The former Memele. The only port city with a old town in Lithuania.

The ruins of the Koknese Castle are found where the Daugava and Pērse rivers flow together. The castle, which is on a floodplain, was built for the bishopric of Rīga in 1209, and it replaced an ancient Latvian castle that was made of wood. The castle was blown up by Saxon forces in 1701. A visitors centre is near the ruins, and there you can carve a Medieval coin or rent a boat to sail down the Daugava. Make sure to stroll through the Koknese park, which is alongside the ruins.

was first mentioned in written form in 1582.  A census in 1736 found two farms, Lekši and Žonaki.  A census in 1935 found that there were 106 people in Vaide, including 40 Livonians, 60 Latvians and a few Estonians and Germans.  In 1939, there were 21 homesteads in the village.  Nika Polmanis (1823-1903) was born at the Lāži homestead.  He was the first educated Livonian and lived in the region for all his life.  Livonian poet Alfons Bertholds (1910-1993) wrote a poem about a noble oak tree that grows alongside the homestead.  The vast Berthold family is linked to Žonaki -- Livonian storyteller Marija Šaltjāre, yacht captain Andrejs Bertholds (USA), his son, library scholar Artūrs Benedikts Bertholds (USA), Livonian poet Alfons Bertholds, Livonian language specialists Paulīne Kļaviņa and Viktors Bertholds, Swiss doctor Marsels Bertholds, globally renowned pianist Arturs Ozoliņš (Canada), and Livonian language storyteller and poet Grizelda Kristiņa (1910-2013), who was the last native speaker of Livonian.  The Ozolnieki homestead is also linked to the Bertholds family.  Paulīne Kļaviņa (1918-2001), a specialist in the fields of Livonian traditions and language, and her mother, Livonian storyteller Katrīna Zēberga, both lived there.  Paulīne collected ethnographic objects that can be seen at the Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum in the granary of the Livonian Dēliņi farm.  The Purvziedi homestead in Vaide is owned by forest ranger Edgars Hausmanis, who has a collection of forest animal horns and antlers.

Ļoti skaists un ainavisks etnogrāfiskais ciems Balošas (Baluošas) ezera ziemeļu krastā, netālu no diviem iepriekš minētajiem ciemiem. Te apskatāmas interesantas un skaistas koka ēkas, kas celtas no guļbaļķiem, ar niedru vai lubiņu jumtiem un izrotātas ar dažāda veida dekoratīvajiem elementiem. Pirmo reizi rakstos Šumini minēti 1784. g. Savu vārdu ciems ieguva no kādreiz dzīvojošas ģimenes uzvārda. Kā interesantākā ir jāpiemin sena klēts.

The capital of Estonia. The Old Town of Tallinn - excellent medieval (14.-15th century) building monument. The former city of Hanza.

was first recorded in documents in 1582.  The shallow water around the village contains many sunken ships.  In 1826, Pitrags had 11 farms and 190 residents.  A saloon was opened in the mid-19th century.  In 1937, the village had 12 old farms and 38 fishing operations (mostly new farms).  There were several fish processing plants in the village.  One of the local residents was the distinguished Livonian language storyteller Marija Šaltjāre (Bertholde, 1860-1930).  She shared more than 200 fairy tales and legends, more than 90 songs and games, etc.  The Pitrags Baptist Prayer House was built in 1902.  It was burned down during World War I, rebuilt in 1925, and renovated in the late 20th century.  The Krogi homestead in the centre of Pitrags has a collection of 27 old types of Livonian coastline fencing.  The owner also offers a chance to help with the smoking of fish and then to taste the resulting product.

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.

The Capital of Latvia. The Old Town of Riga (included in UNESCO Cultural Heritage list) - an excellent medieval building monument. The pearl of Art Noveau in Europe. The former city of Hanza.

Mulgima or Mulgi is a cultural and historical region in the south of Estonia. The part of Viljandi county located south of the rivers Raudna and Tenasilma was considered to be region of Mulgimaa.

In ancient times, Mulgi farmers were famous for their sharp minds and determination, which helped to buy land from German-Baltic nobles and become rich farmers. The icons of Mulgi culture - the dialect, the well-known men's long black jacket and the traditional Mulgi porridge - have survived to this day.

Exploring of Sigulda can be started with a visit to Sigulda castle ruins. The construction of the castle was begun by the Knights of the Sword Order in 1207, but in 1236 it was rebuilt for the needs of the Livonian Order. Sigulda castle suffered much from the wars in the second half of the 16th century and in the beginning of 17th century. During the Northern War, it is burned down and is no more restored. Today south-western building of the convent and the tower of the main gate, behind which is the inner forefront of the castle with open air stage, which offers impressive views over the Gauja valley. Currently the reconstruction of castle ruins is in progress. Construction of New castle (owner - Prince Kropotkin) in the South of the Sigulda took place from the 1878 until 1881. From 1923 - 1940 the building was the Palace of Writers, but during the Soviet years - Cardiology sanatorium. Since 2003 Sigulda district council is located there. The manor complex includes wooden house (middle of 19th century), which was Kropotkin's family home, barn (turn of the 18th - 19th century), gardener's house (19th century) and a stone fencing (19th century.) If we make our way from New Castle in a north-eastern direction, after almost 2 km we will reach Vejupite ravine. There you can see the shallow (3.6 m) but high (6.1 m) in Peter's Cave and deep Pucu ravine with Krauklupite. At the conjunction of ravines of both streams rises a Satezele hill fort (plateau 90 x 75 m), where in the beginning of 13th century was the oak castle of Liv land chief (eldest) - Dabrelis. Near can be found Krauklu gorge - ravine of Vejupite left bank, with 11 m high sandstone walls and 5.2 m deep Krauklu cave. At the conjunction of Vejupite ravine and Gauja valley columns Paradise (Gleznotaju) Hill - a very picturesque place, painted and photographed since old times! The Paradise Hill can be reached with a electric vehicle. In the west part of Sigulda is located Ferris wheel (works during the summer) and Air cableway (streetcar) - the only this type of vehicle in Baltics (built in the 1969). Its self-supporting cable extends in 1060 m length and without any support joins the Gauja River valley banks between Sigulda and Krimulda ~ 40 m above Gauja River. Here you can enjoy excellent views! In the south-western part of Sigulda one can walk to mighty Beites precipice, which is split by the deep ravine of stream. On the west side of the ravine lies Keizarskats, which is located ~ 67 m above the Gauja level and offers good views of Krimulda and Turaida castle. Sight place was arranged here already in the 1862 when Russian Tsar Alexander II visited Sigulda. In the eastern part of the ravine wooden Keizarkrēsls (Emperor Stool) is located.