Welcome to Latvia, a country of vast forests, picturesque villages, and long stretches of white-sand coastline. Your trip begins in Jūrmala, a historic seaside retreat that was once one of the most refined resorts of the 19th century.

After you arrive, collect your rental car at the airport and drive to Jūrmala.

Jūrmala has more than 150 years of spa and seaside tradition. You can discover its heritage through romantic wooden villas, quiet pine forests, and wide, pale beaches shaped by the Baltic air. Dzintari, the town’s most sought-after district, was once known as Edinburgh. It received that name in honor of the 1874 marriage between Prince Alfred of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Tsar Alexander II.

Tonight, stay in a carefully selected 3-star boutique hotel set within a beautifully preserved 19th-century wooden villa. 

Distance: 20 km

Driving time: approx. 0h30

Jūrmala became prominent as a 19th-century spa and seaside resort, and its historic wooden villas remain one of the town’s defining architectural features.

Breakfast is included today as you travel into the historic heart of Courland before continuing to Latvia’s western coast.

After leaving Jūrmala, your first stop is Ķemeri National Park. Here, you can walk at your own pace along the iconic wooden boardwalks that cross vast peat bogs. Much of this landscape remains untouched, creating a rare sense of stillness where local flora and fauna can be observed in a calm and unhurried setting.

You then continue to Kuldīga, an architectural gem and a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2023. As you explore its atmospheric streets, you will come to Ventas Rumba, the widest waterfall in Europe, and the historic red-brick bridge that spans the river.

Your route next takes you to Aizpute, one of the oldest towns in Latvia. The ruins of the Livonian Order castle reflect the region’s layered past, and the town still holds a distinctly timeless character.

By late afternoon, you arrive in Liepāja, often called the city where the wind is born. This coastal city brings together striking contrasts, including a wide white-sand beach, elegant Art Nouveau architecture, and the distinct atmosphere of the former military district of Karosta.

Tonight, stay in a carefully selected 4-star boutique hotel in the heart of the city. 

Distance: 220 km

Driving time: approx. 3 hours

Courland, known in Latvian as Kurzeme, is one of Latvia’s historic regions and has long been shaped by trade, coastal life, and the legacy of the Livonian Order.

Breakfast is included before you head south for a deeper nature experience in Pape Nature Park.

With an expert guide, you explore this distinctive landscape, shaped by conservation and quiet wilderness. The reserve is known for the reintroduction of large herbivores, and you may see wild Konik horses, aurochs, and European bison moving freely across the coastal meadows. The area is also a major migratory corridor where thousands of birds pass through with the changing seasons.

After returning to Liepāja, the rest of the day is free for you to experience the city at your own pace. Liepāja has an artistic, slightly bohemian atmosphere that unfolds through elegant Art Nouveau facades, weathered wooden houses, and restored red-brick industrial buildings. In Karosta, the former military port, time seems to stand still as tsarist fortifications line the shoreline, shaped by wind and sea.

Distance: 85 km

Driving time: approx. 1h20

Pape Nature Park is part of an important Baltic migratory route, which makes it a significant seasonal stop for large numbers of birds.

Breakfast is included today as you drive back to Riga, the Baltic capital.

On the way, stop at Jaunpils Castle, originally built in 1301 as a fortress of the Livonian Order and set on three sides by a tranquil pond. Once inhabited by small garrisons, the building still stands out for its solidity, and much of its medieval character remains intact. Inside, the museum presents the region’s manor culture and the history of knighthood in Latvia, connecting broader historical themes with everyday life. The castle’s atmospheric tavern offers an inviting setting for a leisurely lunch.

After your visit, continue to Riga. When you arrive, return your vehicle at the hotel, settle in, and start exploring the capital at your own pace.

Tonight, stay in a carefully selected 4-star hotel ideally located in the heart of the Old Town.

Distance: 180 km

Driving time: approx. 2 h 30

Jaunpils Castle is one of Latvia’s better-preserved medieval castles and dates to the period of Livonian Order rule in the region.

Breakfast is included before you spend the morning with your private local guide for an in-depth exploration of Riga.

Begin in the Old Town, where the legacy of the Hanseatic merchants appears in richly detailed facades and church spires topped with gilded roosters. During your walk through the historic center, you discover the House of the Black Heads, once a guild of unmarried merchants, the Three Brothers houses, the Swedish Gate, and Liv Square. Each site reveals a different layer of the city’s past.

After exploring the Old Town, take the tram across the river to the quieter district of Āgenskalns. Its cobbled streets and wooden architecture recall the atmosphere of Riga’s former outskirts. Many of the buildings here date from the 18th and 19th centuries and offer a refined example of the city’s architectural heritage.

Your visit ends with a stop at the Āgenskalns Market Hall, a lively meeting place where locals come to shop, gather, and enjoy a more contemporary side of the city.

The afternoon is at leisure, giving you time to continue exploring Riga at your own pace.

Tonight, stay in a carefully selected 4-star hotel ideally located in the heart of the Old Town. 

Riga was a major Hanseatic trading center, and its Old Town still reflects the city’s importance in the medieval Baltic commercial network.

Breakfast is included, and today is free for you to experience Riga at your own pace. A good place to begin is the city’s celebrated Art Nouveau district, one of the most remarkable in Europe.

At the turn of the 20th century, Riga entered a period of exceptional growth and refinement under the leadership of Mayor George Armistead. During this time, more than 800 Art Nouveau buildings were created, reflecting both economic prosperity and artistic ambition. Between 1910 and 1913 alone, several hundred buildings were completed each year, shaping the city’s distinctive architectural identity.

You can deepen your exploration with a visit to the Art Nouveau Museum, housed in a beautifully preserved apartment, and the Latvian National Museum of Art, which holds the country’s most important collection of Latvian works.

In the evening, a curated musical experience is included. Depending on the program, you may attend an opera, ballet, or classical concert, an integral part of Riga’s cultural life.

Riga contains one of Europe’s largest concentrations of Art Nouveau architecture, much of it built during the city’s rapid expansion in the early 20th century.

Your journey now comes to an end. From the soft mists of early morning to the quiet freshness of the evening air, you have experienced Latvia through shifting light and atmosphere, away from the crowds, where tradition and modern life exist side by side with quiet authenticity. What emerges here is not simply a destination, but a lesser-known corner of Europe that feels both understated and deeply memorable.

Depending on your departure time, you may still have time for one final moment in Riga. You might visit the Central Market halls or pause in one of the city’s refined cafés for a last taste of Latvian pastry before your private transfer to the airport.

If you would like to continue your trip, extensions are available for a deeper immersion into the North. You can travel onward into the Livonian heritage of Slītere National Park, where coastal traditions continue, or explore the legacy of the Duchy of Courland through its remarkable palaces in Jelgava and Rundāle, combined with a stay in a carefully selected historic manor house.

We look forward to welcoming you again in Latvia, or further north in Estonia.

The Livonians are an Indigenous Finnic people of Latvia, and their heritage remains closely connected to the country’s coastal regions, including the area around Slītere National Park.