By rail
Sigulda station, about an hour by train from Riga
Europe · Latvia
Sigulda, Latvia
Castles above the Gauja valley
Getting there
By air
Riga (RIX), ~60 km, about an hour
Best time to visit
May to October; late September and October for the autumn colours
Don't miss
Turaida Castle
Sigulda Medieval Castle
Gūtmanis Cave
The Gauja cable car
Krimulda Manor
Gauja National Park
Things to do
Walking the Gauja valley trails
The cable car across the river
Turaida Castle
Bobsleigh at the track in winter
Cycling to Cēsis
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Qasinka · CC0
What to pack
Walking boots, a rain jacket, layers for the valley breeze
A quieter corner
The Gūtmanis Cave, the largest grotto in the Baltics, with centuries of inscriptions on its sandstone walls
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Sigulda?
May to October; late September and October for the autumn colours. What to pack: Walking boots, a rain jacket, layers for the valley breeze.
How do I get to Sigulda?
Fly into Riga (RIX), ~60 km, about an hour.
What is there to do in Sigulda?
Walking the Gauja valley trails, the cable car across the river, Turaida Castle, bobsleigh at the track in winter, cycling to Cēsis. A quieter find: The Gūtmanis Cave, the largest grotto in the Baltics, with centuries of inscriptions on its sandstone walls.
What should I eat in Sigulda?
Latvian country cooking, river fish, rye bread, forest berries, local cider.
About Sigulda
- Hills
- Forest
Where it is
Sigulda is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia on the edge of the Gauja river valley, about fifty kilometres northeast of Riga, inside Gauja National Park.
History
Crusading knights built a castle here in the thirteenth century facing the bishop's castle at Turaida across the valley, and the ruins of both still stand. In the nineteenth century the wooded valley became a romantic retreat known as the Switzerland of Vidzeme, and it is now Latvia's best-known spot for walking and winter sport.
People
A small town of foresters, teachers and guides that swells with Rigans every weekend; the valley's hiking and cycling trails are a point of local pride.
Known for
- Turaida Castle
- The Gauja valley in autumn
- The cable car over the river
- The bobsleigh track
Did you know?
The Gūtmanis Cave is linked with the legend of the Rose of Turaida, a tale of love and loyalty still told in the valley.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.