Culture mark "Latvian heritage"

The first written information about the estate dates back to the 3rd quarter of the 18th century.  It is known that in 1769, the estate had 14 buildings.  Charlotte Lieven received Mežotne as a gift from Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 1759.  The estate suffered much damage during World War I.  After the war it became an exemplary estate, but its roof and mansard burned down during World War II.  Restoration of the estate began in 2007.  Today Mazmežotne Estate is a beautiful place, surrounded by nature. It offers recreational facilities, including accommodations, dining, banquet facilities for events and seminars, as well as biking, boating and hiking for those who enjoy exercise.  The former stables and barn offer spacious halls for celebrations, weddings, seminars, concerts, exhibitions. One of the buildings houses a SPA complex with a range of relaxing procedures.  The open chimney house offers an exhibition of the history of sugar-beet cultivation and sugar production industry in Latvia. The old cheese house is now a sauna with a relaxation room, a hot water tub outdoors, and a terrace.

Par cukurbiešu audzēšanas un pārstrādes tradīcijas izzināšanu un daudzināšanu.

Atjaunotajā “Mazmežotnes muižā” ir senas cukurbiešu audzēšanas tradīcijas jau no grāfa Līvena laikiem, kas turpinātas arī pēc Latvijas neatkarības atjaunošanas. Īpašnieki vienā no muižas ēkām ir iekārtojuši modernu un interaktīvu ekspozīciju, kas stāsta un rāda cukurbiešu audzēšanas vēsturi Latvijā. Ekspozīcija pieejama ikvienam interesentam.

A traditional Vidzeme country farm 15 km from Limbaži town, where guests have the opportunity to spend the night in a romantic barn. The granary built in 1924 has turned into a granary for receiving guests. There is also a sauna in the barn building, a pond and a river on the territory for fishing or a romantic boat ride, and an outdoor shed.
The owners make unique stump drums, talk about how they are made and allow guests to play them.
Since the summer of 2024, we have been offering guests an educational and entertaining game of orientation and photo hunting, during which you have to get to 12 control points with the help of a map and find the corresponding photo and the answer to the crossword puzzle at each point.

On Latvian view on life

A traditional farmstead of Vidzeme situated  15 km from Limbazi, is a place where guests have the opportunity to stay overnight in a romantic barn. The granary built in 1924 has  turned into a barn for welcoming guests. „Dzirnupes” is a good place to relax for a couple or together with children. There is a sauna in the barn as well. There is a pond and a river suitable for swimming and fishing or romantic trip with a boat, arbour, a little house of forge, where the host will show you how to forge a nail; swings, a small allotment with the local vegetables and plants as well as flourishing meadows. One can even visit animals which are allowed to see, feed and stroke. The owners follow  a Latvian way of living, which they have passed on to their children. The host makes different tools for work on the field on his own as well musical instruments. At present the hostess is working at a new touring offer  - “Studies for wives” or “Sievzinibas” ,a programme appropriate in reference to Latvian traditions which offer the possibility for women who have recently got married to acquire different Latvian traditions and skills, int.al., baking bread. 

This Latvian tradition farmstead, located 12 km from Jelgava, offers to learn about ancient bread baking traditions, Latvian annual festivals, and various types of handicrafts, such as weaving and making puzuri decorations and beeswax candles. The house is designed and decorated in the traditional Latvian style and exudes an authentic ambience while having modern facilities. The heart of the farmstead is a barn with a bread baking stove. The hosts bake rye sourdough bread from “Dobeles dzirnavnieks” flour and the traditional salinātā rye bread from “Grauda spēks” flour. Salinātā rye bread is registered in the EU food quality scheme as a product with traditional speciality guaranteed.

The hosts offer to enjoy various traditional seasonal activities. Please arrange your visit in advance.

LATVIAN HERITAGE CULTURAL MARK IS AWARDED FOR:  For popularisation and fostering of Latvian traditions.

A small fishermen’s house preserved in the original style, situated not far from the sea in Berzciems, offers 2 comfortable rooms for peaceful rest, with a fireplace and a small kitchen. The family of the owners through many generations try to preserve old fishermen’s traditions, including those in fish processing and smoke curing. The guests have an opportunity to buy local products – smoked fish from the Engure lake and the Baltic Sea.

The owners of the Dieniņas homestead have preserved old traditions related to fishing and fish processing, and they have engaged in this work for three generations now.  Fish are processed in line with ancient and local recipes, making use of technologies that are typical of the coastline.  Visitors can buy local smoked fish.  Tourist groups are invited to take part in an active leisure and cultural event, complete with dishes of fish that will fill their stomachs, a boot-tossing event at the sea, stories by the wives of the fishermen, a theatrical performance, smoking of fish, and tasting of fish.

Preservation of coastline fishing traditions

A newly renovated Vidzeme farm for those who love comfort. Several halls with fireplaces, a sauna, a pool, catering service, a pond and the forest. A country house in a landscaped setting by a pond and near forest. A wooden bathtub with a wood stove outdoors!

Latvian Heritage cultural mark is awarded for Latvian traditional ambience

Is a renovated country estate of Vidzeme for comfort loving guests. Various fireplace halls, sauna, a pool, Jacuzzi, catering, sports ground, a pond, forest, a wooden tub with wood-burning stove under the open sky. The hostess prepares Latvian country dishes by using local products or products cultivated on their own. 

The wooden building was erected in the late 19th century and features a museum which demonstrates the way in which people lived more than 100 years ago.  Exhibits include household objects, the Rucava folk costume, socks and decorated mittens.  Various events involving discussions, singing, games, dancing and weaving are organised, as are cultural and educational programmes such as “Evening Activities” and “A Rucava Banquet” with local foods from lower Kurzeme.

Latvian cuisine: Buns, sourdough porridge, homemade bread, honey, herbal teas.

The Zvanītāji Centre of Traditions is located in the heart of Rucava.  It is housed in a late 19^th century wooden building that has been turned into a museum which features the lifestyles of people more than 100 years ago.  Antique household objects are on display, as are folk costumes, stockings and mittens that are typical of Rucava.  The centre organises various events related to visiting, singing, playing and dancing, and it weaves useful textiles.  There are cultural and educational programmes such as “Evening Sessions” and “Celebratory Feasts in Rucava.” Guests can sing, dance and play music together with Rucava story-tellers, singers and musicians, also enjoying traditional foods such as rye bread, white butter with potatoes, potato pancakes, potato buns and carrot buns.

SIGN AWARDED FOR:  Latvian traditions, Latvian foods, a Latvian building

This market sells produces from local farmers and home manufacturers who offer traditional and seasonal food which they grow and prepare themselves. You can purchase vegetables, fruit, fresh and smoked meat, cheese, bread, country tortes, homemade wine and various household and gardening objects.

LATVIAN HERITAGE CULTURAL MARK IS AWARDED FOR: For reviving and maintaining the market traditions.

The “Upenite” country house is located on the southern shore of Lake Ciritis. This farm nurtures Lettigalian traditions, serves Lettigalian foods, produces dairy products (including cheeses), grows local plants (which you can purchase), and offers a chance to visit a proper Lettigalian black sauna. The owners themselves will serve as the sauna masters. Master’s classes in the baking of tortes are offered.
Latvian cuisine: Farmer’s soup, potato dumplings, potato sausages (grated green potatoes with dried pork and onions), black currants with whipped cream, caraway seed sticks, herbal teas, cottage cheese with cream, curdled milk pancakes.
Special foods: Oven-baked carp or tench from the local pond.

For the promotion of traditional Latgalian food

The owner Inese Survilo offers Latgalian meals that are prepared according to the recipes of forefathers. The landlady shows and tells – how to make cheese – a skill she has learned from her grandmother. The visitors may participate in the process and taste cheese with various additives. She prepares krupņiks ar gulbim (barley porridge with potatoes), gulbešnīki (potato pancakes) and farm cakes, furthermore, cooking skills of these dishes can be acquired at organised master classes.

Opened on June 21, 2011, at the 51st kilometre of the Tallinn-Riga highway, the MEKE KROGS pub is a typical example of the roadside pubs which used to be built along the sides of roads and near homesteads, castles, mills and windmills. This particular one is located into renovated cattle shed that is more than 100 years old – a lovely log building that is named after the former baron of the local estate, von Mecke. Alongside it is the handsome parish building which was erected in 1907 with red bricks from Tūja.

Latvian cuisine: Sorrel stew with grits, cold soup, pounded beef, mutton and vegetable stew, grits with smoked meat and mushrooms, herring with cottage cheese, bread soup.

Special foods: Porridge with bacon bits and Meke spicy sausages.

On Latvian dishes On Latvian scenery

An authentic pub established in a 105 years old byre. Its menu offers such particular drinks and dishes prepared in the earlier times as groats porridge, sorrel soup, thick pumpkin soup, grey peas, bacon rolls, and homemade moonshine.

Birch sap for Labanovski family is a popular drink already for a long time. Sap is tasty when it’s fresh, but in order to maintain its refreshing and valuable qualities,  during many years family has developed new recipes.  Moving away from the traditional spices, drink was supplemented with mint, which made the sap more refreshing, fresh for a long time and with a pleasant flavor.

For modern developments of Latvian traditions – birch sap

Collection of birch sap is characteristic of Latvian and neighbouring nations. The owner, Ervīns Labanovskis tells and shows - how this was done in ancient times. The brewing process also includes ancient wisdom. The primary recipe for the preparation of fizzy birch sap is the recipe used and tested by the parents of the owner, which was later upgraded by him.  The visitors are welcome to try and buy the products.

The owners of the farm inherited it. There is a wood house with decorative trim and window shutters. The owners use milk from their own cows to produce cheeses on the basis of old and modern recipes. You can taste the cheese, milk, clotted milk, buttermilk and other dairy products, watch how they are made, and take part in the process yourself. There are also animals to view.

The owners live on a farm that they inherited from their ancestors, and they use cow milk from the farm to produce cheese in accordance with old and new recipes.  Visitors can taste milk, soured milk, buttermilk and other dairy products, watching how they are produced and taking part in the process.  There are farm animals to visit, as well.

SIGN AWARDED FOR: Latvia foods, Lettigalian foods, cheese-making

This farm produces herbal teas and satchels of tea from lemon balm, raspberries, tansy, lady's mantles, plantago and linden blossoms as souvenirs and gifts, as well as honey from local hives.  The lady of the house will be happy to tell you about life in the countryside and take you on an educational tour featuring medicinal plants, beekeeping and fence buildings.  She will also offer tastings of products from the farm.  It has a biological farming certificate, so much attention is focused on the popularisation of a healthy lifestyle.  Clients can purchase teas made of raspberries, blackberries, linden blossoms, meadowsweet, yarrow, birch leaves, white nettles, etc. 

Par tradicionālo amata prasmju – zedeņu žoga pīšana uzturēšanu un daudzināšanu.

Bioloģiskā saimniecība, kur līdztekus tēju un medus ražošanai saimnieki saglabājuši senu amatniecības tradīciju – žogu pīšanu. Kā izejmateriālu izmanto kārklus, kas aug lauku un grāvmalās. Saimnieki apmeklētājiem rāda – kā veidot zedeņu žogus, organizējot meistarklases. Saimnieces Zigrīdas pītais žogs ir apskatāms arī Latvijas Etnogrāfiskajā brīvdabas muzejā.