From Riga: Sigulda, Cēsis & Turaida castle, food tasting

• Highlights
• Cēsis Medieval Castle — explored by candlelight with a lantern in hand
• Turaida Castle & Museum Reserve — red-brick jewel of the Gauja valley
• Sigulda medieval ruins in Gauja National Park
• Artisan bakery visit — taste Latvian dark rye warm from the oven
• "Switzerland of Latvia" photo stop over the Gauja river valley

I'd love to welcome you on this excursion. My hope is to give you a carefully curated day in Latvia, personalized for our small group and well worth your ten hours.

We drive east from Riga for 90 minutes and reach the town of Cēsis. Our first stop is at an award-winning local bread maker that specializes in traditional recipes using spelt, rye and other heritage grains. They walk us through the process and offer us fresh breads for tasting. As we make our way towards Cēsis Castle, I give you a short walking tour of the old town, pointing out noteworthy buildings and sharing local stories.

We explore the medieval part of Cēsis Castle for 90 minutes with a fancy little candlelit lantern for the vibe. I offer a running commentary on the history of the castle - from the Northern Crusades that brought the Livonian Order warrior-monks to this region, all the way to the arrival of Ivan the Terrible! During the summer months there are additional activities in the castle grounds that further add to the immersive experience.

We break for lunch at a local buffet restaurant (you pay for your order directly to the restaurant). If required, I offer you assistance in choosing dishes and explain local delicacies on the menu. I also bring along select Latvian drinks, snacks and sweets in the van to sample - I'll share stories about what makes each one special for Latvians.

After lunch we take a short drive to Turaida Castle, where you can climb the tower for a spectacular view of the Gauja valley and surrounding area. I offer you insights into the museum complex and the legend of Roze and Gutman's Cave. The other quiet highlight here is the Folk Song Park, a hillside set with 25 granite sculptures by Indulis Ranka, opened in 1985 on the 150th birthday of Krišjānis Barons. Barons collected and published over 200,000 Latvian dainas, short four-line folk verses that hold the memory of an entire culture, and this hillside became one of the gathering points of the late-1980s Singing Revolution that led to Latvia's restored independence in 1991.

Then we make our way to the Sigulda Castle ruins (not as elaborate as Turaida Castle). For those who like, there are plenty of souvenir shops in the castle complex, including a cafe that does a cacao ceremony (seems to be the fad in Riga this year!).

Finally we make it to the Emperor's View, where Russian Tsar Alexander II stood in 1862 and enjoyed the most breathtaking view of the River Gauja snaking its way through the valley landscape. The viewing point was installed that year for his visit, 67 metres above the river. This is a major photography vantage point, the view that earned this landscape its "Switzerland of Latvia" nickname. The last impression would indeed be the most lasting impression!

We arrive back in Riga by early evening. By then, I hope you leave feeling you've used your day well, seen something special, and made warm memories of Latvia.