The smoke sauna is an important part of everyday life in the Võru community in Estonia. It is the centre of a rich set of traditions including the actual bathing customs, the skills of making bathing whisks, building and repairing saunas, and smoking meat in the sauna. The sauna is a building or room heated by a stove covered with stones and with an elevated platform for sitting or lying. It has no chimney, and the smoke from the burning wood circulates in the room. People usually go into the sauna together and remain until they are sweating. Water is thrown on the heated stones to produce hot steam-laden air and bathers beat their bodies with whisks to remove dead skin and stimulate blood circulation. After sweating, whisking, relaxing and possible healing procedures, people cool themselves outside and rinse their bodies with water. The procedure is then repeated. The smoke sauna tradition is primarily a family custom, usually practised on Saturdays, but also before major festivals or family events. Its main function is to relax the body and mind. Families take turns hosting each other. Usually an older family member is responsible for preparing the sauna, accompanied by the children who gradually acquire the necessary skills. The smoke sauna tradition is part of the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Mooska Farm is a typical smallholding in Southern Estonia. The Veeroja family are proud to share their life with guests and introduce them to the smoke sauna.

Cesvaine was first mentioned in written sources in 1209. For each traveller in Latvia, the town is associated with the family of Baron Woolf, who bought the Cesvaine estate in 1815. Cesvaine experienced the economic boom after establishment of Plavinas Gulbene railway. Town suffered significantly during the World War II. At the end of 2002, the Cesvaine Castle was struck by the tragedy - a fire, which damaged most of the castle. Cesvaine Castle is "recovering" by means of large public, state and local government support and still keeps the status as a significant tourism attraction in a scale of Vidzeme and Latvia.

Here you will learn about home-based manufacturers, farms, companies and others in northern Vidzeme that produce various dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, ice cream, etc.  You’ll start out in Cēsis with its Medieval old town, castle ruins, St John’s Lutheran Church and other destinations.  Wind your way through the Gauja National Park (Ungurmuiža, Lake Ungurs, the Medieval castle and church at Straupe).  You’ll hit the seashore at Saulkrasti and then drive along it to Tūja, where you will turn inland again.  In Limbaži you will find Medieval castle ruins, a monument to the great folklorist Krišjānis Barons and other objects.  Drive on to Valmiera (St Simon’s Church, castle ruins, a museum, Emotion Park, etc.), Rūjiena and Naukšēni (the Naukšēni Estate).  Along the “Northern Pathway” you will reach Kārķi and then Smiltene and legendary Rauna (the Raunas Staburags cliff) before returning to your starting point.

The restaurant is on the eight floor of the steeple of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Jelgava, offering an outstanding view of the town’s most important cultural and historical monuments. The restaurant offers fine dining on the basis of French cuisine, as well as everyday and business meals.

Latvian cuisine: Herring filet with cottage cheese, potatoes and onions.

Special foods: Marija cake.

Embūtes dabas parks, saukts par Embūtes senleju, ir viena no skaistākajām, interesantākajām un noslēpumainākajām Kurzemes vietām. Nav Latvijā otras tādas vietas, kur ieejas vārtus dabas parka teritorijā simbolizē stilizēti zobeni ar vairogiem ceļa abās pusēs, radot mītisku un cienījamu noskaņu. Par Embūtes apkārtnes vēsturi stāsta daudzas teikas un leģendas. Viena no pazīstamākajām ir romantiskā teika par kuršu vadoņa Induļa un vācu komtura meitas Ārijas mīlestību. Vietā, kur viņi pirmoreiz tikušies joprojām atrodas Ārijas un Induļa ozoli.

Embūtes dabā parkā ieteicams apskatīt - ekotūrisma taku, Embūtes viduslaiku pilsdrupas, Embūtes luterāņu baznīcas mūrus, Induļa pilskalnu, Pilskalna avotiņu, Induļa un Ārijas ozolu. Dabas parks aprīkots ar labiekārtotu pastaigu taku, skatu platformām, skatu torni, labierīcībām un atpūtas vietu.