The estate owned by the dynasty of Baron Osten-Zaken was rebuilt in 1856 and 1857, because the old estate was sacked during the Crimean War (1853-1856).  At the beginning of the war, British warships bombarded Latvia's shoreline and ships with the purpose of scaring the Russian tsar.  Some of the gunfire hit Kolka, which was part of the Russian Empire at that time.  After the estate was destroyed, the so-called White House was built there with a series of ancillary buildings.  A mantel chimney was installed on the second floor, and it was used to smoke wild game (the chimney is still there).  The estate belonged to the aristocrats until 1919, when its last owner, Christian von Osten-Zaken, was shot in Tukums.  An elementary school, known as the Kolka School, was installed in the White House in 1929.  It remained open until 1961, when a new school was built.  Crafts lessons were offered at the building until 1989, at which time it was known as the Old School or the Small School.  In 1991, the Old School was taken over by the Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia, and it has been used for summer internships for students ever since 1994.

A farm and holiday house in the hilly landscape of Vidzeme, Cēsis 35 km. The hosts produce marmalade sweets from organically certified rye bread and other products, bake rye tin loaves, and make rye gingerbread dough, as well as the bread drink kvass. They also make jewellery and handicrafts. Produce can be purchased.

One of the most interesting objects in Bigauņciems, the road begins at the seashore, crosses the Vecslocene River (there is no bridge, but hikers and bikers can get across it), and then continues as a forest road to Lake Melnezers.

This park is in an area which has not been affected much by humankind – sandstone cliffs, an undisturbed diversity of caves, other habitats, species and landscapes is the attractive aspect of this area. The Salaca River is one of the most important rivers in the Baltic Sea region for the spawning of salmon, and it is the second most popular river for water tourists in the Latvian region of Vidzeme. There are geological monuments which are very attractive to visitors – the Red cliffs, Skaņais Hill, the Neļķu cliff, the Velna (Devil’s) cave, etc. There are also cultural monuments such as the Livonian castle hill, the Vecsalaca baronial estate, the Livonian Museum, the Vantenberģi estate, the unique Salaca lamprey weirs, etc. Also in the park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Vidzeme – the Skaņākalna park, which has a dense network of footpaths. The Salaca is also popular among fishermen. This is part of the Northern Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve.

This route passes along one of the most diverse and beautiful parts of the coastline of the Bay of Rīga.  You will see the Randu meadows, which are known as Latvia’s open-air “herbarium” because of the diversity of plants that can be found there.  The coast features various sizes of rocks and stones, as well as no shortage of lovely and sandy beaches.  This is the only place in Latvia where Devonian sandstone cliffs can be seen.  Past each horn there is a different landscape, and the last 20 kilometres of the route are paradise for bird watchers during migration season.  The route is in the Northern Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve.

Route information from Latvijas Lauku forums

From Riga airport the tour goes straight into countryside to Jaunmoku manor, surrounded by an attractive park. Next day, birding starts at Ķemeri National Park, including wet-forest areas and locations around Lake Kaņieris and Ķemeri village. Then the route follows the west coastof the Gulf of Riga with some small stops along the way and longer walks at Mērsrags. Next you spend some time at Cape Kolka and its surroundings which is a prime migration spot. Visitthebroad-leafforests of Slītere National Park around the ancient coast of the Baltic Ice Lake and drive through Užava floodplain fields, then stop at the westernmost point in the country, Akmeņrags. The tour continues to Liepaja and Pape Ornithological Station and lake where it is possible to spend a night watching the owl migration if it has started. Then we drive through Zvārte wooded area and make some stops at fish ponds on the way back to Riga.

Augstā un purva vidusdaļā - pārejas tipa purvs, putniem nozīmīga vieta. Apmekļējumiem nav piemērota infrastruktūras trūkuma un sugu aizsardzības nolūkā.

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.