Tuhala region has settlements of about 3000 years of age. There are 11 ancient settlement sites, 30 cult stones, 3 burial sites, 4 sacred groves, etc. Tuhala Landscape Reserve has a unique natural feature - the Nõiakaev (Witch´s Well) which “boils” up water during floods at 100 l/s, and 5 mightiest energy columns of the country.
Tuhala karst area features a 2.5 km hiking trail, suitable for family trips, walking, cycling or driving.

The Daugava is the largest river in Latvia and the river of destiny for the Latvian people.  Since the end of the Ice Age, plants and animals travelled into what is now Latvia along the Daugava River valley, followed then by humans.  The shores of the river have some of the oldest settlements in Latvia, as well as a true wealth of different kinds of plants.  The density of outstanding cultural and historical monuments is why tourists love the shores of the river.  The Rīga-Daugavpils rail line offers comfortable travel between Rīga and Jēkabpils.  Below, find other train stations where it is worth disembarking to take circular hikes that last for a few hours or half a day before returning to the station.

Route information from Latvijas Lauku forums

Renda is a very old town, first mentioned in historical sources in 1230.  During the 13th century, Renda was one of the centres of the ancient Courlandian land of Vanema.  When Courland was split up in 1235, Renda was taken over by the German Order, and local residents were forcibly drafted into its military.  During the age of the Duchy of Courland (1562-1795), the region flourished despite wars, the bubonic plague and other problems, particularly during the rule of Duke Jacob (1642-1682).   During the 17th century, Renda became something of a manufacturing centre, churning out timber products, with local lime kilns, watermills, flax weaving facilities, a glass factory and a boiling house for saltpetre and soap.  Wine, perfumes and barrels were produced in Renda, as was cast iron for nails and many other things.  The court at the Jelgava Castle loved the sour wines from Renda.  All of this was destroyed during the Great Northern War (1700-1721).  During the 19th century, a chemicals factory was built on the site of the burned Renda castle, and nearby was one of the largest leather tanning plants in Kurzeme, along with a manufacturing facility for turpentine.  Cultural life began to develop in parallel to this.  Renda suffered much during the two world wars and the subsequent Soviet repressions.  The so-called Courelian Battalion of partisans went into the forests after the occupation to continue their struggle against the Soviet regime.  Renda today is a small and quiet village with the Lielrenda Estate, a local church, the “devil’s boat” at the Abava River, and the Īvande waterfalls.

The farm "Krūmiņi", popularly called the Bread House, is a place to participate in real rural bread baking rituals, make dough and bake pies yourself, get to know grains, explore grain products, create Latvian strength signs and learn about centuries-old traditions related to bread. The heartfelt owners of the farmstead in the old barn also offer to enjoy the anniversaries, unusually celebrate their special holidays and enjoy extended life skills programs with soup cooked by the fire and watching natural events. When visiting the Bread House, you will learn why bread is baked here with the taste of freedom for almost 100 years, and the merry owners of the house know best to tell about it.

Old Kybyn Inn in Trakai serves traditional Lithuanian food like their Karaite meat pasty – the Kybyn as well as other sorts of food.

The farm produces homemade wine made of rhubarb, birch juice and apples. Tour the winemaking facilities and examine the process. You can taste and purchase products.

Located on the right bank of the Daugava, the church can be seen from various parts of Piedruja.  The first wooden church was built at the instruction of Prince Jan Stapekha in 1632, and it burned down in 1759.  The Baroque stone church that is there now was built in 1759 with its two towers, and it may have been designed by an Italian architect.  The towers stand 27 m high, and under the church is a cellar.  The towers have three bells – the largest one dates back to 1711, the middle-sized one was manufactured in 1896, and the smallest dates back to 1619.  The largest bell weighs nearly 0.4 tonnes.  Inside the church are many important cultural and historical monuments, including a central wooden altar with a painting of the assumption of Mary, three 18th century altars, a pulpit from the early 19th century, St Anton’s altar, a fresco of the Holy Trinity, church dishes from the 17th century, etc.  The building is surrounded by a large garden with a stone fence and stone repositories at the corners of the garden.  Two priests, Kazimirs Konvalevskis and Broņeslavs Stefanovičs are buried here.  Stefanovičs played a major role in the restoration of the church after World War I.  The Piedruja congregation first emerged during the first half of the 17th century.

Pilsētas rajons dienvidos no Ventas grīvas, kura mūsdienās redzamā mazstāvu koka apbūve sāka veidoties 19. gs. vidū. Ostgala pirmsākumi meklējami 1836. g., kad Krievijas valdība, solot priekšrocības, aicināja apkārtnes zvejniekus apdzīvot smilšaino un kustīgo kāpu pārņemto piekrastes daļu. Ostgals ir atzīts par valsts nozīmes pilsētbūvniecības pieminekli.

This is the only place in Latvia where old organs are restored and new ones are built.  The workshop also manufactures music boxes.  Tour groups can learn about the history and principles of organ building and about the instruments as such.  The workshop was installed in the stable of a former manse in 2004, and it is owned by Jānis Kalniņš.