This enchanted town stands on the southern edge of a picturesque, steep-sided, wooded section of the Gauja Valley and is spanned by a string of medieval castles and legend-laden caves. Known locally as the ‘Switzerland of Latvia’, Sigulda is a minor health resort and a winter sports centre - with an Olympic bobsled run snaking down into the valley.

In spring, the weather is warm, the days are long, flowery cottage gardens blossom and the cultural calendar oozes fun. April and May, when the lucky stork returns to its nest, and the land and its people open up after winter, convey a real magic. June is midsummer-madness month and equally evokes the Baltic peoples’ close ties to nature and their pagan past.

Summers are short but sweet. July and August (high season), the warmest and busiest months, and a time when many Balts go on holiday too, can also be the wettest and subject to the odd thunderstorm.

December to March sees snow-clogged streets, ice-glazed pavements and roofs laced with killer icicles. Ice skating, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and getting whipped in a sauna are this season’s invigorating activities.

Avoid soggy March when the snow thaws, bringing with it far too much slush for enjoyment. Autumn, when snow falls then melts, is equally miserable.

Riga (Latvian: Rīga, IPA: [riːga], pronunciation (help·info)) the capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states. The Historic Centre of Riga has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture, which UNESCO considers to be unparalleled anywhere in the world

Latvia (IPA: /ˈlætviə/) (historically Lettonia, or Lettland), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvija or Latvijas Republika, Livonian: Lețmō), is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south — and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Riga (Latvian: Rīga). Latvia has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and a member of NATO since March 29, 2004.