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Private Full-Day Tour: Medieval Castles of Turaida, Sigulda, and Cesis in Latvia
4.6
40 Ratings
Sigulda
Step into the past and immerse yourself in the captivating stories of Latvia’s medieval castles. Marvel at the ornate decorations and breathtaking views on a private full-day tour of Turaida, Sigulda, and Cesis. Don’t miss the bonus surprise tour of unique attractions in Latvia.
Step into the past and immerse yourself in the captivating stories of Latvia’s medieval castles. Marvel at the ornate decorations and breathtaking views on a private full-day tour of Turaida, Sigulda, and Cesis. Don’t miss the bonus surprise tour of unique attractions in Latvia.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Turaida Castle - Step back in time and discover the captivating stories of Turaida Castle, a medieval fortress that has stood strong for over 800 years. Our tailor-made tour will take you on a journey through history, as you explore the castle’s stunning architecture and hear tales of battles won and lost.
As you wander through the castle’s ancient…
- Turaida Castle - Step back in time and discover the captivating stories of Turaida Castle, a medieval fortress that has stood strong for over 800 years. Our tailor-made tour will take you on a journey through history, as you explore the castle’s stunning architecture and hear tales of battles won and lost.
As you wander through the castle’s ancient walls, you’ll be transported back to a time of knights and nobles. Marvel at the intricate carvings and ornate decorations that adorn the castle’s interior, and soak up the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside from the castle’s towers.
Our expert guide will regale you with fascinating stories of the castle’s past, from the legendary love story of the Rose of Turaida to the fierce battles that raged around its walls. With plenty of time to explore at your own pace, this is a tailor-made tour that’s perfect for history buffs and families alike.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Private transportation
- In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information
Take a step back in time and dive into the enchanting narratives of Latvia’s ancient fortresses. Our customized excursions transport you through the annals of history, from the victories and defeats of Turaida, to the intriguing myths of Sigulda, to Cesis’ formidable turrets and fortifications. Be amazed by the detailed ornaments and complex etchings,…
Take a step back in time and dive into the enchanting narratives of Latvia’s ancient fortresses. Our customized excursions transport you through the annals of history, from the victories and defeats of Turaida, to the intriguing myths of Sigulda, to Cesis’ formidable turrets and fortifications. Be amazed by the detailed ornaments and complex etchings, and drink in the stunning vistas from the fortress towers. What’s more, make sure not to exclude the extra special tour, where you’ll unearth Latvia’s distinct attractions such as the Araisi Lake Dwelling Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the striking Zvartes Rock. Join us on an incredible journey through Latvia’s vivid and diverse past.
- Tour Duration is 7-8 Hours including the traveler time from each attraction.
Location
Turaida Castle
Turaidas street 10,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(40 Ratings)
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C6976zlpauly
Sep 23, 2024
Latvia castles and scenery in 6 hours. - Overall, Excellent tour in every aspect. There were four of us (2 couples), and we booked this tour instead of the large-group bus tour from our cruise ship.
Normunds was a great driver, and a wealth of knowledge. Yet, he would not overwhelm us with minutia details. His English was very good.
The Mercedes van was comfortable and had plenty of room. Normunds was very attentive, and emphasized that this was a private tour, so we could go and visit as we pleased. At the same time he would offer suggestions for specific sites to see and things to do. He seemed to quickly pick up on our interests and pace, and adjust his suggestions accordingly.
Beautiful scenery, interesting sites/sights, and great weather contributed further to make it a most enjoyable and memorable experience.
Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M4822wchollyb
Jul 28, 2024
Wonderful day with Normunds & our family of 6! - Our visit throughout the Latvian countryside with Normunds was absolutely incredible! We were with my parents and our two young children, and he came prepared with a beautiful car equipped with car seats for the kids, and several options of itinerary routes that we could 'choose as we please' to adjust for our day based on our family's interest (and attention level!). Normunds was a wealth of knowledge on Latvia and was a wonderful guide for us in both Latvian (which my father in law speaks fluently) and English (for the rest of us!). Highly recommend any tour with Normunds or his company!! Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eliot_f
Jul 26, 2024
Medieval Castles in Latvia - If you like real medieval castles, then this is the tour for you. We have round towers , walls , halls rooms and dungeons. Lots of medieval weapons on display, as well as other items found during excavations and restoration.
These castles are definitely worth visiting.
Review provided by Viator
Khristine_g
Jun 14, 2024
Wonderful castles and a very nice private tour guide and driver in one 👏🏻 - A great day tour to explore four castles outside of Riga with a very kind and accommodating Jurijs as both our driver and tour guide in one. He was very informative with all our questions and didn’t rush us in spending time in each of the places. On the castles, we specifically liked more the Cēcis Castle with a guided tour and multimedia film on the history of the castle but all the other castles Sigulda and Turaida are also interesting and worth visiting along with the Araisi lake dwelling site and the ski hill. Bravo and Liels Paldies again to Jurijs. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Review provided by Viator
224tintint
Jun 13, 2024
Wonderful day tour with kind Jurijs as our tour guide - A great day tour to explore four castles outside of Riga with a very kind and accommodating Jurijs as both our driver and tour guide in one. He was very informative with all our questions and didn’t rush us in spending time in each of the places. On the castles, we specifically liked more the Cēcis Castle with a guided tour and multimedia film on the history of the castle but all the other castles Sigulda and Turaida are also interesting and worth visiting along with the Araisi lake dwelling site and the ski hill. Bravo and Liels Paldies again to Jurijs. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Review provided by Tripadvisor
William_j
Jul 21, 2024
Tour was great, castles slightly disappointing - The trip was exactly as advertised, but with the added bonus of ‘do whatever you want.’ If you decide that after the first castle you would rather see something else, or once you’ve arrived somewhere you’ve decided it isn’t for you, Normunds can accommodate. He is very knowledgeable about each location and encourages you to take your time. These are all the positives, now for the negatives. Latvian tourism is a burgeoning industry that’s really trying to attract tourists to visit ‘Latvia’ and not ‘Baltic country number 2’. Unfortunately, outside of Riga, the tourist attractions are all Russia-centric which goes against everything the people fought for over countless decades. Each castle was built for the Russians as a security checkpoint for reaching St Petersburg, and they were maintained by the German aristocracy who thought they looked nice. Overall, we arrived for the castles, and we ended up preferring the sections of the tour regarding the local legends, the current economic climate in Latvia and the local cultural elements that make Latvia Latvia.
We would still recommend the tour, but mostly because of Normunds’ enthusiasm. The driving was a bit crazy for our taste, with a lot of overtaking on the motorway by driving towards oncoming traffic, but it seems normal around these parts. Bring snacks and an open mind.
Review provided by Viator
Shanker_k
Jun 12, 2024
Pleasant day in the countryside - While this isn't an essential trip if you're visiting Riga - there are much more spectacular and better curated castles/forts elsewhere in Europe - it is pleasant to see the countryside and learn more about growing up and living in Riga from a local. Eduards, our guide, was congenial, accommodating and happy to share his experiences, which we enjoyed a great deal. We also highly recommend stopping at Araisu Archeological Park. Bring lunch and extra water - it's a long day (8hrs).
Review provided by Viator
Kathyreedk2
Jun 3, 2024
Great tour, but forced with other group despite having booked a private tour - Our guide had wonderful, expansive information. He facilitated our maximizing our experience and did not rush us even once. He was polite, friendly, funny, and kind.
My one disappointment involved his booking another couple with us even though we had paid for a private tour and declined his texted request to add the other couple. He picked us up with the other couple in the van and said that if we didn't want to share, we could take a private tour the next day. Instead, I asked for money back, since our private tour was no longer private. He offered to pay all our entrance fees, rather than giving a refund. I agreed. Though he paid entrance fees at two places, he refused at the other locations.
He did a great job on the actual tour; I just was left feeling a bit lied to and cheated.
You'll have a fantastic day; you may or may not have the privacy you paid for and expect.
Review provided by Viator
Tisma214
May 30, 2024
Just a driver - We thought we would get a tour guide, but what we got was just a driver. He even said he’s “just the driver.” We got little to no information about anything during our trip and he seemed overall disengaged albeit friendly. The description makes it sound like this is a custom tour. It is no such thing. They direct you to the entrance and wait for you to be done. There was an error in the itinerary (no fault of the driver) but he was quick to fix it even though it meant he ended late. Three castles plus a ruins was a bit much for us. I regretted not picking a tour with more diversity in experiences. While the castles were interesting, I would not recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brittany_p
Jun 1, 2024
Buyer beware - Based on the reviews I was very excited to take this tour and learn about Latvia. Unfortunately the tour described is not the tour we received. The tour guide remained in the car at each stop and did not speak to us very much at all. There were only two of us on this trip and he did not even ask our names or offer his. When we asked him questions he answered some but was insistent he was not a tour guide but rather just a driver. We noticed after the second stop that we missed a stop and so we asked about that and we were told he was filling in for someone and was just a driver and was told to drive us to three of the four locations. He even showed us the message on his phone with the three locations. In fairness we did circle back for the other location but this meant the tour was longer than planned and when we got to the final stop not everything in the complex was open.
When we raised this issue with viator we were told that all services were provided because "they answered questions on topics of interest" We asked four questions 1. Are we in the national park, 2. Are you from Riga, 3 can we stop for lunch, and 4 did we skip a stop.
If you are booking this tour only to be transported efficiently from location to location then this tour is probably okay for you. If you are booking this tour and expecting a guide to accompany you and give you information on the places you are visiting and "regale you with stories" as described in the posting you will be sorely disappointed.
If you are capable of driving you can rent a car for much much cheaper and have the same experience.
Review provided by Viator
