Attractions in Sigulda & Gauja National Park
Castles, caves, and adventure in the river valley 🏰🍁
Showing 44 attractions · Sorted by importance
Cēsis Medieval Castle
📍 Cēsis
🏰 CastleOne of the most impressive castle ruins in the Baltics where families can explore dark towers and spiral staircases using handheld lanterns.
Gutman's Cave
📍 Sigulda
🏰 CastleThe largest grotto in the Baltics, famous for historical inscriptions on its sandstone walls and legends of the Rose of Turaida.
Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track
📍 Sigulda
🧗 AdventureOne of the few professional tracks globally open to tourists, offering high-speed bobsleigh rides in both winter and summer.
Aerodium Sigulda
📍 Sigulda
🧗 AdventureA unique vertical wind tunnel offering the experience of human flight in an open-air environment, suitable for families and adventure seekers.
Cēsis Castle Park
📍 Cēsis
🌿 GardenThis expansive 19th-century landscape park offers a romantic setting with a central pond, historic gazebo, and views of medieval castle ruins.
Cēsis Museum of History and Art
📍 Cēsis
🖼 Art GalleryHoused in the 18th-century Cēsis New Castle, this museum features beautifully restored interiors and significant fine art exhibitions within a historic manor setting.
Ērgļu Cliffs
📍 Cēsis
🏔 Scenic ViewOne of the most impressive sandstone walls in the Gauja valley, stretching for several hundred meters with a wide panoramic viewpoint.
Forest Trail (Mežtaka) Section 5: Sigulda - Līgatne
📍 Sigulda
🥾 Hiking & Cycling23km moderate hiking route taking 7-9 hours. Elevation gain is approximately 350m through the Gauja River valley's dense forests and sandstone cliffs. Part of the E11 long-distance European path. Equipment rental: Fischer Slēpošanas centrs (fischersports.lv).
Gauja National Park Scenic Loop
📍 Circular
🚗 Road TripApproximately 80km loop on paved regional roads (P8, P20, A2). Typically takes 1-2 days to fully explore. Highlights include the Gauja River valley, Turaida Castle, the historic village of Līgatne with its cellar caves, and the medieval old town of Cēsis.
Ozolkalns Ski Resort
📍 Cēsis
⛷ Ski Resort35-110m, 4 permanent slopes, 2.5km pistes, Dec-Mar season, features the longest ski runs in Latvia at 500m each and a cross-country trail.
Sigulda - Krimulda - Turaida Circular Hike
📍 Sigulda
🥾 Hiking & Cycling15km moderate day hike with a duration of 5-6 hours. Features steep wooden staircases, a 250m elevation gain, and views of Turaida Castle and Gutman's Cave. Bike rental: Velonoma Sigulda (velonoma.lv).
Sigulda Castle Quarter
📍 Sigulda
🏘 Town / VillageA complex featuring the ruins of a 13th-century Livonian Order castle and a 19th-century New Castle, hosting craft workshops perfect for children.
Space Education Center
📍 Cēsis
🔬 ScienceA cutting-edge interactive science center where families can explore rocket technology, space life simulations, and astronomy exhibits.
Tarzāns Sigulda Adventure Park
📍 Sigulda
🧗 AdventureThe largest outdoor adventure park in the Baltics, featuring tree-top obstacle courses, a mountain toboggan track, and a chairlift with Gauja valley views.
Turaida Folk Song Garden
📍 Sigulda
🌿 GardenThis beautifully landscaped sculpture park features 26 granite artworks inspired by Latvian folk songs, set against the scenic backdrop of the Gauja valley.
Žagarkalns Ski Resort
📍 Cēsis
⛷ Ski Resort60-103m, 12 runs, 2.5km pistes, Dec-Mar season, features a freestyle/snowboard park and Latvia's largest professional ski school.
Araisi Lake Fortress Archaeological Park
📍 Āraiši
🏰 CastleA unique reconstruction of a 9th-century wooden fortified settlement built on an island in Lake Āraiši.
Sigulda Medieval Castle Ruins
📍 Sigulda
🏰 CastleThe ruins of a 1214 Livonian Order castle offering elevated walkways along the stone walls and a stage for open-air concerts.
Camino Latvia: Sigulda - Cēsis Section
📍 Sigulda
🥾 Hiking & Cycling45km challenging multi-day trek (typically 2 days). Moderate difficulty with a cumulative elevation gain of 450m. Follows the St. James Way pilgrimage markings through the heart of the national park.
Cycling Route 105: Sigulda - Līgatne
📍 Sigulda
🥾 Hiking & Cycling30km moderate cycling route on a mix of forest trails and gravel roads. Takes 3-4 hours with a 200m elevation gain. Connects the historical centers of Sigulda and Līgatne. Bike rental: Reinis Trasē (reinatrase.lv).
Līgatne Paper Mill Village
📍 Līgatne
🏘 Town / VillageA unique 19th-century industrial village where families can walk among historic wooden worker houses and explore cellar caves carved into sandstone cliffs.
Mežakaķis Adventure Park
📍 Sigulda
🧗 AdventureA forest-based rope and obstacle park located on the Kaķīškalns hill, providing varying levels of difficulty for children and adults.
Rakši Zoo
📍 Cēsis
🐄 FarmA unique farm park where families can interact with camels, llamas, and alpacas in the scenic Gauja River valley.
Reiņa trase
📍 Sigulda
⛷ Ski Resort40-100m, 6 runs, 0.8km pistes, Dec-Mar season, features a snow park, dedicated children's area, snow tubing, and cross-country trails.
Safari Park More
📍 Sigulda
🐄 FarmA popular deer farm where visitors can walk a 1.5km trail to feed and interact with red deer and fallow deer.
Sigulda City Ski Track
📍 Sigulda
⛷ Ski Resort17-100m, 2 runs, 0.4km pistes, Dec-Mar season, known as the steepest and most athletic track in Latvia with a 90m vertical drop.
Sigulda Medieval Castle and New Castle
📍 Sigulda
🏛 LandmarkWalk through the ruins of a 13th-century Livonian Order castle and the elegant 19th-century New Castle manor.
Sigulda New Castle Garden
📍 Sigulda
🌿 GardenThe grounds of this 19th-century neo-Gothic castle feature manicured flowerbeds, artistic stone architecture, and panoramic views of the surrounding Gauja National Park.
Soviet Secret Bunker
📍 Līgatne
🏰 CastleA 2,000-square-meter underground shelter built for the Soviet elite, preserved with its original Cold War equipment and artifacts.
Via Hanseatica Heritage Route
📍 Sigulda
🚗 Road TripThe Latvian segment of this international route covers roughly 100km through the park on paved roads. 1 day duration. It focuses on the Hanseatic heritage connecting Riga to Estonia, featuring stops at Sigulda’s Livonian Order Castle and the Cēsis Castle complex.
Zērglis Zipline
📍 Sigulda
🧗 AdventureAn exhilarating zipline experience that uses the existing cable car track to glide high above the Gauja River valley.
New Sigulda Castle
📍 Sigulda
🏰 CastleA 19th-century Neo-Gothic manor house that hosts various craft workshops and features beautifully restored interior architecture.
Cīrulīši Nature Trails
📍 Cēsis
🥾 Hiking & Cycling6km easy to moderate hiking loop with 1.5-2 hours duration. Features the Mirror Cliffs, the Cīrulīši cliffs, and the ancient Gauja riverbed. Minimal elevation gain (~80m).
Fischer Cross-Country Ski Centre
📍 Sigulda
⛷ Ski Resort80-100m, 1 groomed track, 1.25km total, Dec-Mar season, Eastern Europe's only refrigerated cross-country track with night lighting and rental services.
Kaķīškalns Ski Resort
📍 Sigulda
⛷ Ski Resort25-95m, 2 runs, 0.4km pistes, Dec-Mar season, offering a main track for experienced skiers and a separate nursery slope for beginners.
Paradise Hill
📍 Sigulda
🏔 Scenic ViewAlso known as Painters' Hill, this iconic viewpoint offers a breathtaking vista of the Gauja River valley and Turaida Castle in the distance.
Sigulda and Turaida Valley Drive
📍 Sigulda
🚗 Road TripA short but iconic 10km paved drive crossing the Gauja River valley. Includes the famous serpentine road and steep gradients. 1-2 hours duration. Key stops: Gutman's Cave, Krimulda Manor, and the Turaida Museum Reserve.
Sigulda Sports Center Water Park
📍 Sigulda
🌊 Water ParkA modern indoor aquatic facility featuring a relaxation zone with a 40-meter water slide, hydromassage pools, and multiple saunas, ideal for families.
Supervāvere Adventure Park at Ozolkalns
📍 Cēsis
🧗 AdventureA scenic adventure park featuring over 60 obstacles and long zip lines with spectacular views over the Gauja River.
Valmiera Swimming Pool and Recreation Area
📍 Valmiera
🌊 Water ParkLocated at the northern edge of the national park, this contemporary aquatic center offers competitive pools alongside a family-friendly recreation zone with child-safe water features.