During our trip to Riga, we made several short trips to different towns in Latvia to better understand the country and its history.
One of those trips turned out to be more fun than impressive — it was our trip to Jurmala. We really wanted to see the local seaside. It is worth mentioning that we are people from the south. It was July, and we arrived in Jurmala, and it was already chilly there. We were wearing autumn jackets — and we were right to do so.
Still, we decided to walk all the way to the beach. We reached the sea, and there was also a cold wind from the Baltic. We wrapped ourselves in our jackets, looked around, and saw people sunbathing, some even swimming. For us, it looked very strange. We froze for about ten minutes and, honestly, simply ran away. It was a funny experience. It is hard to even call it a proper trip — we just got cold and escaped back to Riga.
But the trip to Turaida was successful in every way. Even though the road takes about 70–80 minutes from Riga, the infrastructure in Latvia is developed well enough to make the journey very comfortable.
Turaida Castle
First of all, it is worth mentioning that the castle is reconstructed — not much of the original structure remains. Still, the place itself, the atmosphere, and the surrounding nature create a very strong impression.
On the way to the castle, there is a good exhibition that introduces the everyday life and habits of people from that period. There are also signs of the history of the castle itself. So by the time visitors reach the inner courtyard, they already have enough context to simply walk around and enjoy the surroundings.
Most of the castle rooms are open to visitors. You can go inside, explore the rooms, and see small exhibitions dedicated to the history of the castle and the whole region.
We went through every open door, and some of them more than once. The castle is far from city noise and naturally invites you to explore everything slowly and without rushing.
Nature around the castle
Around the castle, nature feels almost prehistoric. When you get off the bus, there is still a road, a crossing, traffic lights — civilization seems close. But once you are inside the castle grounds, it almost disappears.
The park itself is, of course, shaped by people, but everything beyond it gives the impression of wild and very ancient nature.
You can climb a tall tower in the castle, and from there you get a panoramic view of the surroundings. The climb is not the easiest one, but it is absolutely worth it. It is not often that modern people get a chance to see such an untouched landscape.
Ethnographic museum
When we had finally walked enough around the castle itself, we moved into the surrounding park just to breathe some fresh air and continue the walk. That is when we discovered that there is also an ethnographic museum nearby.
Everything is done in a very calm and unobtrusive way. The exhibitions are placed in separate small houses: if you want, you go in; if not, you simply keep walking.
We visited the blacksmith’s workshop and even minted our own coins. We also stepped into a bathhouse — not a working one, of course. There is also a larger building, the main part of the museum, with photographs and materials about the history and people of this land.
We are not usually big fans of ethnographic museums, but in Turaida, we genuinely enjoyed walking through this place. No pressure, no feeling of a mandatory program — just a walk and a chance to get to know the place at your own pace.
A must-see trip in Latvia
We came away from the trip to Turaida Castle with very strong impressions. It is also very easy to reach from Riga, where most tourists usually stay.
If you have one day for a trip outside the capital, we would definitely recommend Turaida — both the castle itself and the ethnographic museum around it.