Duke Jacob of the Duchy of Kurzeme and Zemgale was on the throne from 1642 until 1862, and during that time the duchy rapidly expanded ship building operations, opened the first factories and improved agricultural output.  Jacob's ships plied the seas to export goods, to establish colonies in Tobago and Gambia, and to bring sugar, coffee and spices back to Europe.  This was the age when potatoes first appeared in Latvia, though it took a couple of centuries for them become beloved.
A great delicacy in Kurzeme is lamprey from the Usma River.  It is served in soups, baked or smoked.  During the season, there will be dishes of garfish, smelt or Baltic herring, while sprats, herring and salmon are available year-round.  Rye is used for rye bread, sourdough bread or carrot buns, and barley is used for various porridges.  Local ladies will be happy to teach you how to prepare local dishes.
During the Summer Solstice, a special cheese is almost universal, while on a daily basis, there are other tasty cheeses from cow and goat milk.  Local meat and fowl dishes are popular, sometimes potted in clay pots together with vegetables.  Side dishes include pumpkin, vegetables, root vegetables, mushrooms, beans or grits with sinfully tasty sauces. Taverns will offer wild game during the hunting season, including venison, beaver and rabbit.
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy pie, honey cakes and poppy seed pastries that are still prepared according to a Medieval recipe.  For dessert, have some blackberry dumplings or a dessert made of rye bread, honey, lingonberries or cranberries, and sweet cream.  Slake your thirst with aromatic herbal teas with honey.  Enjoy homemade wine, tasty beer or a glass of something stronger.

This is a homestead that is three km from the centre of Vecpiebalga and is in a lovely place – the Incēni hill.  There is a museum here featuring the author of the legendary fairy tale “Pussy’s Mill” by Kārlis Skalbe (1879-1945).  The poet and prose writer built the building in 1926 and spent summers there from that year until 1944.  The museum was opened in 1987.  The western slope of Vaktskalns hill right alongside the museum offers a lovely view of Lake Alauksts.  The cremated remains of Skalbe and his wife, Lizete, were reinterred at the location in 1992 from Sweden, where the poet died.  There is a unique monument to them in the form of a stone boat.

Māras birzs atrodas apmēram 4 km no Īles, Zebrenes virzienā. 2012.gada pavasarī iestādītā piemiņas birzs ir biedrības „Zebrus draugi” veltījums šīs apkaimes ļaudīm un viņu dzimtajām mājām, kas pēdējā gadsimtā ir zudušas no Latvijas kartes. Valsts meža izcirtumā iestādīto jauno kļavu, liepu un ozolu birzs centrā izveidots Māras altāris – simbolisks akmeņu krāvums, kurā katrs, kas jūt piederību šim apvidum, var pievienot savu akmeni. Birzs projekta un altāra autors - V.Lukjanovs.

Līdz akmenim aizved (ir norādes) skaista taka, kas līkumo pa Rogāļu strauta izrauto gravu. Strauta kreisā krasta nogāzē, ~ 0,1 km pirms tā ietekas Daugavā, iegūlis 6,5 m garais, 4,6 m platais un līdz 3,7 m augstais Rogāļu akmens, kura tilpums ir novērtēts ap 40 m³. Blakus tam atrodas liela atlūza.

Located on the shores of Lake Usma, it provides diverse water- and land-based recreational opportunities, a free picnic area and outdoor fireplace, as well as catering services.

One of the most popular places on Latvian seashore to buy smoked fish or fish cooked in some other way. The fish is being smoked by local undertakers so quite often it is possible to feel a nice fish smell in tte village!

The herd consists of around 200 goats. The owner will tell you a humorous story of life with goats in Latvia and Europe, the story of making goat cheese and the secrets of its taste, will invite you to try cheese which you will be able to buy later. Goat cheese that is made in Lielgrodes is not only healthy, but very tasty.

Meklējama Gosporos, starp Rīgas – Daugavpils šoseju (A 6) un Daugavu. Apjomā nelielais dievnams būvēts 1820. gadā romāņu stilā no laukakmeņiem senas kapsētas vietā. Tuvāk Daugavai ir izveidota aka, no kuras iztek Svētavots, kam piedēvē dziednieciskas īpašības. Pie baznīcas novietots dobumakmens.