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Ģipka is a village that once was the site of the first maritime school in Kurzeme.  It was opened in 1869, just a few years after a similar school in Ainaži.  This was a Category 2 maritime school, which trained helmsmen for long-distance trips and captains for short-distance trips.  The school was moved to Mazirbe in 1894.  Before the maritime school, the building housed a different kind of school, and a second floor was added in 1867 specifically for the maritime school.  Today this is a residential building.  During 28 years, the school trained more than 200 professional sailors, and it was of great importance in facilitating ship building in shoreline Liv villages. (Source: Roja TIC)

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1 day

Setomaa has been inhabited for about 8,400 years, which makes it one of the oldest human settlements in Estonia. It is located on the border of Eastern and Western civilisations, bordering Russia, Latvia and Estonia. Setomaa is famous for its well-preserved traditions and culture. For centuries the local handicraft skills have been passed down within families. Seto polyphonic singing (Seto leelo) is inscribed on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Setos have distinctive national costumes, rich in detail and unique to each family. Perhaps most impressive is the distinctive array of Seto jewellery. These visually striking pieces not only reflect the social standing of the wearer but are also worn as a safeguard from misfortune. To this day, the Seto lifestyle remains closely tied to nature. It is common practice for the Seto not only to enjoy the natural beauty of the forest but to also use its gifts. Berries and mushrooms are picked freely in their seasons.

It is best to start the tour from Võru and finish in Tartu.

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2 days

This part of the Forest Trail passes through the historical centre of Valmiera. In Valmiera you can visit St. Simon’s Church, the Ruins of the Livonian Order Castle and Valmiera Museum. We also suggest walking the barefoot trail in “Sajūtu Parks” (Park of Senses). After sightseeing in Valmiera, the Forest Trail goes through Atpūtas (Recreation) park, the beautiful pine forest and Baiļi winter ski centre. Further on you will walk along the River Abuls Trail, curving along the banks of the river until reaching the Brenguļi brewery built in an old Hydroelectric power plant. You can enjoy unfiltered and unpasteurised beer here. Further down you will enter unpopulated forest areas and the Northern Gauja protected landscape area.

The forests in Northern Gauja (“Ziemeļgauja”) are very diverse. There are old or natural boreal (northern) forests and marsh forests, oak forests, alluvial forests (formed on river sediments which periodically flood) and mixed oak, wych elm and ash forests along the river. The tour will end in Strenči Town.

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Muiža vēsturiskajos dokumentos pirmoreiz ir pieminēta 16. gs. Tagad redzamā vienstāva kungu māja ir vairākreiz pārbūvēta laikā no 17. – 19. gs. 1997. g. ēku vēlreiz atjaunoja un tagad tajā atrodas viesu nams un Vilsandi nacionālā parka apmeklētāju centrs, kur var iegūt ne tikai vērtīgu informāciju, bet arī apskatīt Vilsandi apkārtnē atrastās fosilijas. No Lonas muižas var uzsākt pārgājienu uz Vilsandi salu. Vienā no muižas ēkām ir izveidota Vilsandi nacionālajam parkam veltīta ekspozīcija.

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The owner offers groups of various sizes a chance to go to the sea in a fisherman’s boat and to watch shoreline fishing, as well. The lamprey eel weirs that are on the Svētupe River differ from those on the Salaca River in terms of their structure and the fishing principles. During the season, the owner prepares tasty smoked lamprey eels.

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The narrow gauge rail line between Alūksne and Gulbene  has tracks that are 750 mm wide and was once part of a rail line between Stukmaņi and Valka.  Today it is the only passenger train on a narrow gauge railroad in Latvia, offering services every day.  The Alūksne station was opened in 1903, and 33 km line with 10 stations and other stop scan be covered in approximately 90 minutes.  A festival is held each year  -- one that is very popular among fans of small trams.

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This park is located along the shores of the Tērvete River Valley. It is a vast forested area which has been adapted successfully for travellers. In 2004, it was nominated as the most family - friendly destination in the land. There is a web of trails for one-day hikes. Viewing tower on the shore of the Tērvete River, views also from the Tērvete castle hill and Zviedru (Swedish) Hill.
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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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This is a view worth a journey from a distance. This is an impressive terrain for Latvia, and here you will see as far as the Hanja highlands of Estonia, where the Great Munameģis Hill – the highest surface in the Baltic States – can be found.
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Astoņus kilometrus no Kroņauces, saimnieks izveidojis lielāko orhideju kolekciju Latvijā. Interesanti apskatīt arī eksotiskos dzīvniekus - iguānas, sarkanausainie bruņurupuči, pitons un šņācējtarakāni, kuri šeit atraduši mājvietu. Saimniecībā ir arī Šetlandes poniji, ar kuriem var jāt bērni.Piedāvā makšķerēšanu zivju dīķos un teltsvietas.
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Atrodas 2,5 km dienvidos no „Kalna Kaibēniem”, Ogres kreisajā krastā. Ap 300 gadus vecā rija, ko atjaunoja 2008. gadā ir uzskatāms par Baltijas (Eiropas) mērogā vienreizēju koka arhitektūras pieminekli. Šobrīd tā ir Latvijā lielākā senlaiku dzīvojamā rija. Iespējams, ka kādam var būt arī grūtības ar šī objekta atrašanu dabā. Apmeklējums iepriekš jāpiesaka: + 371 29266840.

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Atrodas Skolas ielā 12, Priekules pamatskolā. Tās krājumā ir plašs Priekules novadā iegūto vēsturisko liecību klāsts – sadzīves priekšmeti, darbarīki, dokumenti, padomju gados izsūtīto un represēto cilvēku atmiņu stāsti u.c. liecības, kā arī Priekules skolu attīstības vēsture.

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Peony collector Andris Berkens opens up his garden to visitors each spring and popularises and praises the name of Tērvete by bringing beautiful stories about flowers throughout the world.  Flowers can be purchased to enhance a visitor's garden, and the recommendation is to visit when the flowers are in full bloom. Visit is free of charge.

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One of the three highlands of Southern Estonia with scenic hills and beautiful sights. In its center lies the bay-rich Lake Pühajärv (translating from Estonian - Holy Lake).

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The Forest House (Meža māja) was built in 1933, and this is one of the most outstanding buildings in Latvia from the style of National Romanticism. It used to house an enormously popular restaurant, “Merry Mosquito" (Jautrais ods). The restaurant was popular among the spa’s guests, but also among prominent people of the day. A children’s sanatorium was installed here after World War II for kids from all over the Soviet Union. When the Ķemeri National Park was established in 1997, the building became its headquarters and today it is a modern visitors’ centre.
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Muižas ansamblis veidots 19.gadsimtā, tās arhitektūrā atspoguļojās vairāku eklektisma formāli stilistisku virzienu uzslāņojumi, taču dominējošais bija baroka stils. Tā bija grāfa Kazimira Plātera-Zīberga (1808-1876), vēlāk grāfa Fēliksa Konstantina Plātera-Zīberga (1847-1928) rezidence. Pils un daļa saimniecības ēku tika iznīcinātas pirmā pasaules kara laikā, krievu armijas lielkalibra artilērijas apšaudes gaitā. Pārpalikušās drupas laika gaitā tika nojauktas. Līdz mūsdienām saglabājušies vārtu stabi, kas ir apmierinošā tehniskā stāvoklī. Muižā bijusi arī grāfa Zīberga 1697. gadā celta mūra kapela ar altāri un skaistām gleznām. Dievkalpojumus esot noturējis Ilūkstes prāvests. Bijušie īpašnieki: 18. gadsimtā barons A. Plāters-Zībergs, Kazimirs Plāters-Zībergs (1808-1876).
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Stupeļu Hill is 3 km to the South of the Vecumnieki-Ilūkste road. There are no signs, so the castle hill might be difficult to find. The Great Stupeļu Rock, which is discussed further on in this guidebook, is also hard to find when there is vegetation. Stupeļu Hill is approximately 30 m high, and it was one of the highest castle hills in the historical district of Selonia. Archaeologists say that it was first abandoned at the beginning of our era and then populated again during the late Iron Age. It is interesting that iron was extracted and processed near the castle hill. Archaeologists believe that this is the site of one of the earliest “cities” in the region. To the West of the hill is the Great Stupeļu Rock, which is 6.7 m long, 5.6 m wide and up to 2.7 m high. Above ground, it is 35 m3 large, and it may have been a cult location. During archaeological digs in the late 1970s, antiquities from the 10th to the 13th century were found here.

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The breeding of Californian red snails and production of bio-humus. You are offered a short excursion around the production, information about breeding snails and the production of bio-humus.

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This is a route for hikers and bicyclists, starting at the village of Vaidava and then moving along the eastern shore of the narrow Lake Vaidava, which has steep cliffs around it. The trip covers the Veļķi baronial estate, the “Swedish pine”, the famous Vaidava (Metimne) hillfort, a series of streams, the great Rubene rock, the Vaidava baronial estate on the western shore of the lake. After that, the trail leads the visitor back to the starting point.
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Located in Vihula Manor Country Club&Spa complex, in the historical Ice Cellar, a rustic Estonian countryside tavern, is seating up to 100 guests on 2 floors. The tavern is featuring limestone walls decorated with old farm tools, wooden beams, waitresses in traditional Estonian customs, Estonian folklore music, traditional Estonian countryside cuisine based on natural and ecologically balanced produce and a large selection of beer and ale. The tavern offers traditional Estonian buffet lunch and dinner specifically designed for groups and also the possibility to book a folkloric dance show or traditional Estonian live music.