Step into a meticulously planned 5-day journey through Lativa, where you'll delve into the heart of the beautiful Baltic region.
This guide will explore the highlights of Latvia's diverse landscapes and cultural treasures:
📍 Riga
📍 Cesis
📍 Kemeru National Park
This trip was one of our favourites and we just can't wait to go back!
The first stop on this adventure is Riga, Latvia's capital and a splendid city dominated by wonderful buildings and romantic alleys. The city is so picturesque you will want to spend some time getting lost in the cobbled streets and looking up at the pastel-coloured buildings.
Transport to the city centre
After landing at Riga International Airport, you can either take a taxi or a bus to the city centre.
We recommend taking the number 22 bus to save a few pennies. An all day ticket will set you back €5 (one way can also be purchased for €2); tickets for the bus can be brought both on the bus or at the newsagents. There are plenty of signs/directions to the bus stand throughout the airport to help you find your way.
A converted 18th Century Baron Munchausen's horse stable featuring modern and spacious rooms for a more luxurious getaway. Rooms start from around €80 a night!
This 15th century building featuring the historical "lamp of happiness" is the perfect place for those looking to immerse themselves in Latvian tradition. Located within the old town, prices start at around €100 per night for a standard double room.
This 15th-century public building is the most iconic in Latvia, situated at the heart of the old town. It's possible to go inside and explore the architecture and silver collection. Be sure to take in the beauty of the square.
Stunning building located just a short walk over the bridge from the old town. The National Library is free to enter and well worth a visit for its incredible book stacks, viewing platform of the city and nearby artwork.
This museum details the history of Latvia in the 20th century when it was occupied by USSR and Nazi Germany. Open from Saturday-Wednesday with tickets costing €5 for an adult, it takes around 2/2.30h to go around the whole museum.
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Restaurants/Cafes
Below you will find some lovely places where we visited and highly recommend you check out:
Traditional restaurant that uses produce exclusively from Latvia. Make sure to book ahead of time as it is extremely popular.
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We spent a full afternoon at this tea house as it's built in such a quirky way, and it's so relaxing. You can sit on some very comfortable cushions and just observe nature and the World go by. Priceless!
Perfect place in Riga to get a burger and a pint, one of the best burgers I have ever eaten :)
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Day 3-4 Cesis
The next stop on the journey is Cesis, a beautiful town located within the Gaujas National Park and is famous for its medieval castle.
Transport to Cesis
We recommend taking the train from Riga to get here, the tickets will cost around €4 per person and can be pre-booked from the station or by going online. There are typically 5 trains a day from Riga to Cesis (7 am, 11 am, 5.30 pm, 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm) and it takes around 2h to reach your destination.
Elegant restaurant for those looking for some fine dining and wining, perfect for a date night. Reservations are required to be made for this restaurant.
Great place to grab some food or a drink and just take in the stunning scenery that Cesis has to offer
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Day 5: Kemeru National Park
The final stop on the trip is to see the renowned bog walk within the Kemeru National Park.
Transport to Kemeri
As before, we recommend taking the train from Cesis to reach Kemeri within the Kemeru National Park. The journey takes just over 3h depending on what train you choose, you will have to change in Riga. You can sort out your tickets at the station or purchase them online.
The bog walk is around 5km away from the centre of Kemeri and the hotel, the walk is primarily in the woods so is nice and scenic. It is possible to rent a bike from the hotel if you would prefer to cycle.
Hey there! I'm Anna, a backpacking enthusiast who can't resist some good ol' boujee stays now and then. Some of my favourite travel memories are about trekking through Patagonia (had a tiny mishap with a horse there – don't ask), but also, chilling with Imantha on his balcony in Sri Lanka, chatting about life and dreams. I spent eight wild years in the UK and recently hopped back to my Italian roots. 🍝
When I'm not exploring new spots with my husband, Blake, I'm deep into UX designing for a really cool mobile app company.
If you're into swapping travel tales, recipes, or just want to share some epic do's and don'ts, hit me up! 🌍✈️🍕
