The Castle was built beside the Põltsamaa River in the 13th C and became the residence of Duke Magnus, King of Livonia in the 16th C. In the castle yard you find the tourist information centre, local history museum, wine cellar, Estonian Press Museum, art gallery, ceramic and handicraft workshop.
Põltsamaa has a fabulous Rose Garden, where tours can be booked to learn more about roses, legends and history of rose growing.

The tour from Riga to Tallinn combines natural, cultural and culinary heritage and includes lovely landscapes and 15 nature trails which cross marshlands, meadows and forests along the shores of the Baltic Sea. The itinerary brings you directly to where local specialities are produced so that you can enjoy them freshly made and authentic. You will watch lamprey being prepared for you on a grill, and you will savour treats such as home-made ice-creams where they use eggs from happy hens of the farm, smoked meat from local farms, and many others. On this tour, you will become a true expert of the traditional and modern Latvian and Estonian cuisine.

As the farms producing foods are often located in beautiful nature areas, you will combine culinary and nature experiences on this tour. There are many nature trails equipped with viewing towers for birdwatching. Randu meadow near Ainaži contains one third of Latvia’s entire plant species. A boardwalk leads through reeds to a viewing platform with views over the meadow and the sea. Saaremaa Island has a great variety of natural attractions that are different from those on mainland Estonia. There are dolomite cliffs, juniper heaths, a meteorite lake and rocky sea shore. The tour passes rural farms and traditional villages typical of the coastal areas. Hiiumaa Island is a laid back place and retains a very Estonian atmosphere with an important bird reserve at Käina Bay, unusual Sääre Tirp, as well as several small islets off its south-eastern coast. Back on the mainland, Paldiski peninsula gives a glimpse of the recent history with its former Soviet military base.
 

The café is along the Rīga-Ventspils highway (A10). A summer terrace is available during the season.

Latvian cuisine: Beef tongue salad, chilled soup, stock with dumplings, “little farmer,” pork ribs, potato pancakes and crepes, whipped fool.

Special foods: Kharcho a la “Pie Jānis”.

according to legend, was washed into the sea because of collapsing shores along with other buildings and the old road.  The church was built in 1862 and has an altar painting from the late 19th century, "Mother of God," along with an organ.  The metal elements of the building's doors are interesting.  Hanging from the ceiling of the church is a sailing ship that has to do with the rescue of the crew of the sunken ship.  

Construction of the Sigulda castle was begun by the Order of Brethren of Swords in 1207, but in 1236 it was rebuilt for the needs of the Livonian Order.  The building suffered much damage during wars in the latter half of the 16th century and the early part of the 17th century.  It was burned down during the Great Northern War and was not restored.  Visible today is the south-western wing of the castle’s convent building and the main gate tower, behind which is the internal forecastle with an open-air stage that offers an impressive view of the ancient Gauja River valley.  The new Sigulda castle was built between 1878 and 1881, and it was owned by Count Kropotkin.  From 1923 until 1940, the castle housed a centre for writers, and during the Soviet Union it was a hospital for cardiology patients.  Since 2003, the Sigulda Administrative District Council has been located here.  The buildings that have been preserved include a wooden home (mid-19th century), where the Kropotkin family used to live, a granary (late 18th or early 19th century), the home of the gardener (19th century) and a brick wall (19th century).  If we go to the north-eastern direction, we will find the Vējupīte valley less than two kilometres away.  It includes the shallow (3.6 m) but high (6.1 m) Pēteris cave and the deep Pūču valley with the little Kraukļupīte River.  At the place where the two valleys come together we find the Satezele castle hill (its flat surface is 90 x 75 m), where, in the early 13th century, the oak castle of the ruler of Livonian lands, Dabrelis, was once found.  Nearby is the Kraukļu valley, with 11 m sandstone walls and a cave that is 5.2 m deep.  Nearby is the Paradise (Painter) hill, which offers a lovely landscape that has been painted and photographed since ancient times.  There is a Ferris wheel in the western part of Sigulda that is open during the summer, as well as an aerial tram that is the only transport vehicle of its type in the Baltic States and was installed in 1969.  The cable that carries the tram is 1,060 metres long and links the shores of the ancient Gauja River valley between Sigulda and Krimulda.  The cable is approximately 40 metres above the Gauja.  The south-western part of Sigulda features the mighty Beite cliff which is split by a deep stream valley.  To the west of the cliff is the Emperor’s View viewing area that is 67 m above the Gauja and offers a good view of Krimulda and the Turaida Castle.  A viewing area was established here in 1862, when Tsar Alexander II of Russia visited Sigulda.  The wooden Emperor’s chair is to the east of the viewing area.  The Turaida Museum Reserve is in the place where the shore is split by deep valleys carved out by streams.  It features several outstanding monuments that are as much as 1,000 years old.  Of note are the Turaida Estate (21 buildings), the grave of the Rose of Turaida, the Turaida Lutheran Church (1750), which is one of the oldest wooden churches in Latvia) and the Turaida Castle.  Folksong hill, which is nearby, is used for various thematic events.

Karņicka kalns pēc savas izcelsmes nav kalns, bet gan Daugavas ielejas nogāzes daļa ar labu skatu uz Krāslavas mazstāvu koka apbūvi. Ar šo vietu saistīts traģisks nostāsts par poļu virsnieka Josifa Karņicka un grāfa Plātera meitas mīlestību, kurai nebija lemts piepildīties tā laika „paražu” dēļ. Tā rezultātā abi nelaimīgie nolemj izdarīt pašnāvību. Virsnieks nošaujas, bet Emīliju pēdējā brīdī izglābj kalpone, neļaujot tai izlēkt pa pils logu. J. Karņicka pašnāvības vietā ir uzstādīts piemineklis. Nedaudz tālāk – rietumu virzienā guļ t.s. Austriņa akmens, pie kura 1909. gadā iedvesmojies un radījis latviešu rakstnieks Antons Austriņš.

The second biggest city in Lithuania and from 1920 – 1939 - a temporary capital. The Old Town, The Town Hall (16th century), St. Peter and Pavil cathedral - basilica (15th century), Thunder building (15th century), Laisves alley, Ciurlionis Art and Devil Museum.

Diplomēts mežsaimnieks Imants Urpens Alojas novada "Ošlejās" audzē šitaki sēnes.  Šī ir arī mācību saimniecība, uz kuru brauc mācīties pārsvarā ārzemnieki. Saimniecība ir bioloģiski sertificēta. Pieņem ekskursijas un pasūtījumus sēņu audzēšanai un micēlija iegādei.

The restaurant is located in the Mālpils manor building that was renovated in 2008 and is a classicism architectural monument of the 19th century. The restaurant's menu changes and is updated according to the season. Combination of exquisite flavour nuances with an elegant manor interior.