Gauja National Park

Ērgļu Cliffs

Gauja National Park (also know as Gaujas nacionālais parks in Latvian) is a 917 km² park located along the valley of the Gauja River, largest protected area in Latvia. This National Park has high biological diversity, rock outcrops and varied terrain shapes, springs, picturesque landscapes and many historical and cultural monuments from different centuries (over 500 monuments of history and culture as well as other archeological, architectural and art monuments) plus some beautiful villages and towns like Sigulda, Līgatne and Cēsis.

How do I arrive to Gauja National Park?

 The best way to reach this National Park is going to Sigulda, the closest town to Riga.

• Train: there are trains five trains from to Riga from Sigulda (aprox. 1 hour), Līgatne (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes for 3.20€) and Cēsis (aprox. 2 hours for 3.50€). There are also trains to Valmiera (aprox. 30 minutes) from Cēsis.
• Bus: there are 2-3 buses each hour making the route between Cēsis and Riga, stopping in Sigulda and Līgatne.
• Car: if you rented a car, it's 50 minutes journey from Riga to Sigulda, 1 hour to Līgatne and 1 hour 15 minutes to Cēsis. From Cēsis there's a 30 minutes trip to Valmiera and 1 hour 20 minutes to Valga (Estonia).

 Once in the Park, a good choice to move along it is renting a bike and cycling along it. But between the main towns you can use the train (which connects Līgatne and Cēsis) and buses between Līgatne and Cēsis (aprox. 30 minutes).

History

The area of Gauja has been one of the longest-inhabited regions of Latvia. Archeological evidence indicates the site was inhabited 9,000 years ago. The area was conquered by the Livonian Order, organisation which built Sigulda, Cēsis and Valmiera castles. Valmiera joined the Hanseatic League and the area prospered economically till Livonian War, when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth annexed the region to the Duchy of Livonia. Polish-Swedish war and the Great Northern partially affected the area, which was incorporated to Russia after the Third Partition of Poland. The construction in the second half of the 19th century of railways to Riga also benefited what is now Gauja National Park, with new factories and economic growth. Valmiera was one of the only places in Latvia where Latvians got majority of seats; by then it was already a culture center. In the Latvian War of Independence Estonians and Latvians and defeated the Germans in the Battle of Cēsis. WW2 caused the assassination of the Jews of the area when the Germans conquered Latvia, being recovered by the Soviet Union during Riga Offensive. During Cold War Liepas air base was located near Valmiera. In case 2016 Winter Olympics are celebrated in Sweden, bobsled, skeleton and luge events will take place in Sigulda. The National Park was established in 1973.

 

What can I visit in Gauja National Park?

These are many things to do in this National Park, explained now according to the town where they are or the nearest one:     

• Sigulda

  

  Castle of the Livonian Order in Sigulda
  

  (Segewold in German, Zygwold in Polish, Сигулда in Russian): 16,679 inhabitants town by river Gauja which is the administrative center of the Gauja National Park and whose nickname is Switzerland of Vidzeme. In end of July there's the most important festival of its genre in Latvia, International Sigulda Opera Music Festival. There's bus nº 12, which makes the route between the most popular places. 
  • Castle of the Livonian Order in Sigulda (9-20 from May to Sept; 10-19 Oct and Apr; 10-17 from Nov to March; 8-15:45 Sat; 2€/ 1€  adults/ retiree, students and kids): ruins of the castle built in 1207 that first had a fortress outlook and then with convent one, being the residence of the Land Marshal of the Livonian Order since 1432.

    

    New Castle of Sigulda
    

    After the dissolution of the order, the castle was privately owned but then destroyed during the Polish-Swedish Wars. It has been renovated in 2011.
    
  • New Castle of Sigulda (8-17 Mon-Fri; 8-15:45 Sat; 1€/ 0.50€  adults/ kids): Neo-Gothic manor built in 1878 by Prince Dimitri Kropotkin and his family. It resulted partially destroyed in WW1, owned by the Latvian Union of Writers and Journalists (then acquired by the Latvian Press Society) and used as a headquarters for the Nord division of the German army in WW2.  Nowadays it hosts the town council and despite it can't be visited inside, watching it from outside is still worthy.

  • 

    Gūtmaņa Cave

    Gūtmaņa Cave: cave that is considered to be the largest in the Baltic countries with drawings from the 16th century onwards, many legends and a special energy. The most popular legend is about Maija Roze and Viktors (the Latvian version of Romeo and Julie), who always met each other here. Another nice cave in the area is Pētera Cave.
  • Some other places to go in Sigulda are Satezeles Mound, a former 11th century Livonian fortification, and Paradise Hill, hill from where getting an awesome view of the river Gauja and Turaida Castle. Here it can also be started Sigulda-Cēsis Route (41.1 km), a route that connects the main towns in the national park.
    

  • 

    Turaida Castle
    

    In the outskirts of Sigulda can be found a part of the municipality called Turaida (Treiden in German) with some very important attractions in what is called Turaida Museum Reserve. The main one is Turaida Castle (9-20 from May to Sep; 10-19 Oct and Apr; 10-17 from Nov to Mar; 6€/ 4.50€/ 3€/ 1.15€  adults/ retiree/ students/ kids), a red-brick castle built by the Livonian Order in 1214 for Albert, Archbishop of Riga to be used as a residence of the archbishop, having been recently reconstructed. The castle began losing importance in the 17th century and was abandoned after a fire in 1776. Its towers are used nowadays as expositions about Livonians, forges and other topics, and from them there are great views of the whole national park.

    

    Turaida Lutheran Church
    

    Another one is Turaida Lutheran Church, one of the oldest wooden church from Latvia (1750) which already existed in the 13th century (where Maija is said to be buried) and Folk Songs Park of Turaida, a statue park about heroes of Latvian traditional folk songs (dainas). To discover the whole Turaida Museum Reserve it's highly recommended to take Turaida Castle Museum Reserve Loop (4.7 km), one of the most rated routes in the national park.
  • Driving 23 km north of Sigulda, already outside the National Park, there's Bīriņi Castle (10-19; 5.50€ with park, castle and tower included), a 18th century Neo-Gothic style muiža (manor) named after and was owned by Johann Bering von Helmstedt (who liberated the area from Ivan IV of Russia). Nowadays it's used as a hotel.
  • There are plenty of routes and trails to do around Sigulda, most of them including its mots important natural and historical sights. Some of the most impressing ones are Gauja River-Gitmans Cave-Sigulda Loop (6.6 km), trail that goes by the main sightseeing points in Sigulda like the castles of Sigulda, Gūtmaņa Cave or the ruins of Krimulda Castle; Vikmestes Trail (3.5 km) by the stream Vikmestes.
    

    

    Ruins of Krimulda Castle
    

• Another place near Sigulda is Krimulda, a 5,778 inhabitants with nice places to visit like Krimulda Manor (tours booking on advance), a 1822 manor which considered one of the main examples of classic villa in Latvia, that was bought by Prince Johan George Liven (who said to be Liv leader Kaupo descendant). It also has Ruins of Krimulda Castle, remains of a 14th century castle that was built by the Archbishop of Riga during its conflicts with the Livonian Order. It was destroyed during the Swedish-Polish war (1601) and in the 19th century it was a romantic addition to a park owned by Prince Lieven. Not far from Krimulda it can be taken Kubeseles Nature Trail (4.2 km), a trail through the forest that crosses some streams and arrives to Gauja river.
  

  

  Museum of the Battles of More
  

• In the southern part of Gauja National Park, 20 km far from Sigulda, there's the village of More, 181 inhabitants, whose main attraction is the Museum of the Battles of More (10-16 from May to Oct; 3€/ 2€  adults/ kids). This museum which shows the history of this battle between the Red Army and Latvian soldiers under the German Army, with a collection of weapons, medals, tanks and military uniforms.
• Līgatne (Ligat in German): 1,288 inhabitants town in the center of Gauja National Park. Its history has always been linked to the Paper Mill and today it has a well preserved town center with wooden houses.
  
  • Līgatne Paper Mill (booking in advance): former paper factory that was one of the oldest and most important paper producers in Europe (and the only of Latvia), producing paper from 1815 to 2016.

    

    Secret Soviet Bunker
    

  • Līgatne Natural Trails (9-17; 4.30€/ 2.80€ / 2.10€  adults/ retiree and students/ kids): a mixture between a natural park and zoo which acquaints visitors with nature, wild mammal species living in Latvia (animals who couldn't survive without human care and food assistance), nature diversity and environmental protection. It's also the starting point of a nice trail, Līgatne Nature Trail (4.1 km).
    
  • On the outskirts of Līgatne it can be visited the Secret Soviet Bunker (15 Mon-Fri and 12,14,16, Sat-Sun from May to Oct; 12,14 from Nov to Apr; 13.20€/ 11.20€  adults/ kids), a highly secret bunker (whose location was declassify in 2003), one of the most important nuclear ones in USSR in the 80s. The visit can only be done with touristic guides.
  • In the south of Līgatne there's Vienkoču Park (10-18; 3€/ 2€  adults/ retiree and kids), an artistic park with path walking into nature and completed with modern works of art by a local artist, Rihards.

    

    Ķūķu Cliffs

    Inside there's Woodcraft Museum (10-18; included in the price), a small museum on how the craftsmen of the past used to make household items both for landlords and other people (specially focused in log-boats).
  • River Gauja forms some beautiful landscapes by Līgatne, specially consisting in red cliffs such as Gūdu Cliffs or Ķūķu Cliffs. Next to its tributary Līgatne appear many cellar caves hand-carved by ancient inhabitants who looked for storage.

    

    Ungurmuiža Manor

    
    
• Going north, 15 km far from Cēsis, there's Ungurmuiža Manor (10-16 Tue-Sun; booking in advance), a 18th century Baroque muiža (manor) that belonged to von Campenhousen family, a family that worked first for the Swedish king and Russian tsar later. It's wonderfully preserved and how aristocratic life was can be discovered in visiting it.
• In the way from to there are some trails that are worth taking to discover some of the least visited lanscapes of the park such as Ieriku Mills (0.7 km), Cecilu Nature Trail (1.8 km), Karlamuiza-Zvarte-Gauja Loop (19.6 km) or the route by river Amata, Amatas Route (26.1 km). These last two hikes reach Zvārtes Rock, one of the most picturesque and the most popular outcrops of red sandstone.
• Cēsis (Wenden in German, Venden in Livonian, Kieś in Polish): 18,065 inhabitants town in the northern part of the National Park, founded in the 13th century by the Livonian Order, and considered one of the most beautiful towns in Latvia. Cēsis Old Town has remained almost unchanged despite all the wars that occured and it's worth to be walked. In summer there's an important festival with many concerts and cultural activities, Mākslas festivāls. 

  

  Cēsis Medieval Castle

  
  
  • Cēsis Castle: complex formed by two castles. One of them is Cēsis Medieval Castle (10-18 from May to Sep; 10-17 Tue-Sat and 10-16 Sun from Oct to Apr; 4€/ 2.50€  adults/ retiree, students and kids), ruins of a castle built by the Livonian Orden in 1214 and destroyed in 1577 by tzar Ivan the Terrible (one of the most iconic and best preserved medieval castles in Latvia); the other one is Cēsis New Castle, a 18th century manor that  was inhabited by the von Sievers family. This latter one currently hosts Cēsis History and Art Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun from May to Sep; 10-17 Tue-Sat and 10-16 Sun from Oct to Apr; 4€/ 2.50€  adults/ retiree, students and kids) and the Exhibition Hall (10-18 Tue-Sun from May to Sep; 10-17 Tue-Sat and 10-16 Sun from Oct to Apr; 3€/ 2€  adults/ retiree, students and kids). There are combined tickets for the museum and the medieval castle (6€/ 3.50€  adults/ retiree, students and kids). Surrounding the castle there's a very nice park where having a relaxing walk, Cēsis Castle Park.

    

    St. Jāņa Lutheran Church

    
    
  • St. Jāņa Lutheran Church: brick Gothic church built by the Livonian Order in the 13th century, considered one of the oldest monuments in Latvia. At the beginning of the 16th century the church became Lutheran and a center of the Reformation and until 1855, the service was held exclusively in German (thereafter, until 1939, the Latvian and German congregations shared the church). Its Neo-Gothic tower was added in the 19th century and has one of the biggest organs of the country too.
  • Kristus Apskaidrošanas Russian Orthodox Church: 19th century Neo-Byzantine style church built by von Sievers' family (many Germans who served Russian Empire converted into Orthodox Christianism) and which has the family cemetery too.

    

    Raiskums Red Cliffs

    
    
  • On the outskirts of Cēsis can be found Raiskums Red Cliffs Trail (1.2 km), reaching the popular Raiskums Red Cliffs, an unusual natural work of art with several springs flowing out of the cliffs. Another choice is taking Cīrulīši Nature Trails, group of trails that show the visitor the river Gauja and its surrounding.
    
  • Around Cesis there are plenty of trails and routes that introduce the visitor into the nature and the main landmarks of the national park. Some of the most interesting ones are: Cēsis-Rakši-Līvi Loop (18.5 km), Karlamuiza-Livi-Cēsis-Raksi Loop (27.8 km)

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  Āraiši Lake Dwelling Site

  In Āraiši Lake there are some quite interesting touristic attractions. The main sightseeing point is Āraiši Lake Dwelling Site (9-19 Mon-Sat from Apr to Oct; 10-16 Thu-Sun from Nov to Mar; 2€ /1€  adults/ retiree and students), reconstruction of a Latgalian settlement from the 9th-10th century (where there was a real one which was discovered in 1965) in an island in Āraiši Lake. Near can be found the Ruins of Āraiši Stone Castle,  remains from a 14th century castle of the Livonian Order that was destroyed in 1577 by tsar Ivan the Terrible; Āraiši Windmill (10-18 from May to Oct), a windmill from the 19th century that preserves its old mechanisms and where learning more about the process of grinding grain; and Āraiši Lutheran Church, a 18th century church.
  

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  Sietiņiezis Rock

  Continuing exploring the northern part of Gauja National Park, not far from Cēsis, there are beautiful lanscapes with cliffs like Ērgļu Cliffs (22 m high), the most impressive cliffs in the valley of the Gauja river, or Līču-Laņģu Sandstone Cliffs, 1 km-long cliffs located on the left side of the primeval valley. Here there's a very recommended short trail, Sietiņiezis Nature Trail (1.6 km), that arrives to Sietiņiezis Rock, one of the highest white sandstone outcrops in Latvia.
  
• Continuing towards Valmiera the visitor can stop at Rubene, a small town with 1,167 inhabitants. Its main highlight is Rubene Lutheran Church, a church whose current building dates back to 1739. It has remains of a 14th century building and is thought to be a Christian congregation mentioned in the Chronicles of Henry (eldest chronicle written in the territory of Latvia). Just 20 km far from Rubene and Valmiera is located Dikļu Castle, 19th century Neo-Baroque style manor built by baron Volf that, although now it's used as a hotel, still preserves parts from buildings previously built.

  

  St. Simon Lutheran Church

  
  
• Valmiera (Wolmar in German and Polish, Ва́лмиера in Russian): 24,848 inhabitants town which is the largest in Vidzeme historical region on the banks of Gauja river, a nice point to take a cruise along the river. It's not strictly in Gauja National Park but it's very close to it.
  • St. Simon Lutheran Church (11-18 Wed-Fri; 11-17 Sat): 13th century church which preserves its medieval essence and a nice organ. It's one of the main symbols of Valmiera and of Vidzeme. From its tower there's the best view from Valmiera.
  • Valmiera Castle Ruins: remnants of a castle from the 13th century, built by the Livonian Order to protected the right bank of the river Gauja. It was burnt

    

    Valmiera Castle Ruins
    

    down in Great Northern War (18th century) by Russian troops and today it's used as an open-air venue for concerts and celebrations.
  • Valmiera Museum (10-17 Mon-Sat; 1.40€/ free  adults/ retiree and kids): museum which tells the history and local culture of Valmiera.
  • St. Radoņežas Sergija Russian Orthodox Church (11-16): 19th century church built in red-bricks that was particulary used in the 1920s, when many Russian merchants, craftsmen and soldiers settled in Valmiera.
  • Just 20 km far from Valmiera is located Dikļu Castle, 19th century Neo-Baroque style manor built by baron Volf that, although now it's used as a hotel, still preserves parts from buildings previously built.

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    Strenči Water Tower

    In the way between Valmiera and Valka/Valga the visitor can stop at some towns that have some degree of interest. The first one can be Strenči (Stackeln in German), 1,614 inhabitants, where having a small visiting Strenči Mental Hospital, an early 20th century hospital with a park and a dozen brick buildings, decorated in white and red colours form bizarre assembly and next to it, Strenči Water Tower (1907). Another thing to visit here is Strenči Lutheran Church, a church from the 1930s. Only 5 km far there's Seda (1,744 inhabitants), a small town that can be considered a monument of Stalinist architecture, being a wonderful example of the monumental architecture of 1950s in the Soviet Union, which has not been ruined by any new building yet.

Baltā Kāpa

Going 40 km west from Sigulda, in the coast can be found Saulkrasti (Neubad in German), a 3,341 inhabitants town which is the most popular seaside resort among Latvians. The most important sightseeing point are Saulkrasti Beach, 17 km long beach (very well preserved) and Baltā Kāpa, a dune with a pine forest with great views of the beach, considered to beone of the most beautiful points in the Latvian coast (it's said to have impressed Catherine the Great of Russia). The dune is the beginning of Sunset Trail (3.6 km), a trail alonside the sea coast. Other interesting sightseeing points in Saulkrasti are Saulkrasti Bicycle Museum (10-18 from May to Aug; 1.40€/ free  adults/ retiree and kids), a small museum with a collection of old bicycles, including a 130 years old Latvian one; and Pēterupe Lutheran Church, the fourth church located in this place (with the first one dating back to 1641 and current one, from 1856). Saulkrasti can be reached by train from Riga (aprox. 1 hour) or by car (aprox. 50 minutes).

Eņģeļu ala

From Saulkrasti there are 70 km to the Estonian border via A1-E67 in a road by the sea with some spectacular views like Veczemju Red Cliffs, before reaching some interesting populations like Salacgrīva (Salats in Livonian, Salatsi in Estonian), a 3,060 inhabitants town famous for hosting Positivus Festival (summer musica and cultural festival), or Ainaži (Haynasch in German, Heinaste in Estonian). This latter is a 891-inhabitants traditional Livonian harbour town that has the interesting Ainaži Naval School (10-17 Wed-Sun from May to Sep; 11-17 from Oct to Apr; 1.14€/ 0.57€  adults/ retiree, students and kids), a small museum of the Naval School that taught both Estonian and Latvian seamanship education and shows Vidzeme's shipyards history. Salacgrīva has also the office of North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve (Ziemeļvidzemes biosfēras rezervāts in Latvian), the only Biosphere Reserve in Latvia and a 4,576 km² park (6% of Latvian territory). This place is great for canoeing, cycling or fishing lampreys and some of its many highlights are Eņģeļu ala (Angel's cave), Burtnieks Lake, Seda swamp and area and Rūjiena and its ice-creams.

What can I do in Gauja National Park?

This National Park has a quite big offer of activities, like going in cable car from Sigulda to Krimulda, two winter skiing stations, Žagarkalns and Ozolkalns, in Cēsis and adventure parks like Tarzāns Park (Peldu iela) or Mežakaķis (Senču iela 1) in Sigulda. There are some experiences that will make you get an adrenaline going like bungee jumping from a cablecar (with the possibility of doing it naked) in Bungee Sigulda (Jāņa Poruka iela 14), feeling you are flying with AERODIUM (4 km from Sigulda) or bobsleigh in Sigulda bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track (Šveices iela 13). This area is also great for trying the Latvian version of sauna, pirts (not very different from the Finnish version of it), being nice places to try them Hotel Sigulda (Pils iela 6) and Hotel Ezeri (Ezeri). For beer lovers it can be a great idea visiting Valmiermuiža Brewery (booking at least 2 weeks in advance; 9€ per person), the most famous Latvian brewery. Here the process of creation of their beer can be seen and their beers tasted. 

Where can I eat in Gauja National Park?

This National Park has a wide culinary offer because almot all the hotels or pension has its own restaurant. Some of the best restaurants in Sigulda are the Latvian traditional food Kaķu māja (Pils iela 8) or Viesnīca Aparjods (Ventas iela 1A) and in Cēsis, some of the most interesting are the cafe Mākslas telpa Mala (Lielā Skolas iela 4), Vinetas un Allas Kārumlāde (Rīgas iela 12), Cafe 2Locals (Rīgas iela 24a). Another place, Karlamuiza Country Hotel (12 km from Cēsis, in Karli village), offers you both lodging and good meals. Buying at supermarkets like Maxima to buy food to have a picnic is another choice.

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