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This territory is meant to protect the “green zone” of Rīga. Most of the park is covered with pine forest and dunes with shrubs on them, but Lake Beberbeķi is found at the southern end of the park. The area around the lake has been improved. |
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This territory is rich with forestland and lakes (some 285 in all). There are extensive opportunities for active recreation or calm leisure.
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The Bauska Nature Park runs for several dozen kilometres along the Lielupe River and its tributaries – the Mūsa and the Mēmele. This is a protected territory. The shores of these rivers contain some of the largest dolomite cliffs in Zemgale. These are protected both as biotopes and as geological monuments. The rivers are important places for river lampreys and vimbas to spawn. Tourists will be attracted by the cultural landscape of the area, as well as the cultural monuments such as the Bauska castle, the Jumpravmuiža park, the Mežotne castle hill, Vīna Hill, the Mežotne castle, etc. The rivers are used for water tourism. |
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The viewing tower is in a seaside meadow near Mērsrags. It is an unusual type of biotope in Latvia and is located to the North of the Mērsrags port. The tower offers a good view of reed-filled meadows, areas where wild cattle have grazed, and an amazing wealth of different kinds of plants. |
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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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The mouth of the most beautiful river of Vidzeme. On the seashore between the mouths of River Gauja and River Daugava, one of the largest dune ranges in Latvia with distinctive parabolic dunes overgrown with forest (wooded dunes) is situated. The Mouth of River Gauja is unique as it is one of the few major rivers in Latvia and in EU countries to flow into the sea naturally. There is no harbour or other hydro-engineering construction. It is a popular recreation area in the vicinity of Riga and Saulkrasti while, unfortunately, the lack of infrastructure makes it suffer from anthropogenic load. Not far from the rivermouth, hidden in dunes, there are pillboxes which were built in 1920 or 30ies as anti-airborne barriers. There was a whole range of them along the coastline from the mouth of the River Lielupe to the mouth of the River Gauja forming a part of the Daugavgrīva Fortress fortifications. The pillbox is made of concrete, ca 1.5m thick. Every year, on the 3rd Sunday in August, a lamprey festival takes place in Carnikava town by the Gauja rivermouth. Carnikava is called the Lamprey Capital as it is famous for its lamprey fishing tradition and generous catches. The Mouth of the River Gauja is a good bird-watching area, especially in spring and autumn when one can observe the highest variety of species. Just few of the many bird species that can be observed near the Gauja rivermouth |
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This park is located along the shores of the Tērvete River Valley. It is a vast forested area which has been adapted successfully for travellers. In 2004, it was nominated as the most family - friendly destination in the land. There is a web of trails for one-day hikes. Viewing tower on the shore of the Tērvete River, views also from the Tērvete castle hill and Zviedru (Swedish) Hill.
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From the Markova castle hill, which you will access from the local information trial, you will see a view of the Daugavsargi curve of the Daugava. Further along, you will reach the open shore of the Daugava to see one of the most unique landscapes of Latvia’s river valleys. The Slutišķi village of Old Believers and the mighty Slutišķi cliff will be in the background.
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The Naujene castle hill is on the steep bank of the Daugava River, is up to 25 metres high and has two valleys on its sides. Between 1275 and 1277, the master of the Livonian Order, Ernst von Ratzenburg, organised the construction of a brick castle to replace a Lettigalian wooden castle that had stood there before. The castle had a drawbridge and an external and internal forecastle. Until the middle part of the 16th century, the castle was the residence of one of the top officials in Dünaburg. The forces of Ivan the Terrible sacked the castle in 1577, after which the location lost its strategic importance. New fortifications were built in the location that is now the city of Daugavpils. Alongside the ruins of the castle is a miniature model that helps to imagine the appearance of the location many centuries ago. A well-appointed pathway leads from the car park to the castle hill. The hill offers one of the loveliest views of the curvy Daugava River and its surrounding nature park. |
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This territory in the northern part of the Dzūkija Highlands with lots of hillocks and lakes. The most interesting tourist destination is Velnio duobė (Devil’s Flowerbed) – a funnel-shaped hole that is up to 40 m deep and 200 m wide and is thought to have originated during the Ice Age.
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The nature park in the Ogre River valley is found along the middle section of the river. It has been established so as to protect the unregulated river valley and its surrounding territory, as well as biological diversity and habitats. For instance, this is an area in which rare park-type meadows can be found in Latvia. The Ogre is one of Latvia’s most popular rivers for water tourism in the spring, particularly downriver from the town of Ērgļi, where the technically complicated Braži rapids are found. |
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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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The ancient Abava River Valley between Kandava and the place where the river flows into the Venta River is the most expressive river valley segment in Kurzeme in terms of landscape and terrain. The valley is 30 to 40 metres deep and as much as 300 metres wide. The territory is distinguished by great diversity of a biological nature (more than 800 kinds of plants), featuring many different biotopes and natural monuments such as streams, waterfalls, cliffs, huge rocks, and many cultural and historical monumentssmall towns such as Kandava and Sabile. In both cases, the town centres are national monuments of urban construction. Popular tourist destinations include Vīnakalns hill in Sabile, where wine-making grapes are grown, as well as the open-air art museum at Pedvāle. To protect cultural treasures, a cultural and historical territory, “Abava River Valley” has been established. Wild livestock live at Drubazas and Tēvkalni to “maintain” the landscape. There are nature trails for tourists, and the Abava is the most popular river for water tourists in Kurzeme. Information is available at the tourist information centres in Kandava and Sabile. such as castle hills, churches, ancient burial grounds, and
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The viewing tower is on the western part of the Blue Hills of Ogre, not far from the Dubkalni quarry. Paths lead to the tower, as does a wooden staircase. The viewing platform offers a very broad view of the Ķegums hydroelectric power plant reservoir and the towers of
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This is a small area with lots of different terrains – high hillocks, distinct river valleys, thermal streams, continental dunes, etc.
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The Buse (Matkule) castle hill is near the Imula River. From the castle hill and from the opposite shore of the river, you can find one of the loveliest views of Kurzeme’s small rivers. Their appearance is best when trees and other flora are bare and the view is unimpeded. A wonderful view of the Imula valley is also seen on the road to the castle hill – near the Buse homestead.
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The trail climbs up and down along the bluffs of lower River Pilsupe and reveals a fascinating sight of three white dune exposures (the largest is called the White Dune). The trail is 900m long, and the White Dune is ca 20m high. It has formed ca 6000 years ago, in the period of the Littorina Sea which is a foregoer of the Baltic Sea. Here the first Stone Age settlement on the North Western coast of Latvia has been found in 1934 by geologist S. Burhards. In the sand, some 500m from the sea, he found some pottery fragments, a sandstone hone, a piece of flint, parts of bones and an amber bead. He handed the findings over to the National Museum of History. In October 1934, the site was checked by archaeologist E. Šturms, who found the archaeological layer, typical for such settlements, in the landslides of the Pilsupe riverbanks. In 1936 he started larger excavations to continue by 1938. Totally seven, chronologically different settlements were detected and many artefacts found, including fragments of the so called Sārnate and pit-comb pottery, as well as some pieces of corded pottery. Based on these findings, the settlement is dated back to the beginning or middle of the 3rd millenary B.C., and it has been inhabited till the beginning of the 2nd millenary B.C. Especially remarkable are three clay figures in human shape which have probably been used for some religious cult purposes. Since 1993, archaeologist Ilzes Loze has discovered several pit-comb ware culture settlements in large area around Pūrciems village. They are known in research literature as „the Ģipka settlements”. |
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This nature park is one of the richest and most unusual nature parks in Latvia in terms of its natural resources, the surrounding environment, the landscapes, the biological diversity of the area, and the cultural monuments which are found there. The main treasure there is the little-changed Daugava River valley, where there are eight major curves in the river at a length of four to eight kilometres. There are also the gullies of river tributaries. Outstanding views can be found on the steep shores of the Daugava River valley, particularly the Slutiški and Ververi cliffs and the Elerne gravel hill. There are some 20 archaeological monuments on the shores of the valley -- ancient castle hills at Najene, Markova, Vecračina, etc., countless churches -- the Juzefova, Sprukti, Borovka, Elerne, Sīķele, Kaplava and other churches, the Rozališki, Lielborne and other baronia estates, and the unique village of Slutiški, which is home to the Old Believers. There are interesting nature trails and bicycling trails in the area. Horseback riding is available, and there is a viewing tower along with other elements for tourists. Boating down the Daugava River is an interesting way to spend time. |
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Atrodas Skuķu ezera dienvidrietumu krastā. Sasniedzams no Putnu salas, ejot cauri dzīvei savvaļā pielāgoto mājlopu aplokiem un taku. No torņa labi pārskatāma Dvietes paliene (ūdeņainos pavasaros pārplūst) un aizaugušais Skuķu ezers. Laba putnu vērošanas vieta. Putnu salas Atālu mājās – vietējais gids. |
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There are three large lakes at the centre of this park – Lake Dusia, Lake Metelys, and Lake Obelija. Lake Dusia has very clear and transparent water, and its southern and south-eastern beaches are popular among swimmers. The lakes and their nearby wetlands are important during the migration season of birds.
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