Sigulda (castle and Gauja Valley) is a food day trips in Riga.
Sigulda is the Gauja Valley castle town 50 minutes east of Riga, a day-trip line of medieval ruins, forest restaurants and Latvian sklandrausis.
Tip: Take an early train to combine the castle ruins with a forest lunch; the cable-car crosses the Gauja gorge for the strongest valley views.
Cēsis is the medieval Vidzeme town 90 minutes east of Riga, anchored by the Cēsu Alus brewery (1590, the oldest in the Baltic) and the H.E. Vanadziņš Bib.
Tip: Combine the castle ruins with a Cēsu Alus brewery tour and a Bib Gourmand lunch at H.E. Vanadziņš in a single day.
Līgatne sits inside the Gauja National Park, 75 minutes east of Riga, anchored by Pavāru māja, Latvia's only Michelin Green Star restaurant under chef Ēriks.
Tip: Pavāru māja is a long booking-ahead day; combine with the Līgatne nature trails or a visit to the Wilhelma 1901 former hospital building.
Jūrmala is the Baltic Sea beach resort 30 minutes west of Riga by train, a long sandy line of beach grills, Art Nouveau wooden villas and smoked-fish stalls.
Tip: Lapsa-Lemiža area runs the strongest beachside grill scene; the Maiori railway stop is the closest to the busy beach stretch.