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The route leads mostly through the Gauja National Park where you will see the most beautiful river valley in the Baltic States. It is the ancient Gauja River valley with gorgeous flora and fauna and the mightiest Devonian-period sandstone cliffs, in the region. While riding the route, you can study Latvia's most brilliant medieval city, Cēsis. You can visit medieval castles and castle ruins there and in Sigulda. A guide will take through underground bunkers in Līgatne which were secret in soviet times and have no analogue in North-eastern Europe. You will then pass through the beautiful Otepaa highlands and the Lahemaa National Park in Estonia. The old town of Tallinn is on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. |
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This reserve dates back to Lake Ancilus, which was one of the original elements of what is now the Baltic Sea. The lake’s ancient shores feature wetlands, forests and flora which are all protected by the reserve.
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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. |
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Holy Trinity Parish Catholic Church of Strūžāni was renovated
and sanctified in 1958. The church has no towers because they were not allowed in the time of the Soviet
Union.
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Ap 9,5 km garais un līdz kilometru platais ezers atrodas subglaciālā – t.i. ledāja veidotā vagā, tādēļ tas ir ne tikai Lietuvas, bet arī otrs Baltijas dziļākais ezers (pēc dažādiem avotiem 60,5 m vai 62,5 m). Tauragna dienvidu krastā paceļas Taurapils pilskalns (Taurapilio piliakalnis). Saglabājušies nostāsti gan par pagānu priesteri, kas te dzīvojis, gan nogrimušu baznīcu, gan laikiem, kad pilskalnu no visām pusēm apņēmis ūdens. No pilskalna plakuma paveras visaptverošs skats uz Tauragnu. |
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Mūsdienās redzamo (pēc skaita – trešo) baznīcu cēla laikā no 1835. - 1837. g. (ampīra stilā) Mārča Sāruma vadībā. Arī šīs ēkas projektēšanā par paraugu bija ņemts Pievolgas vācu baznīcu veidols, tādēļ tā līdzīga Dzērbenes luterāņu baznīcai. Dievnama altāri rotā Otto Donnera fon Rihtera glezna “Kristus debesbraukšana” (1898. g.). E. Martina firmā būvētās 10 reģistru ērģeles (1901. g.) darbojās arī šodien. Pie Drustu baznīcas atrodas 1932. g. atklātais un formās iespaidīgais (E. Kuraua firmas veidots) granīta piemineklis 1. pasaules karā un Latvijas Brīvības cīņās kritušo piemiņai. Nelielā baznīcas sienas nišā novietota piemiņas plāksne komunisma terora upuriem. |
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Large cranberries were first grown in the Laugas Swamp in Latvia in 1992. Today there are six types of cranberries that were originated in Latvia. Among them is a hybrid between large American cranberries and Latvian cowberries, and it is known as the noble cranberry. You can attend lectures, receive consultations, tour the swamp, and purchase cranberries, cranberry products, as well as purchase turf that is needed to grow your own cranberries. |
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Organic family farm Võrumaa, Haanja Nature Park (Haanja rahvuspark). The farm rears goats and makes goat’s cheese. Tastings and excursions are organised here; you will see how the milk from the cowshed turns into a cheese wheel. |
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Work on a new church began in 1574 at the commission of Duke Gotthard Kettler of Courland and Zemgale. The steeple was installed between 1686 and 1688, and in 1862 its height was increased to 80.5 m. The church burned down because of Soviet bombardment on July 27, 1944, and in 1954 the Soviet military blew up its ruins. Reconstruction of the steeple began in 2009, and it now has an outstanding interactive museum that is particularly interesting for children, along with a glassed viewing platform. |
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Tour groups with at least ten people can enjoy tastings of various homemade wines (23 types in all) that are made of fruits and berries – three types of wine each time. The owner will tell you about winemaking technologies and ways to drink and enjoy wine. |
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The museum is in Gunpowder Tower, which was an important component in the Medieval fortifications system of Rīga. The basic subject of the museum is Latvia’s military and political history, and exhibits are related to these subjects.
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Находится~ в 4 км, не доезжая до Априки (установлен указатель) – Гибортское кладбище. Слепой Индрикис (1783 – 1828) был латышом, опубликовавшим первое собрание стихов на латышском языке (1806 г.). Индрикис был слепым с 5-летнего возраста и был необразован. Его стихи записал и издал в упомянутом году священник Априкского прихода K. Г. Элверфелдс. На кладбище установлен памятный камень (1935 г.) и созданное Вилнисом Титансом «Аустрас кокс» с надписью шрифтом Брайля. |
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Four-star hotel and restaurant of Vecgulbenes manor is located in a beautiful historic place, in a renovated horse arena building that was the largest closed arena in the Baltics. |
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Burtnieku muižas parks, kas atradās kungu ēkas priekšā, ir valsts nozīmes dabas aizsardzības objekts, tika izveidots ap 19.gs. 60. gadiem 10 ha platībā. Iespēja doties ekskursijā pa Burtnieku muižas parku mazākā vai lielākā grupā. Ekskursijas laikā gida pavadībā iespējams iepazīt teikām un nostāstiem bagāto parku, apskatīt teiksmaino Burtnieku ezeru, kā arī baudīt nesteidzīgu pastaigu svaigā gaisā. Papildus tiek piedāvāta iespēja iegādāties oriģinālus Burtnieku suvenīrus, kuros dažādi meistari ielikuši ne vien savu talantīgo roku darbu, bet arī Burtnieku stāstu. Lai diena būtu piepildīta, gids ieteiks, ja nepieciešams, koordinēs un dosies līdzi apskatīt arī citus dabas un vēstures objektus tuvākajā apkārtnē. |
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The craftsman typically produces objects that are of use on an everyday basis. They have laconic forms and reticent decorations. You can take a tour of the workshop and kiln, watch demonstrations, and work with the clay yourself. You can purchase finished products, look at the beekeeping operation, and taste and purchase honey. |
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The shallow and mostly overgrown (65% of its surface) Lake Engure is one of those Latvian lakes which are most favoured by birds. It is a location which is governed by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and 186 species of nesting birds have been identified there. The area is also distinguished by great botanical diversity (more than 800 kinds of plants). The coastline varies between sandy beaches and seashore meadows. There are forests, fishing villages and damp areas which ensure a great diversity in landscapes and species. The flood-land plains of the lake and the sea are grazing grounds for wild livestock – horses, blue cows, etc. Several bird-watching towers are open to visitors, as is the Orchid trail. The Centre for Ornithological Research is located on the eastern bank of Lake Engure. A unique floating house built by ornithologists is located on the lake. The territory is appropriate not just for holiday-makers, but also for hikers, bicyclists and bird-watchers. A leisure area and a small exhibition are located close to the ornithological research centre. |
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Kaunas Castle is the oldest stone castle in Lithuania and interestingly enough, the museum that is inside is also the oldest one in Lithuania. It's possible to take a tour to get know more about Kaunas Castle and also visit the museum where there's not only information about the castle but also about the city of Kaunas itself and much more. |
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The Amata is one of Latvia's swiftest river, and water tourists congregate there each spring to engage in extreme activities. From the Rīga-Veclaicene highway, the Amata flows into a deep valley, with an average drop of more than 3 m/km or, downriver, as much as 8-10 m/km. Water tourists usually use the segment of the river between Melturi and the Zvārte cliff or the Veclauči bridge that spans the Līgatne-Kārļi road. Please remember that the Amata is not a friendly river for beginners. After lengthy rainfall, the river can be navigable during other times of the year, as well. The surrounding valley is attractive because of impressive sandstone and dolomite cliffs, among which the best known are the Vizuļi cliff (which can be the site of beautiful frozen waterfalls in winter), the Ainavu cliff, the Ķaubju cliff, the Dzilna cliff, the Zvārte cliff, and the Lustūzis cliff. Between Melturi and Veclauči, there is the Amata geological trail, which is marked with orange paint on tree trunks. There are three segments to the trail – from Melturi to the Kārļi fish farm, from the fish farm to the Zvārte cliff (both segments can be extreme!), and from the Zvārte cliff to the Veclauči bridge. You can hike the trail at any time except when there is deep snow. The most impressive views will be found when the trees are bare. If you boat down the river, you will not have time to look at or photograph the cliffs, because all of your attention will be focused on the river itself and the obstacles therein. |
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Maza apdzīvota vieta ar dažām viensētām uz pussalas (salos tulkojumā no lietuviešu valodas nozīmē „sala") starp vairākiem ezeriem. Salos II ir viens no sešiem Augštaitijas nacionālā parka etnogrāfiskajiem ciemiem. Ciems patiks tiem, kas meklē ļoti nomaļas vietas ar vecām guļbaļķu dzīvojamām un saimniecības ēkām. No Salos II pa sauszemes maršrutu var doties pārgājienā līdz Ladakalnim un Ginuču pilskalnam (sk. iepriekš). |
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Today there’s a single-family farm and not much else, but at one time Olmaņi was the site of two important coastal batteries collectively known as “Krastnoflotskaya.” Until 1955, the one to the South of Olmaņi, there were four 152-mm Kane type cannons, which were manufactured during World War I and were widely used to protect the coastal territory of the Baltic Soviet republics of Latvia and Estonia during the rule of the Soviet regime. Small concentric ramparts of earth are all that’s left there today. After 1955, to the North of Olmaņi, another battery was installed with four MY-2 152-mm cannons. They had a range of 25 km. The battery remained in battle readiness until 1975, when it was turned into a reserve facility. It’s not easy to find, but it’s worth the search. The platforms for the cannons and the subterranean bunkers are still there. This was indeed one of the most impressive coastal batteries along the shores of the Baltic Sea.
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