Things to see and do Latvia

One of Latvia's wealthiest men, Jānis Zuzāns, loves art and, over the years, has amassed the largest collection of Latvian art in the world. This collection is beautifully displayed at the Zuzeum, in a former cork factory. Here, local and international artists engage in dialogue on a wide variety of themes, using equally varied means of expression (paintings, sculptures, installations...). There's plenty to stimulate your imagination and feed your curiosity. Art mediators are on hand to discuss the works. A real plus.

A travel book that retransmits the authenticity and warmth of the inhabitants of the Baltic countries. If this site presents you with the three capitals, it is mainly the photographs of the remote provinces and picturesque villages that will keep your attention.

Riga Galerija is a must for art lovers in Riga. Located in the Centra rajons district, this gallery offers a variety of works by local and international artists.

Marshes and bogs cover 4.9% of Latvia's territory, and 70% of them are intact. There are high marshes (peat bogs) and low marshes (swamps). Over 50 protected plant species are found here, including orchids and sedges. Marshes are also a prime habitat for many species of birds, including capercaillie, hoopoe, crane, etc. Many marshes are nationally protected, while others are part of reserves or national parks. The largest reserve is at Teiči, in Vidzeme. The reserve offers a 4-hour excursion to discover a wild landscape and admire rich flora and fauna. The only marshland right on the sea is in Nida.

Ķemeri National Park was created in 1997. The place is popular thanks to the hydrogen sulfide found in the marsh. For over a hundred years, Ķemeri has been a renowned spa resort. Its marshland is a fragile biotope that needs to be preserved. A preservation that allows visitors to observe many rare animals, such as great horned owls and eagles. The marsh loop was created in 2000, is 2.8 km long and takes around 2 hours to complete. A wooden path raised by about fifteen centimetres allows you to cross the marsh without risk or damage. The landscape is halfway between tundra and taiga. The trees, unable to grow on this soft soil, all become magnificent natural bonsai trees.

Lake Rāznas is the largest in the country, and is nicknamed the «Mer Sea». Many beaches are furnished and many of them are located in the vicinity.

Ludza, a town in Latvia, has a tourist office to welcome visitors and help them discover the region. Services include tourist information on the Ludza region, tourist brochures on other parts of Latvia, organizing tours for groups and individuals, booking accommodation, reserving tickets, organizing leisure activities and events, providing Internet access and supplying advertising material.

The glass factory, founded by the Russians, dates back to 1887 and was for a long time the main economic source of the town. In the museum, on the top floor of the building, there are many pieces such as glasses, plates, lamps, vases... marked by the periods and styles related to them. Affected by the crisis, the factory closed its doors in 2009, but the museum continues to welcome visitors at any time of the year by prior arrangement.

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.

Learn about Latvia's rich and troubled history from prehistoric times to the end of the ^20th century. Although the museum is a little old-school and lacks explanations in languages other than Latvian (there are explanatory cards in English), it boasts an impressive collection of various objects, clothing, documents... telling the story of a fascinating national epic. The museum is due to return to Riga Castle once its renovation is complete.

This museum of the history of the train in Latvia is a good visit for the whole family, but it will also appeal to history and mechanical enthusiasts. You will discover various wagons from the time of the Soviet and German occupation, as well as archival photos in a large brick exhibition hall. The museum has the largest collection of full-size vehicles in the Baltic States, as well as uniforms, tickets and other railway-related items.

5 km from Tukums is the Jaunkomu Castle, a combination of Art Nouveau and Gothic art elements. This castle dating back to 1901 hosts an exhibition on forest history. It is now very popular of Latvians for wedding celebrations and is therefore busy every weekend in the summer.

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.

Liepāja is a dynamic and creative city, as demonstrated by this complex which once housed a printing works, a sewing workshop and a sandal factory, completely transformed into a place of leisure and creation. Access is almost hidden, via a small cobbled street close to the riverside promenade. A lively place where you can find young designers, beer bars and two restaurants. Dig deeper and you'll discover the garden.

Liepāja was built between the sea and a lagoon, Lake Liepāja. With its thirteen islands, the lake has become a Natura 2000 nature reserve. It's also one of the locals' favorite places for a stroll. Zirgu Island ("horse island" in Latvian) is the largest. Start by visiting the Nature House, which serves as a visitor center, and from there take the nature trail, a 4 km walk along wooden footbridges with a bird-watching tower (remember binoculars), platforms for admiring the lake and picnic areas.

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.

Jelgava's natural gem lies behind the palace, accessible via Pils iela, a road along the Lielupe. Pass the yacht club and you'll arrive at the Lielupe floodplains(Lielupes palienes pļavas), a Natura 2000 area, protected for its flora and fauna. If the trail is open (it's closed in spring during bird nesting), you can head out and observe rare plants and birds, including migratory ones. A little further along the trail, you'll reach a 19-metre wooden observation tower from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the river, meadows and Jelgava, which seems far away in this oasis of calm. From here, continue until you reach the home of a group of semi-wild horses. There are between 60 and 80 of them, all free-ranging and regularly fed. You'll soon notice that they're all alike: small in stature, rustic in appearance, and with coats ranging from black to sand and various shades of grey. They are koniks, an ancient breed of horse originally from Poland and introduced here as part of a program to revitalize the plains, where they naturally maintain the vegetation cover simply by grazing. Don't approach the horses - they'll come if they want to. Koniks, although semi-wild, are not shy. Don't feed them, they have everything they need here.