13 Apr 2023
While staying in Riga for an extended period, my husband and I wanted to get out of the city to see some of Latvia's historical castles and countryside. We were so fortunate to find this tour group and spent a full day with our guide, Normunds. As we were interested in a range of things to see, Normunds truly customized the day for us, and we could not have been happier. Fist stop was Cesis Castle, which I can honestly say is the most impressive Medieval relic I have every visited. You are allowed to go into the castle, and in several of the more noteable rooms, they have this haunting video presentation of people coming down stairs or from a wall from long ago to "talk" to you, and teach you of their history at the castle. It is like some crazy 3D technology that is just fabulously real! I really applaud how they do that. Great for adults as well as kids. Also, just being able to freely wander inside the castle is a wonderful, unique experience. Our second stop was at a beer garden for lunch, as my husband really wanted to experience that. We sat outside with Normunds and picked his brain on many things, while enjoying an ethnic Latvian lunch and beer. Normunds is encyclopedic in his knowledge of Latvia - its history, culture, people. Last stop was Turaida, which was historically significant and in a beautiful setting. In all, a memorable day and I highly recommend booking a day (or two or three!) with this group.