Pilsētai nozīmīgākais periods ir saistāms ar laiku no 1561. - 1795. g., kad Jelgavas novads ietilpst Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogistes sastāvā. Kad Jelgava iegūst hercoga rezidences (1567. g.) un hercogistes galvaspilsētas (1616. g.) statusu, sākās strauja pilsētas attīstība, kas visaugstāko punktu iegūst hercoga Jēkaba valdīšanas laikā. Pēdējo divu Kurzemes hercogu - Ernsta Johana Bīrona un viņa dēla Pētera valdīšanas laikā tiek dibināta (1775. g.) Pētera akadēmija (Academia Petrina) - pirmā Latvijas augstskola, 1816. g. dibināta Kurzemes Literatūras un mākslas biedrība, 1822. g. iznāk pirmā avīze latviešu valodā "Latviešu Avīzes", 1802. g. top Latvijā pirmā teātra ēka, bet 1898. g. - pirmā muzejam domātā ēka. 1937. g. Jelgavas pilī izvieto Latvijas lauksaimniecības kameru, bet pēc diviem gadiem atklāj Jelgavas Lauksaimniecības akadēmiju. 1944. g. vasarā gāja bojā gandrīz visa pilsētas vēsturiskā apbūve un mākslas vērtības. Pēc 2. pasaules kara Jelgavu atjaunoja. Tikko kā ir atjaunots arī Sv. Trīsvienības baznīcas tornis, kurā šobrīd ir izveidots viens no Latvijas labākajiem interaktīvajiem muzejiem (ļoti draudzīgs ģimenēm ar bērniem).

The smoke sauna is an important part of everyday life in the Võru community in Estonia. It is the centre of a rich set of traditions including the actual bathing customs, the skills of making bathing whisks, building and repairing saunas, and smoking meat in the sauna. The sauna is a building or room heated by a stove covered with stones and with an elevated platform for sitting or lying. It has no chimney, and the smoke from the burning wood circulates in the room. People usually go into the sauna together and remain until they are sweating. Water is thrown on the heated stones to produce hot steam-laden air and bathers beat their bodies with whisks to remove dead skin and stimulate blood circulation. After sweating, whisking, relaxing and possible healing procedures, people cool themselves outside and rinse their bodies with water. The procedure is then repeated. The smoke sauna tradition is primarily a family custom, usually practised on Saturdays, but also before major festivals or family events. Its main function is to relax the body and mind. Families take turns hosting each other. Usually an older family member is responsible for preparing the sauna, accompanied by the children who gradually acquire the necessary skills. The smoke sauna tradition is part of the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Mooska Farm is a typical smallholding in Southern Estonia. The Veeroja family are proud to share their life with guests and introduce them to the smoke sauna.

Rančo Riisa atrodas Soomaa Nacionālajā parkā (Soomaa Rahvuspark), kur ir ļoti daudz dabas velšu, ko izmanto arī ēdienu gatavošanā. Pēc pastaigas pa nacionālo parku un spirdzinošas saunas saimnieki piedāvās maltīti pēc labākajām Soamaa tradīcijām.

This route passed along many places where events directly related to the emergence of the Latvian state and to the subsequent freedom battles occurred.  The historical route from Rīga to Liepāja via Dobele, Saldus, Skrunda, Durbe and Grobiņa was used as long ago as the 13th century.

People in the Kurzeme region of Latvia have always eat sea, river and lake fish, particularly smoked fish.  Potted smoked cod, served in a clay pot, is a particular delicacy, as are smelts, sea pike, sprats, herring and salmon, available all year long.  Ladies of the house bake tasty rye bread, sourdough bread and tasty carrot buns, and they also cook various porridges from barley.

Dairy products, Summer Solstice cheese and “white butter” has an important role. Fresh goat milk cheese is prepared with dills and garlic, and goat milk cheese is also tasty. Menus will include local domestic fowl and meat dishes, including roasts, ribs, sausages, as well as more exotic dishes such as pig’s tongue and bull testicles. Fancy taverns will offer pheasant and wild game with mushrooms, lingonberries, juniper berries and wild herbs.

In Kurzeme you will be greeted with delicious pies, sheet cakes, poppy seed pastries and honey cakes, biscuits with poppies and cranberries, dessert from rye bread, lingonberries or cranberries and sweet cream.Blackberry dumplings are popular. More unusual are marmalades made from wild plants such as mountain ash, cranberries and even fir needles. Slake your thirst with aromatic herbal teas with honey and enjoy a mug of beer or some homemade wine.

Pilsētas aizsargdambi upes labajā krastā (1830. - 1841., autors kara inženieris P. Meļņikovs) cēla ar mērķi aizsargāt pilsētu no applūšanas. Dambis stiepjas 5,6 km garumā. Pēc 1922. g. postošajiem plūdiem uzsākta aizsargdambja celtniecību arī Daugavas pretējā - kreisajā krastā.

Handicraft house Heltermaa is a local Hiiumaa grocery and handicraft shop, open during the summer season. The selection is very wide, starting from ceramic dishes and ending with Hiiumaa lemonade.

The route leads through beautiful flower gardens of Kurzeme and Žemaitija. The largest in Latvia collection of Dwarf Bearded Iris is found in Kandava. Mierkalni is the largest daylily garden in Eastern Europe, with more than 1000 varieties. The owner also produces fruit and berry wines.  In the Talsi Hillocks Nature Park there is the Kurzemnieki apple growing and processing apples (dried apples, apple chips, juices). It also grows Roman snails. The Upmaļi environmental and health farm produces teas, herbs, plant oils, special balms, cosmetics, plant-based soaps, etc., under the brand name AnnA Bermans. Latvia’s oldest magnolia, 50 years old, is found at Sauleskalni arboretum. Over 100 varieties of peonia are grown in Ziedoņi peony garden. The owners of Maras Manor offer stories of historical German manors in the area.  Milk Estate Berghof houses a milk museum. Exotics flower and tree cultivars are found in Māra Lindes dendrological gardens. Turaidas farm produces herbal teas and sacks thereof as souvenirs or gifts, using lemon balm, raspberry, tansy, alchemilla, Plantago major and linden. In Nīca village, 7 decorative gardens maintaining the local gardening tradition are open for visitors. Rucava arboretum displays a collection of magnolias. The largest Japanese garden in Europe (16 ha) is a home to collection of traditional aromatic plants and vegetables.  Palanga Manor housing the Amber Museum and Birutė Park is one of the best-preserved manor complexes in Lithuania. Kretinga Manor Park is one of the oldest surviving 16th–18th century manor parks in Lithuania. Klaipėda University Botanical Garden has a coastal ethnographic garden with flower arrangements characteristic of this area. Klaipeda, the most popular seaside resort town in Lithuania. The Sea Museum and Dolphinarium are among the most famous attractions there. Šilutė Manor has two parks – an English landscape park with walking paths and the forest park known as Varnamiškis, or “Crows’ Forest”. Pakalnė is a unique traditional fisherman’s homestead with garden plants typical of the Lithuania Minor region.

200 m attālumā no Gulbenes – Madonas ceļa mežainā nogāzē iegūlis 2,4 m augstais akmens. Tā lēzenajā virsmā iekalta ap metru gara, 0,3 m plata un ap 4 cm dziļa iedobe, bet akmens šķautnē - pakāpieni. Uzskata, ka šis ir sens kultakmens, pie kura ziedots. Lai nokļūtu līdz akmenim, vasaras otrajā pusē var nākties brist pa garu zāli.