The saloon is in the centre of Vecumnieki and features antique household objects as part of its interior design. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared on an open fire, making use of an ancient spirit and the cookbooks of grannies. Desserts, too, are all made from natural ingredients.

Latvian cuisine: Pork with sauerkraut.

Special foods: Handmade pierogi with home-cured meat.

Krustpils was first recorded in documents in 1237 in relation to the construction of the Kreutzburg castle on the right bank of the Daugava River.  A 1511 document lists it as a village.  In 1585, Polish King Stefan Báthory gifted the town to Nicholas Korff, whose family continued to own it until 1920.  Battles between Swedish and Polish forces occurred outside of Krustpils in 1626, and the sacked village was in poor shape until the mid-19th century.  Jēkabpils, in turn, was constructed as a settlement for Old Believers who were persecuted in Russia.  The Daugava has rapids opposite Krustpils and Jēkabpils, which means that boats had to dock there and reload their goods into wagons.  The settlement flourished, and in 1670 it was given the rights of a city.  It is named after Duke Jacob.  When the Rīga-Daugavpils rail line opened in 1861, Krustpils flourished, and Jēkabpils did not flourish.  The two cities were administratively merged in 1962, keeping the name of Jēkabpils.  There are typical one-story wooden buildings from the 19th century, red brick buildings built at the turn of the 20th century, as well as seven churches used by different denominations.  The dam along the left bank of the Daugava was built in 1861, and it was aimed at protecting the city against flooding.  Today it is a promenade that is popular among local residents for strolling and leisure.

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.

This workshop manufactures belts, bags, jewellery (pendants, brooches, bracelets), as well as covers. It offers book binding services and prepares souvenirs. Tours are available for groups of up to 50 people. You can try your own hand at the crafts, taste teas, and cook soups on an open fire.

“Rūme” - vieta Sēlijā, Zasā, kur tiekas radoši amatnieki un īsti Sēlijas zinātāji, kas lepojas ar savu sēļu mēli un sēļu tērpiem. Tieši šajā amatniecības centrā bieži vien amatnieki atrāda savus darba augļus, un cilvēki pulcējas uz dažādiem pasākumiem.

Sauna Museum is a private open-air museum founded in 2008. It is located 40 km from Riga by the Murjāņi - Saulkrasti road. The exhibition consists of six historic and one newly built sauna. They all work, but the hosts recommend to enjoy the black sauna.

The grave of Ida Apsāne, who was known as the “moon daughter” of the great Latvian poet and playwright Rainis can be found in the old Lašu Lutheran Cemetery, which is 200 m to the North of the Lašu Lutheran Church. The text on the grave reads “Ida Marie Apsahn, b. March 23, 1867, d. April 10, 1887.” Other members of her family are also buried here.