Sigulda Things to Do

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The Turaida Museum Reserve is less a museum, but more a collection of different small attactions. A dozen of old buildings with different small exhibitions will inform you about this region’s history. Further places here are the Turaida church, the tomb of Turaida Rose, Turaida Castle (see separate tip) and Folk Song Hill. The exhibtions are nice, but they are only to be seen as part of an entity. With exception of the Turaida Castle ruins, none of them is large or interesting enough to be the sole purpose of your trip. But on the other hand it should be mentioned that the museum has also won a couple of international awards.

A walk from Sigulda via Turaidas Iela will take around 1 ½ hours. That includes a small detour to both Sigulda castles. Check out my tip “Hiking from Sigulda to Turaida” for further details on that. For those who don’t like walking, there is also a scheduled bus service (No. 12) from Sigulda.

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The new Sigulda castle was built as a residence just a couple of meters away from the old one’s ruins. This 19th century estate with its beautiful gardens is now owned by the city of Sigulda and used as an administration building. The park and gardens are open for public. A path behind this castle leads to the ruins of the old one.

Only ruins remain of this 13th century stronghold. Built between 1207 and 1226, it was destroyed in the Great Northern War. A new castle was constructed just a few meters away. Today, the old castle is a popular tourist destination. Concerts often takes place in the ruins, but beside that, it is just a tourist destination. The castle ruins are accesible to the public day and night, no entry fee is required.
From this castle, you can enjoy a view on Turaida castle, the most famous and beautiful castle in this region. You may ask yourself why there are two castles so close to each other. It is because The Gauja river fromed the border between two powers. On one side the Germans, which built this castle. On the other side the Archbishop of Riga who has Turaida castle built.

The first stop on my hiking tour from Sigulda to Turaida and back was Sigulda church. It lies on the main street which becomes Gaujas Iela close to the church. Built in 1225, it has arround the same age as all the nearby castles. However, not much remains of the medieval church as it was rebuilt in the 17th century, showing some early baroque elements.

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Turaida Castle is a recently reconstructed medieval castle in Turaida, in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, on the opposite bank of the Gauja River from Sigulda.

The castle was constructed in the Brick Gothic style in 1214 under Albert, archibishop of Riga, on the site of the destroyed wooden castle of the Livonian leader Kaupo. Construction and development of the fortifications continued to the 17th century, when the castle started to lose its strategic importance. It was badly damaged by fire in 1776 and not reconstructed, and in the course of time fell into ruin.

Restoration began in the 1970s and the castle is now the centrepiece of the Turaida Museum Reserve, which also includes the oldest wooden church in Vidzeme and its surrounding Livonian cemetery, containing the grave of Maija, the Rose of Turaida; Dainu Hill, now a sculpture park celebrating Latvian folksong; and the beautifully landscaped castle grounds.

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The Gutmanis Cave lies halfway between Sigulda and Turaida Castle and has a little creek flowing from it. The largest cave in the Baltics measuring 19 m deep, 12 m wide and 10 m high. The cave still bears inscriptions from as early as the 17th century; drinking the water supposed to be healthy and boosting one's lifespan.

The cave is connected with the old Latvian story of Maija, the Rose of Turaida (1601-1620). According to legend she was an orphan girl discovered after a battle and raised by the staff at Turaida Castle. She fell in love with the gardener and they used to meet in the cave. A polish soldier fell in love with her, but she turned him down. The soldier then tricked her to the cave using a forged letter and there he planned on raping her. In exchange for letting he go she offered him a "magical scarf" that supposedly was impossible to cut trough. She offered to demonstrate it and put it around her neck. The soldier cut through it with his sword killing her. According to documents in Sigulda's archives the soldier was later caught, tried and hanged for his crime.

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Sigulda has one of the best tracks in Europe and is a popular place for the world-class bob and luge drivers. Following the World Cup in luge in November, the Junior World Cup will take place in Sigulda from December 10 – 11.

The Sigulda bob and luge track is a popular venue for various incentive groups. It is possible to organize corporate events, split a group into various teams and have fun competitions with some assistance from professionals bob pilots. In the spring, summer and fall season incentive groups frequently use the so-called wheel-bob that makes you feel your adrenalin and pulse pleasantly jump as the bob runs down the track with some 80 – 90 km/h. Usually there are place for 3 people in the bob in addition to the professional bob pilot that will always lead the teams safely down the track.

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In Sigulda you should do the Three Castles route. It starts with the cable car to Krimulda, then you walk through beautiful nature and on many steps .... to Turaida.... from Turaida you walk past caves (even the biggest cave of the Baltics!!!) to Sigulda Castle. Really Nice.

The best place is the Turaida Castle. The entrance fee is 2 Ls. It is a big reserve where you can also walk a lot, and visit the castle and go all the way to the top and enjoy spectacular views of the Gauja River area!