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You can go fishing on Lake Usma and then the lady of the house will cook tasty fish soup and smoked fish from what you catch. You can rent a boat, take part in fishing and casting of nets (in the winter, too), or take a cutter trip on the lake. You can also taste canned smoked bream and go horseback riding. |
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This is an ancient and important place for trade and craftsmanship on the left shore of the Rīga hydroelectric power plant reservoir. It rises some 15 m above the Daugava River. The Zemgale port that is described in historical documents is thought to have been located alongside the castle hill and at the mouth of the little Varžupīte stream. Antiquities that have been dug up here suggest that the castle hill and its adjoining ancient settlement were populated until the late 12th century, when the importance of Daugmale began to shrink because of rapidly growing Rīga. The foundations of the castle hill have been shored up. |
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The church was built between 1932 and 1938 to replace an old Neo-Gothic wooden church. It was designed by J. Cīrulis. Until 1994, the building housed a venue that rented out films. Today it houses an exhibition, “From Foundations to the Steeple: Photographs of Ancient Lettigalian Construction Jobs.” This documents the construction of the church. The 37 metre steeple offers a good look at Rēzekne. |
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This cliff is made of sandstone (its lower part) and limestone (the upper part). It is up to 30 m high, and it is part of the Northern Estonian set of cliffs along the shore of the Bay of Finland. This is a popular tourism destination and viewing location. Recommended Hike along the bottom of the cliff (a rocky beach) in one direction, and then along the top of the cliff to get back (~2 km). From the top of the cliff, you can see a broad segment of the shoreline territory, all the way to Tallinn.
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Atrodas 6,5 km ziemeļos no Cirgaļiem, P 23 ceļa malā, Ziemeļgaujas aizsargājamo ainavu apvidū. Torni vērts apmeklēt pavasara laikā, kad no tā redzamas applūdušas Gaujas palienes. |
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This is an ancient populated area. There were 50 homesteads here during the 1930s, with only ten remaining in 1990. The Livonian scholar and entomologist Kārlis Princis (1893-1978) was born in Oviši. In 1944, he emigrated to Sweden. The Oviši lighthouse (1814) is 38 metres high and is the oldest functioning lighthouse in Latvia. There are lovely views from the top of the lighthouse. The building in which employees of the lighthouse used to live was erected in 1905 and has been preserved. A narrow-gauge train station was in the building at one time. The Oviši Lighthouse Museum is nearby, as is the metal Tree of Austra. Opposite Cape Oviši is a great place for bird watching. |
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Pēteris Barisons (1904-1947) was a Latvian composer and conductor, and this is his birthplace – the Skudras homestead. The exhibition features the composer’s personal items, including musical instruments, documents and other bits of evidence about his life. Call +371-6512-9504 to arrange for a visit. |
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Until the 1680s, where the Vecdaugava neighbourhood is located, there was a castle which, because of natural changes in the riverbed of the Daugava, was then dismantled and “moved” to the Left Bank of the Daugava. Nothing remains of the castle, but people can still see the remnants of old barriers and moats. Swedish soldiers used the facility at the beginning of the Great Northern War. The place is certainly interesting in the context of Rīga’s history and military heritage, and if you’re in the northern reaches of the city, we recommend that you go and have a look.
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Wine production at Allikukivi takes place in the old servants’ house of the broadcloth factory director. Guests are welcome to taste a wide variety of drinks on the estate's balcony and explore the secrets of wine making, history of the manor and berry plantations. Manufacture of fruit and berry wines using Estonian recipes. |
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This farm is engaged in dairy farming and rearing chickens; the obtained eggs and milk is processed in its very own dairy plant. You can taste various dairy products, including ice-cream in the farm, and also get to know the entire production process. You can also order meals for a picnic and apply for a dairy product masterclass. |
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This is one of the most visually expressive coastal defence batteries in Latvia. Why? Because most it has been fully or at least partly washed into the sea, creating a truly unusual landscape, particularly during stormy weather. This is an historical monument which is subject to the mighty power of Mother Nature. The battery can also be seen from the Northern breakwater of Liepāja. It’s worth hiking the four kilometres along the beach to the Northern Forts. Along the way, you can take a look at the No. 23 Coastal Defence Battery.
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The historical route from Rīga to Liepāja passes through Dobele, Saldus, Skrunda, Durbe and Grobiņa, and it dates back to the 13th century. Remnants of Scandinavian settlements near Grobiņa also testify to the antiquity of the region. Many things happened on the road and around it that were directly linked to the establishment of the Republic of Latvia and to its subsequent freedom battles. At the Tīreļpurvs swamp, Latvian riflemen demonstrated their battel capabilities and heroism during the so-called Christmas battles, thus proving that a new country had been born. The trails of the swamp are open to visitors, and there is an historical exhibition at the Mangaļi homestead. Rīga is clearly marked along this route by the Latvian National Theatre, where independence was proclaimed in 1918. Later the hostile attack of Bermont’s forces was stopped at the banks of the Daugava, and the superior force was ejected from Rīga and Latvia. Approximately 70 km from Rīga is the Pikšas museum, which is the birthplace of Latvian President Kārlis Ulmanis and a good example of farming between the two world wars. The museum of Colonel Oskars Kalpaks at Airītes offers a look at battles that occurred in the region and at things that Kalpaks did during World War I and the subsequent liberation battles. There were battles near Skrunda and Saldus, and it was in Liepāja that German General von der Goltz conducted a coup that led Latvia’s temporary government to seek refuge on the ship the Saratov, upon which it sailed to Rīga after the city’s liberation. Liepāja has always been an important port, and once it offered passenger services all the way to New York. |
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The farm has a fabulous apple orchard and also grows potatoes and strawberries. You can buy apples and taste strawberries. |
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In a document from 1387, the village is named Minor Irva. Until the mid-20th century, Mazirbe was the largest Livonian village on the coast of Kurzeme. It was a fishing village and a centre for fishing. The village had a church, school, pharmacy, forestry company, several stores, a post and telegraph office, train station, barber shop, bakery and photo workshop, as well as a brick kiln. During the 1930s, a local fishing co-operative built a fish processing plant here. The Livonian Association was established here in 1923, and the Livonian People's Centre was opened in 1939. Oppoite the centre is the Stūrīši homestead (the home of the Taizel dynasty), where you can learn about everyday household objects and, by ordering it advance, taste local foods. The first chairmen of the Livonian Association, Kārlis Stalte and Māritņš Lepste, lived in Mazirbe. Cultural worker Kārlis Stalte (1870-1978) spent man years as the verger and organist of a church in Mazirbe. Mārtiņš Lepste was a Livonian language teacher in the 1930s. The former Maritime School building can be viewed from the outside. Some 2,000 students attended the school between 1894 and 1914. During Soviet years, the army had a base here. |
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This area is full of coastline meadows, lagoons, muddy little lakes and sandy shallows, all full of reeds. This area of the eastern shore of the Bay of Rīga is found between Ainaži and Kuiviži. The Randa meadows are an enormously important location for water birds and rare plants – some 500 in all. A new bird-watching tower and a nature trail have been established for those who wish to study the meadows.
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In Dagda, on the side of Daugavpils Street, there is a forested hillock that is the Lubāne castle hill. On the upper part of its southern side, there’s a viewing area which offers a view of the small Lake Lubenenis, the eastern part of Dagda, and the white tower of the local Catholic church. Legend has it that treasure is buried here.
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The so-called Comet Fort was built on the Left Bank of the Daugava at its mouth, not far from the present Daugavgrīva lighthouse. It was built around the same time as the other forts of Mangaļsala (around 1808, although some sources say 1788). There were four Kane-type 152-mm cannons. The defensive batteries at Komētforts and Mangaļsala repelled a British naval attack in the Daugava estuary in 1855. It has to be added that Komētforts is a cultural monument of local importance. If we go along the shore of the sea from the Daugavgrīva nature reserve toward the Daugavgrīva lighthouse and scale the frontal dunes (without going past the sign which says “Closed Territory. Border Zone.”), then we can see the positions of the cannons, as well as underground cellars where munitions were once stored. The territory starts approximately 500 metres before the Daugavgrīva lighthouse and stretches to the lighthouse itself. During Soviet times, the territory was closed to civilians, because many secret military objects were in this area and in Bolderāja.
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Atpūtas vieta ģimenes īpašumā Vārvē, kurā tiek piedāvāti pirts rituāli. Tāpat ir iespēja pārnakšņot namiņā un atpūsties pie dabas un Ventas upes. |
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The tower is locatede in the Niedrāji-Pilka swamp. Access it via the old Ainaži-Valmiera-Smiltene narrow gauge rail line, which dates back to 1912, and then take the wooden footpaths which are approximately one kilometre long. This is a high-type swamp with small lakes at the foot of the tower. It is in the ZBR. |
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Atpūtas vieta Braslas upes krastā. Tajā ir galdi piknikam, nojumes ar galdiem, ugunskura un telts vietas. Pieejamas divas divvietīgas naktsmītnes. |
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