Camino Latvia west

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Riga, St. Jēkabs Cathedral / Žagarė on the Latvian-Lithuanian border
• Length: 133.4 km
• Duration: 5–6 days
• Elevation gain: ↗ 341 m / ↘ 282 m
• Stages: 6 (17–27 km)
• Country: Latvia — Zemgale (Semgallen), border crossing into Lithuania; currency: the euro
• Label: Yellow arrows and a scallop shell on a dark blue background, sometimes on birdhouses; each stage ends at a church
• Shuttle: Camino Latvia north ends in Riga
• Best time: May through September

Overview

The Camino Latvia West is the western of the two routes into which the Latvian Way of St. James splits in Riga: 133.4 kilometers from the St. Jēkabs Cathedral through Semgallen—the historic heartland of the Semgallians—all the way to Žagarė right behind the Lithuanian border. With an elevation gain of 341 meters over the entire route, it is the flattest of the three Latvian routes, and yet it is remarkably rich in history: the Tīreļ-Moor, where the Latvian riflemen fought the Christmas Battles in January 1917 at minus 38 degrees, the ruins of Ordensburg Castle in Dobele, whose Semgallian predecessor withstood six sieges and was never conquered, and the castle mounds of Tērvete, the main castle of Prince Nameisis.

And this trail holds a place of honor on the Latvian web: This is where Camino Latvia began. On March 3, 2019, eight weeks after the association was founded, about 30 pilgrims from Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland walked the 22 kilometers from Žagarė to Tērvete—the final leg of this route, in reverse. A Camino that fits perfectly into a week-long vacation, with a World Heritage Site at the starting point and a national border at the finish.

Other Names

Let's just say it right away: "West" is our term; it is not a Latvian one. The network runs under the umbrella brand Camino Latvia, in Latvian The Way of St. James in Latvia; there are no branch names in the style of “Zemgales ceļš”—we searched specifically for them, even in Latvian, and found nothing. The Latvians name their sections based on their starting and ending points: this one is simply called "Riga–Žagare", 6 stages, officially 133 kilometers.

To make it easier to tell the three items on our map apart, we'll sort them by compass direction: Camino Latvia north (Valga/Valka–Riga, the common branch), Camino Latvia west (this path) and Camino Latvia east (Riga–Germaniškis). The operator lists the same kilometers under a different name: as a through route Valka–Žagare, 413 kilometers in 18 stages— that's exactly north plus west. In Lithuanian, where the last few meters are already located, the trail is called Šv. Jokūbo kelias.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This route is for you if you have a week and want to walk the entire Camino, not just a section: five to six days, 133.4 kilometers, 341 meters of elevation gain—two and a half per kilometer; you’ll hardly find a flatter route in Europe. You’ll start in a World Heritage-listed old town, walk through the historic heartland of the Semgallians, and end at a national border with a pilgrimage site just beyond. If you’re making your first pilgrimage in the Baltics and don’t want to commit to three weeks right away, this is the most sensible place to start—featuring the Semigallian Uprising, Ordensburg, a World War I battlefield, and an enchanted forest across six stages.

To be honest, though, this isn’t the place for you if you’re looking for scenic views: Zemgale is farmland, and farmland in July is vast, hot, and devoid of shade—the third stage through the Lielupe Lowlands is the least scenic day of the trip. There’s no network of hostels: you’ll spend the night in parsonages and community centers, and Register at least three days in advance, otherwise no one will be there to let you in at night. Expect not to encounter any other pilgrims, to find few places to eat between the stops along the route, and to find no train station in Žagarė—you plan around these gaps in advance, not while you’re on the road. If you’re looking for Latvia’s spectacular scenery, you’re better off taking the Camino Latvia north through the Gauja Valley.

Route & Landscape

The trail begins at the St. James's Cathedral in Riga, crosses the Daugava River, and runs along the edge of the airport grounds Jaunmārupe out of the city. After just half a day, you'll be in the pine forest; on the second day, you'll be in the Tīreļ-Moor— that marshy landscape west of Riga, where the Christmas Battles raged in the winter of 1916–17. Beyond that lies Zemgale: the Lielupe lowlands, Latvia’s most fertile soil, wide fields, little shade, and in between Līvbērze and a view across to Jelgava, the former residence of the Dukes of Courland.

From Dobele The landscape becomes wooded and rolling again: The trail follows the Bērze River, passes the ruins of Ordensburg Castle, and climbs into the hills of Tērvete— an old, tall pine forest covering three Semigallian castle mounds; today a nature park featuring wooden sculptures inspired by Anna Brigadere’s fairy tales. The final leg of the route runs along dirt roads and quiet side streets to the border and on to Žagarė Inside. The terrain: lots of field and forest trails, interspersed with paved side roads through farmland—plan on wearing cushioned soles, not because of the hills, but because of the surface.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

The association divides the western route into six stages ranging from 17 to 27 kilometers; over five to six days, you’ll walk 22 to 27 kilometers each day. Technically, this is the easiest trail in Latvia: no climbs worth mentioning, no exposed sections. At most, the second stage—27.1 kilometers through the bog—can be strenuous, as can the third stage in midsummer, which has no shade. The shortest stage, Līvbērze–Dobele at 18 kilometers, offers the opportunity to take your time exploring the castle ruins in the afternoon.

1. Riga → Jaunmārupe (17.1 km) — from the Old Town across the Daugava River, along the edge of the airport into the open countryside.
2. Jaunmārupe → Tīreļi (27.1 km) — Pine forest and the edges of the Tīreļ Bog, the site of the Christmas Battles of 1916–17.
3. Tīreļi → Līvbērze (24.1 km) — The Zemgale Plain and the Lielupe River Valley, passing west of Jelgava.
4. Līvbērze → Dobele (18.0 km) — the shortest stage, ending at the Bērze River below the ruins of Ordensburg Castle.
5. Dobele → Tērvete (25.1 km) — old pine forest, three Semigallian hill forts, Tērvete Nature Park.
6. Tērvete → Žagarė (22.0 km) — the last kilometers in Latvia and the border crossing into Lithuania.

The stage locations and order are taken directly from the operator (who lists the distance as 133 km); the kilometer figures have been fine-tuned to match our route measurement of 133.4 km.

The stage where it all began

Eight weeks after the club was founded on January 8, 2019 — with the support of Catholic Archbishop Stankevičs and by Lutheran Archbishop Vanags—which is anything but a given in Latvia—set out on March 3, 2019 about 30 pilgrims from Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland On the trail: 22 kilometers from Žagarė to Tērvete, through snow and Semigallia. This is exactly the sixth stage of this route, retraced in reverse—the inaugural hike of Camino Latvia. Back then, the plan was modest: “about 300 kilometers” to Valka; five years later, it had grown to 560 kilometers in 24 stages, 95 percent of which were marked, with 1,500 pilgrim passes sold in 2023 alone.

The starting point was no coincidence: Žagarė is the border town where Lithuania begins—the inaugural hike was a cross-border statement, not a sightseeing tour. And it ended, of all places, in Tērvete, the main castle of the Prince of Semgallen Nameisis, who drove the Crusaders out of Western Semigallia in 1279 and defeated the Livonian army near Dobele in 1281. The Semigallian castle of Dobele, which you’ll pass on the fourth day, withstood six sieges by the Order and was never conquered—in 1289, the Semigallians abandoned it of their own accord and moved to Lithuania. A trail that begins at a border and winds past the castles of a freedom fighter: there’s no need to make anything up.

At the finish line, there's another story waiting that continues: Barbora Žagarietė (1578–1604), whose body was found intact in 1655 among the ashes of the old Žagarė Church following the Swedish invasion. A book of miracles, begun in 1860, recorded 97 healings by 1940; the Diocese of Šiauliai today lists over 116 cases. In 1963, the Soviets took the glass coffin containing her remains—which remains missing to this day. Her beatification process has been underway since September 24, 2005. The Servant of God of Žagarė is the quiet culmination of a journey that has only been resumed since 2019.

Highlights Along the Way

• St. James's Cathedral, Riga— First mentioned in 1225; in the Middle Ages, it was the church of the Latvian artisans, with eight guild altars; a Catholic cathedral since 1923; this is where you’ll get your first stamp.
• Tīreļ Moor and the Christmas Battles— From January 5 to 11, 1917, Latvian riflemen fought here in temperatures as low as −38 °C and captured the “Machine Gun Hill”; a memorial park and museum are located along the route.
• Lielupe River Valley— Latvia's most fertile land, vast and open; anyone who wants to see Jelgava should take a detour from here.
• Dobele Castle Ruins— The Semgallian castle site withstood six sieges and was never conquered; it was abandoned in 1289, and the Order’s stone castle was built between 1335 and 1347.
• Charles XII in Dobele— The King of Sweden stayed at the castle for six days in 1701; it was finally abandoned in 1736.
• Tērvete Nature Park— The main castle of Prince Nameisis, three castle mounds in the old pine forest, now a fairy-tale forest featuring wooden sculptures by Anna Brigadere.
• The Founding Phase— On March 3, 2019, the very first hike along the Latvian Way of St. James took place between Tērvete and Žagarė, traveling in the opposite direction.
• Barbora Žagarietė— the Servant of God (1578–1604) in the old church in Žagarė; her beatification process has been underway since 2005.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The natural feeder is its own northeast branch: The Camino Latvia north ends after 274.8 kilometers exactly where this trail begins—at St. James’s Cathedral in Riga. Anyone who wants to walk the 413 kilometers of the official Valka–Žagare route can combine the two and will need a good two and a half weeks. Further north, you can join the Estonian Way of St. James (Eesti Jaakobitee, association founded in 2015), whose branch leads from Pärnu-Jaagupi to Valga over a distance of about 175 kilometers.

The second group is traveling directly to Riga, and that's straightforward: RIX is the largest airport in the Baltic region, with direct flights from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—and it’s located so that you’ll land almost right at the start of the first leg: the route runs right past the edge of the airport. For last-minute travelers, the Riga–Liepāja train stops at Dobele— So you can join the hike halfway through and just hike the last two, more scenic stages.

Continue the pilgrimage?

In Žagarė, you're standing at a national border, not at the end—but the rest of the story needs some explanation, because in Lithuania, people wear Two different routes with the same name. The main trail of the Lithuanian Volunteer Network begins right in Žagarė: 21 stages, about 490 kilometers through Pakruojis, Kėdainiai, and Kaunas to Seinai on the Polish border. Our route Camino Lituano In contrast, the Vilnius Route from Skaistkalne— Council of Europe Cultural Route, 577.7 kilometers. If you're looking for GPX tracks, check carefully to see which of the two you're looking at.

This leads to the following practical recommendation: If you want to follow the continuous mussel trail we’ve mapped through the southern Baltic region, don’t take this route in Riga—instead, take the Camino Latvia east— he hands it over directly to the [person] in Germaniškis Camino Lituano, which continues on to the Camino Polaco passes on; at the far end of this line, at some point, there is the Camino Francés. And since people always ask about this: The Hill of Crosses is not along this route—it’s located about 40 kilometers east of Žagarė, near Jurgaičiai. It’s a worthwhile detour by bus via Joniškis, but it is a detour.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time is May through September; the club recommends spring and summer, fall as a quieter alternative, and winter only for experienced hikers. An additional rule applies to this route: Avoid being out in the fields at midday in the height of summer. There’s not a shred of shade for kilometers between Tīreļi and Dobele—in July and August, you’ll want to set out early and take a break between noon and 3 p.m. You can get by with English in Riga and Dobele, but a translation app will come in handy in the villages.

Accommodations are available in churches, parsonages, community centers, and guesthouses —Reserved in advance, at least three days ahead of time, as required by the club. With six stages, it’s done in no time. The route is marked with yellow arrows and seashells on a dark blue background; the signage was reviewed and updated for the 2026 season, but you should still have a GPS track on your phone, especially where farm roads intersect. The easiest way to plan your stages and accommodations is directly in the Camino Ninja app.

One Pilgrim's Passport (Credencial) You should bring this with you: The Latvian Association issues its own credential for 4 euros—available at 14 locations, including Riga and Dobele, and accredited by the Cathedral in Santiago; international credentials are stamped in the same way. Those who complete the entire Latvian route will receive a certificate of completion in exchange for a donation of 10 euros (as of September 2026).

What the journey will cost you

Latvia is cheaper than Western Europe, but without a Spanish hostel system, there are no five-euro beds. Expect to pay 30 to 55 euros a day: Overnight stays for pilgrims in a church, rectory, or community center cost 10 to 20 euros; guesthouse rooms cost 40 to 70 euros; a lunch plate costs 8 to 14 euros; groceries at the supermarket are significantly cheaper than in Germany. Plus a one-time fee of 4 euros for the pilgrim pass and an optional 10-euro donation for the certificate (as of September 2026). Riga is the most expensive night—consider whether you’ll stay at a hostel there or tackle the first stage right on your arrival day.

For the five to six days of the West Axis, you plan to 180 to 350 euros excluding travel to and from the destination. The biggest savings come from meals: There are hardly any restaurants between the stops, and you’ll be shopping at the supermarket anyway—so make a habit of it instead of treating it as a stopgap measure.

Getting Here

To the start: Riga is the easiest starting point for all three Latvian routes — Airport RIX has direct flights from German-speaking countries; a bus ride to the city center takes just under 30 minutes, followed by a ten-minute walk to St. Jēkabs Cathedral. If you're coming on foot from the north, you're already on the Camino Latvia north anyway.

From the destination: Žagarė does not have a train station. Buses run via Joniškis to Šiauliai, the region's transportation hub — from there, you can take the train or bus to Vilnius, Kaunas, and back to Riga (about four hours with a transfer). If you're looking for the Hill of Crosses, it's located right along this bus route toward Šiauliai.

• Riga Airport (RIX): The largest airport in the Baltic region, with direct flights from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
• Riga–Jelgava–Liepāja Railway: Stop in Dobele—a good place to change stages —vivi.lv
• Buses from Žagarė: via Joniškis to Šiauliai, with connections there to Vilnius, Kaunas, and Riga
• Long-distance buses: luxexpress.eu— Riga and Šiauliai in the Baltic Network