The most important and best tourist places in Latvia… Latvia is a country surrounded by Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and the Baltic Sea.

This country is a mix of urban attractions, such as the capital Riga, and scenic landmarks.

From waterfalls to national parks, Latvia offers stunning scenery and plenty of outdoor activities.

While beaches, forests and medieval villages compete for your attention.

Let's explore together Top 12 Tourist Attractions in Latvia:

The most important and best tourist places in Latvia:

12. Liepaja City

A blend of modern art and Russian Orthodoxy, bustling port industry and blue-collar working-class neighborhoods, a visit to Liepāja, a city of 90,000 people, makes for an enjoyable and unforgettable adventure.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, with its towering spire and massive spire, and the bustling daily markets are two of the main attractions here, while a visit to the former town of Karosta is a must.

Here, the old remains of Tsarist and Soviet forts are now being converted into art galleries and cafes, while windswept stretches of beach wind their way along the coast.

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Liepaja

Old Crosta Prison Turned Into Museum

11. Kuldiga City

Old world charm oozes from every quirky cottage and cobblestone lane in Kuldiga; a chocolate box with a historic core that calls it home.

The 18th century wooden houses are some of the city's most attractive sights.

While the brick arched bridges and the elegant Baroque finish of St. Catherine's Church belie the city's heyday during the years of the Duchy of Courland.

Then there are the roaring waterfalls of the Venta River on the outskirts of town, which cascade and flow around the green river habitats and the twisting tunnels of the Rizobi Sand Cave alike.

Kuldiga city

Rivers and Bridges of Kuldiga

10. Ventspils City

It is home to the best castle. For the Livonian system Preserved in the country, and one of the most bustling ports in the Baltic region, Ventspils offers the perfect balance of history and modernity.

Along with the charming Market Square and the historic houses on Skolas Street, the city is also known as the flower capital of Latvia.

With blooming flowers and bulbs bursting into bloom throughout the city and along its coastal promenades from spring onwards.

Ventspils

9. Legatny City

In fact, walkers, mountain bikers, campers, horseback riders, wildlife lovers and Nordic skiers alike flock to the small, forest-surrounded town of Ligatne.

As the gateway to the famous Gauja National Park, travelers can expect to discover stunning sandstone valleys and spruce-topped cliffs of the Devonian rocks. In addition, there are the Gutmanala Caves, the beautiful sights of the Erglu Cliffs and countless nature trails that wind deep into the forests on the edge of town.

Legante itself is a small, quiet affair, complete with quaint remnants of a paper-making boom and lines of pretty cottages topped with corrugated roofs.

Legante City

Gauja National Park

8. City of Cesis

It is a picture of the traditional city planning in Latvia, where it has preserved Sisis In all its medieval glory.

Its status has been praised as one of the best preserved historic areas in the country.

It comes complete with wide cobbled streets, beautiful painted wooden facades designed in the classic Baltic style, stuccoed churches and worn squares where medieval markets once flourished.

Here, visitors can discover 800 years of history and tales of Swedish, Russian, Slavic and Polish invaders alike.

Sisis from above

Cesis Castle

Read also: The largest castles in the world

7. Araisi settlement

A short distance from the castle-topped town of Cesis, travelers will find the ancient cultural scene of Arase.

The country's most visited and best open-air museum, the place chronicles the lifestyles of the early medieval tribes of the Baltic region, who made their home on the lakeshore here in wooden cottages.

There are also ruins of a castle from the German Livonian Order on the site, along with a wealth of archaeological finds that showcase everything from 14th century fashion trends to advances in agriculture during the 13th century.

In short, this wonderfully reconstructed settlement is perfect for anyone eager to uncover Latvia's deeper past.

Araisy

6. Randall Mansion

Randall Palace is the most elegant remnant of imperial rule from St. Petersburg in Latvia, a gift from the Russian Empress Catherine the Great.

It can be found surrounded by flowering rose gardens and English-style lawns near the town of Busca.

The facade and grounds designs are also exquisite and extravagant in the extreme, replete with all the Italian luxury and eccentricity you would expect.

The palace was designed by the famous architect of the Russian court, Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

Today, thousands of people flock to tour the Randall's interior rooms and gardens, browse the mansion's museum exhibits, and take souvenir photos.

Randall's Mansion

Read also: The most beautiful palaces in the world

5. Busca Town

First came the knights of the Livonian Order, who fortified the small islands washed by the wooded channels at the beginning of the Lielupe River.

Then came the Dukes of Courland and the Imperial Tsar of the Russian State, who erected a completely new fortification here: which now dominates the centre of the city with its curious white walls and red-tiled roofs.

But aside from its rich, military history, Busca also boasts a charming backwater character, with riverside paths winding through the heart of the town lined with allotments and farmland, crossed by tenuous suspension bridges and a pretty market square teeming with local life.

Busca town

4. Sigulda Town

The hills surrounding the town are dotted with towers, forts and ruined settlements such as: Tarida Castle.

Then there are the forests and orchards of the Gauja Valley; a true gem of the nation's backcountry, crisscrossed by meandering rivers and winding hiking trails, dotted with caves and rolling hills.

Meanwhile, Sigulda itself is blooming with cherry trees and beautiful royal architecture from before Latvia's independence, and offers the opportunity for skiing and Nordic walking in the winter.

Sigulda and the Castle of Tarida

3. Daugavpils city

It is the largest city in the country after the capital, Riga.

Nestled among the hills and lakes of the Daugava River Valley, it has a glorious historical core that was entirely designed in the 19th century.

The looming walls of the mighty Daugavpils Fortress also represent one of the military hubs of the Russian Empire.

While the golden onion domes and Orthodox cupolas of Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedrals of Kiev and St Basil's tower over the city skyline.

Daugavpils Church

2. Jurmala city

Stretching for nearly 30 kilometres along the curving coast of the Gulf of Riga, Jurmala is the place to go during the hottest months of the year.

With their unique microclimate and salty air, the various towns that make up the so-called “Latvian Riviera” here are famous for their mineral mud baths and a range of holistic health treatments.

On the beach side, there's sand worth jogging along the way, with water sports opportunities, clusters of beachside cafes and beach volleyball competitions.

No wonder the likes of Brezhnev and Khrushchev came here to relax!

Jurmala city beach

Read also: The most beautiful and most visited beaches in Europe

1. Riga - the capital of Latvia

Top of the list for any first-time traveller making their way across the Baltic, Riga is definitely one of the great urban treasures of the region as a whole.

Stretching along the channels of the Daugava River on the northern edges of the country, it includes a labyrinthine Old Town district that is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Here, the cobbled streets are dominated by the dagger-like towers of the mighty St Peter's Church, while the famous rebuilt House of the Blackheads stands decidedly elegant after the turmoil of Soviet domination of the city.

Modern art can be seen in the city's outer boroughs, where artworks line the sidewalks of the famous Albert Street.

And then – of course – there’s Riga’s legendary nightlife. A mix of fun basement bars, locals-friendly clubs and wild parties.

Riga city