E9 Section 24: Riga City Centre - Vecāķi

The E9 Section 24: Riga City Centre – Vecāķi is a 24-km point-to-point trail in Latvia, part of the E9 International Walking Network. Gaining fewer than 100 m of elevation on essentially flat terrain, this medium-difficulty day walk links the UNESCO-listed Old Town, Art Nouveau streets, and Mežaparks forest to the pine-backed Baltic beach at Vecāķi — one of the most culturally rich urban coastal hikes in Northern Europe.

About the E9 Section 24: Riga City Centre – Vecāķi

Section 24 of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route (E9) is unlike any other stage on this 1,800-km trail connecting Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Where most sections traverse remote dune forests and empty shorelines, this 24-km stretch begins in the heart of one of Europe's most architecturally celebrated cities and walks you, step by step, out through its northern suburbs until the urban fabric thins and the Baltic Sea takes over.

Waymarked with the E9 white-on-blue diamond blazes, the route follows pedestrian and shared cycling paths for virtually its entire length — surfaces range from central Riga's cobblestone lanes to asphalt riverside promenades and packed gravel forest tracks. There is no off-road scrambling; this is a walk for all seasons and all levels of fitness, provided walkers are comfortable covering 24 km in a single day.

The trail is an official segment of the European Long-Distance Path E9, one of the eleven E-Paths designated by the European Ramblers Association (ERA), which connects the Atlantic coast of Portugal with the eastern Baltic. Within Latvia, the E9 is stewarded by Baltic Country Holidays and the Latvian Rural Tourism Association, who maintain the waymarking and publish the official Baltic Trails route map.

The cultural density of this section is exceptional. Riga's Old Town (Vecrīga) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Alberta iela corridor contains one of the world's greatest concentrations of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture — over 800 buildings, more than any other city. Mežaparks, roughly halfway along, is a 580-hectare forested garden suburb that provides a natural breathing space before the coast takes over. For hikers walking the full E9 Baltic route, this day is a reward: an urban immersion between long stretches of dune and pine.

Route Overview & Stages

Section 24 is almost entirely flat — Latvia's coastal plain barely rises above sea level — with a cumulative elevation gain of roughly 100 m across minor undulations. The trail is waymarked continuously and follows public paths the whole way, making navigation straightforward even without GPS. At a relaxed pace with stops for sightseeing, allow 7–9 hours for the full 24 km.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Riga Old Town (Vecrīga): The trail begins among the medieval lanes of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the first kilometre, the route passes the 13th-century St Peter's Church — whose tower observation deck sits at 72 m — the reconstructed House of the Blackheads, and cobbled Doma laukums (Cathedral Square). Allow an extra hour here if you haven't visited before.
• City Canal & Kronvalds Park: A 2-km chain of canal parkland rings the Old Town, with swan-inhabited waters and weeping willows in spring. Kronvalds Park holds an open-air performance stage and serves as the social heart of Riga's green belt year-round. The canal was originally a defensive moat dug during the city's medieval fortification.
• Alberta iela — Art Nouveau Corridor: Named after Riga's German governor, Alberta iela is the showpiece of Latvia's Jugendstil heritage. Architect Mikhail Eisenstein — father of filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein — designed several of the most extravagant facades, dripping with stone faces, floral reliefs, and mythological figures. The Riga Art Nouveau Museum at Alberta 12 opens daily except Mondays (€9 adult entry).
• Miera iela: Riga's most fashionable neighbourhood street — independent coffee shops, vinyl record stores, and mural-covered courtyard passages cluster here at the 9-km mark. It is an ideal lunch stop. The street has won multiple European urban-regeneration awards and is genuinely beloved by locals who know Riga beyond the tourist centre.
• Lielie kapi (Great Cemetery): One of Latvia's most historically significant burial grounds, dating to the 18th century. The sculpted stone monuments, ancient oak allées, and 26 hectares of quiet paths make it genuinely moving to walk through. Many Latvian national figures, poets, and artists are interred within its boundaries.
• Mežaparks (Forest Park): A 580-hectare garden suburb built in the early 1900s as a garden-city experiment. Wooden Art Nouveau villas sit among mature Scots pines along quiet residential lanes. The park contains Rīgas Zoo (€10 adult), an open-air stage that hosts Latvia's national Song and Dance Festival, and cycling paths along the shore of Ķīšezers lake — one of the finest stretches of the entire day's walk.
• Vecdaugava (Old Daugava): The historic western arm of the Daugava River, separated from the main channel by Buļļusala island. The riverside path is tranquil and lined with fishermen; broad views back towards the Riga skyline make this the most photogenic stretch of the second half of the walk.
• Vecāķi Beach: The endpoint is a wide Baltic strand backed by pine dunes, one of Riga's most popular summer beaches. Water quality consistently meets EU Bathing Water Directive standards. Beach volleyball courts operate June through August, and the suburban train back to Riga Central Station takes approximately 30 minutes — a satisfying close to the day.

Best Time to Hike the E9 Section 24: Riga City Centre – Vecāķi

Latvia has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Section 24 can technically be walked year-round — the entire route is on prepared urban and park surfaces — but conditions vary sharply by season.

May and June offer the best combination of long daylight hours (up to 17.5 hours in late June), mild temperatures averaging 15–20 °C, and Riga's parks in full leaf. June is the single best month to walk this section — the city is lively without being overwhelmed by summer tourists, parks are at their most photogenic, and Vecāķi beach is warm enough for a post-hike swim by mid-month. As of 2026, the E9 waymarking through Riga has been fully refreshed along the entire Latvian corridor, making June navigation more reliable than in prior years.

July and August bring warmer temperatures of 22–26 °C and the best conditions for finishing with a swim, but tourist numbers in Riga's Old Town peak in July and accommodation prices rise accordingly. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible in August.

September and October are underrated months: Mežaparks and Kronvalds Park turn amber and gold by mid-October, crowds are minimal, and temperatures of 9–15 °C suit walking well. Rain frequency increases from late October.

November through March brings genuine Baltic winter — temperatures regularly fall below 0 °C, ice can make Old Town cobblestones treacherous, and storm winds off the Baltic are fiercest in January and February. The cultural sights remain open but the coastal finish at Vecāķi loses much of its appeal.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Section 24 begins in central Riga, which has one of the most developed accommodation scenes in the Baltics. Most hikers overnight in the city the evening before this stage.

Budget dormitory beds in well-rated hostels near the Old Town start from €12–18 per night. Mid-range hotels in the Old Town or Quiet Centre run €55–110 per night for a double room. Boutique hotels on or near Alberta iela — directly on the E9 route — charge €90–160 per night.

At the Vecāķi end, options are limited: a handful of guesthouses and rental cottages charge around €40–80 per night, but most day-walkers simply take the suburban train back to Riga. Hikers continuing northward on the E9 will find good accommodation in Jūrmala and, further along, Saulkrasti, at €50–130 per night for a mid-range option.

Getting There & Back

To the start (Riga Old Town): Riga International Airport (RIX) sits 9 km southwest of the city centre. Bus No. 22 and express Bus No. 322 connect to Riga Central Station in 30–40 minutes (fare approximately €2). Taxis and ride-hail apps take 15–20 minutes (€10–15). Riga Central Station is the Baltic's largest rail hub, with connections from Tallinn, Vilnius, and Warsaw.

From the end (Vecāķi): Suburban trains operated by Pasažieru vilciens (pv.lv) run from Vecāķi station to Riga Central Station on Line 4 (Skulte direction) roughly every 30–60 minutes. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and costs around €1.50. Buses also link Vecāķi to Riga's northern suburbs. The last evening departure typically runs before 23:00.

By car: Park at Vecāķi and take the suburban train to central Riga to start the walk — reverse logistics work smoothly for this linear point-to-point route.

Permits & Fees

No permits or fees are required to walk Section 24. The entire route follows public streets, park paths, and coastal access land. There is no entrance charge for Kronvalds Park, Mežaparks, or the Vecāķi coastal path. Optional paid attractions adjacent to the trail include the Riga Art Nouveau Museum (€9 standard adult) and Rīgas Zoo (€10 adult). Public restroom facilities at selected points may charge €0.20–0.50.

Gear & Packing List

Section 24 is a single-day urban-to-coastal walk on prepared surfaces. Heavy expedition gear is unnecessary, but 24 km over 7–9 hours demands footwear and kit that keeps you comfortable throughout the full day.

Footwear: Trail runners or sturdy walking shoes are ideal. Riga's Old Town cobblestones can be slippery when wet — avoid smooth-soled trainers, particularly in spring and autumn.

Daypack: A 10–20 litre pack holds everything you need. The Salomon ADV Skin 12 is a lightweight vest-style option that carries water, a rain layer, and snacks without bulk — excellent for urban day hikes where you want to move freely. The Salomon ADV Skin 20 adds enough volume for a camera, extra layers, and a packed lunch without sacrificing the running-vest feel. Hikers continuing on multiple E9 sections with a full overnight kit should consider the Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10, which handles multi-day coastal touring loads with good back support.

Clothing layers: The Baltic coast is changeable. A packable waterproof shell is non-negotiable from September through May. Sun protection — hat and SPF — matters more than expected in June and July, when the sun stays low on the horizon but UV index reaches moderate levels at this latitude.

Water and food: Cafes, bakeries, supermarkets, and water fountains are plentiful through central Riga and Mežaparks. Carry at least 1 litre of water and top up at Miera iela (9 km mark) or Mežaparks (12 km mark). See our guide on how many calories you burn on a full hiking day — at moderate pace over 24 km, expect to burn 1,800–2,400 kcal, so plan your food accordingly.

Similar Trails You Might Like

Section 24 connects directly to the chain of E9 stages running north from Riga along the Latvian coast. Each section can be walked as an independent day route or linked together for a multi-day coastal journey. The stages immediately north offer a dramatic contrast to the urban character of Section 24 — pine dune forests, fishing villages, and long empty strands of Baltic shore replace the city streets and garden suburbs.

• E9 Section 27: Saulkrasti – Lauči (Latvia) — passes the popular seaside resort town of Saulkrasti, with a beach promenade and forest paths through coastal pines
• E9 Section 28: Lauči – Tūja (Latvia) — quiet dune paths and a long sandy beach through sparsely populated coastal Latvia
• E9 Section 29: Tūja – Svētciems (Latvia) — remote shoreline with wild coastal scenery; one of the most isolated and unspoiled stages in Latvia
• E9 Section 30: Svētciems – Ainaži (Latvia) — the final Latvian E9 stage before the Estonian border, ending at the historic maritime town of Ainaži

For a contrasting experience — steep mountain drama rather than flat coastal culture — the Theth to Valbona hike in Albania ranks among the most spectacular day walks in Europe. And if Section 24 has sparked interest in multi-day walking, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 covers the packs best suited to extended coastal routes like the full Latvian E9.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike E9 Section 24?
June is the optimal month. Daylight extends to 17.5 hours, temperatures average 17–20 °C, Riga's parks are in full leaf, and Miera iela's outdoor cafe culture is in full swing. May and July are strong alternatives. Avoid January and February: temperatures regularly drop below −5 °C, ice makes Old Town cobblestones hazardous, and Baltic storm winds reach their seasonal peak along the coastal stretches.

How difficult is E9 Section 24?
The Baltic Trails network rates this section as medium difficulty, primarily because of its 24-km total distance rather than any technical challenge. The terrain is flat throughout — less than 100 m of cumulative elevation gain — on paved or prepared surfaces from start to finish. A reasonably fit adult who regularly walks 5–10 km can complete the stage comfortably in 7–9 hours, including stops at the Old Town, Alberta iela, and Mežaparks.

How far does Section 24 cover per day?
Section 24 is a self-contained single-stage route covering 24 km from Riga Old Town to Vecāķi Beach. This sits at the longer end of the E9 Baltic day-stage average (most stages run 18–25 km). Walkers preferring a shorter day can exit the route at Mežaparks (roughly the 12-km mark) and return to central Riga by tram No. 11, then continue the second half on another day.

What accommodation is available along this section?
Central Riga offers accommodation at every price point: hostel dorm beds from €12, mid-range doubles from €55, and boutique hotel rooms from €90. At the trail end in Vecāķi, guesthouses and rental cottages run €40–80 per night, but most day-walkers return to Riga by suburban train in 30 minutes. Those continuing north on the E9 will find resort-style accommodation in Jūrmala and Saulkrasti.

Do I need a permit to walk E9 Section 24?
No permit is required. Section 24 runs entirely on public streets, park paths, and open coastal access land. There are no entrance fees for Kronvalds Park, Mežaparks, or the Vecāķi shoreline. Optional paid attractions like the Riga Art Nouveau Museum (€9) and Rīgas Zoo (€10) sit directly adjacent to the trail but require no separate permit — they are independent optional stops, not gated sections of the route itself.