Latvia holidays

Latvia holidays look like a fairytale come to life, from castles in the woods to wild beaches and a candy-cane capital city.

Heart of the Baltics

There are only three nations that make up the Baltics, and Latvia sits right at the centre of them, with the cultural capital Riga at its heart. It’s a nation filled with forests, castles, and Medieval villages – the sort of scenery you might see in a live-action fairytale. Riga makes for a great jumping off point, with its kaleidoscope of coloured buildings, cathedrals and cobblestone squares. Meanwhile, you’ll be rewarded for venturing beyond the capital with untouched forests, glistening lakes and windswept sand dunes that unfurl endlessly along the coast.

Architectural time machine

There’s architecture from every era in this curious little country, from Medieval timber-framed buildings to Gothic cathedrals, Baroque palaces and elaborate Art Nouveau apartment blocks. In fact, the capital city has one of the largest concentrations of Art Nouveau buildings in the world, and you can pop by the dedicated museum to find out more about this striking design style. Other cultural highlights of Riga include the Cinderella-esque Pink Church and the Central Market, housed in former World War One hangars.

Fairytale forests

There’s plenty more to discover in Latvia beyond Riga, and much of it can easily be reached by train. The golden beaches of Jurmala are popular with locals during the summer, where you’ll find dunes backed by pine trees and winding wooden pathways. In fact, roughly half of Latvia is smothered in rich, pristine forests, with miles of unspoilt hiking trails to explore. The Guaja National Park is the gateway, reachable from Sigulda – a town known for its castles, caves, and sandstone cliffs.