The distance from Riga to Tallinn is more than 300 km and it takes approx. 5 hours by bus. Therefore we suggest stopping on the way for a brief excursion to a herb farm and lunch in a country pub. This stopover is approx. 1.5 hours’ drive from Riga, just at that point when one needs to stretch one’s legs and enjoy a change of scene. The visit will give an insight in rural life and it may surprise visitors to learn how well Latvians understand nature, knowing and using herbs for food, health and beauty. After the excursion, the group will have lunch in a country pub serving meals made from locally grown ingredients.

The Capital of Latvia. The Old Town of Riga (included in UNESCO Cultural Heritage list) - an excellent medieval building monument. The pearl of Art Noveau in Europe. The former city of Hanza.

Work on a new church began in 1574 at the commission of Duke Gotthard Kettler of Courland and Zemgale.  The steeple was installed between 1686 and 1688, and in 1862 its height was increased to 80.5 m.  The church burned down because of Soviet bombardment on July 27, 1944, and in 1954 the Soviet military blew up its ruins.  Reconstruction of the steeple began in 2009, and it now has an outstanding interactive museum that is particularly interesting for children, along with a glassed viewing platform.

Bērzes upes labajā krastā, vietā, kur tagad paceļas Dobeles pilsdrupas, jau 1. gadu tūkstotī p. m. ē. atradās zemgaļu apmetne un vēlāk – koka pils. Gandrīz simts gadus pils izturēja vairākus krustnešu uzbrukumus un aplenkumus, un tikai 1289. g., kad vācieši bija pilnībā izpostījuši apvidu un tālāka pretošanās kļuva bezcerīga, zemgaļi paši nodedzināja savu koka pili un neuzvarēti aizgāja uz Lietuvu. 700 gadus vēlāk, 1989. gadā, godinot zemgaļu cilšu piemiņu, bijušās senpilsētas vietā tika atklāta piemiņas zīme, ko veidojis mākslinieks Mārtiņš Zaurs. Akmenī iecirsts teksts: “Zini, no šīs vietas pirms 700 gadiem zemgaļi aizgāja lepni un brīvi”, kā arī dzejnieka Viļa Plūdoņa vārdi : “Mēs svešā malā ejam, bet sirds mums paliek te”.  

This tour will take you on a walk through the Curonian Spit from Nida to Smiltynė. The Curonian Spit National Park is located on a long, sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. A sand beach of ~50 km is running on the western side of the dune spit, while the shore of the Curonian Lagoon is shallow and characteristic of ridged bays overgrown with reeds. The Baltic Coastal Hiking Route starts in the centre of Nida near the port. In Nida, it runs along the Curonian Lagoon promenade, offering beautiful views of the spacious waters. From Nida to Bulvikio Cape, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route winds along small forest paths leading up and down pine-covered dunes; in the village of Preila, the trail runs along the promenade of the lagoon. Between Pervalka and Juodkrantė, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route leads along a beautiful, sandy beach. You can take the Raganų kalnas (Hill of Witches) trail in Juodkrantė. The route alternates between the Baltic Sea coast, the dunes and the Curonian Lagoon until it finally reaches the ferry, which will take you to Klaipėda.

The Slītere National Park (established in 2000) is known, with good reason, as an open-air museum which shows the historical development of the Baltic Sea. Nowadays evidence of geological events is seen in the Blue Hills of Slītere, which stand 20 to 30 metres high above what was the shore of the Baltic lake of ice 10,000 years ago. The Stiebri hills were former 8,000 or 9,000 years ago, while the Littorina Sea formed Europe’s largest set of dune ramparts and damp hollows between those ramparts. This occurred between 4,000 and 7,000 years ago. The gentle climate of Northern Kurzeme is the reason why so many rare plants are found in the park – some 860 in all including Common Yew (Taxus baccata) and Baltic Ivy (Hedera helix var. baltica). Of certain value in the preservation of these treasures was the Soviet military machine, which has left behind army bases and other military objects in the area. The presence of the military meant that the area of what is now the Slītere National Park remained largely undisturbed for 50 years. The park includes one of the most popular tourist destinations in Latvia – the Cape of Kolka, which is visited by more than 50,000 travellers each year. During the spring migration of birds, more than 60,000 birds cross the cape each hour. Along the shore of the Baltic Sea is the so-called Livonian coast, which stretches from Kolka to Sīkrags and Ovīši. Fishing villages and other cultural objects established by the world’s smallest ethnic minority, the Livonians, can be found here. Tourists will enjoy interesting four nature trails, bicycling routes, viewing tower, etc. The visitors centre is located at the Slītere lighthouse. Administration of National park is organising environmental education events on regular basis open to everyone.

Die im 19. Jh. gebauten Mühlen sind vollständig renoviert. Eine Erzählung über ihre Geschichte und einem originalen Arbeitsmechanismus. 

The smithy produces fencing, gates, wind gauges, chandeliers, household products and souvenirs. The craftsman will be happy to tell you about his work and to demonstrate his skills.

The saloon is alongside the Ieriķupīte River in the centre of town. There is a nature trail to look at local waterfalls and a windmill. The saloon offers homemade baked goods.

Latvian cuisine: Valmiera salad, cold soup, bean soup, sliced pork, baked cod, sausages, stacked rye bread.

Special foods: “Ieriķi salad” – tomatoes, cured meat, mushrooms.

Tahkuna lighthouse is on Tahkuna peninsula in the north of the island. It was built from French cast iron parts in 1875 and is the highest in Estonia at 43 m above sea level.