Before the stone Turaida Castle was built beginning in 1214, there was a wooden castle there that had been built by the Livs.  The Turaida Castle was owned by the bishop of Rīga.  It remained in place until 1776, when it burned down.  The initial entrance to the castle's main tower was 9 m above ground, and in 1936, a viewing platform was installed at a height of 27 metres.  There is no other view in Latvia that is like the one from the Turaida Castle!  Restoration work at the castle began in 1953, when the upper level of the tower was restored and a roof was installed.  Also restored was the former granary, which was home to an exhibition about the Sigulda region, along with the semi-circular tower and the southern segment of the castle complex, complete with the full reconstruction of its historical interior.  Archaeological work was done around the castle between 1976 and 2001, and this led to the restoration of a large part of the complex.  The castle now contains a museum exhibition related to the historical events of the surrounding area.  The Turaida Castle is in the Turaida Museum Reserve (see above).

To start the tour you take a train from Riga to Liepaja, a city with white sandy beaches and a lively cafe culture. The route goes through suburbs of Liepaja to the former millitary town where you see the Orthodox cathederal, old naval fortifications, former barracks and an imposing military prison which is now a tourism site. Pavilosta is a small seaside town and a favourite with windsurfers. Next the route follows the picturesque coastline, including steep banks at Jurkalne and finishes at the well-maintained town of Ventspils. Then along to fishing villages that are home to the tiny Finno-Ugric ethnic group, the Livs. At Cape Kolka the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga. Here, sampling the local smoked fish is a must. Further on, the route crosses three different types of sea shore – the stony beach at Kaltene, a sandy one at Upesgriva and coastal meadows at Engure. Finish with the trails at Kemeri National Park and return to Riga from the popular resort town of Jūrmala.

Der Stützpunkt des Livländischen Ordens. Der Bau der Burg war eine Strafe für Ortsbewohner. Die Burg wurde nach dem Befehl des Dänischen Königs Frederik der II 1576 vernichtet.

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.

The Baltic Sea gave this territory one of the old names of Jūrkalne – Felixberg, and people still talk about the interesting legend that is the origin of the name.  Several wrecked ships have been found in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Jūrkalne.  An exhibition in the museum visualises the underwater world as the deck of a ship that has sunk into the depths of the sea.  The exhibition focuses on the cultural and historical heritage of underwater Latvia, allowing visitors to learn all about the history of sailing ships, steamships and other objects that have been raised from the depths.  Small children will start to learn about the underwater world, and researchers with broader knowledge will find something new here.

Also known as Lake Jēsis or Lake Iesis, this is the lake in Latvia which has the largest number of islands.  Many literary sources and encyclopaedias in the 20th century claimed that there were 69 islands in the lake, but that was an exaggeration, because apparently the authors took sandbars overgrown with reeds and other plants to be islands.  The true number is approximately two times lesser.  The largest number of islands can be found in the north-eastern part of the lake.  The largest one is Lielā Lāča (Big Bear) Island (45 ha).  A farm was on the island at one time.  The islands and the oak trees that are on the shores of the lake – the Piļoru and Pahatnīku stands of trees – are in a restricted environmental reserve.

The tour makes a loop through historical regions of Sēlija and Latgale. It starts and ends in Daugavpils, the 2nd largest city in Latvia.
Sēlija tree nursery offers a tour of their apple orchard, apple storage and production facilities. Enjoy a glass of apple juice and stories of vinemakers. On the way, a visit to Berķenele memorial house of Rainis, the distinguished Latvian author and social activist. Grape selection and cultivation was the great passion of Pauls Sukatnieks, and his memorial garden is worth visiting during the harvesting time. At Kaldabruņa you will visit an art gallery housed in a hay-shed together with a hay museum. The romantic landscape park at Asares estate dates back to the 18th century and exposes carefully picked tree and shrub varietes. Riekstiņi is an authentic single-family Selonian farm with a specific spirit and ambience. Nereta Evangelical Lutheran church is one of the oldest stone buildings in Sēlija region dating back to 1584. Sauka Nature Park offers nice landscape views from a viewing tower. Rudzīši wineyard grows about 80 grape varieties. Pick your own blackcurrant berries at Bāniši berry farm. A beautiful landscape garden is open for visitors at Gundegas house.  200 year old oaks adorn the Vārkavas Park.  At Naujene museum of regional studies you will see an exposition showing the house of a wealthy Latvian farmer from the turn of 19th-20th centuries. Vasargelišķu viewing tower is 24m high and offers great views over the meandering Daugava River. Ethnographical Slutišķu village with carefully maintained wooden cabins exemplifies traditional Latgalian architecture. Kurmīši farm grows medicinal plants that are very common in Latvia – oregano, St John’s wort, wormwood, lemon balm, catsfoot, etc. 

Atrodas Rucavas galvenās ielas malā, netālu no centra.Rucavas draudzi dibināja 1871. gadā, bet izmēros nelielo dievnamu uzcēla 1888. gadā.

Ap 0,5 km ziemeļaustrumos no Stukmaņu muižas – Daugavas ielejas labajā krastā atrodas Vīna kalns – sens pilskalns. Tajā atrodas izpostītie Stukmaņu muižas īpašnieku kapi. Mazliet tālāk redzams klajš upes ielejas nogāzes posms, kurā savulaik darbojās slēpošanas trase.