2 countries! Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace and Bauska castle

The Hill of Crosses is the reason to make this trip. Thousands of crosses crowd a small rise in northern Lithuania, from simple wooden markers to elaborate family offerings. You can walk among them, take photographs, and leave a cross of your own if you wish. In one long day, you also cross an international border and see two of Latvia’s finest historic sights.

I like the small group, with no more than eight people, and the freedom to explore each stop on your own. I also like the mix: Rundale Palace gives you polished 18th-century grandeur, while Bauska Castle and the Hill of Crosses feel more raw and personal.

The main drawback is the pace. You cover a lot of ground in roughly eight hours, and much of the day is spent in the vehicle. Weather matters, too. Rain can spoil the palace gardens and make the outdoor stops less comfortable, so bring proper rain gear and good walking shoes.

Key points at a glance

• Three very different sights: See Bauska’s fortress ruins, Rundale Palace and gardens, and Lithuania’s unusual Hill of Crosses.
• A genuine two-country day: Cross from Latvia into Lithuania, with a short stop at Eleja for photographs by the border signs.
• Small shared group: The air-conditioned vehicle carries a maximum of eight people, making questions and conversation easier.
• Local guiding matters: Jānis and Viesturs are praised for explaining Latvian culture, food, history, and everyday life during the drive.
• Free time built in: You are not rushed through every room or path, though the overall schedule remains full.
• Lunch is your responsibility: Food is not included, and the palace café may not suit everyone, so consider bringing something from Riga.

Why this Riga day trip is worth considering

Riga is a fine city, but Latvia makes more sense once you get beyond the capital. This tour gives you a quick look at the countryside, a grand palace, a medieval stronghold, and a deeply personal religious site across the border.

The appeal is not just the number of attractions. It is the contrast between them. Rundale Palace was designed to impress with symmetry, ornament, and formal gardens. Bauska Castle is about walls, towers, and military power. The Hill of Crosses is less polished and much harder to categorize. It is a place shaped by individual acts of faith, remembrance, and defiance.

You leave Riga at 8:00 in the morning and return to the same central meeting point at Reformācijas Laukums. The advertised duration is about eight hours, including driving time. That makes this a practical choice if you have one spare day in Riga and want a broad taste of southern Latvia without arranging several separate buses or taxis.

The shared format keeps the price at $157.28 per person. That is not a bargain-basement excursion, but admission to Bauska Castle Tower, Rundale Palace, and the gardens is included, as are parking and air-conditioned transport. For a small group visiting three substantial sights in two countries, I consider the price reasonable, especially if the guide is as engaged as Jānis or Viesturs.

Bauska Castle and its freshly renovated tower

Bauska Castle is usually a short stop of about 30 minutes. The site combines the ruins of a medieval fortress with a later palace section, set near the meeting of two rivers. Its broken walls and isolated towers give it a dramatic look, and the comparison to a fantasy film set is easy to understand.

Your included admission covers the castle tower. If the timing works, go straight up for the views, then use the remaining minutes for photographs and a quick look around the fortress ruins. This is not a full museum visit with time to study every exhibit. It is a compact introduction and a chance to stretch your legs after the first part of the drive.

The stop works best for people who enjoy atmosphere and photographs. The rough stonework and open setting provide a nice counterpoint to Rundale Palace later in the day. If you need a long, detailed castle visit, 30 minutes may feel short. Think of Bauska as a sharp opening scene rather than the main event.

The order of stops can change. Some departures have visited the Hill of Crosses first, depending on conditions and timing. That flexibility is useful, but it means you should not plan a meal or another booking around an exact arrival sequence.

Rundale Palace, Latvia’s grand showpiece

Rundale Palace receives about two hours, and this is where the schedule gives you room to slow down. Often called Latvia’s little Versailles, the palace is one of the country’s major architectural sights. Inside, you can explore the ornate rooms at your own pace. The formal gardens offer a different experience, with open paths and carefully planned views.

Admission to the palace and gardens is included. An audio guide is also available at Rundale Palace, and bringing headphones is a smart tip if you want more detail than the group commentary provides. The guide usually offers useful background during the drive, but the audio guide lets you focus on rooms, objects, and dates while walking through the building.

Two hours is enough for a solid visit, though not for an exhaustive study of every room and garden path. I would spend the first part inside the palace, then go outdoors if the weather is dry. The gardens are an important part of the visit, and poor weather can make them less appealing. Still, they are open to you even when the day is wet.

Lunch is not included. There is a restaurant or café at the palace, but the food selection may feel limited, particularly if you want a light meal. Some people find the available dishes heavy. You can eat there if convenience matters most, but bringing your own lunch or snacks gives you more control.

Guides sometimes provide bottled water, snacks, or small local treats during the day, but these extras should not be treated as guaranteed inclusions. The confirmed inclusions are transport, parking, the Bauska tower, and Rundale Palace and garden admission.

A five-minute stop at the Latvia Lithuania border

The border stop at Eleja is brief, around five minutes. It is not a sightseeing visit, and there is no admission charge. You simply have the chance to photograph the signs marking Latvia and Lithuania.

This little pause has more value than its length suggests. You are not merely reading about a two-country day on a brochure. You can point to the exact moment you move from one nation to the other, then continue toward the Lithuanian countryside.

Do not expect time for a drink, shopping, or a meal here. It is a photo opportunity. Have your camera ready, follow the guide’s timing, and return promptly to the vehicle.

The Hill of Crosses is the emotional center

The Hill of Crosses, or Kryžių Kalnas, is the most unusual stop and the one that can stay with you longest. For about an hour, you can walk among an extraordinary collection of crosses placed on and around a low hill. They vary in size, material, age, and style, creating a place that feels both intimate and overwhelming.

You do not need to be religious to find the site moving. The crosses represent personal prayers, remembrance, gratitude, and hope. The sheer number makes the place difficult to take in at once. Look closely at the small handmade pieces as well as the large clusters. The details matter more than trying to count everything.

You are welcome to bring your own cross and add it to the collection. That option gives the visit a personal quality, but there is no pressure to do so. You can simply walk, observe, and photograph the site.

The paths and ground can be uneven, particularly in poor weather. Wear shoes that can handle a full day of walking and bring waterproof clothing if rain is forecast. An umbrella may help, but rain gear leaves your hands freer for walking and photography.

An hour is a sensible amount of time. It allows you to see the main area without turning the visit into a hurried photo stop. If you are especially interested in religious traditions, memorial sites, or modern Baltic history, you may wish for longer. The tradeoff is that extra time would have to come from another stop or the return journey.

What the guide adds between the stops

The long drives are not empty space. Guides such as Jānis and Viesturs are central to the experience, explaining Latvian history and culture as the countryside passes by. Their best contribution is not simply listing dates. It is the extra context about daily life, traditional food, local customs, Easter traditions, and even mushrooms.

Jānis is repeatedly described as friendly, punctual, and good at keeping the day on schedule. Viesturs is also praised for humor and personal attention, including helping an older person with a sore knee get in and out of the vehicle. These details matter on a small-group trip because the guide is both driver and host.

You can ask questions throughout the day. If you prefer a more formal lecture at every site, the experience may feel lighter than a private specialist tour. Rundale’s audio guide helps fill that gap, especially for visitors who want precise historical information inside the palace.

The relaxed guiding style is one of the tour’s strengths. You get information about the sights, but also a sense of Latvia beyond its monuments. Some guides add small surprises, snacks, or extra stops when the schedule allows. None of those should be assumed, but they show how a small group can be more flexible than a large coach.

Transport, timing, and comfort

This is a shared ride, not a private car service. The maximum group size is eight, which is small enough for easy conversation and faster loading at stops. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and parking fees are covered.

The day is carefully packed. Bauska receives 30 minutes, Rundale about two hours, the border roughly five minutes, and the Hill of Crosses about one hour. The remaining time includes the road journey from Riga and between the sights.

That arrangement gives you variety, not lingering time. You should book this tour when you want to see several places in one day and accept that none will receive a full-day treatment. If you prefer slow mornings, long lunches, or hours in one museum, make another plan.

The meeting point is Riga Free Tours at Reformācijas Laukums in central Riga. The tour returns there at the end. It is near public transportation, and most people can take part. Service animals are allowed.

The company may ask to change the date if the minimum number of people is not reached. The stated policy allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. If the operator cancels because the minimum is not met, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Practical advice before you book

Bring comfortable walking shoes. The Hill of Crosses and castle grounds are outdoor sites, and Rundale’s gardens are best enjoyed on foot.

Pack water and a lunch or substantial snack. You can buy food at Rundale, but the café may have few light choices. A small meal in your bag protects your time and budget.

Bring headphones for Rundale’s audio guide. This is especially useful if the group commentary focuses more on general background than on detailed room-by-room information.

Check the forecast before leaving Riga. The tour continues in rain or snow, and the itinerary does not simply disappear because the weather turns bad. A wet day can still work, but you may choose to spend less time in the gardens and more time inside.

Keep some flexibility in your schedule. The stop order can vary, and the operator may request a date change if the minimum group size is not met. It is best not to place an important evening booking too close to the return time.

Who should take this trip from Riga?

I would choose this day trip if I had already seen Riga’s Old Town and wanted a strong outing beyond the capital. It suits solo visitors particularly well because the small group makes it easier to chat, ask questions, and avoid spending a full day alone on the road.

It also works for couples, friends, and families who want a simple package covering transport and entry fees. The tour is a good fit if you enjoy a blend of grand architecture, ruins, scenic stops, and unusual cultural sites.

I would hesitate if your main goal is a slow palace visit, an in-depth archaeological tour, or a long meal in the countryside. The Hill of Crosses also deserves a thoughtful approach. It is not a quick novelty stop, and people who give themselves time to look closely often find it more affecting than expected.

Should you book the Hill of Crosses and Rundale Palace tour?

Book it if you want to make one full day count. For $157.28, you receive small-group transport, three admissions, a border crossing, and local commentary across two countries. That is good value when you add up the difficulty of reaching these places independently in a single day.

The strongest reasons to go are the Hill of Crosses, the chance to see Rundale Palace without building your own transport plan, and the personal feel of a group capped at eight. The main compromises are the long driving time, the short Bauska visit, and the need to handle your own lunch.

Bring shoes for walking, headphones, food, and rain gear. If you do that, this is one of the more useful ways to see southern Latvia while briefly stepping into Lithuania.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Riga Free Tours, Reformācijas Laukums, Centra rajons, Riga. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

What time does the tour begin?

The scheduled start time is 8:00 am.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours. Travel time between Riga and the stops is included in that total.

Does the tour visit both Latvia and Lithuania?

Yes. The route includes sights in Latvia and a visit to the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. There is also a short border photo stop at Eleja.

What admissions are included?

The price includes the Bauska Castle Tower entrance and admission to Rundale Palace and its gardens. Parking fees and air-conditioned transport are also included.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included. Food is available at Rundale Palace, though the choice may be limited, so bringing your own food is sensible.

How many people are in the vehicle?

This is a shared ride with a maximum of eight people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours beforehand are not accepted for a refund.