No 50133
Self drive tour
Self drive tour Independent travel Latvia, Lithuania

Latgale – Aukstaitija: craft foods and artisans

10 days

During this trip you will visit the workshops of craftspeople, farms that breed horses, as well as various destinations where you can enjoy country goodies.  Ancient skills are now a modern application.

First you will stop in Ikšķile, and at the very beginning of the trip, you will visit a cellar that stores birch juice wine and taste sparkling wine.  In Skrīveri, you will be surprised by the transformation of milk.  A cosy café on the main street of the small town offers outstanding homemade ice cream featuring strawberry, anchovy and horseradish flavours.  In Koknese, you can supplement your wardrobe with a new leather belt, bag or stylish leather jewellery.  A farm that grows hemp will offer a small tour, as well as hemp delicacies.  The work of black ceramics masters in Latgale fits into modern interiors.  The Aglona Bread Museum offers a chance for visitors to bake their own loaf of bread.  The visit to the next farm will allow you to add tasty cheese that has been made from milk from Latvian brown cows.  The last stop in Latvia will be Daugavpils, which features an art centre featuring the work of the globally known abstractionist Mark Rothko, as well as the Daugavpils fortress, that was built in the 19th century and is an impressive military building.  This is one of the most popular tourist destinations.  From there you will travel to Lithuania, where you will visit several traditional farms.  The Ilzenbergo Dvaras estate has a bio-dynamic farm.  You will taste Lithuania's national sweets which are called šakotis.  You will visit the town of Anykščiai, which offers a hike along a trail that is above the trees.  A horse museum offers a look at old farm equipment.  Next you will visit farms that will inform you about traditional Lithuanian cuisine and the work of potters.  The Dubingiu horse farm offers horseback rides.  At the conclusion of the tour you will visit the unique Trakai lake castle (14th and 15th century), as well as Vilnius.

Agri Heritage