Ancient trade routes distributed not just products, but also knowledge, culture and everything that was new and unknown.  Pastor Ernest Glück, for instance, may have already started work on a translation of the Bible into Latvian when he travelled from the Daugavgrīva fortress near Rīga to Alūksne.  There he finished his masterpiece and planted two oak trees alongside the manse that are still there.  Glück also established the first school in Vidzeme for Latvian children.  He was a pastor, translator, author and teacher.  Thanks to him, the Hernhutian movement of brethren flourished in Vidzeme after the Great Northern War.  It directed spiritual and political development and brought Latvians closer to their national awakening.

Of great importance in the Path of Light is Piebalga, which became very important in terms of culture in Latvia.  Culture, science and even politics took on new meaning and sounds.  This is where Kārlis Skalbe, the Kaudzītes brothers, Jānis Poruks, Antons Austriņš and other major figures from the national awakening lived and worked.  The very spiritual aura in this place has not disappeared to this very day.

The fantastic Cesvaine castle has been renovated, and the narrow-gauge railroad between Gulbene and Alūksne is still rolling alone.  The ruins of the Marienburg castle in Alūksne conjure up visions of the hidden wealth of the Order of Templates and the young woman who was bricked into the castle’s walls.  No less intriguing is the story of Marta Skovronsky, who would rise to become Empress Catherine the Great of Russia.

The Madona Regional Research and Art Museum offers a look at the past and present, while the Ate windmill at Kancempji offers a look at more than 4,000 unique items from the history of our countryside, complete with buildings that are more than 100 years old.

In 1615, Courlandian Duke Friedrich Kettler (1569-1642) allowed Bauska to build a new city hall.  At the beginning of the 17th century, Market Square in Bauska featured the largest city hall in the entire duchy.  A lack of money led to the dismantling of the hall’s tower in 1852 and its second floor in 1871.  A new city hall was built in 2011, and now Bauska can be proud of a new and outstanding tourist destination that can also be entered.  The restored city hall offers a chance for people to weigh themselves and measure their height with old-time measurements.  Each person who does so receives a certificate to attest to his or her height and weight.

The owners began to grow watermelons in 1997, using types that are appropriate for the climate in Latvia. Of particular interest are watermelons which have a yellow interior. The largest watermelon that the farm produced weighed 11 kg. During the season, you can purchase watermelons and hear advice from the owners.

Salos, Vaišnoriškė, Strazdai, Šuminai sind die bewohnten Dörfe im Augštaitija- Nationalpark, in denen historische Einzelgehöfte mit Holzgebäuden erhalten sind.

The restaurant is in the southern part of Liepāja and features an open-type kitchen that allows clients to watch the chefs at work.

Latvian cuisine: Mushroom soup, fish soup, crepes, potato pancakes, lamb chop, grilled pork filet, steams tongue of veal, leg of lamb, cottage cheese dessert.

Special foods: Cod soup a la “Olive” or a special ice cream cake.

The tour presents UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latvia and Estonia. Experience the famous traditions of song, national crafts, architecture and food of the unique Suiti and Seto ethnic groups.