Cēsis

Cēsis

Text by Valdis Čeičs, photos by Solveiga Kaļva, www.solveigakalvaphotography.com

The third oldest town in Latvia, and it has kept its medieval spirit until today. It attracts tourists with lovely streets and the medieval castle ruins which you can explore in a candle light. In order to see a great view of the whole town, you can climb up to the tower in the new manor house right next to the medieval castle. The best time to visit the medieval castle is from May to October when the medieval kitchen garden is green, and you can meet local craftsmen, buy metal or leather art souvenirs or create one by yourself in the workshop with a master’s assistance .

Highlights (culture):

Highlights (nature):

In nice weather, it is great to walk around the parks near the castle. There are two parks, Castle Park and May Park. The Sieverts family owned this place for five generations, and they created designs for their own parks. In the May Park you can look for a couple of black swans, Catharine and Earl. In 2014 the locals could submit their ideas on how to call this couple. The Castle Park is exceptionally picturesque thanks to the castle ruins. You can enjoy a romantic boat ride on the pond and, if you are lucky, listen to a concert happening on the outdoor stage.

The main street in Cesis old town is Riga street which leads to the Rose Square. This ancient market square is the most active social square and it is located in front of the St. Johns Church. The Church is open for visitors, and you can climb up to an observation platform. During the summer, every Friday and Saturday evening from 8PM to 11PM the church is illuminated in various colors, and the light show is complemented with musical performances. Further, Riga street leads to the Līvu square, the first market square in Cēsis.

VISIT CESIS ON YOUR OWN OR JOIN OUR TOUR – CESIS: MEDIEVAL HERITAGE AND NATURAL TREASURES!

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What travelers say about us

Susanne W

We had 4 great weeks in Lithuania. This special trip was very well prepared and fully responded to our wants and needs. Baltic Nature Travel was very responsive during the preparation and Valdis always available for questions. super experience!

Luigi Sibilia

We are a couple of individuals who have completed yesterday a 290km private trekking along the Baltic Coastal Trail from Jurmala to Ventspils, organized by Baltic Nature Travel. Valdis, the company owner, has been assisting us in a very kind and professional way: he has perfectly organized the tour, has chosen the accomodations with intelligence, had our luggage transported from one location to the other and, in case of need, has provided us with anything else we were in need of. All has been wonderful. Valdis added his human touch to all of this. Highly recommended.We are going to use this company for future journeys in Baltic area.

Helen Johnston

I contacted Baltic Nature Travel to book a city visit and hiking trip to Riga and Latvia, and Vilnius and Lithuania, specifically the Coronian Spit. Valdis returned with an itinerary in line with my expectations, making minor adjustments as required. We had a fabulous holiday - the accommodation was accessible and clean, with helpful staff, while the hiking routes were interesting and picturesque. We were provided with an excellent transport service with our drivers going out of their way to make sure we had a good holiday. I would definitely recommend Baltic Nature Travel for anyone planning a similar trip.

Jane Coleman

Valdis organised a 12 night private tour of the Baltic States for us. He adapted the standard package based on our interests and our request for some self-catering accommodation rather than all hotels, and we had a fabulous time. The guides were all fabulous and local to the areas we visited. Everything went like clockwork, and Valdis was very responsive when I emailed with questions, both before and during our trip. I highly recommend Baltic Nature Travel.

ERICA HAUCK

Excellent self-drive tour of the Baltic countries! The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, with all reservations confirmed in advance and timely updates provided throughout the trip. The app was an excellent tool, making it easy to access the itinerary, directions, and sightsee options. Car rental delivered to the hotel and picked up at tour end was an added convenience. Valdis is an outstanding communicator. All questions and any issues were addressed promptly by email or phone. I highly recommend Baltic Nature Travel. Their excellent organization, attention to detail, and outstanding customer service made for a memorable and stress-free vacation.

David Morris

Just returned from a self-drive tour of Latvia and Lithuania. Its our second trip with Baltic Nature Tours and I highly recommend them. The itinerary, tour guides, online information, car hire arrangements and hotels were all excellent. Valdis and his team do a great job and we look forward to our next trip.

mark adams

We did a 6 week self drive trip to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with Baltic Nature Travel. Valdis did an amazing job creating an itinerary for us that was an excellent combination of cities, culture and outdoor activities. He took care of securing the car, transfers and all our accommodations. We highly recommend Valdis and Baltic Nature Travel and would travel with them again.

Thomas Olson

We had a fantastic 9 day visit to Lithuanian! Tomas our guide could not have been better, he is an outstanding driver and exceptionally knowledgeable of all things Lithuania. The staff at Baltic Nature Travel was so flexible in tailoring our to the towns my grandparents came from made this trip truly a trip of a lifetime. I most highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in their Lithuanian heritage.

Patricia Jones

My friend and I had an unforgettable tour through the beautiful Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The trip was just what wed asked for - at an easy pace with some really great and knowledgeable guides, but with free time to explore on our own as well. We were well looked after from first to last and will certainly be thinking about returning to these wonderful countries.

Angela B

I booked the Trakai snowshoeing tour. This company did a great job communicating with me leading up to the tour date. Unfortunately there wasn't enough snow for snowshoeing so they arranged a hike instead. Tomas was a great guide. He provided a lot of interesting information during both the walk/hike and the tour of Trakai. He was also so kind as to bring tea (which was great on such a cold day) and akotis (very delicious), which we enjoyed after walking through the trails at Varnikai Forest. If I am in the Baltic region again, I would definitely consider another tour with Baltic Nature Travel. Thanks for a great time!

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