13 Full-Day Tours in Latvia to Build a Day Around

1.Private Full-Day Trip to Turaida, Sigulda, and Cesis

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 52 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) Our pick

Leave Riga at 10:00 for a private day through Latvia’s Gauja region. Your driver-guide, often Normunds, Jurijs, or Eduards, takes you to Turaida, Sigulda, Cesis, and a bonus stop at Araisi or Zvartes Rock. Expect flexible timing, private transport, and separate castle fees.

“Excellent guide, very knowledgeable and willing to accommodate. It was a terrific tour . The car was very clean and comfortable. The guide took us to a lovely Latvian restaurant for lunch.”

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2.Full-Day Private Trip to Cesis, Sigulda and Turaida from Riga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel from Riga by private, air-conditioned minivan to Cesis, Araisi Lake Dwelling Site, Sigulda, and Turaida. Your English-speaking driver handles the route, shares local history, and can suggest lunch stops. Expect about eight hours, walking, stairs, and extra fees for museum admission.

“Guide was responsive, punctual, flexible. Pleasure to travel with. Able to share little nuggets of Latvian life if asked too...”

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3.Private Full-Day Trip to Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace & Bauska

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) Top rated

From Riga, your private English-speaking guide takes you across the Lithuanian border to the Hill of Crosses, then back to Latvia for Rundale Palace and Bauska Castle. Expect flexible stop times, hotel pickup, private transport, and a lunch break. Guides including Norman, Normund, Normands, and Andrejs have led this outing.

“The trip was outstanding and the driver was courteous and knowledgeable. Everything on the itinerary was worth seeing, especially the Hill of Crosses. Simply amazing.”

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4.Hill of Crosses, Bauska & Rundale Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 7 hours

Travel from Riga into Lithuania and southern Latvia with a private guide such as Normunds, Māris, or Juri. See the haunting Hill of Crosses, ornate Rundale Palace, and medieval Bauska Castle, with time adjusted to suit your group.

“We enjoyed the trip very much! Our guide Normunds was friendly, he gave us a lot of interesting information and recommendations and answered all our questions on the way :-) It was a pleasure to have him as our guide! Thank you! Concerning the monuments: The Hill of Crosses is something you should definitely visit! The atmosphere is even bleaker when it's raining. The Rundale palace is really nice from inside and outside - it costs 17 euros but if you like visiting chateaux it is worth it! Anyway, go to the trip and you will not regret it! :-)”

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5.Full-Day Private Trip to Palace and Medieval Castle from Riga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.)

Travel from Riga by private air-conditioned minivan to Bauska Castle and Rundāle Palace. An English-speaking driver handles hotel pickup, local advice, and return transport, while you explore the museums and gardens at your own pace. Entrance fees are extra.

“Very helpful driver, it was unfortunately a rainy start to the day so he took us to buy an umbrella before beginning the tour, mapped out the best route for the poor weather conditions we had and recommended other palaces in the area we may like to visit along the way. Overall a lovely day trip and would do again in hopefully more ideal weather conditions next time!”

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6.Full-Day Private Trip to Jurmala, Fisherman Villages and Nature Trails from Riga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel by private, air-conditioned minivan from Riga with an English-speaking driver to Jurmala’s fishing museum, beach, Jomas Street, Dzintaru viewing tower, and Ķemeri National Park. You get hotel pickup, bottled water, free time, and a full eight hours beyond the city.

“Lovely day trip with an interesting and informative guide who knew a lot of about Latvia's history as well as from a personal perspective, especially being under soviet occupation. He gave us a lot of time to explore beaches and wonderful expanse of bogland that you can walk through on a wooden walkway on our own, but took us to useful sites. He was also accommodating taking us back to the shops and giving us useful info about the town.”

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7.Private Full-Day Trip to Jurmala and Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from Riga with an English-speaking driver to Jurmala’s open-air fishing museum, Baltic beach, and the Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk. You get hotel pickup, a flexible setting for up to three people, and free admission at each listed stop.

“This was an amazing trip with a friendly driver. The sights were remarkable and appropriate for all age groups.”

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8.Full-Day Rundale Palace Tour from Riga

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $172Best value

Leave central Riga at 9 a.m. for Rundale Palace, Rastrelli’s Baroque and Rococo masterpiece, then visit Bauska Castle after lunch. Your private group of up to seven travels with a guide, hotel pickup, and return transport. Bring headphones for Rundale’s QR-code room guides.

“Rundāle palace is a fantastic castle, similar to Versaille but with 138 rooms 😁 The tour guide was very knowledgeble and took us also to Bauska castle and several interesting extra sights ”off the beaten track”. Recommended!!”

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9.Full-Day Scenic Gauja River Valley Kayaking Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 8 hours · from $306

Join Ronalds or Inga for an eight-hour Gauja Valley kayaking day from Riga. Paddle 15 to 20 kilometers through forest, steep banks, and sandstone cliffs, then finish in Sigulda. The route can be shortened, and hotel pickup, equipment, and return transport are included.

“Roland was my tour guide again and just like last time it was a lot of fun and hard work. I like Kayaking a lot but never had I travelled so far and worked so hard before doing this; by the end I was exhausted, but it was well worth it! and fortunately I didn't have do it alone. The river valley is beautiful and atmosphere is so peaceful. Perfect day, even if I was very sore afterwards.”

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10.Full-Day Private Trip to Nuclear Missile Base and Secret Soviet Bunker

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.)

Travel from Riga with English-speaking driver Martins to an abandoned nuclear missile base, a preserved underground Soviet command bunker, and the More Battle Museum. Expect long drives, private transport, local history, and direct access to places most standard city tours do not reach.

“This is an excellent day out which is fascinating - particularly so if you are interested in military or cold war history - and allows you to access two previously secret Soviet Latvian facilities. We were picked up from our hotel which was very convenient given it was an 8am (due to the distances travelled over the course of the day). Our driver and guide, Martins, was brilliant. He was very informative, very friendly, very accommodating and, of course, a very good driver. Martins also acted as our guide around the former missile base and was very patient with our constant questions and photo stops! He is a great ambassador…”

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11.Private Full-Day Trip to Bauska, Rundale and Jelgava Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from Riga to Bauska Castle, Rundale Palace, and Jelgava Palace in about seven hours. Your English-speaking driver-guide collects you at 10:00 AM, shares Latvian culture, and may add local stops. Admission fees and lunch are separate.

“Latvia was our family summer vacation .. We always use Viator for our day trip.. In this case, we requested a private day tour. We were picked up sharp on time in our hotel . The mini van was clean and in perfect condition. Our guide, Norman , was very professional , perfect English speaking.. He kept us informed about Latvian culture, and the characteristics of our destination (three castles in the proximity to Riga.) . It was a wonderful experience.. We really recommend once again Viator …”

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12.Private Full-Day Hiking Tour in Sigulda and Gauja National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $195

Spend about eight hours with a private guide exploring Sigulda and Gauja National Park. Walk through forests, meadows, and the Gauja River valley, visit Livonian castle ruins and Gutmanis Cave, then pause at Krimulda manor. Pickup, transport, and admission fees are included. Bring snacks and sturdy shoes.

“This day was excellent value; a deeply informative way to explore Latvia's healthy and biodiverse countryisde, whilst staying safe in it's endless bogs and forests. Rihard is a thoroughly likeable guide, keen to bring to life Latvia's rich cultural history, and to tailor the tour to your specific interests. A surprise picnic was a really lovely idea and we enjoyed some of Latvia's favorite foods. We were thoroughly entertained and fit a lot into the day. Our teens loved the floating boardwalk and we came away with some great family shots. Remember your binoculars; apart from many species of dragonfly, we saw lesser-spotted eagle, red-backed shrike, red-breasted flycatcher, marsh harrier…”

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13.Full Day Gauja National Park Ultimate Hiking & Sightseeing Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $289

Join eco-guides Rolands or Volters for a small-group day from Riga into Gauja National Park. Hike forest trails, practice forest bathing, sample local snacks and drinks, visit Līgatne, Cēsis Castle, and Ērgļu Cliffs. The pace suits active visitors who want nature, history, and local flavor in one outing.

“Two passionate tour guide, with detailed guide about the plants and Latvia history.”

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