If you’re in need of some cardio, Fischer Slēpošanas centrs (10 minutes’ drive) is a ski resort that stays open year-round, with forested trails for mountain biking and Nordic walking, plus a paved track for skating and running. They also hire much of the equipment needed for a sports day, from roller skates to helmets. With its red-brick architecture, the 13th-century Turaida Castle (15 minutes) stands proudly on a forested hilltop overlooking the Gauja river. In addition to historic and artistic displays, you can visit its grounds, which include traditional buildings (such as a sauna) with workshops and ethnographic exhibitions. Latvia’s biggest and oldest national park, Gauja National Park (45 minutes) is famed for its rocky landscape with cliffs and cave systems. A hike along its forested trails might yield encounters with wildlife such as deer and wild boar, plus beavers on the watercourses.