for almost a century. The 42.7 m granite and copper monument was funded entirely by public donations and unveiled on 18 November 1935. Sculptor Kārlis Zāle designed it, and architect Ernests Štālbergs built it over four years. Fifty-six sculptures in 13 groups on four levels show scenes from Latvian history, and at the top a woman holds up three golden stars for the historical regions of Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. The motto at its base reads "For the Fatherland and Freedom." During Soviet rule, gatherings here were forbidden. An honor guard has stood at the base since independence was restored in 1991.

    Tip: Stand back across the boulevard to see all four levels of sculpture, and keep your voice low near the base, where the honor guard is on duty.

    Free to visit
    Sources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal)
12. 12Sigulda

    Ride the Sigulda cable car over the Gauja

    The Sigulda cable car carries up to 15 passengers at a time across the old Gauja valley between Sigulda and Krimulda, and it has run since 1969. It is the oldest vehicle of its kind in the Baltic States. From the cabin you look out over the river valley, Sigulda and Turaida castles, Krimulda manor and the bobsleigh track. Cars cross about once every half hour. The idea came from a Sigulda resident who sat by the river when the bridge was still unrepaired after the war and wished he could cross like a bird.

    Tip: Check that the car is running before you go, as it can stop in storms, heavy rain or snowstorms, and in some cold-weather conditions.

    One way: €15 (about $17) · Buy at the Sigulda or Krimulda ticket officeFee changed?

    Last verified Nov 7, 2026

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: latvia.travel (Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the national tourism board); Sigulda Tourism (official municipal tourism site); Turaida Museum Reserve (official)
13. 13Cēsis

    Explore Cēsis Medieval Castle by lantern

    Cēsis Castle has seen 800 years of history and is described by the town as the best-preserved castle ruins in Latvia. Five hundred years ago it was the most powerful fortress in Livonia. At the visitor center you get a lantern and explore the Western Tower, where the master's living quarters hold a 16th-century star vault and fragments of wall paintings. From the tower attic you look over the ruins, the castle park and the town. The Southern Tower, once called Tall Herman, is a notable example of medieval military architecture in the Baltics. In summer, medieval games and crafts run in the castle garden. The town of Cēsis lies in Gauja National Park.

    Tip: Ticket sales end 60 minutes before closing, and the castle is closed on Mondays from October to April, so plan ahead.

    EUR[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Cēsis Tourism (official); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal)
14. 14Sigulda

    Try the Sigulda bobsleigh and luge track

    The Sigulda track, built in 1986, is one of only 18 bobsleigh and luge tracks in the world. It has 16 curves and trains athletes in bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, and it hosts international competitions. Unlike most tracks, it is open to the public every day, with views over the Gauja valley and Sigulda town. In summer you can take a ride on a wheeled summer bob, and in winter the track offers a soft bob, a soft luge and an ice raft. On competition days you can watch world-class athletes from the sidelines.

    Tip: Rides run at set times, so confirm days and times with the track before you go, and dress for the weather even in summer.

    EUR[fee] for ridesKnow the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: latvia.travel (Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the national tourism board); Sigulda Tourism (official municipal tourism site)
15. 15Riga

    Find the medieval Three Brothers houses

    The Three Brothers on Mazā Pils iela, numbers 17, 19 and 21, form the oldest residential complex in Riga. No. 17 dates from around 1490 and was one large room used for work, trade and daily life. The middle house, built in 1646, has the inscription "Soli Deo Gloria" over the door. No. 21, from the second half of the 17th century, has a mask on its facade that the owners said kept evil spirits away. One of the houses holds the Latvian Museum of Architecture, which runs temporary exhibitions. The ensemble received the European Heritage Label in 2019, the first in Latvia. It is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Riga Central Station.

    Tip: The facades are free to admire at any time, but the museum inside shows temporary exhibitions, so check what is on before you queue.

    Free to see from the street
    Sources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); LiveRiga (Riga official tourism); Turaida Museum Reserve (official)
16. 16Riga

    Walk the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

    Set in a pine grove behind Lake Jugla, the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum was founded in 1924 and opened its relocated historic buildings to the public in the summer of 1932. On 87 hectares you walk between peasant homesteads, artisans' workshops, windmills, forges, potters' and tar kilns from Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale. Highlights include the 19th-century Priedes roadside pub, the 18th-century Lutheran church of Usma and a Courland farmer's homestead with its dwelling house, cattle shed, granary and bath-house. Guided tours in foreign languages take 60 or 120 minutes depending on the route.

    Tip: Wear comfortable shoes for the long walking paths, and choose between the 60 minute and 120 minute guided tours, which are offered in foreign languages.

    EUR[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum (official); Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum (official); Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum (official)
17. 17Riga

    Look over Riga from the Academy of Sciences

    The Latvian Academy of Sciences building was completed in 1961 and rises 108 m, which made it the tallest structure in Latvia for many years. It is built in the Socialist Classicism style, includes folk motifs, and is nicknamed "Stalin's birthday cake." Its open-air observation deck is on the 17th floor, about 65 m above the city, with 360 degree views. You can see the curve of the Daugava, the Central Market pavilions, the Old Town towers and the National Library across the river. A lift goes to the 15th floor, and two short flights of stairs lead to the deck. The building stands a few minutes' walk from Riga Central Station and the Central Market.

    Tip: Hours can change with the weather, so phone ahead before you go, and pick a clear day or evening for the best view.

    EUR[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: LiveRiga (Riga official tourism)
18. 18Kuldīga

    Stand at the Venta Rapid in Kuldīga

    The Venta Rapid in Kuldīga, in western Latvia, is the widest waterfall in Europe. It is around 100 to 110 m wide but only 1.8 to 2 m high, and you can watch it along its whole length from either bank or from the old brick bridge 200 m downstream. In spring and autumn, fish try to jump the rapid on their way upstream. About 300 years ago Duke Jacob of Courland set up baskets along the rapid to catch them in the air, which gave the town its reputation for salmon caught in flight. Kuldīga's Old Town, with cobbled streets and wooden and stone buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    Tip: Visit in spring or autumn if you want to see the fish jump, and walk the trails on both riverbanks for different views.

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal); Latvia Travel (official national tourism portal)

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