Gauja National Park is Latvia’s largest and oldest national park — a deeply picturesque landscape of the ancient Gauja River valley, Devonian sandstone cliffs, dense forests, and three magnificent medieval castles (Turaida, Sigulda, and Krimulda) scattered across the park’s 917 square kilometres. Known as the “Switzerland of Latvia” for its unusually hilly terrain in an otherwise flat country, the Gauja Valley has been a cradle of Latvian culture and history for millennia — Bronze Age settlements, Livonian crusader castles, and the legendary Gutman’s Cave are all found within the park’s borders.
Quick Facts: Gauja National Park, Latvia
- Best time to visit: May–October; summer for hiking and canoeing on the Gauja River; autumn for spectacular colours along the river valley (Latvia’s most beautiful autumn destination); winter for bobsleigh on the Sigulda track and cross-country skiing
- Size: 917 km² — the largest protected area in Latvia
- How to get there: ~1 hour from Riga by car or train to Sigulda (the park’s main hub); regular trains from Riga Central Station to Sigulda
- Top attractions: Turaida Castle and Museum Reserve, Gutman’s Cave, the Sigulda cable car across the Gauja Valley, and the Krimulda medieval castle ruins
Gauja National Park is the most popular natural destination in Latvia. It covers an area of 920 km2, and is located between the towns of Sigulda and Valmiera. The most interesting part of the park is forested and picturesque meanders of the river Gauja, the longest river in the country. Devonian sandstone cliffs which are in some places as high as 90 metres are very interesting here as well. Forests cover 60% of the park, there are numerous lakes as well. In the middle of the park stands the ruins of Sigulda Castle, which gives romantic atmosphere to the whole landscape. Gauja National Park is a good place for hiking and canoeing.
Gauja National Park was established on 14 September 1973 and is therefore the oldest national park in Latvia. The area was formerly sometimes known as the “Livonian Switzerland” and tourists started to visit this area in the 19th century.
The territory of the Gauja NP contains more than 500 monuments of history and culture – castle mounds, castles, churches, manors, water and windmills as well as numerous archaeological and art monuments.
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Have you explored the Gauja Valley or discovered Latvia’s three castles? Share your Latvian adventures in the comments! 🏰
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