No | Name | Description |
---|---|---|
This territory is Lithuania’s most forested area, and people here have always lived in accordance with nature. Local treasures include berries, mushrooms, honey, clean water from streams and rivers, etc. People here have engaged in various crafts, as well as in beekeeping.
|
||
Riežupes dabas parks veidots g.k. Riežupes izteksmīgās ielejas, tai raksturīgo dabas vērtību – nogāžu un gravu mežu, dažādu ģeoloģisku dabas pieminekļu - smilšakmens atsegumu, alu, ūdenkritumu, upes straujteču posmu, dažādu sugu, mežu masīvu un ainavas aizsardzībai. Parka atrodas viens no Kurzemes populārākajiem tūrisma objektiem – Riežupes alas - garākais mākslīgo alu labirints Latvijā, kura eju kopgarums ir 460 m. Sākotnēji dabas veidotās alas 19. gs. vidū mākslīgi paplašināja baltās smilts ieguves nolūkos, kuras izmantoja stikla ražošanai. Parkā izveidots velotūrisma maršruts. |
||
Is an ancient Courlandian castle hill and is found in the very centre of Alsunga. It was named in 1659 when General Berg from Kurzeme put cannons on it to attack Swedish forces that had fortified themselves in the Alsunga castle. The hill is 8 to 10 metres high and 24 x 54 metres wide, offering a lovely view of the St Michael Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Alsunga windmill lake that is alongside it. There is a distinct terrace around the hill, and it once was the foundation of wooden defensive structures. On the other side of the street, to the West of the castle hill, is a cemetery with fire graves of Courlandians that date back to the 11th to 13th century. Archaeologists examined the area during the middle part of the last century. The Suiti celebrate Easter and other holidays on the hill. |
||
Vastseliina Castle dates from between the 14th and 17th centuries; during this time it was a mighty stronghold on the border between Russia and Europe and in the Middle Ages it was also a pilgrimage destination, it was destroyed in 1702 during the Great Northern War. |
||
The beautiful, tidy and artfully laid out farmstead is situated in Jaunpiebalga district. The farmstead is naturally encorporated into the landscape, the old barn is renovated and its top floor is a place for the owner’s workshop and exhibition (she is a softwares artist). The old log house has also been renovated, and the sauna has been rebuilt. A small river flows through the farmstead, and there is also a Tuleja mound on the territory, which is a natural landmark protected by the state. |
||
The craftsman produces wooden dishware and other products, making use of many local species of trees. The technique is unusual and reveals the specific texture of timber. The artist has masterfully integrated amber, bone and animal horn in his dishware. He also engraves spoons with ethnographic signs. You can commission or purchase products from the master craftsman, who also restores wooden furniture. |
||
This is one of the most lovely and expressive castle hills in Latvia, with a very fine view of territory all the way to Lithuania. According to Ernests Brastiņš, a researcher of castle hills in Latvia, this was the site of the Semigalian Sidrabene castle. There are no improvements in the area.
|
||
Interesantā būve, kurai Baltijas valstīs grūti atrast līdzinieku, ir meklējama 2 km ziemeļaustrumos no Kirblas (Kirbla). 307,8 m garo arkveida tiltu pāri Kazari upei (Kasari jõgi) uzcēla 1904. g. deviņu mēnešu laikā. Tajā brīdī to uzskatīja par Eiropas garāko šāda tipa dzelzsbetona tiltu. Tagad to var šķērsot tikai ar kājām vai ar divriteni. Tumšajā diennakts laikā tilts ir skaisti izgaismots! Tā ievērojamais garums ir skaidrojams ar apstākli, ka pavasara palos Kazari palienes applūst lielās platībā. |
||
The café is in the basement of the Līgatne Cultural Centre. There is a summer terrace alongside the Līgatne River. Latvian cuisine: Herring, cold soup, sausages, pork haché, hunter’s sausages, pork ribs, pancakes with cottage cheese, potato pancakes. Special foods: The “Pie Jančuka” pork chop. |
||
The norther part of the Liepāja fortress includes the so-called military port, which was opened to the public after the restoration of Latvia’s independence. The forts, defensive batteries, the Orthodox Sea Cathedral of St Nicholas, a water tower, a sports hall, the port’s prison, the northern breakwater, and the rotating bridge of Oskars Kalpaks are all interesting destinations. |
||
The Krustpils Lutheran Church is found at Rīgas Street 211A in Krustpils, on the right bank of the Little Daugava. The stone church which is there was built between 1818 and 1820 and consecrated in 1824. Two older churches stood on the site before then. The church was seriously damaged during World War I, and it was restored in 1924. There are several notable cultural monuments in the church – the altar painting, “Christ Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane”, the organ (with pipes that were manufactured in Germany), etc. The church is seen as one of the best examples of Empire-style architecture in Latvia, and in 1999 it was granted the European blue flag as an element of cultural heritage. There are legends about underground passages to Daugavsala, which is to the West of the church. The church is closed to visitors most days and can only be viewed from the outside. Nearby the church are two monuments – one commemorating the politically repressed, and the other memorialising national partisans.
|
||
This farm welcomes groups and individual travellers for a smoke sauna, lunch, and a chance to taste Suiti bread, buns and special seed pastries that are based on ancient recipes. |
||
This is the home of singer and oral tradition keeper Lidija Jansone, who is a holder of the Latvian Order of Tree Stars and a fierce defender of the cultural heritage of the Suiti people. She will tell you about her community’s history and traditions and about the special bourdon singing of the Suiti. Lidija will also talk about how beer was once brewed by our ancestors for various celebrations. |
||
The trip starts in Kuldīga – a jewel among the old towns in Kurzeme. The town centre is home to historic buildings dating back to the 17th – 19th century. Cobbled streets of Kuldīga, old buildings, the river Alekšupīte, running through the town, St. Catherine’s Church and organ music concerts in it, gourmet restaurants and a country delicatessen shop in the town centre is a great travel experience to enjoy in a leisurely ambience of a small town. The red-brick bridge over the river Venta is a landmark of the town. The widest waterfall of Europe, Ventas rumba (width ~100 m) lies on the Venta. Venta river promenade is a popular place for walking along the riverbank. A private transfer will take you from Kuldīga to the village of Snēpele, where you will start your hike. The trail will take you to the Pelči Manor, the manor park and the deer park next to the guest house “Mazsālijas”. Next, the Forest Trail will lead you through the Abava River Valley Nature Park up to the town of Sabile. The latter is home to a winery and cider house “Sabiles Sidra nams”, which offers tastings and sells the local wine and cider. The section along the Abava River Valley Nature Park is the most diverse in terms of landscape and terrain of a river valley in Kurzeme. The river valley with its numerous habitats and vast biodiversity reaches a depth of 30–40 m and is more than 300 m wide. One will find springs, waterfalls, rock outcrops, and boulders here. After the Forest Trail has meandered through meadows, oak forests and hillocks it finally reaches the town of Kandava. |
||
The “Dabas zirgi” centre for horse and human welfare is in the historical Mežinieku neighbourhood in suburban Rīga, and it will be a revelation to those who wish to have a sense of belonging related to Latvia and its environment. Touch the forest, enjoy the cool water of the Misa River, encounter a swamp or see the breath of a horse on a foggy morning. You’re welcome to spend a longer amount of time at this venue with new glamping opportunities in a lovely forested area next to the steep shores of the Misa River. This offers complete silence with only the woods and the river nearby. Along with the horses, of course. “Dabas zirgi” offers strolls with a horse, tours involving feeding the animals, as well as horseback rides. Family celebrations are perfect here with a lean-to, a grill, and a pot on a campfire. Contact the venue in advance to arrange for prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also a sauna with a jacuzzi. |
||
This route offers most unusual views. Seda is the only town in Latvia with Soviet-era planning from the middle of the last century, featuring a central square and streets stretching from it in a star pattern. The architectural style of apartment and public buildings is rather exotic. The Seda Swamp yielded peat moss during the first period of Latvia’s independence and is one of the largest industrial and environmental territories of its kind in Latvia and the Baltic States. Former peat fields have partly become flooded and are overgrown with reeds, thus creating an outstanding environment for nesting water birds and migrating birds which rest at the swamp. Peat is still being extracted, and perhaps you will be lucky enough to spot the “little peat moss train.” Route information from Latvijas Lauku forums |
||
Kloostrimetsa is a cider brand with centuries-old traditions. They specialize in crafting high-quality cider using traditional methods, where the cider is made from their own carefully grown apples, allowing the juice to naturally ferment to preserve its authentic flavor. In addition to cider, they also produce jams, juices, and syrups in their home kitchen. Their gardens and fields are home to various fruits and berries, including chokeberries, sea buckthorn, and blackcurrants. In spring, birch and maple sap is harvested for seasonal products. The farm practices sustainable methods, utilizing solar energy and gentle land management. |
||
This guest house is in an old baronial estate on the banks of the Neris River. You will love the landscape, the opportunity to swim in the Neris River, or ride a bike. The owners are architects who teach classes about ethnic architecture. |
||
This reserve dates back to Lake Ancilus, which was one of the original elements of what is now the Baltic Sea. The lake’s ancient shores feature wetlands, forests and flora which are all protected by the reserve.
|
||
The café is in the historical centre of Tukums in Brīvības Square. Latvian cuisine: Porridge. |