Jacob's Road - Itinerary

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Self drive tour Independent travel Latvia

Jacob's Road

Day 1 Cena - Jelgava

Tourist attractions

  • The "Caunites" farmstead - „Caunītes” farmstead carries on Latvian traditions. This place invites people willing to enjoy Latvian style atmosphere and company.
  • Jelgava - Nearly all the town's historic buildings and art treasures perished in the summer of 1944. After the World War II, Jelgava was rebuilt.
  • The Jelgava Castle - The Baroque castle was designed by the well known Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo. The socle story of the south-eastern wing has the graves of rulers from the Duchy of Courland – members of the Kettler and Byron dynasties, which ruled from 1569 to 1791. There are 18 restored sarcophagi here.
  • The Jelgava Church of the Holy Trinity - It now has an outstanding interactive museum that is particularly interesting for children, along with a glassed viewing platform.
  • Academia Petrina and the Gederts Eliass Jelgava Museum of History and Art -  The first university in Latvia, Academia Petrina was established here in 1775 and named after Duke Peter.
Accommodations Taverns
Distance driving 15 km

Register in advance for a tour of Caunītes, which will take at least an hour or hour-and-a-half.


Day 2 Dobele - Jaunpils - Kandava - Sabile

Tourist attractions

  • Dobele - Dobele name in historical sources for the first time is mentioned in1254. Dobele was one of the most fortified Semigallian places; therefore from 1279 until 1289 it survived six attacks by German crusaders.
  • The Jaunpils Castle -  Jaunpils is a castle which crusaders built in 1301, and its ancient appearance has remained in place to the present day.
  • Pure's chocolate museum - The museum offers information about the history of chocolate, allowing you to learn all about the process, from raw materials to finished products.
  • Kandava - Kandava is first mentioned in the articles in 1230. In 1253 the Livonian Order built a stone castle at the upper part of Abava valley shore.
  • The Gunpowder Tower - The square structure with walls that are nearly two metres thick became known as the Gunpowder Tower during the rule of Duke Jacob.
  • The Buse Castle Hill - The Buse (Matkule) castle hill is next to the Imula River.  The hill and the opposite bank of the river offer one of the loveliest views of small rivers in Kurzeme.
  • The Drubazi trail - This path is found on the right bank of the ancient Abava river valley. The visitor will be able to view places where underground streams create wetlands, various kinds of meadows, a stand of juniper bushes, etc.
  • The Wine Hill of Sabile - The hill offers an excellent view of the small town that is on the banks of the ancient Abava River Valley.
Accommodations Taverns
Distance driving 100 km

You can visit four or five of the destinations today. Register in advance for a guide who will lead you down the Drubazi trail. That will take an hour or hour-and-a-half.


Day 3 Sabile - Renda - Kuldiga

Tourist attractions

  • The Sabile Lutheran Church -  The church contains one of the most important church objects in Latvia – the oldest pulpit in the country (1590).
  • The Pedvale Open Air Museum of Art -  The park features contemporary art, and the museum also organises symposiums, creative workshops and other events.
  • Renda - Renda is a very old town, first mentioned in historical sources in 1230. During the 13th century, Renda was one of the centres of the ancient Courlandian land of Vanema.  
  • The Venta waterfall - This is the widest water fall in Latvia – 249 metres wide and up to 1.75 metres high.  This is an interesting natural, cultural and historical object in that it is linked to various events and legends.
Accommodations Taverns
Distance driving 55 km

You will spend most of the day at the Pedvāle Open-Air Art Museum.


Day 4 Kuldiga

Tourist attractions

Accommodations Taverns
Distance driving 10 km

Today you will tour Kuldīga and its surrounding area on foot or a bike.


Day 5 Edole - Alsunga - Jurkalne

Tourist attractions

  • The Edole Castle -  This convent-type castle was built in the mid-13th century.
  • The Alsunga Order Castle - Institutions that are in this building are the Alsunga Administrative District Council, a museum, a tourist information centre, and others.
  • The Suiti Threshing Barn - An old threshing barn in Alsunga now is home to a souvenir store where you can purchase practical and useful souvenirs and items.
  • The Spelmanu tavern with Suiti foods -  The tavern offers for tour groups to taste a delicious Suiti meal made from ancient recipes, after which participants can learn how to cook those foods – carrot buns, soured porridge and other masterful dishes from this part of Latvia. 
  • The Alsunga Museum of History - The exhibition in the museum features the history of the “Women of Suita” ethnographic ensemble, a room that depicts a typical living room from the early 20th century with various objects, as well as old photographs that speak to the history of the city.  
  • Jurkalne - Today Jurkalne is not only a popular tourist sightseeing location (Jurkalne Bluffs), but also one of the rare places in the world, where the blue cows can be seen.
  • "Berzini" - In the Berzini homestead they bake exceptionally tasty wheat and rye bread in accordance with the old folk recipes.
Accommodations Taverns
 
Distance driving 30 km

Today you can visit four or five of the destinations. Order the culinary heritage programme at the Spēlmaņi saloon in advance. You must also contact the Bērziņi farm in advance, and the visit will take at least an hour or hour-and-a-half.