Trail Running in Latvia: Europe’s Best Kept Secret
If you told me a few months ago that I’d come back from Latvia thinking, why aren’t more runners going here?, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
I went out to Latvia to recce our new Run Weekends trip expecting beautiful forests, some good trails and a country I didn’t know much about.
What I found was so much more.
There were magical pine forests, winding river valleys, sandstone cliffs, medieval castles, charming towns, excellent food and one of Europe’s most underrated capitals.
And, of course, some seriously good running.
Latvia might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about trail running holidays in Europe. In fact, that’s exactly why I think it’s so good.
It feels unexplored.
And if, like me, you love travelling somewhere a little different, getting off the beaten track and discovering places that aren’t already on every runner’s bucket list, Latvia might be your kind of place.
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So, why Latvia?
Let’s start with the obvious question.
Why go trail running in Latvia when Europe has the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Dolomites and all the other famous mountain destinations?
Because Latvia offers something completely different.
There are no huge mountain passes or endless alpine climbs here. Instead, you get vast forests, flowing trails, rivers, sandstone cliffs, rolling hills and landscapes that constantly surprise you.
It’s wild without feeling remote.
And perhaps best of all, you can experience an incredible amount in just a few days.
Our Latvia running holiday combines Riga with the wilderness of Gauja National Park, taking you from city streets to forest trails, medieval towns and river valleys without spending hours travelling between destinations.
For a running weekend or short trail running holiday, that’s pretty hard to beat.
A running destination that still feels undiscovered
I love running in places that feel a little unexpected.
There’s something special about arriving somewhere where you don’t already have a mental picture of exactly what you’re going to see.
Latvia was that place for me.
It isn’t somewhere that immediately springs to mind when you search for running holidays abroad or trail running vacations in Europe. But once you get there, you quickly realise there is an enormous amount to explore.
Gauja National Park is Latvia’s largest and oldest national park, covering more than 90,000 hectares. Its landscape combines forests, the winding Gauja River, sandstone cliffs, caves and a huge collection of cultural and historic sites.
There are more than 500 cultural and historical monuments within the national park, including castle mounds, medieval castles, churches, manor houses and old mills.
And we get to run through it.
Magical forests, castles and river trails
This is probably what surprised me most about running in Latvia.
You’re not just following a trail through a forest.
You’re running through forests that feel almost fairytale-like, with ancient trees, mossy paths and winding trails appearing around every corner.
Then suddenly you’ll come across a castle.
Or a sandstone cliff.
Or a viewpoint over the Gauja River.
Or a tiny medieval town.
The scenery constantly changes, but it never feels overdeveloped or crowded.
Gauja National Park is particularly special because nature and history are so closely intertwined. Medieval castles and castle ruins sit alongside forests and river valleys, while sandstone cliffs and caves have been shaped by geological processes over hundreds of millions of years.
It makes for incredibly varied trail running.
And it makes you want to keep exploring.
Running through Gauja National Park
The heart of our Latvia trail running holiday is Gauja National Park.
We’ll base ourselves in the beautiful town of Sigulda before heading out onto the trails, with one of the bigger running days following the Gauja River through pine forests and past dramatic sandstone cliffs.
There’s around 21km and 900m of elevation on this day, but as with every Run Weekends trip, this isn’t about racing or chasing a time.
We run together, at a sociable pace, stopping for photos, snacks, lunch and the occasional moment when everyone just needs to stand still and take in the view.
That’s what makes this kind of running adventure so different from entering a race.
You actually get to look around.
Riga: the perfect start to a running adventure
Before heading into the forests, we start in Riga.
And I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to expect.
Riga completely surprised me.
It’s beautiful, full of history and incredibly easy to explore on foot. There are cobbled streets, colourful Art Nouveau buildings, parks, cafés and the Daugava River running through the city.
It also turns out to be a pretty great running city.
Our first run is an easy 8km through Riga, taking in historic streets, parks and the river before we sit down for our first traditional Latvian dinner together.
There are also plenty of established running routes around Riga, including paths through parks, waterfront areas and historic parts of the city.
So even the city part of this running holiday in Latvia gets you moving.
And Latvia is surprisingly easy to get to
This was another thing that struck me.
Latvia feels like somewhere much further away than it actually is.
From London, there are direct flights to Riga, with the flight taking around two and a half hours. There are also direct options from other European cities, making Riga a surprisingly convenient starting point for a running trip in Europe.
And if you keep an eye on flight prices, you can often find some surprisingly affordable fares.
That makes Latvia particularly appealing if you’re looking for a short running holiday, a long weekend adventure or an unusual European destination without spending half your holiday travelling.
You can leave London, land in Riga a few hours later and be out running through forests and along rivers within days.
I was also not expecting the food to be this good
I’ll be honest.
The food was another surprise.
I knew very little about Latvian food before going out to recce the trip, but I came away very happy.
Latvian cooking is hearty, comforting and exactly what you want after a long day on the trails.
There are traditional soups, seasonal vegetables, good bread, comforting home-style dishes and plenty of opportunities to refuel properly after running.
And food is a big part of our Latvia trip.
We eat together as a group, with traditional Latvian meals included, while longer trail days come with packed lunches to enjoy somewhere scenic along the route.
Because a good running holiday isn't just about the running.
It’s the whole experience.
Castles, Cēsis and the unexpected
One of my favourite things about Latvia is how much history you stumble across without really looking for it.
On our trip, we’ll run around Sigulda, passing historic castles, before heading deeper into Gauja National Park.
We’ll also visit Cēsis, one of Latvia’s most charming medieval towns, where our final trail day takes us through forests, rolling hills and along the Gauja River.
Cēsis has its own medieval castle and old town, while the wider Gauja region is packed with historic sites.
It means that even when you’re deep into a trail run, there’s always something to discover.
And that’s exactly the kind of trail running adventure I love.
This isn't your typical European running holiday
There’s nothing wrong with running in the Alps.
I love the Alps.
But there’s something incredibly appealing about going somewhere that feels completely different.
Latvia isn't about conquering a famous mountain.
It’s about exploring.
It’s about following a trail through a forest and wondering what’s around the next corner.
It’s about running beside a river, finding a castle in the middle of the trees, stopping for photos on a sandstone cliff and then sitting down for a huge dinner afterwards.
It’s a running holiday, but it also feels like proper travel.
And I think that’s why I loved it so much.
A trail running holiday for people who want something different
If your idea of the perfect running trip is turning up somewhere new, putting on your trail shoes and exploring, Latvia should absolutely be on your radar.
It’s particularly good for runners who have already done some of the obvious European destinations and are looking for something a little more unusual.
For anyone searching for:
Trail running holidays
Running holidays in Europe
Adventure running holidays
Running holidays abroad
Running weekends
Trail running vacations
Running retreats
Running adventures
Unique running holidays
Unusual European destinations
Small-group trail running holidays
Latvia ticks a lot of boxes.
And you don't need to be an elite trail runner either.
Our Run Weekends Latvia trip is designed around a supportive, inclusive group pace rather than racing, with four guided running days covering around 65km in total and approximately 80% trail.
Why I think Latvia is one of Europe’s best-kept running secrets
After going out to recce this trip, I came home thinking about how little I had known about Latvia before visiting.
And that’s exactly what I loved about it.
It felt like a discovery.
The trails were beautiful. Riga was far more interesting than I expected. The food was excellent. The history was everywhere. The forests were incredible.
And most importantly, it was just really fun to run there.
Latvia proves that you don't need enormous mountains or a famous trail race to have an incredible trail running holiday.
Sometimes you just need somewhere new.
Somewhere with forests, rivers, castles, good food and trails waiting to be explored.
Come and discover Latvia with us
Our Run Weekends Latvia running holiday brings all of this together in one four-night adventure.
We start in Riga before heading into Gauja National Park, where we'll run through pine forests, along the Gauja River, past sandstone cliffs and around historic towns and castles.
There are four guided runs across five days, around 65km in total, with a mixture of city running and beautiful forest trails.
There’ll be spa time, traditional food, comfortable hotels, packed lunches on the trails and plenty of time to actually enjoy where we are.
Because for me, that’s what the best running holidays are about.
Not just running somewhere beautiful.
Discovering somewhere beautiful by running through it.
And Latvia might just be one of Europe’s best-kept secrets.
Ready to discover somewhere different?
If you're looking for an unusual trail running holiday in Europe, a relaxed running weekend, an adventure running holiday or simply somewhere new to explore in your running shoes, come and discover Latvia with us.
Riga, Gauja National Park, forests, castles, rivers, great food and plenty of trails.
Latvia is waiting.
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