Construction of the Sigulda castle was begun by the Order of Brethren of Swords in 1207, but in 1236 it was rebuilt for the needs of the Livonian Order.  The building suffered much damage during wars in the latter half of the 16th century and the early part of the 17th century.  It was burned down during the Great Northern War and was not restored.  Visible today is the south-western wing of the castle’s convent building and the main gate tower, behind which is the internal forecastle with an open-air stage that offers an impressive view of the ancient Gauja River valley.  The new Sigulda castle was built between 1878 and 1881, and it was owned by Count Kropotkin.  From 1923 until 1940, the castle housed a centre for writers, and during the Soviet Union it was a hospital for cardiology patients.  Since 2003, the Sigulda Administrative District Council has been located here.  The buildings that have been preserved include a wooden home (mid-19th century), where the Kropotkin family used to live, a granary (late 18th or early 19th century), the home of the gardener (19th century) and a brick wall (19th century).  If we go to the north-eastern direction, we will find the Vējupīte valley less than two kilometres away.  It includes the shallow (3.6 m) but high (6.1 m) Pēteris cave and the deep Pūču valley with the little Kraukļupīte River.  At the place where the two valleys come together we find the Satezele castle hill (its flat surface is 90 x 75 m), where, in the early 13th century, the oak castle of the ruler of Livonian lands, Dabrelis, was once found.  Nearby is the Kraukļu valley, with 11 m sandstone walls and a cave that is 5.2 m deep.  Nearby is the Paradise (Painter) hill, which offers a lovely landscape that has been painted and photographed since ancient times.  There is a Ferris wheel in the western part of Sigulda that is open during the summer, as well as an aerial tram that is the only transport vehicle of its type in the Baltic States and was installed in 1969.  The cable that carries the tram is 1,060 metres long and links the shores of the ancient Gauja River valley between Sigulda and Krimulda.  The cable is approximately 40 metres above the Gauja.  The south-western part of Sigulda features the mighty Beite cliff which is split by a deep stream valley.  To the west of the cliff is the Emperor’s View viewing area that is 67 m above the Gauja and offers a good view of Krimulda and the Turaida Castle.  A viewing area was established here in 1862, when Tsar Alexander II of Russia visited Sigulda.  The wooden Emperor’s chair is to the east of the viewing area.  The Turaida Museum Reserve is in the place where the shore is split by deep valleys carved out by streams.  It features several outstanding monuments that are as much as 1,000 years old.  Of note are the Turaida Estate (21 buildings), the grave of the Rose of Turaida, the Turaida Lutheran Church (1750), which is one of the oldest wooden churches in Latvia) and the Turaida Castle.  Folksong hill, which is nearby, is used for various thematic events.

Most popular Estonian resort with wide range of leisures and SPA offers. One of the rare Estonian sandy beaches. The Old Town has the main walker street - Rüütli tee.

Madonas centrālais laukums, kas vēl 20. gs. sākumā bija tirgus laukums. Pēc apjomīgās restaurācijas tas ir kļuvis par ievērības cienīgu pilsētvides objektu. Laukuma ziemeļu pusē atrodas pilsētas un novada pašvaldība un Madonas novada TIC.

The largest city near the Liv Coastline, where visitors will find the Ventspils branch of the Liv Association and the Liv ensemble "Rāndalist." In nearby Tārgale are the Liv ensembles "Kāndla" and "Piški kāndla."

was first mentioned in written form in 1582.  A census in 1736 found two farms, Lekši and Žonaki.  A census in 1935 found that there were 106 people in Vaide, including 40 Livonians, 60 Latvians and a few Estonians and Germans.  In 1939, there were 21 homesteads in the village.  Nika Polmanis (1823-1903) was born at the Lāži homestead.  He was the first educated Livonian and lived in the region for all his life.  Livonian poet Alfons Bertholds (1910-1993) wrote a poem about a noble oak tree that grows alongside the homestead.  The vast Berthold family is linked to Žonaki -- Livonian storyteller Marija Šaltjāre, yacht captain Andrejs Bertholds (USA), his son, library scholar Artūrs Benedikts Bertholds (USA), Livonian poet Alfons Bertholds, Livonian language specialists Paulīne Kļaviņa and Viktors Bertholds, Swiss doctor Marsels Bertholds, globally renowned pianist Arturs Ozoliņš (Canada), and Livonian language storyteller and poet Grizelda Kristiņa (1910-2013), who was the last native speaker of Livonian.  The Ozolnieki homestead is also linked to the Bertholds family.  Paulīne Kļaviņa (1918-2001), a specialist in the fields of Livonian traditions and language, and her mother, Livonian storyteller Katrīna Zēberga, both lived there.  Paulīne collected ethnographic objects that can be seen at the Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum in the granary of the Livonian Dēliņi farm.  The Purvziedi homestead in Vaide is owned by forest ranger Edgars Hausmanis, who has a collection of forest animal horns and antlers.

Ļoti skaists un ainavisks etnogrāfiskais ciems Balošas (Baluošas) ezera ziemeļu krastā, netālu no diviem iepriekš minētajiem ciemiem. Te apskatāmas interesantas un skaistas koka ēkas, kas celtas no guļbaļķiem, ar niedru vai lubiņu jumtiem un izrotātas ar dažāda veida dekoratīvajiem elementiem. Pirmo reizi rakstos Šumini minēti 1784. g. Savu vārdu ciems ieguva no kādreiz dzīvojošas ģimenes uzvārda. Kā interesantākā ir jāpiemin sena klēts.

The Capital of Lithuania. One of the biggest East Europe's old towns (included in UNESCO World's Cultural Heritage list) where there is a lot of representation of various architecture styles like Classicism, Baroque, Gothique, etc.

Valdemārpils is a small and quiet town along the shore of Lake Sasmaka.  A village of craftsmen and merchants was established on the land of the Sasmaka Estate in the 17th century.  There were quite a few Jewish merchants and craftsmen in towns in Kurzeme during the mid-19th century, and Sasmaka was known as their capital city.  The city was named Valdemārpils in 1926.  Its historical 19th century centre is a monument to urban construction.  The town has a Lutheran church, an Orthodox church, a former synagogue, a monument to Krišjānis Valdemārs, and an outstanding linden tree.

Ja mērķis ir savākt pilnvērtīgu etnogrāfisko ciemu fotokolekciju, ir jāapskata Strazdi (no lietuviešu valodas strazdai tulkojumā nozīmē strazds), kas ir pavisam neliela apdzīvota vieta Balošas (Baluošas) ezera ziemeļu krastā. Strazdi pirmoreiz rakstos minēti 1783. g. un ciema nosaukums cēlies no kādas mežziņu dzimtas uzvārda.

Kandava is first mentioned in the articles in 1230. In 1253 the Livonian Order built a stone castle at the upper part of Abava valley shore, at the foot which of an urban area formed. In the 17th century Kandava became an important trading centre. The plague epidemic and developments of World War I hit the town and its people hard. Kandava got the town rights in 1917. During soviet Soviet times, Sports Complex of Jaunkandavas agricultural Technical School became a popular training venue.