The craftsman produces pottery typical of Vidzeme, but with the range of colours that is typical of Latgale. These products fit in very nicely with the lovely landscape of Racupkalns. You can take a tour, watch the master at work, and work with clay yourself. You can also watch as he opens a Lettigalian ditch kiln. You can commission and purchase the products, as well.

The Dviete ancient river valley is a unique territory of environmental, cultural and historical importance between Kaldabruņas, Bebrene and Dviete. The small Dviete River flows through the ancient river valley, through Lake Skuķi and Lake Dviete, and through the wetland meadows that are alongside the valley. During flooding season, these wetlands store up water from the Daugava River, rapidly absorbing masses of floodwater and then slowly returning the water to the river. The views during wet springs are incomparable to anything else that can be seen in Latvia. The specifics of the shifting water level in the ancient river valley are the reason why this is an important place for plants and birds during migration and nesting season. The Dviete Wetlands Nature Park has been set up to protect the territory. It is interesting that higher areas which do not disappear underwater during the floods are known as islands. Archaeologists who have studied the Dviete ancient river valley have found 15 possible settlements of the ancients (from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age). They found a wealth of ancient objects of various kinds. There is reason to believe that this is one of the oldest and most important settlements in what is now southern Latvia.

Lauku sēta ar pirti atrodas Merkys upes krastā, ciema nomalē meža tuvumā. Piedāvā programmu "Griķu ceļš no sēklas līdz galdam", iespējams nobaudīt tradicionālos ēdienus. Piedāvā arī nakšņošanu.

The small bar is situated in the city of Madona and there are seating places for 35 people.

Also known as Lake Jēsis or Lake Iesis, this is the lake in Latvia which has the largest number of islands.  Many literary sources and encyclopaedias in the 20th century claimed that there were 69 islands in the lake, but that was an exaggeration, because apparently the authors took sandbars overgrown with reeds and other plants to be islands.  The true number is approximately two times lesser.  The largest number of islands can be found in the north-eastern part of the lake.  The largest one is Lielā Lāča (Big Bear) Island (45 ha).  A farm was on the island at one time.  The islands and the oak trees that are on the shores of the lake – the Piļoru and Pahatnīku stands of trees – are in a restricted environmental reserve.

The Soviet Border Guard arrived at Lapmežciems (its border with Ragaciems) in the mid-1960s and left in 1991.  Some 50 military personnel were stationed here.  The military personnel and local residents organised various events and celebrations.  The only thing that worried locals was a radar which was said to cause various problems.  The zenith missiles were dismantled and taken away in 1991.  An apartment building is still on what was then the military base.

The castle was built as an almost exact copy of the architecture of Windsor Castle in the UK and is among the most unusual of the Estonian manor buildings. At least as interesting is the owner and initiator of the manor building design - Count Friedrich von Berg. There is also a Dendro park with rare species behind the Castle.

The saloon is in the restored complex of the Smuku Estate (16th century). During the summer, meals are served on the terrace of the “Zirgu stallis” guesthouse, while during the winter, they are served alongside the fireplace in the bar.

Latvian cuisine: Milk dumpling soup with dried bacon (Kurzeme lunch), herring baked on coals, stacked rye bread with whipped cream, “countryside milk bun” (fresh milk, sugar, cinnamon, berry sauce), a cheesy potato with honey-roasted pork.