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
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.
Vidzeme
Northern and north-eastern Latvia, including Sigulda, Cēsis and routes through the Gauja landscapes.
Open Vidzeme guideKurzeme
Western Latvia, including Kuldīga, Liepāja, Ventspils and long stretches of Baltic coast.
Open Kurzeme guideZemgale
Southern routes from Riga towards Bauska, Rundāle, Jelgava and the Lithuanian border.
Open Zemgale guideLatgale
Eastern Latvia, including Daugavpils, Rēzekne and a distinctive landscape of lakes and cultural traditions.
Open Latgale guideSēlija
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.
- Choose the second base.
- List the stops that fit that direction.
- Check each connection from a primary source.
- 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.