SIGULDA - Lines of sunlight and shadow crisscrossed the pavement in front of me. As I rode my bike, I could feel the warmth from the sun splash across my face in waves. When I looked up into the trees, I saw a forest dressed in a wide spectrum of greens, golds and reds.
Sigulda is a popular tourist destination in Latvia year-round, but in the autumn it really comes alive. It's widely regarded as the best place to see the leaves change in Latvia, if not the whole Baltic region. During the weekends of Sept. 22, 29 and Oct. 5 the forest here is flooded with people hoping to escape the city one last time before the winter sets in.
I decided to go with a small group of friends on a bike tour of Sigulda to see the leaves turning and the other sights that the region has to offer. With bike rentals at only about 6 lats (8.53 euros) for the day, this is a cheap and fun way to see what colors Sigulda has to offer.
We started our little tour at one of the two castles on either side of the Gauja River. One of the castles is beautifully renovated while the other has fallen into ruins. We started with the ruins.
Built on top of a tall hill near the river, the ruins offer one of the best views in the area. It is possible to explore the fallen stone structures in search of a good view of the surrounding countryside, or to walk down small footpaths into the forest to see the trees close up. A glance through a gap in the trees reveals rolling hills covered in trees that were just beginning to change color.
After exploring the old castle, we decided to go to Gutmanis cave 's the largest cave in the Baltics. The cave is made of sandstone so soft that it is possible to rub it away with a bare finger. It is completely covered in carved-out symbols, signatures, emblems and proclamations of love 's some of which date back to the 17th century. My Latvian companions were eager to tell me the story behind the cave, but none could quite remember all of the details.
The cave lies at the bottom of one of the largest hills in Latvia. The top of the hill 's accessible by road, bike path or stairs 's has an aerial tramway that ferries people between the hills high above the Gauja.
We continued our tour along the roads to the other side of the river. Riding along country roads, I felt like I was breathing fresh air for the first time in months. Freshly plowed farms spotted with small clusters of colorful trees lined the road, and huge cumulonimbus clouds hung in the sky. It looked and felt like a scene from a fairy tale.
The road that runs between the two castles features the oldest stone church in Latvia. It's surrounded by cornfields and sandstone caves. A small maze made of tiles and gravel entertains the church-goers after the Sunday service. A shack with a donation box offers coffee, water and apples to weary travelers.
On the way back to town, a few of us decided to try for a little more extreme riding through the small paths that zig-zag through the forest surrounding the Gauja. Unfortunately, the riding turned out to be a little more extreme than we had hoped for, and we had to carry our bikes half of the time. We left the forest dirty, tired and sweaty, but wearing ear-to-ear smiles nonetheless.
Despite our difficulties in the woods and a long uphill ride back to the town, the picturesque trip through the countryside was awe-inspiring. I would highly recommend that anyone interested take a trip to see the leaves and get some fresh air before the winter takes hold.