Rundale Palace tour from Riga: Certified guide inside the palace

Rundale Palace tour and Bauska Castle climb with certified guide for river views

This nine-hour tour from Riga combines three destinations (the Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace, and Bauska Castle) with a certified guide leading a full interior tour of the palace rather than leaving you to an audio guide. You stop at the Latvia–Lithuania border, explore the Hill of Crosses with time to visit the nearby Franciscan Monastery, receive a guided tour of Rundale Palace's baroque and rococo rooms, walk the French Garden at your own pace, and climb Bauska Castle's tower for panoramic views. Transport, entrance tickets, a Riga Black Balsam tasting, and bottled water are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided tour of castles and landmarks

• Stop at Latvia–Lithuania border
• Visit Hill of Crosses with guide
• Explore Franciscan Monastery chapel
• Guided visit inside Rundale Palace
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Free time in Rundale Palace gardens
• Visit medieval Bauska Castle with guide
• Climb Bauska Castle tower

The experience

The tour leaves Riga and crosses into Lithuania at the Latvia–Lithuania border, where your guide offers a short introduction to the region before you stop for photos. The Hill of Crosses, one of Europe's most distinctive pilgrimage sites, opens with a guided explanation of its history and symbolism, then leaves you free to walk among the crosses, photograph, and visit the adjacent Franciscan Monastery's open chapel if you want a quieter moment.

Rundale Palace is the centerpiece: a certified palace guide leads you through the main exhibition halls, the ceremonial rooms, and the private apartments of the Duke and Duchess, explaining the baroque and rococo architecture and what daily life looked like at the ducal court. This is not an audio guide or a self-guided wander: the guide's knowledge shapes how the interiors reveal themselves. After the palace tour, a lunch stop at a local restaurant gives you time to eat and rest before the final stop. You also have free time to explore the French Garden on your own, walking its symmetrical baroque layout and taking photos.

Bauska Castle closes the day: a guide introduces the medieval fortress, its strategic role, and medieval daily life, then leads you up the castle tower. The panoramic views from the top (across the rivers and surrounding landscape) are the final highlight before the drive back to Riga. The tour runs nine hours total, with an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and a traditional Latvian herbal drink tasting woven through the day.

What’s included

• Round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• entrance tickets to Rundale Palace and Bauska Castle.
• a fully guided interior tour of Rundale Palace led by a certified palace guide.
• a guided visit of Bauska Castle including tower access.
• a guided introduction to the Hill of Crosses with free exploration time.
• a traditional Latvian herbal drink tasting.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• professional English-speaking guide (Russian also available).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (7 to 90 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 16 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Latvia Guide Tours

Is this one for you?The certified guide's full tour of Rundale Palace's interiors (rather than an audio guide or self-guided visit) suits anyone who wants deeper context on the palace's history, architecture, and ducal life. The structured day with multiple stops and a planned lunch keeps the pace comfortable without feeling rushed.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What exactly does the certified guide show you inside Rundale Palace?

The certified palace guide leads you through the main exhibition halls, the ceremonial rooms, and the private apartments of the Duke and Duchess, explaining the baroque and rococo architecture and the life of the ducal court. This is a full interior tour, not an audio guide or self-guided visit.

Does the Hill of Crosses visit include time to walk around on my own?

Yes. The guide gives a guided introduction to the site's history and symbolism, then you have free time to explore at your own pace, take photos, and visit the nearby Franciscan Monastery's open chapel if you wish.

What happens at Bauska Castle?

A guide introduces the medieval fortress, its strategic importance, and daily life in the Middle Ages, then leads you up the castle tower. The climb rewards you with panoramic views across the rivers and surrounding landscape.

Is lunch included in the price?

A lunch stop at a local restaurant is planned into the tour schedule, but you choose and pay for your own meal there.

How long is the drive from Riga to the first stop?

The tour stops at the Latvia–Lithuania border during the journey to the Hill of Crosses, where your guide offers a short introduction to the region and you have time for photos before continuing.