Latvia > Vidzeme > Sigulda, Krimulda and Turaida
Sigulda, Krimulda and Turaida
N 57°9.189', E 24°51.235'
2015-07-05
http://www.sigulda.lv
Our rating: 7.00
Overall rating: - Rate this place - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Sigulda is a great option for a day trip from Riga. In a small area there is a huge number of attractions. It's a paradise hikers and this place has left the best impression of Latvia. From the railway station of Sigulda follow the beautiful Raina street.
Sigulda, station ©Yuriy Buriak
Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Go to the intersection with the Cesu street where starts descent to the river. To the left is a park with walking sticks, cable car and a wooden staircase to the river. To the right is a Lutheran church, a palace and a castle. At first, we took pictures of the church.
Sigulda Lutheran Church ©Yuriy Buriak
Then, watched the palace (1878-1881), the castle (1207-1226) and went to the Sigulda cable car.
Kropotkin palace-castle in Sigulda ©@
Castle in Sigulda ©@
On the way, visited the park with walking sticks, a symbol of Sigulda.
Park of walking sticks in Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Park of walking sticks in Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
The cable car, the only one in the Baltic States, is open from 10 am (timetable ), 5 euros one way.
River Gauja ©Yuriy Buriak
River Gauja ©Yuriy Buriak
The second station is in Krimulda. Here is an old Palace (XIX c., http://www.krimuldaspils.lv ) and the various ancient buildings, the whole village.
Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Krimulda Palace ©Yuriy Buriak
Krimulda Palace ©Yuriy Buriak
Wooden cabins near the palace in the Krimulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Krimulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Krimulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Krimulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Next, we headed in the direction of Turaida castle. Passed near ruins of Krimulda castle (XIII century), they are a step away from the cable car station.
The ruins of the Krimulda castle ©Yuriy Buriak
Then, got down by the wooden stairs. In general, the hiking trails here are well-equipped.
Tourist infrastructure ©Yuriy Buriak
Tourist infrastructure ©Yuriy Buriak
Continue along the lakes and visited several caves, the main of which Gutman's Cave, the largest in the Baltic States. Although for experienced travelers, it looks funny :)
Gutman's Cave ©Yuriy Buriak
After the cave, walking trail is interrupted and you need to walk up the road for about 700 meters. Turaida castle (formerly Treiden castle, http://www.turaida-muzejs.lv/ ) has been restored since 1953.
Turaida Museum Reserve ©@
Turaida Castle ©Yuriy Buriak
Turaida Castle ©Yuriy Buriak
Around the castle is an architectural reserve with a lot of interesting buildings.
Turaida ©Yuriy Buriak
Stone park is popular with the tourists from Japan.
Turaida ©Yuriy Buriak
Turaida ©Yuriy Buriak
Back from the castle to Sigulda we wanted to get by taxi or bus, but on this day there was an international mountain bike cup and all the roads were closed. So we got to Sigulda by foot, climbing the wooden stairs from the bridge over the river.
Sigulda ©Yuriy Buriak
Getting to Sigulda: by train or bus from Riga, travel time abount an hour, one way ticket costs ~2.5 euro, schedule is here .
Tags, Latvia: castle , mountains , palace , park , ski lift Tags, all countries: castle , mountains , palace , park , ski lift
- Rate this place -
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Our rating - 7.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Visitor's rating - 0.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help