The church was built from 1801 until 1804 by Fridrihs Veits from Cēsis.  At the centre of the altar is a painting, “Christ on the Cross,” which dates to the latter half of the 19th century.  The bell was cast in 1895, and the organ was built in 1914.  In front of the church is a 1930 monument to those who fell during World War I and Latvia’s liberation battles (sculptor Kārlis Zāle, architect Aleksandrs Birzenieks).  Restoration of the façade and interior of the church was finished quite recently.

The saloon is in the centre of Vecumnieki and features antique household objects as part of its interior design. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared on an open fire, making use of an ancient spirit and the cookbooks of grannies. Desserts, too, are all made from natural ingredients.

Latvian cuisine: Pork with sauerkraut.

Special foods: Handmade pierogi with home-cured meat.

Latvia’s newest national park (2007) is in the “land of the blue lakes” – the region of Latgale. One of the goals of establishing a national park was to preserve the natural treasures of the region. Lake Rāzna, which is the second largest in Latvia, is there, as is Lake Ežezers, which has more island than any other lake in Latvia. There are other bodies of water, as well as typical landscapes of hillocks and a unique cultural environment. One of the most popular destinations in the park is Mākoņkalns Hill, which offers a lovely view of Lake Rāzna. Administrators of the newly established park are working on the tourist infrastructure – trails, routes, etc. Perhaps visitors would be advised to postpone their trip to the Rāzna National Park for awhile.

A place in the centre of Tartu where one can enjoy small and light fish & chips style meals made from the products of Lake Peipus. The small shop combines Peipus' area dining experiences with modern cuisine, using only the best local products. Very popular choices are fish & chips made from pike perch fillet, juicy burgers, as well as wraps.
 

To the North of the Cesvaine Castle is a park that is crossed by the rapidly flowing Sūla River.  The Cesvaine castle hill is on the northern bank of the river, is around 15 m high and is covered by trees today.  The grave of the owner of the castle, Adolf von Wolff, is there.  It is said that he wanted to have his casket dragged to the gravesite on a sled.  He died during the summer, but that was done anyway.  The park features a wide diversity of trees and bushes, some of which the owner brought home from his extensive travels.

Jaunpils development is linked to the Livonian Order's castle, which until now has hardly changed its building volume and appearance. From 1561 until 1919 it belonged to the barons Reki family. In 1905 the castle was burned down, but later it was reconstructed under the supervision of architect V. Bockslaff. Substantial castle restoration work began during the sixties of 20th century. Now in the castle is a museum, but gourmets can taste medieval dishes at the castle tavern.

This convent-type castle was built in the mid-13th century by the bishopric of Piltene.  Annexes were added in the 16th and 19th centuries to create a typical internal courtyard.  The Neo-Gothic forms of the castle’s façade date back to the 1830s.  From the 16th century to the 1920, the castle was owned by the noble Behr family.  After it was burned down during the 1905 Revolution, the castle was rebuilt in two years’ time.  The castle is known for ghost stories, tales of elf weddings, and stains of blood in the Red Room that are supposedly the result of a murder.  A fireplace was built to hide the stains, but they reappeared.  Since the privatisation of the castle, the interior has been restored with halls and cellars that are decorated with elements that are typical to the castle.  Its rooms and viewing tower are open to the public.  In the park, visitors will find the Alley of Love and the elf oak tree.

Atrodas Raganas centrā pie degvielas uzpildes stacijas, viesnīcā „Raganu ligzda”. Piedāvā mūsdienīgu Latvijas virtuves ēdienkarti. Kompleksās pusdienas. Sadarbojas ar vietējām zemnieku saimniecībām.

This study tour is designed to show Latvia's rye traditions as their central focus. This tour has been developed in cooperation with the Latvian Bakers’ Association.

Rye is both the basis of the Latvian diet and  a powerful symbol of Latvia's culture and culinary traditions. Itinerary emphasize traditional rye bread-baking and eating, as well as insights into the history of the rye grain from Latvia's earliest archaeological record to the present day. Itinerary include visits to working farms, grain mills and culturally and historically important locations.

This study tour is designed for groups and may be adapted to the needs, interests and timeframe of each client. Tour cost includes meetings with experts, site visits and admissions, accommodations, specified meals, sightseeing, transportation within Latvia and guides-interpreters.

The Eleja creamery offers tastings of cheeses from the farm that is run by the Mālkalns family (apply in advance for the tastings!).  There are seven kinds of cheeses, including smoked and matured cheeses.  There is French cheese that has been prepared in partnership with a French cheese-making specialist, M Eribert.  Blūdži is in the Sesava Parish, 7 km from Eleja, and welcomes small groups.  The farm bakes bread, processes vegetables (tomato juice) and prepares other country goodies.