Country Holidays
1741-1760 / 4329
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Few Soviet military objects are associated with more legends than this one. During Soviet times, this was a reserve airfield, as well as a storage site (just 50 kilometres from the republic’s capital city) for nuclear weapons. These were hidden in two cement hangars that were covered with soil and vegetation. Public information suggests that an RX-24 nuclear bomb weighing 430 kg and a RX-26 nuclear bomb weighing 1,030 kg were stored here, as were air-to-land missiles equipped with nuclear explosives. If there had been an accident here, what would have happened to Rīga, to Latvia, to the Baltic States and to Northern Europe? The airfield is a closed territory today.
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3 days

Take a train from Riga to Cēsis and stay in the very heart of this chaming town. It is one of the most attractive Latvian provincial towns with a medieval Livonian Order Castle, a New Castle containing an excellent regional history museum and creative workshops, a charming Old Town with St. John's Church and several cosy cafes and restaurants with live music at weekends.
There are two downhill skiing centres, Žagarkalns and Ozolkalns at the town suburbs, with well stocked equipment hire, snow machines, skiing slopes (the longest 500 m), a snowboard park, nursery slopes for beginners and kids, trained instructors, first aid post and cafes.
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This church was built between 1900 and 1903 in the Byzantine style, and was meant for the local military garrison. The church, which was built to honour St Nicholas, patron saint of all seamen, and it was consecrated in the presence of Tsar Nicholas II. The ornate building was sacked by the Germans during World War I. During Latvia’s period of independence, the cathedral was used by the local military garrison. The Soviet military, in turn, turned into a sports hall, a cinema for sailors, and a warehouse. There are stories to say that Soviet soldiers broke off bits of the golden mosaic of the icons in the church. The building has now been returned to an Orthodox congregation. The builders of the cathedral used a unique way of pouring cement, which is why there are no supporting columns in the church. Instead, its weight is bolstered by its walls, with four arched vaults supporting them. It is the tallest Orthodox cathedral in Latvia at this time.
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Medinski Vincīši boulder also called Magoņkalns (Poppy hill). Red rapakivi granite boulder is found in the tree cluster only 40 m to the left of Jaunviļāni – Medinski road and about 40 m from the right side of the river Malta. The boulder is 6,6 m long, 5,4 m wide and 3,3 m high. The circuit of the boulder is 20 m and the volume 40 – 45 m3.
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Meklējama Nīcgalē, starp Rīgas – Daugavpils šoseju (A 6) un Daugavas krastu. Baznīcu cēla (neogotikas stils) pēc muižnieka Henriha Plātera - Zīberga iniciatīvas 1862. - 1863. g., veltot to Jaunavas Marijas dzimšanai. Kā jau daudzas citas baznīcas, arī šī ēka un tās interjera priekšmeti cieta 1. pasaules kara laika notikumos. To atjaunoja 1922. gadā. Baznīcas iekārta ir saglabājusies no 19. gs. 60. gadiem, bet, centrālā altāra augšdaļu pārbūvēja 1957. gadā. Dažus gadus vēlāk - 1961. g. uzstādīja ērģeles.
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At Jūrkalne, there is a small viewing area on the steep shore which offers a magnificent view. At the foot of the shore, which can be accessed via a set of steps, the view is no less wonderful. It is worth hiking along the entire shore from Pāvilosta to Sārnate (approximately 30 kilometres).
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16 days

This long-distance tour follows the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route from the Lithuanian coast, starting on the island of Rusnė and continuing to the Curonian Spit, running along the Baltic Sea coast to Cape Kolka and finally reaching Rīga.

On this route you will hike some sections of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route and experience the diversity of coastal landscapes: rocky beaches, steep shores, overgrown beaches, bird migration sites, vast sandy beaches. You will walk on solitary beaches with no-one in sight for several kilometres just to suddenly find yourself in lively resort towns. There are both sections of hiking and bus transfers along the route.

Initially you will visit the peculiar island of Rusnė with its bird migration sites, observation towers and the delta
of the river Nemunas, which is Lithuania’s lowest point. Next, a ferry will take you to the just-as-impressive Curonian Spit – a lengthy spit of sand-dunes extending into the Baltic Sea of the coast of Lithuania. Here you will walk two sections of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route enjoying the magnificent dunes and visiting the Lithuanian Sea Museum and the Dolphinarium. Then, heading north along the coast through the Seaside Regional Park, you will reach the Lithuanian beach capital Palanga and pay a visit to the Amber Museum.

Crossing the Lithuanian/Latvian border on foot you will stop over at the Pape Nature Park and enjoy its lighthouse, wild horses, the authentic fishermen village and local museum. The walk on lone beaches takes you to the top of the highest dune in Latvia – the Pūsēnu dune – and afterwards continues to reach the village of Bernāti. Next on the route is the windy seaside city of Liepāja, also known as the Latvian capital of rock music. Karosta is another distinctive site in Liepāja – it is the former military town and nearly every street of this part of the city has some footprints of its military heritage.

Heading further, your feet will take you through the solitary beaches of Ziemupe to the village of Pāvilosta. If you are lucky, you might find some ambers washed ashore. Pāvilosta is a small charming village with a marina and some notes of smoked fish lingering in the air. Moving on, from Ventspils through Slītere National Park, through the Livonian fishermen villages to finally reach the Kolka Cape – the meeting point of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga. Also, a top site for bird watching.

At the end of the tour, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route leads to Engure Nature Park, meandering through reed trails running between the villages of Mērsrags and Engure. The tour ends in Jūrmala with its wide sandy Beaches, the bustling urban life of a resort town, impressive villas and summer cottages, and the Ragakāpa Nature Park in the resort’s neighborhood Lielupe.
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Inviting and cosy café in the very heart of Alūksne, with a wide menu for different tastes. Special dishes of the Alūksne area are also served here – salad “Temple Hill”, main course “101 Steps until the Moment of Pleasure” and the dessert “Marienburg Lake Islands”. We offer business lunches and monthly specials, as well as a children's menu.
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A place to enjoy the architecture of Cēsis and a northern-inspired meal. The chef's creative work includes popular Nordic products such as trout, elk and venison meat, chanterelles, wild berries, and smoked flavours, as well as dishes from international cuisine.
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Ancient legends say that ship sank in the sea near the old cemetery during a storm and during a worship service. The pastor and members of the congregation volunteered to use a rowboat to save the crew of the ship.  Some of the men were rescued, while others were washed ashore.  In honour of this tragic, but also happy solution, the captain called the place Feliksberga, or the Lucky Shore.  Later it became known as Pilsberga, and it was renamed Jūrkalne only in 1925.
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This farm has been offering cheese for 20 years, with milk coming from its own dairy cows.  The farm sells cheese at major markets and fairs in Latvia.
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The biggest ostrich farm in Latvia, located near Kuldīga, provides the opportunity to purchase healthy and valuable ostrich meat products and go on an excursion in the ostrich and goat farm.
 Catering services available.
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This park was established mostly to protect a wide range of cultural and historical objects such as the Trakai lake castle, the ancient Trakai cloister, the Užutrakai castle, the Bražole castle hill, the heritage of ancient local tribes, etc.
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Several of the buildings of the Šlītere Semi-Estate have survived to the present day – the servants' house (late 19th century), the pump house (mid-19th century), the smokehouse (mid-19th century), the cattle barn, etc.  A forestry building was built here in 1936 and renovated in 2010.  Since the end of 2009, the administration of the Slītere National Park has been housed here.  Today the building also houses the Kurzeme regional branch of the Environmental Protection Board.  Opposite the building are two yews, and there is a productive ivy which has covered the northern side of the servants' house.  The common yew and the Baltic ivy are symbols of Šlītere, and you can see and photograph them here without "bothering" them in their natural environment.  The pump house contains a well that is unique in Latvia – it is 34 m deep, which is nearly the height of the Blue Hills of Šlītere.  It reportedly was active until the 1970s and delivered water to the forestry system.  A fragment of the stone well can be seen as a part of the wall of the pump house.  The semi-estate is surrounded by small elements of a park, including an impressive alley of elm trees.  Locals says that pre-war Latvian President Kārlis Ulmanis spent the night at the building once while on a hunt.
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3 days

The tour starts at Jaunmokas Castle estate, where you will also find the Forest Museum. The pride of the castle is its unique painted tile stove (beginning of the 20th century) made of 130 painted tiles featuring 50 different views of the cities Rīga and Jūrmala. The Forest Trails runs along smaller tracks through the Austrumkursa Uplands, the valley of the river Slocene, along Lake Sekļa and Lake Jumprava to finally reach the town of Tukums. Well, the town takes pride in its pots, planters and flower beds with blooming roses along its streets. Next, the route meanders through forests to the demanding hillock of Milzkalns and Lake Valguma, where you will find the barefoot trail and a secluded art space within the woods. The Forest Trail continues to make a stopover at the Ķemeri National Park. The park is dedicated to protection of wetlands, since it is home to one of the largest marshlands of Latvia – the Great Ķemeri bog. As to the town – Ķemeri – it is the former balneological and sulphur springs resort. The tour ends in the village of Bigauņciems, where the Forest Trail joins with the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route (E9 European long distance path). Optionally, one can take a detour along the Lake Sloka trail with its bird-watching tower or pay a visit to the “Forest House” – the visitor’s centre of the Ķemeri National Park.
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This is a territory which regularly floods when the Lielupe River crosses its banks. These are flood-land meadows of importance to birds. The area can be surveyed from the Rīga-Liepāja highway and the Kalnciems road which runs along it.
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Latgale rehabilitation centre „Rāzna”. The rehabilitation centre „Rāzna” is built on a small hillock at Lake Zosna. Sanatorium „Rāzna” is surrounded by many trees. Originally, the house was built as a summer house for artists. The centre is an architectural monument of local importance.
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The Grandboulder of Komultēni is situated in Sakstagals rural municipality in the forests; around 700 m from Jēkabpils – Rezekne road to the NE of Komultēni. The flat top and the sides are cracked. Boulder consists of the magmatized gneiss. The circuit of the boulder is 15 m, length 5 m, width 3 m, height 1.8 m, capacity about 20 m3.
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Avinurme Cultural Heritage Centre exhibits displays of local cultural history and runs workshops for woodwork and handicraft. Old workbenches are used for carpentry, and spinning and weaving skills can be honed too. 1-3-hour programmes are available for groups.
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Painted in dark colours, this building dates back to the 17th century (the square around it is cited in documents).  The city’s first prison was in the cellar of the building, and the square was historically a place for residents of the city could gather and suffer punishments.  A pole of shame was at the south-eastern corner of the square.  The building now houses the Kuldīga Tourism Information Centre and a workshop for weavers.  Visitors can purchase products and souvenirs from Kurzeme and watch weavers at work.