TOURISM GUIDE 2013 - Smiltene

The first dayWalk from 1 Smiltene city centre along Gaujas Streetdown to Jāņu hill, then along Atmodas Street past Lazdukalnshill. Then up Raiņa Steet until the road takes you toGet to know the Smiltene region through crafts, taste and smell!but in this case it is better to agree on it in advance withthe workers of the coffee-shop.Prices: pizza~2.00-3.50 Ls, coffee~0.60-2.00 Ls, cocktails~0.60-1.20Ls.After that go bowling.7Ls/1h, the visiting time ~2-3h, advanced booking. With anadvanced booking you will also have time to purchase thetasty bread rolls.When the evening comes, go to the nearby „Kalbakas”homestead.(A 3 dayroute)5 Bowling (Baznīcas square 2, Smiltene, Tel.: +37164707445)Here you will have a chance to compete for less, as on7 Homestead „Kalbakas”, rabbit visit (Kalbakas, Smilteneparish, Tel: 37129465018, +37129257467; www.kalbakas.lv)a very tiny street with a beautiful name – Ābeļu (Apple)Street. At the end of it, encircled by the forest, you will seea nice recreation area – the „Oāze” guesthouse.2 The „Oāze” guesthouse, flower garden, rabbits andwater balls (Ābeļu Street 4, Smiltene, Tel.: +37129619602,+37164774653; www.smiltenesoaze.lv)It has very beautiful surroundings with different flowers,ponds and ornamental shrubs. In the pond one can observegreen frogs which sit on the lily pads and of coursepay a visit to our four legged friends – the rabbits. They livein a big fenced garden – „rabbit city”. You can cuddle therabbits and feed them with bread given by the hosts. Youcan also eat yourselves in the coffee-house of the guesthousewith home-made food, to gain energy for the rest ofthe journey. Here you can also swing, enjoy the water ballsand if you wish – also stay overnight and have a relaxingsteam-bath in a Latvian style sauna.The visit to the flower garden and the rabbits ~ 1h, 0,50Lsper person, including the rabbit treat, the water balls5min/1Ls. The visit should be booked in advance.Near this beautiful resting place Cērtenes hillfort can befound, so go and look at it. Walk through a pine tree forestalong a little trail up to Drandu Street where there is an informationstand beside the parking place and the Cērtenehillfort trail.3 Cērtenes hillfort and nature trails (located in theSouthern part of Smiltene city, tel..: +37129577078 (guide services)).This is a nice place for resting in nature, as several trailshave been created here, but you will definitely like thehealth trail the most with different nature elements andinteresting tasks. Once you get to the Cērtenes hillfort, youwill see wonderful scenery above the canopy of the widesurroundings and Pilskalna (Hillfort) meadow, where thereis a facilitated recreation and picnic place, aswell as an arbour. In order to get there, climbdown the hillfort along the stairway built on theslope. As Cērtenes hillfort is the oldest historicalplace in Smiltene and it has been announced asa national archaeological object, it holds manyexciting secrets, which our guide will help youto unfold.Excursion with a guide ~ 2h, agreed price, advancebooking.When walking back to the city centre, definitelydon’t walk past the coffee-chop „Mūza” withoutpaying a visit.4 The musical coffee-shop „Mūza” (Baznīcassquare 16, Smiltene, Tel.: +37164707235,+37120241040; http://www.mkmuza.lv/)Here you will be able to order and enjoy pizzaswhich are made according to a true Italian recipe,charming both big and small eaters withtheir smell and taste. You will also have a chanceto taste amazing ice-cream cocktails and cakes,sip some tea or coffee and get to know Smiltenecity through the historical photos on thewalls, as well as enjoy the quirky interior and differentsouvenirs and gifts which can be boughtthere. Children will have an opportunity to dosomething creative or to play in the play corner.You can also organise children’s parties here,working days from 12:00-18:00 a family bowling game ischeaper than during the later hours of a day or on otherdays. Before the game don’t forget to put on the specialbowling shoes, which you are able to rent on site. Each ofyou chooses your own ball to bowl down the track in orderto knock down the skittles. Play and play until you will findout who is the winner.Price for a bowling game on working days: 3-10Ls/1h, therent of bowling shoes 0,80Ls.Continue your trip by car to get to know Smiltene manorcomplex and its exciting offers.6 Smiltene manor complex, German Order hillfort,meeting Smiltiņš and trying the tasty bread which hasbeen baked in the prince Lieven bakery (Kalnamuiža,Smiltene parish, Tel.: +37127887933 (Gunārs Auders – the excursionguide), +37126393523 (Jānis Valdmanis – the baker),+37164772173, +37126556681 (hotel „Kalna ligzda”); http://www.smiltenestehnikums.lv/)Once you get to Kalnamuiža you will see the Smiltenemanor complex which has been taken good care of, setwithin beautiful trees and plant life, as Prince Pauls Lievenstarted the creation of a progressive household in his time.Here you will meet Smiltiņš – the talisman of SmilteneTechnical College, who will show to you the manor house,stables, barn, hunters’ house, and cheese house – the onlyone preserved in Latvia. Then the manor greenhouses andGerman Orden castle ruins which have preserved fromSlimtene castle, which was built in the 14th century bythe Riga archdiocese. You will visit the canteen of the college,the hotel „Kalna ligzda”, which offers cosy rooms foraccommodation, have a meal prepared with love, sauna,and during the winter season – equipment rental. Togetherwith Smiltiņš you will go to the Prince Lieven bakery toenjoy the bread making process according to ancestralmethods and listen to the stories of the master to tastethe baked loaf. Here you will have an opportunity to tastefine rye-bread, kite bread and white bread, as well as finesweets and special jams from the madam. To relax, sit fora while next to the fountain to enjoy the peace and harmony,which is characteristic only for this place, where thespecial energy makes you come back again and again.Excursion and degustation price in the bread bakery 1.00Ls per person, excursion and degustation price with participationin the bread making process (up to 10 persons)2,50Ls per person, excursion with a guide in KalnamuižaThis is a peaceful and cosy place near Smiltene for wonderfulholidays together with family. There are 14 rooms foraccommodation. In the upper floor of the big house thereare double and triple as well as family rooms. The hosts offera small kitchen where you can cook your own meals.You can also cook outside where there is a bonfire placeor on the grill, and for eating you can move to the outsidetables and benches.But if you don’t want to bother with cooking, ask the hoststo pamper you. Even the small guests of Kalbakas homesteadwon’t be bored – they will have a nice sandbox toplay in, a swing to swing on, and they will have a chance tolook after, cuddle and feed the friendly rabbits and chicks.„Kalbakas” have thought about every guest – big and small,the ones who wish to enjoy a sauna and sports activities,cyclists, nature children and party lovers. Every one of youwill have an opportunity to rest according to your owntaste and to find something amazing to do!Not far away from Kalbakas homestead there is NiedrājaLake, which with its surroundings is a perfect place for restin the nature. Use the chance to rent bicycles from Kalbakasand go for a little evening ride, but when you comeback, enjoy a real countryside sauna before you go to bed.Check the prices on the website or by calling on the telephone,mentioned above.8 Niedrāja lake and surroundings is a place wherethose who orienteer, cyclists, skiers, Nordic walkers, fishermen,swimmers, berry and mushroom pickers often goto regain their energy as the lake is very close; around fivekilometres from Smiltene city centre. This place loves localsas well as the guests of our region so you will definitelylove it. There are facilitated swimming areas on the sides ofthe lake, dressing rooms, a picnic place, tables and benches,bonfire places as well as toilets. You can get to the lakeby easily accessible roads which go through the pine treeforest. There are three labelled cycling trails of differentlengths and difficulty in the surroundings of the forest withsome information stands. As this territory is maintained byLatvian State Forests, it is always very clean and tidy.Take care that you leave everywhere clean and tidy. Let’stake care of nature!The second dayIn the morning go to „Bābēni” farm.9 „Bābēni” farm, herbal teas and medical plants(Bābēni, Bilska parish, Tel.: +37129287084)It is organic farming, which offers excursions and lectureson growing medical plants, spices, the processing ofplants, tea-making and use for everyday life. You will beoffered tea degustation. Definitely try Blue Cornflower tea.You will also see some domestic birds and rabbits in thefarm.Visits all year round ~ 1-2h, price 1Ls per person; lecture~3h,price 1,50Ls per person, advance booking.Then go to Matuļi family, they will definitely surprise youwith their nature trails.10 Matuļi nature trails (Asari, Bilska parish, Tel.:+37129396137; +37129431118)The total distance of the Matuļi nature trails is around 1650metres. While walking along them you will see around 150formations, which have been joined by new ones. You willhave a feeling that you are on the same trail, but it is dividedinto 9 smaller ones, where each of them carry theirown story – the Fantasy trail, Giant trail, Klucis Konstantīns(Log Konstantins) trail, Viewpoint, Saknīšu trail (Roots trail).At the end of the trail there will be a facilitated playgroundand picnic place as well as tent places.The visit of the trails, excursion with a guide ~2h, donationbased, advance booking.Nearby to the trails is Mēri manor, in which the Smilteneregional museum is found, which offers interesting and excitingexcursions, so make sure you visit it as well.11 Mēri manor and Smiltene regional museum (Mēri,Bilska parish, Tel.: +37129227562)Here you will see Mēri manor castle, which was built in theyear 1905 in the style of eclectic romance with little towerswhich give it an aged look. In the manor premises SmilteneRegional Museum can be found, which offers the chance tosee a very wide collection of medical items, wooden itemsand crafts, different photos and evidence on the history ofBirzuļi primary school as well as some old and importantbooks. The historical items are placed in different rooms –The hall of Personalities (Personību zāle), the Gallery of Antiques(Senlietu galerija), the Crafts Room (Rokdarbu istaba)and even the doctor Ilzes Krūmala’s study. On the last Sundayof every month different themed events take place here.The price for the visit to the manor and the museum ~1-2h,advance booking.3.12 Grundzāle nature trail (Tilta Street 1, Grundzāle, Tel.:+37126401913 (guide)When arriving to Grundzāle, you will have an opportunityto quench your thirst in the Grundzāle sacred spring, towalk the nature trail along the rapid flow of Palsa River foralmost the length of one kilometre, enjoying birds chirrupingand discovering special limestone-dolomite exposures.If you sit on the comfortable wooden benches for a whileand observe the birds, you might be lucky enough to seethe blue kingfisher. This is Palsa as you have never seen itbefore!As the evening approaches you will need to think whereto spend the night. I suggest you to go to the beautifulrecreation and sports complex Trīssaliņas, which is locatedin a wonderful place on the lakeside, not far away fromGrundzāle and towards Aumeisteri.13 Recreation and sports complex „Trīssaliņas”(Threeislands) (Trīssaliņas, Grundzāle parish, Tel.: +37126536637,+37129477124; www.trissalinas.lv)Here you will be able to choose your own island with a nicelog house where you can stay. You will have your „own island”,we have several of them here. We also have a guesthouse, celebrationhalls, other houses and lots more things. You can havea lot of fun playing in the children’s playground and go to thenature trail to look for wooden animals and overcome obstacles.You can also go fishing and if you have managed to catchsomething, have an opportunity to smoke it in the smokehouse.One can do sports in sports fields or have a chilled ridein a boat on the lake. You can also experience a real „black sauna”and after steam-bathing and patting yourself with birchtwigsyou can refresh yourself in the lake. If you wish to seethe sunset, the best place to do it is from the viewpoint. As theevening becomes dark, you can light the bonfire and talk withyour family over what you have experienced and seen duringthe day. But then you do need to go and have a nice sleep, asthe new day will bring new adventures.Look for the prices on our website or by calling the telephonenumbers indicated above.continued on page 4 ►2 3