Whenever I visit a new European city, I always try to take at least a day or two to explore somewhere away from the city, and it was no different when I was in Latvia’s beautiful capital, Riga. My guide book suggested a day trip to Sigulda, about 50 km away in the valley of the Gauja River, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Sigulda and its surrounds are easily reached by public transport and there is plenty to explore. It’s a really historical town and I looked round both the 13th century ruins of the old Sigulda Castle and the 19th century Kropotkin’s Palace – both spots for plenty of photos. There’s also a history museum and then the part I enjoyed best, a large sculpture park, with interesting artworks set in endless greenery – I really felt like I was far away in the countryside, which is always a nice contrast to a city stay.

I was there in summer, but it’s apparently quite famous as a winter destination – there’s skiing to be had, too – although I wonder if it might get a bit too crowded in winter! The city council of Sigulda has a detailed website if you want some Europe travel planning information.