On April 21 and 22 of this year, Finland’s most popular car and lifestyle show, “Kolmosvaihde” (translated as “Third Gear”), visited Latvia. This is already the fourth time the Finnish team has chosen our country as a filming destination, and this time the goal was clear—to showcase Latvia as an authentic, diverse, and internationally competitive destination.
The show’s creators make no secret of it—every visit reveals something new. Latvia manages to combine seemingly incompatible things: motorsports and adrenaline with untouched nature and refined gastronomy. It is precisely this contrast that attracts both corporate event organizers and car enthusiasts.
Forest adventures: safety and respect for nature
Filming began in the Ropaži forests with an off-road adventure organized by "4x4 Overland." Under the guidance of a professional instructor, the Finns discovered that off-road driving in Latvia isn’t just chaotic driving through mud. It’s a safe, well-planned, and sustainable activity that demands respect for the environment.
Our Finnish colleagues remarked: “This isn’t just an attraction—it’s a real experience. It’s surprising how quickly you can get from the hustle and bustle of the city to an environment where you can completely disconnect from everyday life.” “4x4 Centrum” also demonstrated comparable quality in this niche, confirming that Latvia is an excellent destination for incentive tourism.
Gastronomy in nature: "luxury without pretension"
One of the highlights of the visit was a lunch in the forest, prepared by chef Niks Gulbergs. Gulbergs is a well-known name in motorsports circles—he worked for the "Red Bull Racing" Formula 1 team for more than ten years. Now he applies his experience at the "Kungu rija" restaurant in Sigulda.
Niks is able to bring the precision and pace of F1 to the open-air kitchen. It was a perfect example of the concept of “luxury without pretension”—a trend currently dominating European slow travel. The hostess from Vecumnieki added a touch of warmth to the experience by treating the team to soup cooked on the spot.
Motorsports and Restoration Masterclass
The show’s team also appreciated the “Raceway Baltic” infrastructure—it turned out to be the ideal place to combine adrenaline with a professional workflow, which is essential for corporate clients. The Finns acknowledged that Finland lacks a similar motorsports entertainment park.
The Finns expressed particular enthusiasm for the "Riga Master Workshop." It is not just a simple workshop—it is a place where legendary retro cars are reborn from piles of metal. This visit highlighted the skills of Latvian craftsmen, which cannot be replaced by factory assembly lines. As the program’s producers noted, this place is the real “cherry on top” and a rare phenomenon even on a European scale.
Results in Numbers
Soon, four segments about Latvia will be available on the Finnish channels MTV, MTV Sub, and the streaming platform MTV Katsomo. These stories are expected to reach at least 1.5 million viewers—car enthusiasts and business professionals.
The program producers’ summary following the visit:
- 4x4 Overland: A highly sought-after product for which there is no equivalent offering in Finland.
- Raceway Baltic: A comprehensive and impressive motorsports entertainment park.
- Green Road Trips: A top-tier ATV adventure in picturesque scenery.
- Riga Master Workshop: Unique restoration quality rarely found in Europe.
This visit is yet another confirmation that Latvia is capable of offering world-class services while preserving its special, authentic character.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
