Stūrzemnieki

Roam the grounds of Rundāle Palace and Museum (15 minutes’ drive), one of two big baroque buildings created for the Courland dukes during the 18th century, then stroll around Bauska castle, scenically set on a spit of land at the confluence of a couple of rivers in the town of the same name (25 minutes). That other aforementioned baroque building is Jelgava Palace (30 minutes), the largest in the Baltic states – have a jaunt here and get a glimpse of its Kurzeme Dukes Crypt, a burial chamber with a collection of ornate coffins. It can get a little stuffy in the cellar, so set off for the Pils Salas Skatu Tornis observation tower (30 minutes) next and let the fresh air waft over you as you admire the far-reaching views over the countryside. Ozolnieku Ezers lake (half an hour) should be next on the list if you’d like to spend a little more time out in the open air. Still not done with historical wanders? Venture to Valgunde, a women’s Orthodox monastery (40 minutes), and make sure to set aside at least a day of your hols for ambles around the Art Nouveau architecture of Riga (an hour and 10 minutes) as well.