Daugavpils

Daugavpils is Latvia's second-largest city, set on the banks of the Daugava River in the southeastern Latgale region, close to where Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus meet. Founded in the 13th century and known at various points in its history as Dinaburg and Dvinsk, it has long been a crossroads city, and that layered past is still visible today in its architecture, its faith communities, and its languages.

Unlike Riga's polished capital-city feel, Daugavpils is quieter, more industrial, and shaped by its history as a 19th-century Russian imperial garrison town - a legacy embodied by the vast, largely intact Daugavpils Fortress. The city is also the birthplace of Mark Rothko, one of the 20th century's most celebrated painters, and it has embraced that connection with a dedicated art centre. Most residents speak Russian as a first language alongside Latvian, giving the city a distinct, multicultural feel within Latvia.

Daugavpils has a more continental climate than Latvia's coastal cities, with hotter summers and colder, snowier winters than Riga or Liepāja. Summer (June to August) is the most comfortable season for sightseeing, with daytime temperatures typically in the low-to-mid 20s°C (70s°F) and long daylight hours.

Winters run cold and can bring substantial snow, with temperatures frequently dropping well below freezing from December through February - atmospheric for a walk around the fortress, but requiring serious cold-weather layers. Spring and autumn are transitional and changeable, with fewer crowds and moderate temperatures, making them a reasonable shoulder-season option.

Daugavpils has no significant commercial airport, so most travelers arrive via Riga, roughly 230 km (about 3 hours) to the northwest, which has Latvia's main international airport and rail and bus connections onward to Daugavpils. Regular intercity buses and trains run between Riga and Daugavpils multiple times a day.

Because of its location near the tripoint of Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus, Daugavpils is also reachable by road from northeastern Lithuania (Lithuania's Zarasai and Ignalina areas are close by). Latvia is part of the Schengen Area and the EU, so travel from other Schengen countries involves no border checks, and many non-EU nationalities can enter visa-free for short stays - confirm current requirements for your nationality before traveling.

Central Daugavpils, including the fortress area and the main pedestrian streets around Rīgas iela, is compact and walkable. For sights further out, such as the Latgale Zoo or Stropu Lake, the city's bus and trolleybus network covers most areas affordably.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available and inexpensive by Western European standards, useful for reaching the fortress complex or outlying sights without waiting on bus schedules.

• Daugavpils Fortress - a vast, remarkably intact early 19th-century citadel, described in detail in the dedicated section below.
• Mark Rothko Art Centre - housed inside the fortress's former artillery arsenal, the only place in Europe permanently displaying original Rothko paintings, alongside exhibitions on his life and Daugavpils roots.
• Vienības laukums (Unity Square) - the city's central square, notable for having Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox churches clustered close together, a visible sign of the city's religious diversity.
• Daugavpils Synagogue - built in 1850 and restored in 2005 with support from Mark Rothko's own children, it's one of the last reminders of a Jewish community that once numbered in the tens of thousands here.
• Daugavpils Local History and Art Museum - a broad overview of the city's civic, cultural, and artistic history from its founding to the present.
• Slutišķi Old Believers' Farmstead - a small open-air museum preserving the wooden houses and way of life of the Russian Old Believer community that settled in the region generations ago.
• Latgale Zoological Garden - a family-friendly zoo with native and exotic animals, set beside a lakeside park.
• Daugavpils Theatre - the city's main stage for drama and performance, and a handsome piece of civic architecture in its own right.

Construction of Daugavpils Fortress began in 1810 under Tsar Alexander I, in anticipation of Napoleon's invasion of the Russian Empire, and the fortress successfully withstood a French assault in 1812 even while still unfinished. It went on to serve as a major garrison of the Russian Empire and, later, the Soviet military, and today it stands as the only early 19th-century fortress of its kind in Northern Europe preserved without major alterations.

The complex is enormous - around 2 square miles, with roughly 80 buildings along ten internal streets - and much of it still has the hushed, half-abandoned feel of a garrison town frozen in time, with old barracks, ramparts, and a former Soviet military academy among its structures. Restoration is ongoing, and the restored Nicholas Gate is one of its most photographed features. Within the former artillery arsenal sits the Mark Rothko Art Centre, opened in 2013 to honor the abstract expressionist painter, who was born in Daugavpils (then Dvinsk) in 1903. It's the only place in Europe with original Rothko paintings on permanent public display, on loan from his estate, alongside a broader collection of contemporary art and rotating exhibitions.

Plan for at least half a day to explore both the fortress grounds and the art centre together, and wear comfortable shoes - the complex is large and best appreciated on foot.

• City Centre / Rīgas iela - the main pedestrian shopping and dining street, along with Vienības laukums, forming the commercial and civic heart of Daugavpils.
• The Fortress District - the walled former garrison town north of the centre, home to the Mark Rothko Art Centre and the fortress's historic streets and gates.
• Naujene and the Stropu Lake area - a greener, more residential and recreational part of the city, popular for lakeside walks and outdoor time away from the historic core.

Daugavpils' food scene reflects its multicultural population, blending Latvian and Latgalian dishes with Russian, Polish, and Belarusian influences. Look for Latgalian specialties like dark rye bread, potato-based dishes, and hearty soups, alongside dumplings and other Slavic comfort food that's common across the region's kitchens.

The pedestrian streets around Rīgas iela and Vienības laukums have the city's main concentration of cafés and restaurants, ranging from casual bakeries to sit-down dining. Local ceramics - Latgale is historically known for its pottery tradition - sometimes double as a food-adjacent souvenir, with hand-thrown pieces sold at markets and craft shops around the centre.

The city centre, around Rīgas iela and Vienības laukums, is the most convenient base, putting restaurants, the main museums, and easy access to the fortress within walking distance or a short ride. Options here range from small boutique and business hotels to serviced apartments.

Because Daugavpils sees far less tourist traffic than Riga, prices are generally lower and availability is rarely an issue outside of specific festival dates. Travelers focused on the fortress and Rothko Centre may also look at accommodation closer to that district for an easy walk into the complex.

• Aglona Basilica - around 35 km away, a major Catholic pilgrimage site built around a healing spring discovered by Dominican monks over 300 years ago, and one of Latvia's most important religious landmarks.
• Krāslava - a small town roughly 35 km east on the Daugava River, known for its manor house and scenic riverside setting.
• Rēzekne - the unofficial "capital of Latgale," about an hour north, with its own castle ruins and a landmark Sacred Heart cathedral.

Daugavpils itself is a low-crime city and safe for ordinary sightseeing; the fortress complex includes some restored and some still-derelict areas, so stick to open, accessible sections and avoid entering unstable or officially closed buildings.

Daugavpils sits close to Latvia's borders with Belarus and Lithuania. Latvia has maintained enhanced security measures and access restrictions along parts of its Belarus border since 2021 due to state-facilitated irregular migration, and some crossing points have been closed to traffic; these restrictions apply to the immediate border area rather than to the city itself, but travelers shouldn't attempt to approach or photograph the border zone, and should check current crossing status before planning any onward travel toward Belarus. As always, keep an eye on belongings around the train and bus stations and in crowded public spaces.

Latvia's general emergency number is 112 for police, fire, and medical services.

Daugavpils is one of the more affordable cities in Latvia, with costs for accommodation, food, and transport noticeably lower than in Riga. Latvia uses the euro, and the compact size of the city centre keeps transport costs low, since most sightseeing can be done on foot or with occasional short bus rides.

Many of the city's main sights, including Vienības laukums, the fortress grounds, and the synagogue exterior, are free to visit, with modest entry fees for museums like the Mark Rothko Art Centre and the Local History and Art Museum. Meals at local cafés and restaurants are generally inexpensive by Western European standards.

Daugavpils has a majority Russian-speaking population alongside Latvian speakers, and both languages are commonly heard in daily life; English is less widely spoken here than in Riga, particularly among older residents, so a translation app can be useful. Politeness and a reserved, low-key manner are appreciated when meeting people for the first time.

Tipping around 10% in restaurants is customary but not obligatory. Given the city's religious diversity, it's worth dressing modestly and behaving respectfully when visiting any of the churches, the synagogue, or the Old Believers' farmstead.