It’s always a pleasure to discover a sightseeing spot right here in the capital that can be visited without much effort or long drives. This time, our journey takes us to Daugavgrīva, home to possibly the most impressive and eeriest fortress ruins in Latvia – the Daugavgrīva Fortress. And it turns out that just a stone’s throw from the fortress lies a lesser-known destination – the Daugavgrīva Nature Trail, offering a chance to explore floodplain lagoon meadows.
Location: Daugavgrīvas cietoksnis ; Daugavgrīvas dabas taka
Cost: Free
!!! Fortress is open only on Saturdays/Sundays in certain hours
How to get there: Public transport or by car
Jump to:
The Secrets of Daugavgrīva Fortress
Location of Daugavgrīvas fortress
Daugavgrīva Fortress is considered one of Latvia’s most valuable military heritage sites, with origins dating back to the 17th century. Over time, it has been seized, shelled, bombed, conquered, and rebuilt. It has changed rulers multiple times and has even been visited by multiple monarchs. During World War I, some of the first Latvian riflemen units were formed here (source). In short, this fortress has a long and complicated life story.
In the late 20th century, the Daugavgrīva fortress lost its military importance and now seems to be slowly crumbling. However, there are rumors about plans for its restoration and maintenance. As of April 2025, the Daugavgrīva fortress is still open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays during specific hours. The limited opening times only add to the intrigue – but before heading to Daugavgrīva, it’s definitely worth checking the latest updates to see if it’s still accessible to tourists.
When we arrive at the starting point of our adventure, we find the Daugavgrīva fortress hidden behind a moat and an earthen rampart, adding a sense of adventure even before stepping inside. So let’s gather our courage and walk through the gates guarding Daugavgrīva Fortress to find out what secrets lie within.
What Can You See Inside the Daugavgrīva Fortress?
It turns out the “belly” of Daugavgrīva Fortress is empty – inside is an overgrown outdoor area that looks rather abandoned and gloomy during the spring season. All the real adventure and spooky chambers are found in the fortress walls.
A tall tower also rises here with a crumbling top. My first thought was that it’s a watchtower. But after reading some information online, I lean toward it actually being an Orthodox church that once stood within the Daugavgrīva fortress grounds.
So let’s not waste time – off we go to explore the most interesting part of the fortress: the defensive walls. Their empty windows stare back at you like dark eyes.
Each Spooky Chamber of Daugavgrīva Fortress Has Its Own Style
Behind doors and window openings lies a labyrinth of dark, half-collapsed rooms. Interestingly, each chamber has its own unique vibe.
In the first one, the crumbling walls are covered with something green, and as you get closer, you can feel the cold and dampness radiating from them. Some floors are completely bare, while others are covered with old, broken planks. It’s creepy and fascinating at the same time – just watch your step! Some rooms even have informational stands about the Daugavgrīva fortress’s history, giving it a bit of a museum feel.
The next chamber greets you with a photogenic series of arches. The walls here were once painted, but now the paint is peeling off in large flakes.
Then there’s a room full of tree branches sticking out of the ground, adding to the ghostly atmosphere – as if the room has lost a battle with nature.
As you continue moving from room to room, you also come across a dark tunnel. Where it leads – who knows? Stepping inside makes your heart beat faster. You know how in video games, there’s always a monster hiding in places like this, right?
Finally, we reach a room where train tracks disappear into the darkness – time to pull out the phone flashlight. Pretty unsettling!
So, after playing hide-and-seek with the unknown, we’ve made a full circle. Daugavgrīva Fortress turned out to be far more interesting and diverse than I expected!
But if the Daugavgrīva fortress visit felt a bit too short, you can extend the adventure with a trip to the Daugavgrīva Nature Trail, just a few minutes’ drive away.
Early Spring on the Daugavgrīva Nature Trail
Location of Daugavgrīva Nature trail
At the start of the Daugavgrīva nature trail, the first thing that catches the eye is a long, straight cobblestone path stretching endlessly into the distance. A gut feel tells me the sea might be at the end, but from here, you can neither see nor hear it.
In early April, nature is still asleep – the meadows on both sides of the path are golden-brown, and some of the dry grasses are soaking in large puddles.
Daugavgrīva Birdwatching Tower
Just a few dozen steps in, the Daugavgrīva birdwatching tower comes into view. This area happens to lie along one of Europe’s most important bird migration routes. If you’re into ornithology, you probably knew that already. If not, you’re likely more curious about the view from the top.
The tower’s high foundation suggests that water levels here are quite variable – meaning the landscape you see today might be completely different in just a few weeks.
Today, the wide meadows seen from the tower are completely dry and resemble a golden field swaying gently in the wind. Instead of grain, there are thousands of reeds – so tall they’d tower over me if I stood next to them.
Daugavgrīva The Nature Trail’s Boardwalk
In the middle of this vast reed field a boardwalk winds like a snake. Let’s go stretch our legs!
The Daugavgrīva boardwalk seems to be one-way with only a single passing spot, but since there aren’t many people on the trail today – just one man out walking his cat – it’s not a problem.
Seems like we’re here off-season, because today the meadows on either side are completely dry. That means that at the moment the Daugavgrīva trail lacks the charm seen in photos with flooded fields. All around is just a sea of dried grass, that makes you wonder if the boardwalk is even necessary.
Even though we’re still in Riga, apartment blocks are visible only in the distance, beyond the bare branches of the trees, giving the trail a peaceful and unhurried aura.
Around a bend, the Daugavgrīva nature trail leads into a small grove. Here, in the shade of the trees, the trail looks much more intriguing – the grass surrounding the boardwalk sinks into pools of water, reflecting the bare branches above.
We take a moment to enjoy the early spring landscape, until the Daugavgrīva Nature Trail leads us to a sand dune behind which the roaring sea awaits. From here, the choice is yours – continue along the coast or turn back.
So, what do you think?
Daugavgrīva Fortress turned out to be even more mysterious than I had expected. It’s one of those places where you feel like you’re in a video game. As for the nature trail – maybe we just didn’t come on the right day. It would’ve been much cooler if the meadows had been flooded.
What Else To See in Latvia?