The town of Subate was first listed in documents in 1570, when Duke Gotthard Kettler of the Duchy of Courland sold the Subāte marketplace to Count G. Plater-Sieberg. When the Plater-Sieberg dynasty converted to Catholicism in the mid-17^th century, Lutherans in Subate protested by moving to the eastern bank of Lake Subate. That was the property of the Prode Estate (only ruins remain at this time), which was owned by the Osten-Sacken dynasty. In 1685, the Osten-Sackens built a Lutheran church for the “refugees,” and Jaunsubate was established around it. Both parts of the town were merged again in 1894. During Latvia’s liberation battles in 1919, Subate was liberated by Lithuanians, at which time the town was divided up between Latvia and Lithuania (though the border between the two countries was set at the previous line in 1921). The historical centre of Subate was established between the 16^th and the 19^th century, and it includes four churches for various congregations and low wooden buildings which stretch along narrow and curvy streets. The town is on the shores of a sub-glacial depression with Great Lake Subate and Lesser Lake Subate therein. This provides the town with unusual landscapes for Latvia.

The Pilkalne Estate is in a remote location on the border of Latvia and Lithuania, 5 km to the Southwest of Nereta. Lovers of history certain must visit this estate. Why? One reason is that the grain kiln of the estate, which is gradually being restored, and the grain drying stove, a few wooden parts of which have been preserved, are unique in Latvia. The stable and servants’ home have also survived and are populated today. The buildings were built in the 18^th century. The owner can tell you stories about interesting aspects of this location’s history.

Ein hervorragendes Sakralensemble im Barockstil (17 – 18 Jh.), eine Kirche und ein tätiger Nonnenkloster.

The museum at Valdemāra Street 47 was opened in 1969 in the building of the maritime school that was opened in 1864 at the suggestion of Krišjānis Valdemārs.  The school trained more than 1,000 sea captains and helmsmen.  The exhibition at the museum relates to the operations of the school, as well as the building of sailing ships on the Vidzeme shoreline during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.  There is a collection of anchors, as well as the top of the Ainaži lighthouse, which was once washed away by the sea, but has been restored.

The large farm is to the South of the centre of Lone, producing apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries and black currants. It stores apples during the whole winter. You can help to pick the fruit and berries and purchase them for yourself.

This farm grows tulips and has nearly 400 different types of bulbs.  A tulip festival is held each spring, and bulbs can be purchased in the autumn.  Also on view are a pony, goats and rabbits.  The farm also offers cakes, pastries and other treats.

The museum has more than 120,000 objects which focus on the history of Liepāja and Southern Kurzeme from the Stone Age to the 19th century.  Another exhibition is focused on the life and work of the wood sculptor Miķelis Pankoks (1894-1983).  New art exhibitions are periodically staged at the museum.

The G.F. Stender Museum is at the former Laši pastoral estate, 500 m to the Northeast from the Nereta-Ilūkste road. Gotthard Friedrich Stender (1714-1796), also known as Old Stenders, was the author of the first broader Latvian language grammar book (1761), the first Latvian-German and German-Latvian dictionary (1789), the first Latvian primer (1782), and the first illustrated primer, “ABC of Pictures” (1787). He worked as a pastor in Sēlpils and Sunākste and was born at the Laši pastoral estate, at which one of the buildings now contains a small museum. A memorial stone (sculptor I. Folkmanis, architect N. Tamane) is alongside the Nereta-Ilūkste road.