Rundāle Palace: Latvia's Versailles
A Baroque palace by the architect of the Winter Palace, with far fewer visitors than comparable palaces in Western Europe — here's how to plan the trip.
Quick Answer
Rundāle Palace is 77 km south of Riga, about 1.5 hours by bus (infrequent — check timetables) or car. Entry runs €7-13. Designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, architect of the Winter Palace, it's the grandest Baroque interior in the Baltics with far fewer crowds than its Western European equivalents.
Browse guided Rundāle day trips →Why It's Called "Latvia's Versailles"
Rundāle was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the Italian architect behind the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, commissioned in the 1730s-40s for Ernst Johann von Biron, Duke of Courland and a powerful favourite at the Russian imperial court. The result is a genuinely lavish Baroque and Rococo palace — on a smaller scale than Versailles, but built with the same ambition and by architects working in the same continental tradition.
The palace had a rough few centuries afterward — used at various points as army barracks, a hospital, and a school — before a long restoration effort brought the staterooms back to something close to their original grandeur. What you see today is the product of that restoration, not a reconstruction from nothing.
What to See Inside
- •The Throne Room — gold-gilded and the palace's most photographed room.
- •The Duchess's Boudoir — original 18th-century decor, one of the best-preserved rooms in the palace.
- •Period furniture and porcelain collections — spread across the grand staterooms on both wings.
- •The French formal garden — best May-September, with the rose garden peaking in June-July.
Getting There
Buses run from Riga Coach Station, taking about 1.5 hours for roughly €5 each way — but services are infrequent, so check the timetable at autoosta.lv before building your day around a specific return time. A rental car gives far more flexibility and lets you stop at Bauska Castle on the way, a ruined medieval fortress at the confluence of two rivers, easily combined with Rundāle as one full day out of Riga.
Compare car rental from €20/day →Rundāle is one of several strong day trips from Riga — see our full day trips guide for Sigulda, Jūrmala, Kemeri Bog, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to Rundāle Palace from Riga?
By bus from Riga Coach Station (around 1.5 hours, roughly €5 each way, though services are infrequent — check autoosta.lv before travelling), or by rental car, which also lets you stop at Bauska Castle on the way.
Why is Rundāle Palace called Latvia's Versailles?
It was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the same architect behind the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, in the same lavish Baroque and Rococo style as the great continental palaces — hence the nickname, even though it's a fraction of Versailles's size.
What is inside Rundāle Palace?
Restored staterooms including a gold-gilded Throne Room and the Duchess's Boudoir with original 18th-century decor, alongside period furniture, porcelain, and decorative art collections spread across the palace's grand halls.
When is the best time to visit Rundāle Palace gardens?
May through September for the French formal garden in full bloom, with the rose garden at its peak in June and July. The palace interior is open year-round regardless of season.
Planning your Rundāle day trip?
Last updated: July 2026. Bus timetables change — verify current schedules at autoosta.lv before travelling.