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2 days

Latvia is the land of apples, so producing cider here is only natural! The ancient traditions of apple growing in our country, as well as the variety of high-quality apple cultivars, are key advantages of Latvia's cider culture. In our climate zone, it is challenging to grow good grapes for wine production, but the local conditions are particularly suitable for making apple cider. This is a natural consequence that local cider producers are increasingly mastering with excellence.

The Cider Route will take you to various cideries in Latvia, as well as to restaurants and pubs that serve it. The Cider Route allows you to understand the specifics of Latvian cider, introducing you to the culinary traditions and cultural heritage of different regions. You will have the opportunity to meet the cider makers themselves, who run small farms, tend to the orchards, share about their work, and even let you participate in it.

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Taka izveidota 2005. gadā. Tā atrodas uz Lapmežciema un Bigauņciema robežas un izskatās kā koka dēlīšu laipa gar Siliņupi. Taka aizved līdz jūrai, kur apskatāms vecais Lapmežciema mols. Siliņupē novērojami ūdensputni.

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Construction of the church began in 1830 thanks to money donated by nobleman Ludvigs Šabanskis.  The Baroque stone church is surrounded by a restored stone fence, and inside there are icons including "Heart of Jesus," "Christ's Suffering," and "St Joseph."  The church is not open to the public on a daily basis.

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Līga Reitere is a ventiņi story teller and a specialist in herbs, and in an old school classroom, she teaches penmanship and the ventiņi dialect.  An informational tour is available, and visitors can purchase products and souvenirs from Kurzeme.

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Andris Roze is one of very few kokle makers in Latvia who manufactures the instrument and helps others to do so at master’s classes.  Roze also manufactures other traditional musical instruments, demonstrates them, offers consultations about them, collects them and gathers together historical information.  He works at the Drabeši Crafts House, where people can learn traditional skills such as weaving, processing of leather, felting, pottery and construction of musical instruments.

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Veisieji reģionālais parks (Veisiejų regioninis parkas) veidots (1992.g.) Sudavas augstienes (Sūduvos aukštuma) ainavu, bioloģiskās daudzveidības un kultūras pieminekļu aizsardzībai. Viena no parka bagātībām ir ezeri, kuru iegarenās formas liecina par ledāja darbības rezultātu. Pēdējā apledojuma laikā šeit atradusies ledāja mala. Ezerus (kopā – 37) ieskauj lielāki meža masīvi uz kontinentālām (iekšzemes) kāpām, kas piemēroti atpūtai dabā, dabas vērošanai, ogošanai un sēņošanai. Parkā ir iekārtotas peldvietas, kur patīkami gremdēties vasaras tveicē, izveidotas dabas takas, bet mazās upītes, kas savieno ezerus, ir piemērotas braucieniem ar kanoe laivām. Veisieji reģionālā parka teritorijā ir liela augu un dzīvnieku daudzveidība. Šeit tiek aizsargātas arī tādas retas sugas kā Eiropas kokuvarde Hyla arborea (parka simbols), purva bruņurupucis Emys orbicularis, dažādas orhideju sugas u.c.

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The confectionery, café, and shop is located on the main pedestrian street of Cēsis. They bake wedding cakes following grandmother’s recipes, prepare various pastries, and offer light lunches. They also cooperate with local producers. The most popular rye products: Latvian rye bread cake, traditional layered rye bread dessert, Kurzeme cakes, rye bread toast with herring, and cookies.

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The village of Kaldabruņa in the Jēkabspils Adminitsration District has a former elementary school that is currently managed by the Ūdenszīmes organisation.  The meadow museum exhibition is compared to a human life cycle, and visitors will see a Smilga exhibition, a childhood lighting objects, the Kadabruņa Māra belt in a hole in an oak tree, the Vārdnieki crown, the Pūra crown, and exhibitions of endangered and rare plants.  The Kaldabruņa or Krievāni Māra belt is one of the greatest cultural and historical treasures in the administrative district because it is a unique ethnographic material.  The belt is made of 52 ornaments, including 36 modified fire cross ornaments.  Nothing of the sort can be seen in Latvian ethnography.  The Stāmeriena wrap has 19 modifications of the fire cross, while the belt has blue and yellow ornaments, with red and green colours on its edges.  At the end of the belt is a complicated weave of little pearls and fringes.  Authentic copies of the belt have not been presented in public, and this unique material has also not been seen in the digital environment.  The original belt was received by ethnographers in the late 19th century from Māra Krievāne from the Mačulāni homestead in Kaldabruņa.  It is housed at the Latvian Museum of History, which also has the only known copy of the belt.  Decoding of the ornaments can be found in a book about Latvian ornaments.  The building that is managed by Ūdenszīmes also contains an unprecedented art venue -- the Šķūņa Art Gallery.  Also of interest is a hay museum and the stories about the locations. 

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Die mächtigste Steilküste im Baltikum (bis zu 24 m hoch). In den kalten Winter werden hier phantastische Gletscherstürze entstanden. Pakri Leuchtturm.

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The first stone castle in Alsunga was built in 1372, starting with the central part of the southern wing. The authorised representative of the Livonian Order, who was subject to a higher-ranking official in Kuldīga, lived here. The guard towers and other parts of the castle were gradually added between the 15th and the 18th century. The Baroque castle with its two towers is quite impressive. The castle is unique in and outside of Latvia in that it is one of the rare Medieval castles to have survived to the present day in part, but in its original historical appearance.  The castle offers an exhibition about its history.  Visitors can look at a Suiti kitchen, write a letter with a fountain pen in Barbara’s boudoir, or celebrate a special event in the romantic venue of the castle’s round tower. Renovation of the castle began in 2018, and it is closed to visitors.  Still, you can look at its exterior and tour its garden.  

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7 days

We strart the tour from Riga by bus and proceed along the Baltic Sea coast, passing through many different landscapes - white sandy beaches, coastal meadows, dunes with pine forests and steep banks. Many beaches are wild and completely deserted. Access to these territories were highly restricted during Soviet times. The route leads through ethnographic fishermen villages at Nida, passing Pape nature reserve where wild horses graze. The bustling city of Liepaja impreses with its lively promanade and music scene. The city also has a long military history which can cleary be seen walking among the naval fortifications and visiting the former millitary town. Well-maintained Ventspils has a pleasant market, castle and numerous parks. A restored narrow-gauge railway with working steam engine is well worth a visit as well as the Craft House - ideal for local handmade souvenirs. On the way back the tour goes through the pretty provincial town of Kuldiga with well- preserved wooden architecture. The tour includes two of the most interesting national parks: Slitere which holds the geological history of former ages and Kemeri with its great heath trail and sulphur springs.

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The Staburags cliff of Rauna has been Latvia’s most distinct travertine cliff since the great Staburags cliff of the Daugava River sank under the waves during the construction of a hydroelectric power plant nearby. The cliff is approximately 8,000 years old and is still being formed as lime settles on moss and other plants. The Staburags cliff of Rauna is cited as the only location in Latvia of the Alpine butterwort, but it has not been seen there for the last 15 years. That is probably because of the many people who tramp across the cliff each year. The streams which deliver lime to the cliff are a biotope that is of priority at the EU level.
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One of the oldest buildings at the Pope Estate is the old hunting castle that was built in 1653. The mansion was built in 1608 or 1620. The Neo-Gothic porch was added in 1840. The interiors of the mansion have been preserved since the 18th century and the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, including wood panelling, original decorated ceilings, a front door in the style of Classicism, and a Rococo stove.  Sadly, one of the oldest buildings - the home of the estate's governor - burned down in 2018, but the rest of the estate did not suffer and retained its beauty.  Visitors will be delighted about the aromatic garden of phloxes, as well as the impressive oak trees. Worth a look is the hillock behind the main building of the estate, near which there used to be a narrow-gauge railroad (the Pope Station).  The other buildings cover a fairly extensive territory, and so it is worth spending a few hours to tour the village of Pope.

The Pope Estate and its park are among the best-preserved estates in the area.  Since March 1941, it has housed a school.  Most of the trees in the park are common, but there are a few rare ones.

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One of the rare places (see also Rucavas ivju audze) in Latvia where two rare and protected wild tree species grow - yew-tree and Baltic ivy. Territory is not marked on site with information signs or stands. Territory is not suitable for visitors as visitor without environmental knowledge will see “regular” forest. On the East side of the restricted area is located extending low wall – former narrow gauge railway (600 mm, length 41 km) line Dulbeni – Rucava. Railway was built by German military forces with the goal – to export wood.
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Dabas liegums veidots ezera, tā salu, ainavas, augu, putnu un sikspārņu aizsardzībai. Liegumu var apskatīt "no malas" - no ceļa, kas iet gar tā ziemeļu un ziemeļaustrumu robežu.
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True Latgalian Apple Cider from Malnava Manor

Our Story
The cider is produced in the historic distillery of Malnava Manor, dating back to 1827. In manor times, this distillery produced the traditional Latgalian strong drink, šmakovka.

Apples
The apples for the cider are harvested in the manor’s old orchard.

Cider
They produce both dry and semi-sweet cider under the name “Malnovys Uobuļu Sidrs,” as well as apple brandy (calvados), and the traditional šmakovka.

For Visitors
Guided tours are available, where visitors can discover how true, traditional Latgalian šmakovka is crafted, along with cider made from local apples. The tours include tastings with snacks. Malnava Manor is notable for having served as the headquarters for the Wehrmacht’s Army Group North during World War II, visited by Adolf Hitler on 21 July 1941. Two reinforced concrete bunkers in the manor park mark the location of this historic meeting.

Where to Buy
The drinks can be purchased on-site.

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The master craftsman uses natural wood to produce furniture and interior design elements. He uses the tree from the tip to the root. Each artwork accents the form and texture of the wood, and the workshop offers an unusual look at wood and people. You can attend educational events and commission and purchase gifts and souvenirs.

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The ancient sauna house is a great place for rest and relaxation in Hiiumaa. The house is built of thick logs and has a sod roof. The house has a sauna.
The ancient cottage "Pähkli" is suitable for families with children, everything you need is available - the house has a kitchen corner, an outdoor kitchen and a fireplace in the yard, a clean dry toilet outside.
Three especially loved alpacas live in the yard of the farm.
Hostess Heli offers soap making master classes. Products can be purchased.

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1 day

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

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1 day

The Baltic Coastal Hiking Route leads around the Pakri Peninsula, from whose rocky shores you will discover the most beautiful coastal landscapes in northwest Estonia. It goes through the centre of Paldiski and, after having reached the fortress bastions of Peter I, it turns towards the Pakri Lighthouse going across the upper part of the impressive Pakri Cliffs. Further on up to Kersalu, there are both ups in the shape of rocks and downs where the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route meanders along a sandy and rocky seacoast and a beautiful pine forest.