Looking in the sky we now see big, white clouds, no any more summer' s heat, cranes call more often, it rains from time to time, landscape is dramatically beautiful. Autumn is getting closer and the real mushroom time is here!

For mushroom enthusiasts' groups we have prepared the mushroom exploring trips for one week or longer here. 

But 1-2 day mushroom expeditions can be arranged too. The minimum number of participants are four persons. Just contact us! lauku@celotajs.lv

• 17.08. Dižmāras onions market "Brauc uz Talsem pierkt sīpoļs!"  Talsi, town square,  http://www.talsi.lv/dizmaras-gadatirgus-2013
• 24.08. Lamprey Festival at Carnikava. Possibility to learn about the traditional skills of catching, cooking and preserving lampreys. Tastings.
• 24.08. XIII Latvian Milk and Honey Festival in Jelgava, Raiņa park and the regatta of boats made from used milk packaging at Lielupe river. www.kultura.jelgava.lv and www.jelgava.lv
• 6. - 25.09. 9th International Arts Residence "Marks Rothko 2013" in Daugavpils.

www.rotkocentrs.lv

• 07.09. Bānītis Festival, celebration of 110 years of narrow gauge railway from Gulbene to Alūksne. www.banitis.lv
• 13.09. Soviet secondary school at the Dundagas Castle - exhibitions, concerts, performances www.dundaga.lv
• 14.09. Harvest Festival at V. Ķirpa Ates Museum. www.aluksne.lv
• 21.09. Potato Festival at Kalnciema market, Rīga (Kalnciema kvartāls). www.celotajs.lv
• 29.09. Miķeļa Day Market at Jēkabpilis, Kena park. http://www.jkp.lv/lv/aktuaali-27666/pasaakumu-plaans-2013-284421

To promote countryside travelling and to give a presentation of what a visitor would experience and enjoy in the countryside we have produced 7 new videos http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/about/video_en.html. Each one is about half a minute story about a particular topic: seasons of a year, open farms and craft shops, Latvian symbols, etc. The videos are presented in our web site, social networks, and they will be demonstrated in rural tourism promotional events.

Check our 7 new videos and get inspired for holidays in the Latvian countryside!  http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/about/video_en.html All nature seasons, good country food, open farms, attractive crafts - simple and true things to enjoy. Watch the videos - and enjoy visiting!

 Summer time is busy and packed with lots of events all across Latvia. We have selected our top of the events:

On 5th June in Brussels, the president of the Latvian Countryside Association "Lauku Celotājs", Asnāte Ziemele received an award Best Life-Environment Project for POLPROP-NATURA  project in EU LIFE programme. The project took place in the SlītereNational Park as a demo territory from 2009-2012. "Lauku Ceļotājs" executed the project together with the people and organizations of Slītere. The sustainable tourism development model was created by attracting local entrepreneurs, inhabitants, local authorities and administration of SlītereNational Park. This experience was used for making proposals for environmental protection and tourism development policy. 

Midsummer Solstice Celebrations (Jāņi) is the biggest celebration in Latvia which roots goes deep in ancient times. It is wildly celebrated and many pre-events take place few days before 23-24 June (when it is always celbrated) Some events are more traditional than the others. In our list - we have put only few events wich will give you traditional feel of Jāņi and activities surroounded with it.

The new Executive Committee will lead and manage EuroGites during the period of 2013-2016: Andy Woodward, FARMSTAY UK - President (UK), Klaus Ehrlich, RAAR - Secretary General (ES), Asnāte Ziemele, Latvian Country Tourism Association, Jan Tjosaas, HANEN (Norway), Panos Poulos, Hellenic Agrotourism Federation (Greece), Linas Zabaliunas, Lithuanian country tourism association, Patrick Farjas, GITES DE FRANCE (France), Hans Embacher, Urlaub am Bauernhof in Österreich (Austria).

The Hermitage, St. Isaac's Cathedral, The Peter & Paul Fortress, The Summer Garden and Palace are only few highlights of the Russian jewel on the Baltic Sea - St. Petersburg. We are freshly back from our inspection trip and ready to share with you our discoveries.
After popular demand we have put together a tour with the Baltic States plus St. Petersburg. The tour is focused on castles and manor houses in the Baltic States, St. Petersburg with its surrounding palaces. Apart of this tour St. Petersburg can be added to any other our tour, combined with Tallinn and Helsinki or bought on its own. There is excellent train connection from Helsinki and Riga which both we recommend and can help to book the tickets. We also offer cruise connections - St. Peter's Lines http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/cntr/ferry_en.html .
In terms of accommodation, we're cooperating with some small, cosy hotels in convenient locations to explore the city. For selection click on this link.

 Welcome to St. Petersburg!

In this issue(download): 

- Our new tour manual GO LOCAL! is out (EN,RU,DE)

-Sample spa packages in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania 

- New tours:

• From Gdansk to Helsinki through the Baltic States, 19 day 
• Castles and Manors from Riga to St.Petersburg, 12 days
• Winter in Northern-Latvia, 3 days
• Guided Day Tour at Kemeri National Park, 1 day

Info on our new publications.

We look forward to see you in ITB Berlin and MITT in Moscow!