🗺️ Castles and sea of Latvia: tickets, prices and opening hours 2026

Latvia is genuinely doable in one week, and a regular vacation will be enough. Distances are short: the Vivi train from Riga to Jurmala takes about half an hour (according to the carrier, 09/2026). Between cities you travel by train, bus, or rental car.

We've put together ten places worth planning your route around: three castles, three seaside towns, and the eastern region of Latgale. Some sites are free to visit, while at Rundale Palace tickets cost from 6 to 17 € (as of 09/2026, museum price list).

For each place below, you'll find the price with the date it was checked and a practical detail about getting there. You'll see where to go on your first day and how much admission costs.

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How to plan a route through Latvia

💡 In short:

Use Riga as your base; trains and buses leave from here to all parts of the country.
Give Jurmala one day, Sigulda with Turaida another, without moving with your suitcases.
Rundale Palace lies south of Riga, Cesis to the east; plan separate day trips for them.
Tickets and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official Rundale Palace website.

#	Place	What to see	Ticket
1	Riga	Old Town, Art Nouveau architecture, Central Market	streets are free
2	Gauja National Park	trails, sandstone cliffs, Sigulda	park entry is free
3	Jurmala	beach, Majori wooden villas, spas	beach is free
4	Kuldiga	Ventas rumba waterfall, old town	free
5	Rundale Palace	Rastrelli halls, French garden	12 € museum, 17 € with garden (ticket prices)
6	Turaida Museum Reserve	castle, Song Valley	seasonal tickets (website)
7	Cesis	medieval castle, old town	tickets at the ticket office (tourist office info)
8	Liepaja	beach, Karosta district, prison	tours on a schedule (website)
9	Latgale	Aglona Basilica, Rothko Museum, lakes	some sites are free
10	Ventspils	castle, sculptures, beach	beach is free

Below are ten stops in order: first the capital, then parks and castles, then the sea and the eastern region.

1. Riga

Riga Town Hall Square with the town hall and new buildings

Riga opens the trip and holds half of all the impressions from Latvia. This is where you'll find the Dome Cathedral, the town hall, the Art Nouveau districts, and the Central Market. In the evening you walk along the Daugava embankment and look for dinner in the Old Town. All of this takes two days.

How to get there: public transport runs from the airport to the center, then you explore the center on foot.
Cost: walks around the Old Town are free, museums and observation decks charge an entrance fee.
Who it's for: for a first trip and a short weekend, it's the easiest place for hotels and transport.
Good to know: Vivi trains leave from here to Jurmala, Sigulda, and Cesis (Vivi schedule).

2. Gauja National Park

Snow-covered Araiši lake with a reconstruction of the ancient settlement

The park starts almost right after Sigulda and stretches along the Gauja riverbed. You choose the format yourself: walking trails over sandstone, observation decks, castles on both banks. In winter there's a bobsled track, in summer ziplines over the valley are added.

How to get there: Vivi train from Riga to Sigulda, check times on the Vivi carrier website.
Cost: park entry is free, you only pay for lifts and individual attractions.
Who it's for: for a day of active recreation. You can fit in a trail and a climb up to an observation deck.

3. Jurmala

Jurmala remains the country's main resort (as of 09/2026, Latvia's tourism portal). It has a long sandy beach, pine parks, and wooden dachas in Majori. Several sanatoriums offer mud treatments, so people come here for more than just a day.

How to get there: the Vivi train from central Riga takes about half an hour (train schedule).
Cost: the beach and walks are free, spas charge for treatments according to their own price list.
Who it's for: for a beach day. You arrive from Riga in the morning and head back in the evening.

4. Kuldiga

Kuldīga panorama with the brick bridge and river

Kuldiga sits on the Venta River and is known for the Ventas rumba waterfall, the widest in Europe. The Old Town is made up of baroque and wooden houses. Everything is within walking distance, you don't need a car inside.

Getting there: easiest by your own or rental car; the bus from Riga takes noticeably longer.
Cost: the waterfall and the old town are free to visit.
Who it's for: a romantic weekend or a family trip (according to the tourism portal).

5. Rundale Palace

The palace was built to a design by the Italian architect Francesco Rastrelli. Inside, halls with stucco work and murals have been restored, and around it lies a formal French garden with a rose garden. In one visit you cover both the museum and the park.

Cost: museum admission 12 €, the French garden separately 6 €, combined ticket 17 € (as of 09/2026, palace price list).
Important: the ticket office and terminals close 40 minutes before the museum closes, and visitors are admitted until the last 30 minutes (same source).
Getting there: from Riga, easiest by car or bus to Pilsrundale. Buy your ticket online; the ticket office draws a line.
Who it's for: anyone who loves palace interiors and garden art; allow half a day here.

6. Turaida Museum Reserve

The reserve lies near Sigulda and brings together the region's history from the 11th century onward. Inside are a brick castle with a museum, the Song Garden, and viewing platforms over the Gauja valley. In summer, festivals and craft programs take place, so visits are planned in advance.

Cost: tickets and opening hours depend on the season; check current prices on the reserve's website.
Getting there: a bus runs from Sigulda to the entrance, and part of the route can be walked through the valley.
Who it's for: anyone interested in crafts and views. Two and a half hours will be enough.

7. Cesis

Cēsis panorama with a church tower and rooftops

Cesis combines history with lively city life. In the center stand the ruins of a Livonian Order castle and an old town with cafes. In summer, exhibitions, reenactments, and concerts are added.

Cost: tickets to the castle complex are bought at the entrance; current prices and opening hours are provided by the Cesis tourism office.
Getting there: a Vivi train runs from Riga (train schedule).
Who it's for: a relaxed day out. You'll have time to see both the castle and the old town streets.

8. Liepaja

Liepāja panorama with St. Joseph's Cathedral

Liepaja lives by the sea and music: a beach, a port, Art Nouveau quarters, and old churches in the center. In the north of the city lies the Karosta district with a former military town and prison. Tours are guided only; there is no self-guided visit there.

Cost: the Karosta prison tour lasts about 45 minutes, with departures every hour on the hour during opening hours (as of 09/2026, prison website). Buy your ticket at the entrance or online.
Getting there: trains and buses run from Riga, and local public transport takes you to Karosta.
Who it's for: anyone interested in military history and anyone who wants to spend a day by the sea.

9. Latgale

Latgale occupies the east of the country and has its own dialect. Here you'll find the Aglona Basilica with its pilgrimage calendar, the Mark Rothko Museum in Daugavpils, lakes, and craft workshops. You come here for quiet, village hospitality, and lake views.

Getting there: a train runs from Riga to Daugavpils, and beyond that a car is the most convenient way to explore the region.
Cost: the lakes and the basilica are free, and museums charge a small entrance fee.
Who it's for: a second visit to Latvia, once you've already seen Riga and the coast.

10. Ventspils

Ventspils sits on the sea and works well for a family day out. The city has street sculptures, parks with rides, and an interactive Livonian Order castle. The beach holds a Blue Flag designation.

Cost: the beach and street sculptures are free; rides and the castle museum are paid on site according to their price list.
Getting there: a bus runs from Riga, and you can walk through the center in a couple of hours.
Who it's for: families with children, because the parks and rides are concentrated in the city center.

Tours and tickets

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

See offers on GetYourGuide

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Latvia?

Three days is enough for Riga, Jurmala, and Sigulda with Turaida. With a week, add Kuldiga, Liepaja, and the east of the country. Trains and buses run between cities, so your time goes to sightseeing rather than travel. This pace works well for a first trip to the country.

Do you need a car to travel around the country?

For Riga, Jurmala, Sigulda, and Cesis you don't need a car; Vivi trains run on schedule (09/2026). Your own or a rental car makes Kuldiga and Latgale easier, where buses run less often. If you're traveling without a car, stick to major cities and book tickets in advance.

How much do tickets to the main castles cost?

At Rundale Palace, the museum costs €12, and a combined ticket with the French garden costs €17 (as of 09/2026, official museum website). In Cesis, tickets are bought at the entrance; check the tourist office website for exact prices and opening hours. Tickets to Turaida depend on the season.

When is the best time to visit Latvia?

The main season runs from May to September, when museums, parks, and beaches are open. At Rundale Palace, the French garden welcomes visitors from April to October; in winter only the museum can be visited (as of 09/2026, price list). Jurmala and Liepaja come alive in summer, while Riga and Cesis welcome visitors year-round.

Where should you stay between Riga and the east of the country?

Convenient bases are: Riga for the center and the sea, Sigulda or Cesis for the Gauja area, Kuldiga for the southwest, Daugavpils for Latgale. In small towns, book hotels in advance because options are limited. Make Liepaja and Ventspils separate stops, since getting there takes half a day.

In short: what to book

The matrix is simple: pick an option based on how many free days you have.

If you have two days: base yourself in Riga with one trip to Jurmala, look for a hotel in the center, hotel prices in Riga on Trip.com.
If you have four days: add Sigulda with Turaida and Rundale Palace, check tickets and tours on GetYourGuide.
If you have a week: make it to Kuldiga, Liepaja, and Latgale; you'll need two or three overnight stays there.

Book Rundale Palace tickets online in advance. Prices were checked 09/2026; verify them on official websites before your trip.

10 Places in Latvia: what to see and how much it costs