Any special, usually missed places to visit in Latvia on our 5 day trip?

13 comments

1. Stop in Bauska on your way to Rīga to check out Bauska castle.

2. In kolka definetly check out the tip of it on the beach you can watch 2 diffrent streams of waves hit eachother vut you have to be right on the tip of it theres a wood statue thing with a rock hanging and if you have an interest in abondened cities skrunda 1 is an old soviet town next to the city of skrunda (theres deffinetly homeless people or hostile people there so have to be carefull) In riga u can check out the old town (not driveble but walkable) and in riga the national library.

   Edit: on the tip of kolka you can see särrema island.

3. Vecmīlgrāvis, Ziemeļblāzma, there is a tower you can pay 1,50€ per person to go up and the view is very cool, I have lived here my entire life but I still go up there every few months because I love the view. After that you can go to Dirši

4. Bauska castle is definitely good place for visit and it’s just on your way, also Sigulda close to Riga have 2,5 castles (2 in good shape and some minor leftovers of krimulda castle)

   If you talk about Kuldiga, there is Aizpute with castle ruins not too far but not sure is it on your way or not

   Also just to throw some places which you maybe can visit not extra far from your route is Alsunga castle, Ēdole castle and possibly Dundaga castle but idk about this one

5. Visit Rundale Palace Museum not far from Bauska.
   And, if you haven’t been, Sigulda is a must visit in my opinion.

6. There are some really beautiful, still relatively remote beaches (at least last time I was there some 7 years ago) both directions from Kolka if you have a couple hours for a hike. Arguably a walk in a pine forest by the beach is the ultimate latvian nature experience:)
   Slītere National Park that is not too far is also really beautiful. I love the tiny, ascetic Lutheran church in Kolka, it’s just like you’d imagine a church in a fishermen village.

   If you’re into historical stuff, castles, manors and such you may have liked Sigulda/Turaida Castle or Rundale Palace, but those aren’t quite on your way.

   Hope you have absolutely awesome time here!

7. In summer there are lot of festivals- and city festivals (pilsētas svētki) are usually for free- craft markets, local foods, local bands. I would suggest to check if any city on your days and route has such celebration.

8. Near Bauska, closer to Lithuanian border there is a small historical costume museum at Mazā muiža, if you like that kind of stuff.

9. Rundāles pils

10. P.s. “Kuldinga” is not a place. It’s “Kuldīga”. Just in case you’d write into navigation, you wouldn’t get anywhere.

11. Just a route suggestion because Roja – Talsi is a disaster of a road. You can even see it on Google maps street view, I wouldn’t want to put my car through that. Instead, I’d opt for Kolka – Ventspils – Kuldīga instead, even if you just drive past Ventspils without any sightseeing. It’s a much more appealing route and you can stop in Ventspils if there’s some spare time.

12. If you don’t ditch going through Talsi (it’s lovely and quaint but there’s not much to do) stop by Dundaga on your way to Kolka. It has a medieval castle, the infamous crocodile dundee statue and a small exotic animal zoo where you can just roam around the territory with animals walking freely.

    Also Kuldīga has a really cool interactive museum (Dzīvais muzejs) that tells the story of the Grand dutchy or Courland in a very fun way.

    For nature, Engure lake is must see. The Engure lake natural park has a watch tower and you can walk among wild horses and cows.

13. Eastern part of Latvia is quite pretty with Cesis / Sigulda. That said a bit outside of your trip. Maybe another year?