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Located in the centre of Atbrīvošanas Alley, this statue is a monument to the liberation of Latgale and the unity of Latvia and is officially called “Unified for Latvia.” The bronze monument was unveiled in 1939 (sculptor K. Jansons, designer L. Tomačisks). In 1940, the Soviet regime tried to destroy the monument, but it was restored in August 1943. A second attempt to destroy the monument occurred in June 1950, and this time the process was successful. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, “Māra of Latgale” was installed for a third time on August 3, 1992, sculpted by the son of K. Jansons, A. Jansons, on the basis of old designs. “Māra of Latgale” is one of the best examples of monumental sculpture in Latvia. Latvian mythology personifies the goddess Māra as a provider of fertility for earth and a protection of life. The cross that is part of the ensemble is a symbol of the Christian faith. |
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The complex is on the northern shore of Latvia’s second-largest lake, Lake Rāzna. The windows of the “Kastānis” café offer a view of one of the loveliest lakes in the country. |
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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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Sarkanās klintis savu vārdu ieguvušas pateicoties sarkanajiem iežiem. Tieši sarkanā ir mīlestības krāsa, tāpēc sarkanās klintis ir romatiska pastaigas vieta mīlniekiem. Smilšakmens klintīs redzamas plaisas, kas sašķeļ sarkanīgos iežus, radot neparastu dabas mākslas darbu. To virsma ir diezgan izrobota, kas veido klintīs nelielas alas un nišas. Sarkanajās klintīs ir arī daudz dažādu avotiņu. Pazīstamākais no tiem ir Rūcamavots. Tam ir šāds nosaukums, jo tas, nākot ārā no zemes, izdod nelielu rūkoņu. |
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Šis avots ir pazīstams kopš seniem laikiem. Kalpo kā laba dzeramā ūdens ņemšanas vieta. |
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Dole Island is the largest river island in Latvia, and it is the site of the Dole baronial estate. The mansion of the estate was built in 1898 by the aristocratic family which owned the estate. Today the mansion is home to the Dole Museum with a rich exhibition which tells about the lives of people on the shores of the Daugava River. The adjoining park features ethnographic buildings, as well as lamprey and salmon spawning grounds. There are five unique cannons that were found in Salaspils when a new stadium was being built there. In 1910, a tsarist military camp was here, and a monument to Tsar Peter the Great was unveiled. One of the cannons is in the exhibition of the museum itself.
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This museum was established in 2014 in partnership with the Siauliai University botanical garden. The museum is 85 m long and 40 m wide on a territory that covers 0.34 ha. |
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The Orthodox Church and Cloister of the Holy Spirit and the Orthodox Church of St Nicholas the Miracle Maker are found at Brīvības Street 200 in Jēkabpils. The Byzantine Church of the Holy Spirit was built between 1853 and 1886 to replace a wooden church which had been built in the latter half of the 17th century and burned down in 1773. Duke Jacob of the Duchy of Courland supplied the timber for the old church. The cloister was alongside the church. On Second Easter in 1903, the church caught on fire, and the only icon rescued was a painting of the Virgin Mary. The church suffered damage during World War I and was restored in 1933. Alongside the Church of the Holy Spirit is the oldest church in Jēkabpils – the oldest stone church in the city, which is named after St Nicholas the Miracle Maker and was erected in 1774. This is a very small church, just 17 x 19.5 m. The cloister of the Church of the Holy Spirit operates the church today, and it can be viewed from the inside. The stone fence that surrounds the complex is massive, but atypical of urban environments in Latvia.
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 11 days
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To start the tour you take a train from Riga to Liepaja, a city with white sandy beaches and a lively cafe culture. The route goes through suburbs of Liepaja to the former millitary town where you see the Orthodox cathederal, old naval fortifications, former barracks and an imposing military prison which is now a tourism site. Pavilosta is a small seaside town and a favourite with windsurfers. Next the route follows the picturesque coastline, including steep banks at Jurkalne and finishes at the well-maintained town of Ventspils. Then along to fishing villages that are home to the tiny Finno-Ugric ethnic group, the Livs. At Cape Kolka the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga. Here, sampling the local smoked fish is a must. Further on, the route crosses three different types of sea shore – the stony beach at Kaltene, a sandy one at Upesgriva and coastal meadows at Engure. Finish with the trails at Kemeri National Park and return to Riga from the popular resort town of Jūrmala. |
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The Baltic Sea gave this territory one of the old names of Jūrkalne – Felixberg, and people still talk about the interesting legend that is the origin of the name. Several wrecked ships have been found in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Jūrkalne. An exhibition in the museum visualises the underwater world as the deck of a ship that has sunk into the depths of the sea. The exhibition focuses on the cultural and historical heritage of underwater Latvia, allowing visitors to learn all about the history of sailing ships, steamships and other objects that have been raised from the depths. Small children will start to learn about the underwater world, and researchers with broader knowledge will find something new here. |
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The windmill was built between 1867 and 1869 after a design first produced in the Netherlands. Its name is that of its first owner – Riba. The windmill is one of the best preserved architectural monuments of its type in Latvia, and it offers an educational exhibition, “The Path of the Grain.” It talks about the development of agriculture in Zemgale and about grain farming and the baking of bread. Guided tours are available. The windmill is part of the Rožmalas leisure complex, which features a hotel and a restaurant. |
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The “Gulbji” Selonian homestead is one of the very few places in Latvia where you can see a farm typical of the historical region of Selonia with its typical buildings. “Gulbji” is comparatively far from major roads and populated areas. It is on the so-called Dronku Island, not far from the beginning of the ancient Dviete River valley. The owners of “Gulbji” have collected a wealth of ancient household objects. Visitors can study the farm, examine a collection of medicinal plants, enjoy Selonian foods, or take a “black sauna.” It could be said that people at “Gulbji” have a natural farm which nurtures and maintains the traditions of the historical region. Latvian cuisine: Crepes, grit soup, cream of potato soup, beans sautéed in a special sauce, fruit dessert, bread soup with whipped cream, tortes, herbal teas. Special foods: Zeppelins. |
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Das größte Wissenschaftszentrum Baltikums mit Möglichkeiten, mitzuarbeiten und zu experimentieren. Ein Planetarium. |
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The ship and coast guard missile repair workshops in the forests around Bārta in the Liepāja District are very impressive in visual terms. The facility is owned by the regional local government and is being dismantled to obtain building materials.
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In 1916, during the German military occupation of Latvia, prisoners of war were put to work in installing narrow-gauge railroads via which the Germans exported Latvian timber. A narrow-gauge rail network was built through the forests and across the swamps of the Viesīte area. The track width was round 600 mm, and there was a total of 130 km of tracks to connect Viesīte (the central station) to Nereta, Aknīste, Jēkabpils and Daudzeva. The train was used after world War II to transport timber and passengers. The last trip along the line occurred on August 31, 1972.
You can tour the museum individually or with the assistance of a guide. You’ll see an Mi-635 locomotive, wagons for passengers and cargo, a platform to transport timber materials, and two trolleys.
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Suhka farm observes old traditions and serves local food. It also offers accommodation in a picturesque location. In addition, here you can learn of hiking routes in places you will not hear about elsewhere. |
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Late in September 1944, during World War II, the village of More was witness to some of the bloodiest and most merciless battles in Latvia – only those in the so-called “cauldron of Kurzeme” were worse. Members of the Latvian Legion who were fighting on the German side prevented the ability of the Red Army to break through to Rīga, and they also prevented the encirclement of the German military force. The result of the battle was enormously important to the more than 100,000 civilians who took the opportunity to become refugees and escape the Soviet repressions that were not far in the future. Commemorative events are held in the park each September, bringing together eyewitnesses to the battles and other. There’s a memorial wall with the engraved names of members of the Latvian Legion whose names are known, as well as a stone cross to commemorate unknown soldiers. Two kilometres to the East of the park is a museum, outside which is a Soviet army tank.
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Temple Hill is steep (with artificially created steepness) and about 30 m high, and it is opposite Marijas Island. It is an ancient Lettigalian castle hill, 80 m long and 40 m wide, with several artificial ramparts. One of the oldest objects found in the region is an axe from the 2nd to 3rd millennium BC. Archaeologists believe that the island was populated at that time. There was a Lettigalian castle on the hill during the 10th and 11th century, but it was sacked by the Holy Crusade. The surface of the castle hill was transformed comparatively recently in 1807, when a granite rotunda was built there in honour of Russian Field Marshall Sheremetev and Swedish captain Wulff. The view of Lake Alūksne and the town is one of the most beautiful ones in all Vidzeme. The Sun Bridge (1937) is also worth a look. A wooden viewing platform is nearby. |
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Old Town Square is the city’s historic centre. It was here, on February 12, 1670, that Duke Jacob of the Duchy of Courland proclaimed the establishment of a town. During the early 20th century, the square was covered in paving stones, and the city market was held there. On the sites of the square are the People’s Centre, the Unitarian Church and a tourism information centre. In the square are a water pump, an enormous scale, and a sculpture of a cougar, which is the symbol of Jēkabpils. From here you can tour the historical centre of Jēkabpils with its narrow streets and low-story buildings. |
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Mud ponds for regeneration are used by
the spa and the rehabilitation centre. The mud
is purified from biological additives over the
course of a longer period of time, after which it
can once again be used for the famous
treatments offered at Ķemeri.
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