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Illustrated map showing Latvia's five practical travel regions: Kurzeme, Riga Region, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Latgale
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Latvia's regions

Choose a Latvia route by region

Compare Latvia's regions by destinations, travel time and transport, then open a regional guide to choose a base and build a practical route.

Choose a direction

How Latvia's travel regions fit together

Latvia's national tourism site presents Vidzeme, Kurzeme, Zemgale and Latgale. Latvian law also recognises Sēlija as a historical land and places Riga historically within Vidzeme. For trip planning, Riga and nearby Pierīga work well as a separate starting area.

Capital and nearby routes

Riga and Pierīga

Riga is historically part of Vidzeme. Treating the capital and nearby Pierīga as one travel area makes day trips, transport and accommodation easier to compare.

Open Riga and Pierīga guide
Northern Latvia

Vidzeme

Northern and north-eastern Latvia, including Sigulda, Cēsis and routes through the Gauja landscapes.

Open Vidzeme guide
Western Latvia

Kurzeme

Western Latvia, including Kuldīga, Liepāja, Ventspils and long stretches of Baltic coast.

Open Kurzeme guide
Southern Latvia

Zemgale

Southern routes from Riga towards Bauska, Rundāle, Jelgava and the Lithuanian border.

Open Zemgale guide
Eastern Latvia

Latgale

Eastern Latvia, including Daugavpils, Rēzekne and a distinctive landscape of lakes and cultural traditions.

Open Latgale guide
Historical land

Sēlija

Recognised separately by the Law on Historical Regions of Latvia. It overlaps the south-eastern area that many visitor maps have traditionally grouped with Zemgale.

Open Sēlija guide
Plan the route

Choose a region, then check the connections

Use the region to choose a direction, then confirm transport, accommodation and seasonal details for the exact dates.

  1. Choose the second base.
  2. List the stops that fit that direction.
  3. Check each connection from a primary source.
  4. Remove stops that create unnecessary backtracking.
Definitions and current context

Official regional sources

This page was last reviewed 26 July 2026. These official sources explain the tourism grouping and the legal definition of Latvia's historical lands.

Law on Historical Lands of Latvia Official legal definition of Vidzeme, Latgale, Kurzeme, Zemgale and Sēlija.