In the autumn season, there’s no better way to experience Latvia than by hiking beneath a colourful canopy of leaves while exploring the castles in Sigulda.
Located just 53 kilometres from Riga, you can reach this charming town in about 70 minutes by train for just 2.45€ using the ‘Mobilly app’. Sigulda is the most popular destination to visit during autumn, followed by Cesis and Ogre.
Sigulda was the first Latvian countryside destination we visited last year upon our arrival in August. The winter made an early entrance that year, bringing snow on October 26th! Thus, when we went to Sigulda three days later, patches of snow still covered the ground.
Legend of the Rose of Turaida
Before I continue on our hiking story, let’s delve into a legend which later on was claimed to be a true event that took place in Sigulda.
During the Swedish-Polish War, Greif, who served as the secretary of Turaida Castle, came across an orphaned baby girl. He took her in and named her Maija. As she grew, Maija transformed into a stunning young woman, and due to her beauty and noble character, she became known as the Rose of Turaida.
When Victor Heil, a young man from Germany who was a gardener apprentice at Sigulda Castle encountered Maija, they fell deeply in love. The two would often meet in the evenings at Gutman’s Cave. Greif had given his blessing for their marriage, which was set to take place in August 1620.
However, a deserter from the Polish army named Jakubovsky had also developed feelings for Maija, and Maija rejected him. This enraged Jakubovsky and he decided to take Maija by force. One day in August 1620, he tricked her into visiting the cave by sending a forged note that pretended to be from Victor.
Maija arrived at Gutman’s Cave wearing a red silk scarf gifted to her by her fiancé, Victor Heil. Upon realizing she had been deceived, she fought back, offering her scarf to Jakubovsky as a means of protection from harm.
Determined to preserve her honour, Maija told Jakubovky that if he doubted the scarf’s power, he could test it by striking her with his sword. Driven by superstition and greed, Jakubovsky believed her tale and fatally wounded her.
After committing this heinous act, Jakubovsky, filled with fear, fled into the forest and hanged himself with his sword’s strap.
Sigulda Castle
This year, we arrived there two days earlier than the previous year, accompanied by Sam, Mike’s former work colleague in Egypt. The temperature was delightful—not as chilly as last year—but the fog settled in.
Similar to last year, there was a marathon event taking place near the castle, around the church grounds. Although we had arrived two days earlier this time and had hoped to see the leaves still clinging to the trees, they were nearly all gone.
We started our exploration at the castle before descending the steps to the main road. From there, we trekked towards the Gauja River bridge.
Gauja River
As I mentioned, the fog was persistent but had the sky cleared, the view of the river would have been breathtaking! Just picture a blue sky above a still river reflecting the vibrant autumn foliage—what a spectacular sight that would have been!
After a brief stop at the bridge, where we observed the metro cable and people taking the zip line while taking photos with their selfie sticks, we continued down the trail, avoiding the main road. The trail was on the left after crossing the bridge.
Krimulda Manor
Before reaching Krimulda Manor, we encountered a series of steps, and just as we approached the top, we stumbled upon an abandoned structure with a water-filled hole.
In front of the manor, one could spot the sun-soaked porch that had once served the Latvian Red Cross sanatorium for tuberculosis treatment.
Gutman’s Cave & Turaida Castle
As we turned to walk back toward Turaida Castle, our first stop was Gutman’s Cave. According to legend, the cave was once inhabited by a kind man who utilized the spring’s water to cure others. The name of the cave comes from the German expression “gut Mann,” translating to “good man”.
To reach the castle, we learned that climbing the steps near the cave was unnecessary; we initially thought it would lead us to the castle due to its elevated position. In fact, the castle was situated on the opposite side of the road. To reach it, one simply walks down past the cave on the lower ground, rejoins the main road, and continues upward.
Nonetheless, the views from above, amongst the houses and trees adorned with autumn leaves, were stunning. As we emerged from a clearing on our descent, we spotted the castle across the road, but we decided against hiking up again.
Thus, we concluded our hike when Sam successfully arranged a ride to Sigulda. We initially planned to take a bus, but Sam relished the idea of hitchhiking, having done it numerous times before. He showcased his skills by securing a ride after a failed attempt where he waved down a police van—although they couldn’t take us to town. Instead, we were offered a lift by a kind priest. Bless him and thanks, Sam!
Complex Cathouse (Kaķu Māja)
For a late lunch, we returned to the same restaurant we visited last year, as we hadn’t had the chance to enjoy a proper meal then, only cake and hot drinks. This time, despite the long queue with only one server managing the buffet, we stood patiently for our turn.
Like Lido, Kaķu Māja offered a wide variety of food choices. From Shashlik to soups, fried meats, and an abundance of salads, there was something to satisfy every palate. The prices are comparable to those of Lido back in Riga.
Despite its name suggesting a cat-themed establishment, I didn’t see any cats around. However, the walls were indeed decorated with numerous cat pictures.
Our hike in Sigulda was exhausting due to the numerous steps we had to ascend, but I truly enjoyed it. Throughout the day, we covered more than twenty thousand steps. But as Sam remarked, it’s the company and the memory that we gained that matters.
It was wonderful to catch up with him again after our time in Egypt. I hope we’ll meet again next year—better yet, perhaps he’ll decide to work here!
Travel Date: 29th October 2023 & 27th October 2024