5 places to visit in West-Latvia besides Riga
Latvia is one of the Baltic countries with a great capital city of Riga, but there is so much more! From awesome nature to impressive castles. Here you can find both, my top 5 places/regions to visit in Western Latvia.
Līgatne
A really cool, naturally beautiful area with high sand cliffs, an hour's drive from Riga.
Places to visit:
Ānfabrikas klintis - was an old paper mill built in 1815-1816 and paper was made by hand until 1876. Locks and water channels were built for the factory, which are still around here.
Lustūzis - sand cliff caves near the paper mill area. A walking trail passes the caves.
Soviet Secret Bunker -a real secret bunker 9 meters deep under the sanatorium - no one who worked there knew anything about it. It was built to protect the leaders of Soviet Latvia in the event of a nuclear war. The bunker had everything to survive for a few months.
Our tour guide was also really into his role, making the whole experience special. Visited only by tour, from May 1 to Oct. 31 on weekdays at 3:00 p.m. (price €15) and on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (price €18.50) (4:00 p.m. in summer only).
Rundale
In Rundale, visit Rundale Castle, an 18th-century Baroque palace known as the "Latvian Versailles". Because of its magnificent building and perfectly curated gardens.
From May to October, the palace is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Gardens in May and October from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and from June to September from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. See winter opening times HERE.
You can buy a ticket at the Stables in front of the palace. The price of the palace and museum in summer is €17 for adults, see other prices on their website.
Sigulda
Not far from Ligatne. So you can easily visit both areas in a day or two. Sigulda offers a lot more than what I will introduce below. You can also check out their Tarzāns Park (the largest adventure park in the Baltics). There is also a cable car in Sigulda, which you can ride across the valley and back.
Places to visit:
Turaida castle - a castle built between the 13th and 16th centuries. century. The word "Turaida" poetically means "Garden of God" in Livonian. You can explore the wooden church, the castle and the tower. Definitely worth a visit when in the area. From May 1 to October 31, the price is 6.00 € and during the winter period 3.50 €. See opening hours HERE.
Siguldas Viduslaiku pils - Sigulda Order Castle ruins from the 13th century. Visiting is free and you can walk around the castle walls. A really great vantage point for Sigulda, and if you can find it in the distance in the forest, you can also see Turaida Castle.
Sigulda New Castle - a beautiful castle with a beautiful garden. It was built in the 19th century by Prince Dmitri Kropotkin and Princess Olga. In the thirties of the last century, photos of the castle were even published in fine French art magazines. Currently there are craft workshops and art exhibitions.
Jaunmoku
74 km from Riga is the beautiful Jaunmoku Palace, built in 1901. The palace is built in the Neo-Gothic style, but also contains Art Nouveau elements. At first it operated as a hunting lodge, but today it is a hotel.
The palace is surrounded by a park and a pond. There is a restaurant in the palace where you can dine or hold larger celebrations. Oh, and for history enthusiasts, the palace also houses a museum with over 3,000 artifacts.
Jelgava
In Jelgava, 45 km from Riga, you will find a huge castle - Jelgava Castle. Which, unfortunately, you can't visit inside, but walking around the castle and the yard actually takes time because the building is big. Although you can't go inside, it's still worth a visit for its style and size, especially if you're in the area.
