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The most important aspects of this park are a shallow lagoon-type lake – Lake Pape, with its flood land meadows, the shore of the Baltic Sea, the Nida swamp, and the more than 270 different types of birds that have been spotted here. The oldest bird ringing station in Latvia (est. 1966) is found between Lake Pape and the Baltic Sea. Birds and bats are caught and ringed there. Lake Pape is the first place in Latvia where so-called “wild” horses (the “Konik” breed) were released with the aim of managing the flood land meadows.
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This tour takes you to beautiful gardens in Latvia and Lithuania. Poems are dedicated to trees in the garden surrounding the memorial house of Edvarts Virza, a Latvian poet and writer who wrote a legendary novel about the lives of Latvian farmers. Strūbergu decorative garden offers a garden excursion and consultations in gardening. At Brukna manor you will see a vegetable garden that is arranged as a Renaissance park, a rose garden and a vineyard. The beautiful 18th century Mazmežotne castle is renovated by a grain farmer’s family. The Rundāle castle is known as Latvia’s true jewel of Baroque and Rococo architecture featuring also a rose garden with over 2200 varieties of roses. At Blankenfelde manor you will see a collection of bells and will enjoy natural juices, syrups and pickles produced in-house. Visiting Mint House you will taste mint tea, biscuits, honey with peppermint and peppermint syrups. Next stop is at the vegetable and herb farm “Droši vesels” producing herbal ointments. In Lithuania you will visit Žagarė, known for its cherry orchard-park and the special species of cherry – the ‘Žagarvyšnė’, on the National List of Plant Varieties. Stop by Žagarė Manor Park, containing more than 100 species of trees and shrubs. Back in Latvia you can have a picnic at Vilki arboretum showing about 1000 different plants - both typical of the landscape of Latvia and quite unique. At Zaļenieki tree nursery, you can walk in the garden with over 2000 trees and shrubs. Further you will enjoy the beauty of peonia in the collection garden by Andris Berkins. Amatnieki homestead offers tours of their tulip garden. Klūgu landscape garden is famous for begonias. Institute of horticulture in Dobele owns a collection of over 200 types and forms of lilac plants. ''The beautiful and practical idea garden'' is proud of its collection of conifers, and the hosts offer tastings of herbal spice powders, dried berries and fruit. “Rūķīšu tea” is one of the largest farms for medicinal plants in Latvia (purple coneflowers, marigolds, chamomile, etc). And finally, visit Liepas tree nursery specialised in cultivation of fruit-trees, berry bushes and roses. |
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The Lode (Apši) Lutheran Church is between Lake Bānūži and Lake Ilze. It is a unique example of wooden architecture and dates back to 1780. The log church had a straw roof until the early 20th century, at which point a shingled roof was installed instead. |
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The café is in the “Pils” guesthouse, near the Knight Castle Hill and Gunpowder Tower of Kandava. These can be seen from the café’s terrace. Latvian cuisine: Pea soup, homemade dumpling soup, cream of mushroom soup, chilled beet soup, roast pork, homemade steak haché, stuffed flounder, potato pancakes, stacked rye bread. |
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Gaiziņkalns Hill is the highest hill in Latvia, and it is a typical example of the hillocks of the Vidzeme highlands. This is a place of wonderful landscapes, even though there are not all that many good viewing areas. At the centre of this park is Gaiziņkalns Hill itself – the highest place in Latvia and the second highest in the Baltic States (311.6 metres above sea level). The viewing tower, alas is not open to the public, because it is in dangerous condition. There is a well-appointed hiking trail around Gaiziņkalns Hill, and during the winter the hill and its surroundings are popular for downhill and cross-country skiing. Lake Viešūrs (Lake Kaķītis) is popular among licensed fishermen. This territory is part of a region of protected landscapes around Vestiena. |
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On the shore of the Daugava River, to the East of Lielupes Street and South-east of Jātnieku Street, there are the remnants of four battery positions that were blown up in their day. The batteries had 152-mm cannons, and this was part of the former system of fortifications in Rīga (see also Komētforts, the Daugavgrīva fortress, and the fortifications of Mangaļsala). The aim was to protect the city from invaders who came from the sea. From the top of the batteries you can see the Daugava and the northern segment of the manmade Krievu Island (a huge pile of sand). It does have to be said that the condition of this historical monument is quite pitiful.
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The Cape of Kolka is freely accessible to local residents and tourists today, but the border guard facility still serves its purposes and is not open to civilians.
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Im Garten von Vilius Orvidas (1952 – 1992) ist eine Ausstellung der in der Sowjetzeit von der Melioration „geretteten” Steine, Grabkreuze, Holzgegenstände u.a. unter freiem Himmel eingerichtet. |
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Elka Hill is one of the highest surfaces in the western part of the Vidzeme highlands, and it offers a lovely and broad view to the North. There is a small parking lot, a TV and radio tower, and the place where the Gauja River is thought to originate.
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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. |
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There are still some buildings, missile silos and an apartment building from the old No. 158 Zenith Missile Base at Ziemupe, but the territory has been abandoned and degraded.
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The Lielstraupe Castle is the only building in Latvia which contains a Medieval castle and a church. Work on the castle began in 1263. The building suffered great damage during the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as during the riots of 1905. The complex was restored in 1909 by the architect Wilhelm Bockslaff. There are several artistic monuments in the church – the organ loft from the 17th century and the pulpit paintings of the 18th century. In 1944, two stained glass windows produced by the artist Sigismunds Vidbergs were installed at the church – Golgotha and Birth of Christ. The tower contains a clock produced by a local clockmaker, and there is a sun dial on the wall of the church. Visitors to the park of the castle will see the wooden bell tower which dates back to 1744. A memorial plaque to men who fell during World War I and Latvia's liberation battles was installed in the church in 1938. A drugs treatment hospital was installed in the castle in 1963. The church is open during worship services, and the rest of the complex can only be viewed from the outside. |
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Igaunijas jūras ūdeņos ir saskaitīta 1521 sala! Salu sarakstā pēc platības (63 ha) ~ 2,5 km garā Mohni sala ieņem 38. vietu. Lai saudzētu salas trauslo veģetāciju (vietām nedaudz atgādina krūmainu tundru), tās vidusdaļā ir izveidotas koka laipas. Salas dienviddaļā atrodas sašaurinājums, kuru tāpat kā blakus esošo jūras krastu klāj viens no savdabīgākajiem Igaunijas akmeņu laukiem. Salas ziemeļos esošās Mohni bākas (Mohni tuletorn) celtniecība pabeigta 1871. g. un tās gaisma ir redzama 10 jūras jūdžu attālumā. Šī ir viena no skaistākajām Ziemeļigaunijas bākām! Līdz Mohni salai var nokļūt ar laivu (iepriekšēja pieteikšanās) no ~ 5 km attālās Vīnistu ostas (Viinistu sadam). Ar jūras laivu vai kajaku piemērotos apstākļos būs ~ 1h ilgs brauciens. Jārēķinās, ka uz salas nav pastāvīgo iedzīvotāju! Vīnistu ciemā apskatāms 2002. g. izveidotais Vīnistu mākslas muzejs (Viinistu kunstimuuseum). Apmeklētājus iespaidos ne tikai tā āriene, bet arī tapšanas vēsture. |
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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. |
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The attractive potter is a member of the “Potter School,” and he uses knowledge from his ancestors. The “Malny Wylky” workshop offers a look at traditional pottery work, including a foot-powered potter’s wheel and a firing pit that uses firewood and the smoke technique. You can examine and purchase the finished products. Vēsma, in turn, is an oil painter and will demonstrate her artworks. |
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Located near the train station, the café has a bakery in the basement and a shop and café on the first floor. It offers single and multi-layer torts, various types of cakes (including cream cakes, apple cakes Vecrīga cakes, honey cakes, éclairs and roulettes), pastries (cinnamon, poppy seed, cottage cheese), pierogi (cheese, bacon, etc.), sweet pretzels, plates of meats and savoury snacks. |
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Offering – a beach created in the quarry as well as the relaxation zone. 2 volleyball playgrounds, swings, trampolines, inflatable attractions. For the youngest kids – water joys in a specially constructed water „eyecup”. In a separated quarry you are offered to fish - trouts, carps, brook trouts, sheatfish. It is possible for you to cook fish, fry, make fish soup. In this case, we offer you all the necessary things for cooking. Fishing takes place all year round. |
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Jelgavas pils dienvidaustrumu spārna cokolstāvā ir iepazīstamas Kurzemes un Zemgales valdnieku - Ketleru un Bīronu dzimtas kapenes (laika posms no 1569. – 1791. g.), kur apskatāmi 18 restaurētie sarkofāgi. Šī ir Baltijas mērogā nozīmīga vieta, kas noteikti jāapmeklē ikvienam vēstures interesentam. |
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Sweet and sour rye bread is baked here on the hearth of a wood-fired oven, following an old family recipe and using home-grown, historical varieties of rye flour. The dough consists of rye or barley flour, salt, sugar, caraway seas and natural yeast. You can help to bake the bread, taste and buy it, and tour the farm’s museum. The farm grows its own grain in an environmentally friendly way. Available for purchase: sweet and sour rye bread, sweet and sour rye bread with peas, garlic, seeds, hemp, or without sugar. |
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The Forest Trail leads down from the highest point of the Haanja Upland. The most important sight on this route is the Suur Munamägi Hill – 318 m above sea level. The highest point of the Baltics with its observation tower provides its visitors with a splendid 50 km range view of the Estonian nature. The 150 year-old western taiga spruce forests grow on the slopes of Suur-Munamägi. Further on the trail circles around the southern part of Lake Vaskna, and continues down small country roads surrounded by solitary homesteads and small clusters of farms. The route ends in a small village, Tsiistre, where the Linen Museum is located. The museum has a collection of folk linen. Flax is one of the oldest cultural plants in Estonia and a few decades ago, blue flax fields were a common sight in southern Estonia. |