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An ancient Latgalian settlement. During the 10th century Kraslava district was under authority of the Prince of Polotsk, but the 13th century - under the authority of the Livonian Order. Until the beginning of 18th century it existed as a manor centre. In 1729 Kraslava was bought for 1400 thalers by Johan Ludvig Plater. Plater family ruled Kraslava for two centuries. In the of the18th century Platers began construction of Krāslava palace. After first division of Poland in 1772 Latgale was annexed to Russia. Kraslava began to perish. After construction of Riga - Daugavpils - Vitebsk railway (1865) economic life flourished again. Kraslava was little affected by the World War II, therefore, early wooden buildings of 20th century remained almost untouched. |
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Visitors can help to smoke fish, including plaice, bream and garfish, taste the resulting food and listen to stories about seashore fishing traditions. The homestead also features some 20 type of shoreline fencing that are typical of the so-called Liv Shore. |
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 6 days
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On this trip you will encounter a rich blend of wetland, woodland and coastal habitats, when almost all the species have arrived and some passage migrants still remain, with the possibility to see around 200 different species. Birdwatching starts in the Gauja National Park with beautiful rolling relief, then goes to the eastern edge of the Gulf of Riga and Lake Burtnieks where there is also the chance of night trekking on the flood plains. Seda bog with its reed beds and flood plains is rich in wildlife. Next day canoeing along the Gauja river will offer a different viewpoint to see the birds, plus with luck some beaver and other wild fauna. Then you pass through oak forest to Lake Lubans. Its wetlands and fish ponds form one of the prime birdwatching sites in the country. A local speciality - fish-soup - will keep you warm. The site is also one of the first known stone-age settlements in Latvian territory. On the way back to Riga there is a stop at Garkalne pine forest. |
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Between 1883 and 1891, the estate that was once owned by the Šadurskis family was rented by the father of the great poet Rainis, Krišjānis Pliekšāns. Rainis spent his youth at the estate, as reflected in the poet’s The Land of My Youth Days. Rainis translated Pushkin’s Boris Godunov while at the state. In honour of the poet and his contributions in the world of literature, an exhibition, “Rainis’ High School and University Years,” was opened at the estate in 1964. The restored cattle shed today offers a look at the work of potters in Latgale. |
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The museum has more than 120,000 objects which focus on the history of Liepāja and Southern Kurzeme from the Stone Age to the 19th century. Another exhibition is focused on the life and work of the wood sculptor Miķelis Pankoks (1894-1983). New art exhibitions are periodically staged at the museum. |
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Tillu is a home café located in Põlva farm store. The place has a slightly eclectic, bohemian vibe, but is warm and cosy at the same time. Pastries and pies are made here every day, therefore the place is filled with pleasant aromas. |
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The farm uses ancient recipes from grandmothers to bake aromatic sourdough and rye bread on maple leaves, with the crunch crust being processed with flax oil. You can help to bake the bread and then taste and buy it. |
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On the left bank of the ancient Gauja River valley, between the Paparžu ravine and the ravine along which the Sigulda-Turaida road passes through the valley there are the ruins of a castle built by the Order of the Brethren of the Sword. Construction on the castle began in 1207, and three decades later, in 1236, the castle was rebuilt for the needs of the Livonian Order. The Sigulda Castle suffered much damage during wars in the late 16th and early 17th century. During the Great Northern War, it was burned down and never restored. What is there today is the south-western segment of the castle's convent building, as well as the tower of the main gate. Beyond that is the internal forecastle, where there is an open-air stage for the annual Sigulda Opera Music Festival and other public events. There are also impressive views of the ancient Gauja River valley, Krimulda and Turaida. Reconstruction of the ruins is currently ongoing, and after the work is completed a second tower on the left side of the stage will be available to visitors. The plan is to install crossings around the walls of the convent building. Presently the ruins are available on a 24/7 basis and free of charge, but after the restorations are completed in 2012, admission will be charged. |
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The largest NATURA 2000 territory in Latvia covers 6% of the country’s area. It is located in parts of the Limbaži, Valmiera and Valka districts, and it is a place of an enormously diverse range of landscapes, biotopes and species. The Salaca River is one of the most important rivers in the entire Baltic Sea region in terms of spawning grounds for salmon. The river valley and its sandstone cliffs attract many visitors. It is no accident that this is the second most popular river in Vidzeme for water tourism. The shore of the Bay of Rīga, which is not very long, also features a great diversity in landscapes and biotopes. At the northern end, we find the Randu meadows. In the central part there are sandy beaches, but at the southern end – 22 kilometres of rocky shoreline. The so-called Northern swamps are found on the border with Estonia, while the Seda heath is one of the most important places in the region for birds to rest and feed during migration. The reserve also features a diverse forest in which one can find all of the types of forest which are common in Latvia. Nature trails and viewing towers or platforms are found in the Randu meadows, on the banks of Lake Burtnieks, along the Planči and Niedrāji-Pilka swamps, on the banks of Lake Dziļezers and Lake Lielezers, and elsewhere. The Skaņākalns park in Mazsalaca is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Vidzeme. The territory boasts many important cultural monuments, including one of the earliest known settlements in Latvia – a fishing settlement and burial ground which date back to the 5th to the 2nd millennium BC.
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Located at the edge of the Vidzeme Highway (A2) between Ape and Jaunlaiceni, the guesthouse is a lovely location and features a viewing tower. |
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This farm offers education about animals who live there, how they are bred and what the origins of their breeds are. You can gather eggs, learn to sit on a saddle and ride horses. The farm has Aberdeen Angus cattle, alpacas, various birds, horses, ponies, rabbits and goats. |
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This is the second thickest tree in Latvia and the Baltic States. There is a large and open hole in the trunk of the tree. Like most trees of its size, it has suffered lightning damage. The tree is a wonderful part of the landscape, and a little wooden fence has been put up around it.
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Durch das höchste Dünen-Massiv Estlands und den Moor führt der Lehr-Wanderweg. Blick vom Aussichtsturm bis auf die Insel Kihnu. |
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Brīvdienu mājiņas Jūvgumegi atrodas Kurzemes reģiona Mazirbē, Slīteres nacionālajā parkā. Viesiem tiek piedāvātas četrvietīgas un divvietīgas naktsmītnes ar bezmaksas privātu autostāvvietu. Visās ir pieejama virtuve ar ledusskapi un plīts virsmu, kā arī tualete, duša izvietota uz terases. Līdz liedagam 400m. |
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Tiskādi Old-Believers Prayer House was built in 1886 and reconstructed
in 1905. The large church was sanctified 100 years ago. It is situated in the district which is mostly populated by Old Believers. The church stands on the hill.
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Here you can watch ponies, donkeys, dwarf sheep, dwarf goats, dwarf rabbits, dwarf pigs, a llama, chickens and other fowl. Children can take rides with a pony or donkey, and they can feed fish in the local pond. There is a playground, along with a picnic location, “Paradise for dwarves.” |
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The castle hill is an island in the reservoir of the Pļaviņas hydroelectric power plant, and it can be accessed by boat. The ancient Selonian castle hill was settled several times between the 6th and the 12th century. This was the political and military centre of the Selonian region. In 1373, the Livonian Order built a stone castle on the hill, as it did on many other ancient hillocks. The castle was sacked in 1704 during the Great Northern War. Remnants of a square tower, a guard room and the 12 m embankment that once protected the castle are all that survive. Approximately 300 m to the North of the Sēlpils castle hill is Oliņkalns hill, which is underwater. |
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 1 day
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Since ancient times bread has been our staple food, and formed part of breakfast, lunch and our evening meal. We bake bread from rye, wheat, buckwheat and barley. Both fine-ground and wholemeal flour is used. Bread baking is one of the most honoured traditional skills in Latvia. Caunītes country house keeps Latvian traditions alive and demonstrates them to visitors. The house is designed and decorated in the traditional Latvian style and exudes an authentic ambience while having modern facilities. Under the guidance of the hostess, visitors will bake their own loaf of sweet-and-sour bread in a wood-fired bread oven. In Latvian families it was traditionally one of the main duties of the lady of the house to bake a week’s supply of bread for the whole family every Saturday morning. Every woman was proud of her own unique recipe and passed it down to her daughters and granddaughters through the generations. There are many traditional beliefs, sayings and riddles linked with bread in Latvian folklore. Today, there is great interest in the old recipes, bread-baking methods and the use of organic ingredients as many families are opting for a healthy lifestyle. |
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This is a cemetery that was originated in the Middle Ages and used until the beginning of the 20th century. A mossy stone fence surrounds the cemetery. Interesting elements in the cemetery include the grave of Heinrihs Jakobsons (1832-1911), who was the first schoolteacher in Mazirbe (the old metal cross is to the left of the main gate), a pine tree of national importance and has a circumference of 3.17 metres (during the Soviet Union someone drilled a hole in the trunk of the tree to access honey), the grave of Niks Freimanis (1845-1908), who is said to have been the prototype for a character in a story and play by Marģers Zariņš, and the Werewolf Grave, which relates to countless ghost stories, including the claim that it is the only known gravesite of a werewolf in Latvia. |
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This may be an ancient cult object, and today it is a little hill in the dunes that is a bit larger than other local hills. It is said that a church once sank into the dune. This tale suggests that there was a Christian or pagan prayer place here at one time. (Source: Roja TIC) |
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