Riga, Latvia’s capital, is set on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava. It's considered a cultural center and is home to many museums and concert halls. The city is also known for its wooden buildings, art nouveau architecture and medieval Old Town. The pedestrian-only Old Town has many shops and restaurants and is home to busy Livu Square, with bars and nightclubs.
Departure from your home town, flight to land in Riga (RIX), capital of Latvia
Upon arrival, transfer to check in at hotel. Free & overnight.
Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit to Open Air Museum. Drive 20 minutes through the city centre to 100 hectares Open Air museum (entrance) featuring 18th century rural life in Latvia, with almost 100 traditional countryside buildings including farmsteads, churches, windmills, fishing villages have been moved here, the visit is organized to give a good impression of varieties of Latvia districts – Kurzeme, Zemgale, Latgale and Vidzeme and is useful supplement for modern architecture of Riga city center to see how Latvia looked more than a century ago. The museum is located at Lake Jugla.
Afternoon has a walking tour visit to Old Riga, which was first referred to in chronicles in 1201, excursion starts by passing pedestrian Kalku Street with Livu Square and it’s medieval buildings, Small and Great Guild Houses, Dome Cathedral (entrance), Stock exchange building, Blackheads House (photo stop only), St. Peter’s Church, then passing Latvian National Opera House, city canal, tour ends at Freedom Monument and back to hotel.
Free and overnight. Lunch & Dinner on guest own account.
Breakfast at hotel. Have a half day tour to Jurmala.
Starts in Riga from hotel reception with private guide and after 20 minutes drive by car/minivan to Latvian favorite summer time vacation town of Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its numerous fantasy-like wooden summer houses architecture on Jomas Street and strolls over 40 km near great sandy beach of Baltic Sea with its wooden, the SPA` s and health temples which are facing the white beach, where historically rich and the aristocracy have come for more than a century, enjoy the calm tranquility of this place and took a walk next to the beach with chance to finding the amber, later return back to Riga.
After sightseeing, back to hotel. Free and overnight. Lunch & Dinner on guest own account.
Breakfast at hotel. Morning pick up at hotel and transfer for about an hour to The Gauja National Park, which was established in 1973 and consists of more than 900 sq.km. The park is located in "Vidzemes Sveice" - the Livonian Switzerland and offers a unique combination of picturesque hill landscapes, the Gauja River, medieval castles, sculpture parks and fauna and flora that are already extinct in many countries in Europe.
First stop is in Sigulda - a small idyllic town foundation of which dates back in history in the beginning of the 12th century when German Order built a large castle here and it was destroyed during the Great Nordic War - but the ruins of the main building and the 2 towers are left and are used for dance and song festivals and a new castle was built in 1881 and today it houses the city council and a nice restaurant, from the castle ruins there is a fabulous view of the Gauja River and it is also possible to go over the river by cable car (ticket is not included in tour price), during the tour, you may also visit the famous bob-sleigh track and just outside a town there are possibilities of canoeing and rafting on the Gauja River.
Continue further to the other side of the river and visit the Gutman Cave, a huge red sandstone cave and then up to the hill the ruins of the Turaida Castle (entrance), which was inaugurated by Bishop Albert of Riga and completed in 1214 and remained untouched until 1776 when it was seriously damaged by a fire, but now a part of the castle has been rebuilt, it is again possible to enter the tower and the main building and close to the castle you will find a little wooden church from 1750, the Daina Hill sculpture park of Latvian folksongs, and not to forget - the Tomb of the "Rose of Turaida".
After sightseeing, back to hotel. Free and overnight. Lunch & Dinner on guest own account.
Breakfast at hotel. Pick up at hotel and head to the majestic Rundale Palace, built in the 18th century as the summer residence of the Duke of Courland, Ernest Johann von Biron. This architectural jewel, designed by the prestigious architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, was to house 2 floors, 2 wings, dependencies for servants, stables and a park. Walk inside and explore the many rooms distributed on the first and second floor. Admire the original furniture and impressive works of art in each of the rooms, which have different shapes, colors and environments. In the eastern wing, designed exclusively for the representation of the court, you will find the impressive Throne Room, the White Hall and the Small and Large Gallery. Your guide will explain in detail what use was given to each of the rooms and will point out the most outstanding artistic elements.
After sightseeing, back to hotel. Free and overnight. Lunch & Dinner on guest own account.
Breakfast at hotel. Check out.
Transfer to Riga airport, board the flight return to your home town.