Things to see and do Vidzeme

From Sigulda, you can see the high red brick tower of the Livonian castle of Turaida, which dates from 1215 and from which there is a superb view. A museum in the 15th century attic explains the history of the Livonian state from the 14th to the 16th century. In the summer, festivals of folk songs are held here. In the park surrounding the fortress you can get acquainted with local traditions: pirts (sauna), blacksmith's workshop, very interesting fish cellars (the refrigerator of the medieval period), a house of barons and servants.

The Gutmanis cave, covered with rock drawings, takes its name from a healer who used the water in the cave to remove wrinkles. The Viktors cave was named after a castle gardener who dug it for his fiancée Maija, known as the Rose of Turaida. Legend has it that she was murdered by a Polish officer in the nearby cave. The hill is called Dainu kalns, or "Mount of the Dainas"; it is covered with sculptures in honour of the poet Barons who, in the 19th century, collected thousands of dainas.

This new castle was built on the site of a former Teutonic Order stronghold. Its current exhibitions are dedicated to its history and trace its existence in different eras, presenting archaeological objects found in Cēsis and a very interesting exhibition on one of the city's most famous beer factories, Cēsu alus, which has contributed greatly to the city's development and is entirely linked with its history.

Teiču Nature Reserve (190 km2) is the largest swamp in the Baltic States. Krustkalni Nature Reserve (30 km2) is a plant paradise. In order to preserve its unique and very fragile ecosystem, both reserves can be visited with guides. In this case, do not hesitate to ask the tourist office for the contact details of the guides. There are also paths that can be used for walks if you wish to visit on your own.

In the ^16th century, during the Livonian War between Poland and the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible, the German baron Johan Biring succeeded in driving Ivan's army out. For his victories, the Polish-Lithuanian king gave him the estate of Kolcene, which today bears the name of Baron Biring. In the ^18th century, the estate was bought by a Swedish baron, and a new castle was built in the Swedish Baroque style. In the ^19th century, neo-Gothic elements were added to the building and the main entrance was redesigned in Renaissance style.

The 9-hectare park lies in the middle of the Ligatne forest and offers guided tours on forest trails, a wooden amusement park for children, picnic sites and a souvenir store selling wooden and knitted souvenirs made by local craftsmen. Favoring wood craftsmanship, you'll find scattered wooden sculptures, experimental organic dwellings and models of Latvian estates and castles in this unusual park.

When Latvia fell under the control of the USSR during the Second World War, many artists went into exile, willingly or unwillingly, over the following fifty years. The museum has therefore made it its mission to bring together the works of these uprooted artists, as well as those of contemporary artists working elsewhere: paintings, sculptures, installations and more. Like a red thread, we find memories and symbols that link all these artists to the mother country.