Sigulda Cesis and Gauja National Park Tour From Riga

5.0 (3 reviews) 10 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

3 reviews

5.0

Sigulda Cesis and Gauja National Park Tour From Riga — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Sigulda Cesis and Gauja National Park Tour From Riga, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Cēsis Medieval Castle, the 13th-century Livonian Order fortress walked by candlelight with a lantern in your hand.

Emperor's View (Ķeizarskats), the cliff edge where the Gauja Valley opens beneath you. Tsar Alexander II stood here in 1862 and gave the spot its name

Award-winning artisan rye-bread bakery visit, a hands-on tour with a tasting of fresh-baked breads (spelt, rye, heritage grains)

Turaida Castle & Museum Reserve, the red-brick fortress on the ridge — tower views over the Gauja, the Folk Song Hill sculpture garden, and the “Nature’s Pearls” outdoor conservation trail (insect hotel, heritage trees, hermit beetle)

Cēsis Old Town walking tour, the surviving Hanseatic core — Vienības laukums, the wooden lanes, St John's Church, the German guild marks if you know where to look

Sigulda Medieval Castle, the 13th-century Livonian Brothers of the Sword stone ruins (1207), with a view across the Gauja valley toward Turaida

Day Trips Full-day Tours Bus Tours Private and Luxury Historical Tours Culture Small Group Short term availability

At a glance

Duration: 10 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 12 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: Barefoot Baltic

Ages: Infants (0–2 years) · Youth (3–15 years) · Adults (16–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Artisan rye-bread bakery visit with tasting
Included: Entrance to Turaida Castle & Museum Reserve
Included: Air-conditioned minibus transport (~200 km round trip, Riga–Cēsis–Sigulda–Riga)
Included: Latvian snacks & bottled water on the bus, help yourself
Included: Entrance to the Castle ruins Of The Livonian Order In Sigulda
Included: Entrance to Cēsis Medieval Castle, including the candlelit tower tour with lantern
Included: English- and Latvian-speaking guide for the full day (Russian, German, or French on request)

Not included

Not included: Lunch & drinks (you pay directly at the cafeteria — typically €10–15 for a full meal)
Not included: Sigulda cable car across the Gauja valley (~€10 per adult, paid on the day, optional)
Not included: Gratuities (appreciated but never expected)

Itinerary

Riga

1 h 30 min

Your day begins with a comfortable drive from Riga in an air-conditioned minibus. We drive east, watching the flat plains give way to rolling hills and pine forest. I'll share stories about the Gauja Valley, the Livonian Order, and why this region feels like a different country.
Cesis

45 min

Artisan Bread Maker

A hands-on visit to a traditional Latvian bread maker. Tour the bakery, learn about dark rye bread's sacred place in Latvian culture, and taste it warm from the oven.
Cesis Medieval Castle

2 hours Admission included

A walk through old Cesis, then into the medieval Livonian Order castle. You explore the towers by candlelight with a lantern in your hand, the way it would have been in the 13th century, not under museum floodlights.
Cesis

one hour

Lunch in Cesis

Relaxed lunch at a local Latvian cafeteria. Hearty, traditional food at local prices. You pay directly, I'll guide you through the menu.
Castle Of The Livonian Order In Sigulda

30 min Admission included

We then visit a local brewery, where you’ll learn about Latvian brewing traditions and enjoy a tasting before the drive back to Riga.
Sigulda New Castle

30 min Admission included

The atmospheric ruins of medieval Sigulda Castle and the neighbouring New Castle museum with excellent exhibits on the region's history.
Gauja National Park

15 min

A quick stop at the famous photography vantage point. Spectacular in any season, extraordinary in autumn.
Turaida Castle

1 h 30 min Admission included

Red-brick Turaida Castle from the 13th century, looking out over the Gauja from its hillside. We climb the tower for the view, walk the sculpture garden, and visit the old wooden church and the restored folk buildings on the estate. This is where I’d slow the pace if we could, the late-afternoon light on the valley is the quiet highlight of the day.
Riga

1 h 30 min

Back in Riga by early evening, with a head full of castles, the taste of dark bread, and the feeling that you've seen a Latvia most visitors never discover.

Meeting point and pickup

The operator picks every participant up from their accommodation or the points below.

Pickup points

Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga

Please arrive 10 minutes before the 8:30 AM departure. Look for a minibus with the company's name displayed on the dashboard at your chosen meeting point — either Triangula Bastion or Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga. Your guide will have the booking list and will call your name.

Hotel pickup is available for most central Riga hotels with bus-accessible parking; let us know where you’re staying and we’ll confirm.

If you are running late, call us so we can hold the group.

Please note: Riga Old Town's narrow cobbled streets are closed to larger vehicles, which is why we use these two easy-access pickup points nearby rather than direct hotel pickup.