Excursion to Gauja National Park

Información

Tour starts from Riga hotel reception with private guide and by car/minivan to The Gauja National Park, which was established in 1973 and consists of more than 900 sq.km begins at Riga hotel and after 1 hour drive out of city, where the park is located in the area known as "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 the sightseeing of Sigulda - a small idyllic town with 10.000 inhabitants, 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 also a visit of the famous bob-sleigh track and just outside a town there are possibilities of canoeing and rafting on the Gauja River.

Tour furthers to the other side of the river and visit of 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".

Meeting/pick-up point: Pick-up at hotel.
Duration: Six hours.
Start/opening time: At 10am.
Languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian.