Latvia It is one of the member countries of the European Union and its capital is the beautiful Riga. It is north of the continent and is part of the so-called Baltic States. Today, open to tourism, it offers visitors a lot: cultural treasures, wonderful landscapes, various activities, typical food, history, culture, museums, art galleries, monuments, ecological tourism and of course, centuries-old residences and picturesque castles.
The Baltic tribes built the first castles in Latvia over a thousand years ago. These castles were made of wood and stood on top of artificial hills that served to have a good panoramic view and protect themselves from enemies. The crusaders arrived in the XNUMXth to XNUMXth centuries and then these flimsy and simple castles gave way to the first stone castles built here by German knights.
The castles of Latvia They appear between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries and each one has terrible stories to tell. One of the best castles is the Turaida Castle, today a museum and nature reserve. It occupies an area of 42 hectares full of historical, cultural and archaeological monuments. It is located only 50 kilometers from the capital of Latvia so for me it is one of the best excursions from Riga what can you do.
Turaida actually translates as Garden of god so imagine the beauty of this place. A good way to admire it is on board a hot air balloon, the classic ride available around here. You can visit the interior, the oldest wooden church in Latvia, its gardens and there are also many trails in the surroundings, inside the nature reserve.
Practical information:
- Price: Ls 3,50 or 2 for students. If you have the Siguldas Spiekis tourist card it is free.
- Hours: in winter it opens from November 1 to May 1 between 10am and 5pm. In summer it opens from May 1 to November 1 between 10am and 6pm.
More information - Riga, a city to fall in love with
Source - Latvian Travel
Photo - Tourism Sigulda