Cēsis: Medieval Towers and Craft Beer in Latvia's Little Switzerland

Where Latvia meets the Middle Ages and the wild

Ninety kilometres from Riga, in the area Latvians call the "Switzerland of Latvia" (for the gentle hills along the Gauja river — nothing alpine, but by Baltic standards it qualifies as highland), Cēsis is a small city of ninety thousand inhabitants with a history disproportionate to its size. It was the headquarters of the Livonian Teutonic Order for three centuries, a commercial hub of the Hanseatic League, a fortress contested by Russians, Swedes, Poles and Germans. Today it is a quiet gem where a medieval past coexists with a surprisingly vibrant cultural scene.

What to see in Cēsis

The medieval castle

Cēsis Castle (Cēsu pils), founded in 1214 by the Order of the Sword Brethren and expanded by the Teutonic Knights, is Latvia's most evocative medieval ruin. The walls of the western and eastern towers still rise thirty metres above the park, and the visit is a unique experience: you explore the ruins by the light of candle lanterns, passing through dark halls, spiral staircases and secret passages. From the top of the western tower, the view over the Gauja valley is magnificent.

The New Castle and the park

Beside the medieval ruins, the New Castle (eighteenth century) houses the Cēsis History Museum, with collections ranging from prehistory to Latvian independence. The castle park, with its centuries-old trees, ponds and paths, is a favourite spot for local families and an oasis of tranquillity.

The historic centre

Rīgas Street, the main road, is flanked by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century wooden houses painted in pastel colours. St John's Church (Sv. Jāņa baznīca), Gothic in style, has a red tower that is the city's landmark. The centre is tiny — you can cross it in ten minutes — but every corner has a story.

The Gauja National Park

Cēsis is the gateway to Gauja National Park, Latvia's largest and oldest. The Gauja river flows between red sandstone cliffs up to fifteen metres high, covered in pine and spruce forests. The hiking trails are well marked, and in summer you can canoe or kayak down the river — an unforgettable experience, with the rocky walls reflected in the water. The Gūtmanis Cave, the largest natural cave in the Baltic states, is covered in inscriptions dating back to the sixteenth century.

What to eat

- Cēsu Alus beer — the Cēsis brewery, founded in 1878, is the oldest still operating in Latvia. Cēsu Premium and Cēsu Tumsais (dark) are found in every bar in town

- Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi — grey peas with smoked bacon and onion, Latvia's national dish

- Sklandrausis — a rye pastry with a carrot and potato filling, sweet and rustic

- Rupjmaizes kārtojums — a dessert of rye bread layered with whipped cream and blueberry jam

Café Cēsis on the castle square serves traditional Latvian dishes with local ingredients. For beer, the taproom attached to the Cēsu Alus factory is the right place.

How to get there

Cēsis is 90 km from Riga, on the Riga-Valga railway line: direct trains in about 2 hours from Riga central station. By car, about 1.5 hours via the A2. Riga Airport has direct flights from Italy (Ryanair, airBaltic from Milan, Rome, Bologna). Cēsis can be visited as a day trip from Riga, but it deserves an overnight stay to explore the Gauja park.

When to go

From May to September. Baltic summers are mild and luminous, with very long days (almost 19 hours of daylight in June). July and August are the warmest months (20-25°C). September offers the spectacular autumn colours of the Gauja. Winter (December-February) is cold and dark, but the castle in snow has an irresistible Gothic appeal. The Cēsis Art Festival in July brings concerts, theatre and performances to the castle and park.