A weekend in Cēsis
A Latvian medieval castle town in Gauja National Park: by bus from Vilnius to Riga, then a Vivi train.
Contents
Cēsis in brief
Cēsis is the third oldest town in Latvia. Its museum keeps the first known red-and-white Latvian flag, embroidered in 1916 (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07). The best-preserved castle ruins in Latvia stand here, and 3 km from the centre the trails of Gauja National Park begin. This year the town turns 820 (visit.cesis.lv, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07).
The peak season is summer. In winter the tourism site invites you to what it calls the largest ski resort in the Baltic states (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-28). One night is enough for a weekend, but the way with a change in Riga is long. If you want somewhere closer, choose Sigulda.
How to get there
FlixBus does not run to Cēsis: the town is not in its search (checked 2026-10-07). Travel via Riga and change to a Vivi train. The bus timetable is for Friday, 6 November 2026 (FlixBus timetable data, checked 2026-10-23). FlixBus changes its prices daily, so check them in the search (in Lithuanian). Latvia and Lithuania are on the same time.
| From | Bus to Riga |
|---|---|
| Vilnius | e.g. 11:40 → 15:45 (4 h 5 min), 15:15 → 19:10 |
| Kaunas | 06:15 → 12:20 (6 h 5 min), 18:05 → 21:45 (3 h 40 min) |
| Klaipėda | only with a change |
Timetable for an example day, Friday 6 November 2026: from Riga to Cēsis eight Vivi trains run (Vivi timetable data, checked 2026-10-23). Departures: 06:30, 09:30, 11:53, 15:22, 17:26, 18:30, 19:30 and 21:30. The journey takes 1 h 18 min–1 h 51 min.
For example, the 11:40 bus from Vilnius reaches Riga at 15:45, and the 17:26 train reaches Cēsis at 18:44. In all about 7 hours with the wait.
Back. On Sunday, 8 November 2026, trains from Cēsis to Riga leave at 05:29, 06:18, 07:27, 09:54, 15:27, 17:34 and 18:45 (Vivi data, checked 2026-11-02). From Riga to Vilnius that day direct FlixBus buses run, e.g. at 14:15, 15:15, 16:40 and 19:20. Read about the stations in the article Riga bus and railway stations, about trains here (in Lithuanian), and about other routes in Vilnius to Riga by bus (in Lithuanian) and Kaunas to Riga by bus (in Lithuanian) (all in Lithuanian).
Getting around the city
The centre is small. From the bus station (Raiņa iela) to the castle complex at Pils laukums 9 it is about 670 m (9 min), from the railway station about 830 m (11 min) (OpenStreetMap walking route, checked 2026-10-07). The municipality states that the town has a local bus network that also joins the surrounding villages (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07). The tourist information centre is at Pils laukums 5, open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–17:00, closed on Monday and Sunday (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-28).
What to see
The Cēsis castle complex. The Medieval Castle has the best-preserved castle ruins in Latvia. One ticket covers the Medieval Castle, the New Castle, the exhibition “Sirdsapziņas ugunskurs” and the Exhibition Hall. From 1 October it is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–17:00, closed on Monday. An adult ticket costs €6, for a pupil, student or pensioner €4, a family one €12. Tickets are sold until 60 min before closing, and with the “Cēsu Drauga karte” a 30% discount applies to one ticket (Cēsis Museum, in Latvian, checked 2026-10-07).
Cēsis Medieval Castle
The best-preserved castle ruins in Latvia: the West Tower with the master’s living quarters.
The old town. Cobbled streets have kept the medieval plan. The tourist route “In the Footsteps of Hanseatic Merchants” runs for 2.6 km (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-28).
The Gauja valley. 3 km from the centre you will see sandstone cliffs, forest trails and the Gauja (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07). It is part of Gauja National Park (visit.cesis.lv, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07).
The Cēsis museum in the New Castle. The tourism website presents it as one of the best museums in Latvia, with panoramic views and more than 160 000 exhibits (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07).
The Cēsis Expedition. This is a photo orienteering game with 34 checkpoints, a route of about 10 km. Another choice is a 6 km trail of medium difficulty with Olympic history, starting at the Žagarkalns ski resort (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07).
The Latvian Art Centre. The World Latvian Art Centre shows the work of Latvian artists who lived in the diaspora (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-07).
The Space Education Centre (Cīrulīšu iela 63) is a three-storey interactive exhibition about space missions, the lives of astronauts and natural sciences for children and adults. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–18:00, closed on Monday. An adult ticket costs €15, for a pupil, student or senior €7 (visit.cesis.lv, checked 2026-10-08).
What to do by season
According to visit.cesis.lv summer (May to October) is the peak tourist season. From November to March some sights are closed or open for shorter hours (visit.cesis.lv, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07). In winter the main activity is skiing. In spring a spring restaurant week is held (18–26 April 2026).
What to eat
The Autumn Restaurant Week took place on 16–25 October 2026, so it does not reach the weekend of 6 November. In it 12 restaurants in the region offered menus at €39, six of them in Cēsis: H.E. Vanadziņš, Jāņoga, Kest, Konrāda Kafē (on Rožu Square), Mango Sky Lounge and Villa Santa (visit.cesis.lv, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07). visit.cesis.lv says there are two Michelin-rated restaurants in Cēsis. Book in advance.
Practical information
- Information. Cēsis tourist centre: +371 28318318, [email protected].
Weekend plan
Friday. Take the 11:40 bus from Vilnius and the 17:26 train from Riga, and you are in Cēsis at 18:44 (the train time is an example from the 6 November timetable). Book a restaurant for dinner in advance.
Saturday. In the morning the old town, from 10:00 the castle complex, in the afternoon a trail in the Gauja valley.
Sunday. The part of the castle complex you did not manage, or the Space Education Centre, then the 15:27 train to Riga (16:44) and the 19:20 FlixBus from Riga bus station to Vilnius (23:20). The later 17:34 train reaches Riga at 19:16, only 4 min before the bus, so do not choose it. A neighbouring choice is a weekend in Sigulda (in Lithuanian) or other trips to Latvia (in Lithuanian) (both in Lithuanian).
FAQ
Is there a bus to Cēsis from Vilnius? There is no direct FlixBus. Travel by bus to Riga, then by Vivi train (checked 2026-10-07).
How much is the castle complex? €6 for an adult, €12 for a family (checked 2026-10-07).
Things to see and do in Cēsis
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By car: distance, time, fuel
By car
- From Vilnius: 371 km, 4 h 32 min one way. Fuel there and back: €94.10 per car, €47.05 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 371 km = 742 km; 742 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 48.23 l; 48.23 l × 1.951 €/l = €94.10.
- From Kaunas: 342 km, 4 h 38 min one way. Fuel there and back: €86.74 per car, €43.37 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 342 km = 684 km; 684 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 44.46 l; 44.46 l × 1.951 €/l = €86.74.
- From Klaipėda: 393 km, 4 h 53 min one way. Fuel there and back: €99.68 per car, €49.84 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 393 km = 786 km; 786 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 51.09 l; 51.09 l × 1.951 €/l = €99.68.
From Šiauliai, Panevėžys is not calculated yet: we do not have map data for this route.
This is an approximate calculation, not a price. Travel time without traffic or border queues. Fuel price: Lithuanian average, Euro-super 95 with taxes, 2026-10-19, the European Commission's Weekly Oil Bulletin (CC BY 4.0); consumption 6.5 l/100 km. Routes: MOTIS, car profile, no traffic conditions, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extracts, calculated 2026-10-29. There are no road tolls for passenger cars in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; for Poland, see here (in Lithuanian).