Historians say that the Livs or Livonians lived in the territory of Latvia long ago, starting in the 10th century.  They populated Northern Kurzeme and the river banks of the Daugava and Gauja rivers.  They asked the first German tradesmen who appeared in the area about the price of textiles at the market in Visby.  This means that they were familiar with the island of Gotland.  The Livonians were courageous and spiritually strong seafarers, because only strong men can live with the sea, go fishing and seal trapping, and take root in the by no means fertile sands of the seashore.

The territory between Ģipka and Ovīši is known as the Livonian coastline.  There are still romantic seashore fishing villages of Livonian origin, as well as Cape Kolka, where the great Latvian activist Krišjānis Valdemārs insisted that it was the centre of Europe.  Livonians all along the seashore responded to his call by taking part in building sailing ships all the way up to Ainaži, where there was a maritime school.  That allowed the ships to sail to the far corners of the world, thus creating a century of sailing ships.  This wasn’t possible without the Livonians.  Also on the coastline are the oldest lighthouses in Latvia, with the one at Ovīši still serving as a star that shows the route for seaborne ships that are heading for Rīga.

The Livonian heritage is also seen in the tradition of fishing for lamprey eels – something that is still very much in place in Carnikava, Svētciems and Salacgrīva.  Old-time fishing equipment that cannot be seen anywhere else is on display in the latter town.

The Latvian nation emerged when the Livonians flowed together with the Lettigalians, the Livonians joke.  It may be that there is some truth in the anecdote.  Liv or Livonian culture, lifestyles and history are closely linked to Latvia and cannot be separated from it.

This is one of two crossing points across the Daugava (the other is near Līvāni).  It is an exotic form of transportation to carry pedestrians, bicyclists and light automobiles across the river.  There is a motor that operates a 200-metre metal cable.  The crossing point is based on Soviet military pontoons that were used to build pontoon bridges for tanks.  The crossing point was established by its owners.  The Dunava Catholic Church is on the left bank of the river, and nearby is a monument to rafters.  During the 1820s, there were three crossing points of this type across the Daugava.

The herd consists of around 200 goats. The owner will tell you a humorous story of life with goats in Latvia and Europe, the story of making goat cheese and the secrets of its taste, will invite you to try cheese which you will be able to buy later. Goat cheese that is made in Lielgrodes is not only healthy, but very tasty.

A family shop in Ikšķile that offers the produce of small Latvian producers and craftsmen. The store is a favourite, not only of the residents of Ikšķile and the surrounding area, but also for shoppers from Riga, Ķekava, Ogre and other cities. An online store is also available.

The late 19th C saw an increase in the development of dairy products in Estonia. The Dairy Museum was established in 1976 to preserve, research and exhibit the history of dairy production. Collections are exhibited both indoors and outdoors, our programmes are very popular and guided tours for groups are available on request. Estonian Dairy Museum tells guests about making dairy products at home, displays and exhibitions on dairy history are also available here. The museum also organises sweet cheese snack, cheese, ice-cream and butter making masterclasses.

The guest house is located in Odziena, Vietalva Parish, Plavinas Region. The house has 5 bedrooms, guests can enjoy a sauna, a pool and a swim in the pond, as well as fishing. There is a large surrounding area for organizing activities and other classes - the guest house is suitable for both relaxation and celebrations.

Eine gut eingerichtete Strecke des Flusses Driksa (ein Nebenarm des Flusses Lielupe) mit einer zweistufigen Promenade, der im Baltikum einzigartigen Brücke Mītava, Aussichtsplätzen, dem Denkmal Student von Jelgava u.a.

The monument is next to the Vecpiebalga Cultural Centre. Its architect was Ausma Skujiņa, and the sculptress was Maija Eņģele.