Cēsis Old Town: the Baltic town that charmed us
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What made Cēsis different
We had been to Sigulda twice. Sigulda is excellent and Gauja National Park is extraordinary (see our summer hiking post), but there is something about Sigulda that feels managed — the tourist infrastructure is visible, the castle is accessible, the bobsleigh track is marketed. It is a well-run outdoor recreation town.
Cēsis, 35 km northeast of Sigulda along the Gauja valley, is different in character. It is a functioning small town — around 16,000 residents — with a medieval centre that has survived without major Soviet-era reconstruction, a 13th-century castle that is one of the most atmospherically presented heritage sites in Latvia, and a craft beer scene and cafe culture that feels local rather than tourist-facing.
We arrived by train from Riga on a September morning and left in the early evening. The day felt too short. This is a compliment.
Getting there from Riga
Train from Riga Centrālstacija: 1h30–2h, €5 one way, on Pasažieru Vilciens service. Departs several times daily, but fewer than to Sigulda — check the timetable before going, particularly for the return journey. The station is a short walk from the Old Town.
By car: A3 motorway north, then east on P30 through Sigulda. About 1 hour from Riga centre. Parking near the castle is easy and free.
Guided day trips from Riga combine Cēsis with Sigulda and Turaida, which is a sensible option if you want to see all three in one day without driving.
From Riga: Cēsis, Sigulda and Turaida Castle tour Cēsis: medieval heritage and natural treasures tourCēsis Castle: the honest experience
Cēsis castle (Cēsu pils) presents the traveller with two structures side by side: the ruined medieval castle (Livonian Order fortress, 13th–16th century) and the New Castle (a late 18th-century manor house built into and alongside the ruins).
The museum uses the ruins themselves as the exhibition space. Entry costs €8 for the combined castle and new castle museum (2026 prices). The medieval section provides visitors with candle lanterns to carry through the unlit ruins — a staging decision that sounds theatrical and is, in practice, genuinely affecting. You walk through 13th-century stone corridors by the light of a single candle. The walls are 2–3 metres thick. The window slits frame the forest outside.
The New Castle contains a well-presented historical exhibition on the Livonian Order, Latvian medieval history, and the castle’s changing uses through the centuries (military stronghold, Swedish occupation, Russian conquest, aristocratic residence). The exhibition is better than most Latvian regional museums — better labelled in English, more visually interesting, less reliant on exhausted text panels.
Allow two hours for the full castle complex.
Cēsis Old Town
The old town surrounds the castle and extends south toward the market square. The architectural fabric — primarily 18th and 19th-century merchant buildings, wooden houses painted in faded yellows, greens, and whites, some with elaborate carved details — has survived largely intact for the same reason Kuldīga survived: no Soviet-era industrial development, and therefore no demolition pressure.
The market square (Vienības laukums) has a Protestant church dating to the 14th century and a cluster of cafes and restaurants that, in September, had terraces still open in the warm afternoon air. We sat at a small cafe called Kafejnica, ate cake made with local forest berries, and drank coffee for an hour before continuing. The prices were thoroughly local (€2.50 for coffee, €3 for cake).
Roskošnais is the main craft beer bar in Cēsis — a small space, Latvian and Estonian craft taps, knowledgeable staff, clientele that appeared to be roughly 80% Latvian. It opens in the afternoon and is worth finding on Palasta iela.
The Gauja River valley from Cēsis
If you have afternoon energy after the castle, the Gauja valley trail leading southwest from Cēsis toward Līgatne passes through the most remote section of the national park. The first 4–5 km along the river are accessible without a full hiking commitment and provide views of the sandstone cliffs that characterise this stretch of the valley.
The Cēsis Adventure Park (rope courses and zip lines) is adjacent to the castle; suitable for ages roughly 8-14 and popular with Latvian school groups. If you are with children, it adds 1–2 hours without requiring any driving.
September in Cēsis: why the timing mattered
We visited in early September deliberately. The Gauja valley in September has specific qualities: the forest is beginning to turn (full autumn colour comes in October, but the first hints of gold and red appear in September), the summer crowds have dropped off significantly, and the weather — 15–20°C with clear skies — is better for walking than the humid July peak.
September is also mushroom season in Latvia. We passed several people along the trail carrying baskets. The local mushroom culture is significant — Latvians forage seriously, and the forests around Cēsis are productive. Chanterelles (gailenes) and boletus mushrooms appear on menus throughout September.
Honest comparative note: Cēsis vs Sigulda
These are the two towns most often compared when planning a Gauja day trip from Riga. Our assessment after visiting both multiple times:
Sigulda is better for outdoor adventure (bobsleigh, aerodium, Turaida Castle with rose garden, the well-developed hiking infrastructure). It is more polished and somewhat more tourist-facing.
Cēsis is better for town atmosphere, the castle experience specifically, and a more genuinely Latvian feel. It rewards a slower pace.
If you have one day, both in sequence (the train stops at both; or drive the 35 km between them) is the right answer. If you have only time for one, the choice depends on whether you want more outdoor activity (Sigulda) or more town-and-castle atmosphere (Cēsis).
See the Sigulda vs Cēsis guide for the detailed comparison and the Cēsis destination page for full planning logistics.