Riga is a good base for seeing more of Latvia: the beach at Jūrmala is half an hour away, the castles of the Gauja valley about an hour, and Rundāle Palace an hour and a half. Here are the day trips we would choose, with the distance from Riga, how to get there by public transport and how much time to allow.
Day trips from Riga at a glance
| Destination | Distance from Riga | By public transport | Time to allow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jūrmala | about 25 km | train to Majori, about 30 min | half a day |
| Sigulda and Turaida | 52 km | train, about 1 h, then a local bus to Turaida | most of a day |
| Cēsis | about 90 km | train, about 1 h 20 min | a full day |
| Rundāle Palace and Bauska | about 80 km | bus through Bauska; a direct bus in summer | a full day |
| Hill of Crosses (Lithuania) | about 125 km | train or bus to Šiauliai, then a local bus or taxi | a full day, often with Rundāle |
| Kuldīga | about 155 km | bus | a long day |
1. Jūrmala: the beach and the wooden villas
Jūrmala is a string of resort villages along a long sandy beach on the Gulf of Riga. Walk Jomas iela, the pedestrian street in Majori, then the beach, and look out for the wooden villas built for summer visitors in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The train from Riga Central Station to Majori takes about half an hour. If you drive, cars entering Jūrmala pay an entry fee (€5 a day in 2026). AFA Transfer’s Jūrmala Day Trip lasts about four and a half hours and starts from €180 per car.
2. Sigulda and Turaida Castle
Sigulda sits in the Gauja National Park, 52 km from Riga, in a wooded river valley with sandstone cliffs. The main sights are the Turaida Museum Reserve with its medieval brick castle, about 5 km from the town centre; the ruins of Sigulda’s Livonian Order castle; the bobsleigh track; and the cable car that crosses the valley between Sigulda and Krimulda, which runs every day.
Trains from Riga to Sigulda take about an hour, and local buses to Turaida leave from the square in front of the station about twice an hour. A one-way transfer from Riga to Sigulda with AFA Transfer costs €95 by car.
3. Cēsis: a medieval castle town
Cēsis, about 90 km from Riga, is one of the oldest towns in Latvia, with the ruins of a Livonian Order castle at its heart and a well-kept old town around it. It combines well with Sigulda for a full day in the Gauja valley. The train from Riga takes about an hour and twenty minutes.
4. Rundāle Palace and Bauska Castle
Rundāle Palace is Latvia’s grandest baroque palace, built for Duke Ernst Johann Biron by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Its French garden is at its best in early summer, when the roses bloom. In 2026 the palace and garden were open from 10:00 to 18:00 from June to September and from 10:00 to 17:00 from November to April, and a combined ticket for the main exhibition and the garden cost €17. Parking is free.
Bauska Castle, 12 km away, combines the ruins of a Livonian Order fortress with the residence of the Dukes of Courland. From May to September a direct bus runs from Riga to the palace; the rest of the year, take a bus to Bauska and then a local bus for the last 20 minutes.
5. The Hill of Crosses (Lithuania)
Just across the border, 12 km north of Šiauliai, the Hill of Crosses is covered in crosses of every size left by visitors since the 19th century. It is free and open at all times; there is a paid car park. It is about 125 km from Riga, and many visitors combine it with Rundāle Palace on the same day.
Without a car it is hard to combine with Rundāle. AFA Transfer’s Rundāle Palace & Hill of Crosses day trip covers Bauska, Rundāle Palace and the Hill of Crosses in one day, from €250 per car.
6. Kuldīga: Europe’s widest waterfall
In western Latvia, about 155 km from Riga, Kuldīga’s old town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2023, and the Venta Rapid at the edge of town is often described as the widest waterfall in Europe. It is a long day, and easiest by car.
Getting around with a driver
Public transport reaches most of these places, but connections between them are thin: Sigulda and Cēsis, or Rundāle and the Hill of Crosses, are hard to combine in one day without a car. With a car and driver you set the route and the time at each stop.
Besides the ready-made trips above, you can hire a car with driver by the hour: from €45 per hour, with up to 250 km per day included. See chauffeur service by the hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Riga?
For a first visit: Sigulda and Turaida for nature and castles, Rundāle Palace for architecture, or Jūrmala for the beach.
Can I do a day trip from Riga to Tallinn?
Tallinn is 308 km away, so a return day trip means about eight hours on the road. It works better as a one-way journey with stops; see our guide Riga to Tallinn: bus, train, car or private transfer.
How do I get to Rundāle Palace without a car?
From May to September there is a direct bus from Riga. The rest of the year, take a bus to Bauska and then a local bus to the palace.
Is the Hill of Crosses in Latvia?
No, it is in Lithuania, 12 km north of Šiauliai and about 125 km from Riga.
Distances, timetables, opening hours and prices checked in October 2026 against the information published by Rundāle Palace Museum, Visit Bauska, Visit Jūrmala and the transport operators. They change, so check before you travel.