The Baltic Coastal Hiking Route is the longest hiking route in the Baltic States, with a total distance of more than 1,200 kilometres.  The route passes along sandy and rocky beaches, steep shores and cliffs, small and historical seashore towns, fishing villages and two dynamic capital cities - Rīga and Tallinn.  Alongside the route are more than 650 objects of natural, cultural and historical importance.  Travellers who prefer long distances are invited to hike the entire length of the route, while those who prefer shorter routes can choose any part of the route, choosing complete peace and isolation along the Kurzeme coastline or a stretch with cafés, restaurants and souvenir shops near the larger shoreline towns.

In January 19-28, 2018 we were working in Latvian stand at the "Gruene Woche", the world's largest and most poular annual food exhibition. Te 250 sq.m. stand space was occupied by a variety of food and crafts masters who showed their skills and offered delicious products for tasting.

The staff of Baltic Country Holidays did a good job promoting rural holidays in Latvia and the events to celebrate Latvia's Centenary. Stand visitors were treated with healthy herbal teas and received free postcards with images of rural Latvia to send greetings to their friends right from the stand. We learned a lot from our stand visitors about what they find attractive and enjoyable in our traditional cuisine and will use this knowledge to build new and attractive historical culinary routes like the Livonian Culinary Route coming soon.

Repeated German language edition of the brochure "Latvian foods and beverages" has been released.

The brochure introduces popular traditional foods and beverages that we eat at home and serve in restaurants. It is helpful to a foreign guest willing to indulge in national cuisine.

Latvia has a wealth of culinary traditions, because the country is at the crossroads of Europe. Latvian cuisine is distinctly seasonal, as each of our four seasons offers specific products and tasty treats.  Fresh foods directly from local producers are available all year round in shops and food markets. Many producers sell their produce in farm shops.

Printed brochure is available in Latvian, English, German languages.
See English language e-book here.
With the support of the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture.

Together with Livs from Kurzeme coastline and Dundaga municipality we have prepared Livi style book which presents the visual identity of the Liv coastline. The brochure contains information about the Livs, their cultural and historical values and features, as well as Liv symbols and graphic elements, thus preserving the cultural heritage of the Liv coastline.

We have come up with some carefully detailed programs in the countryside that might catch the interest of individual travellers and groups alike. They can be experienced as stopover visits with lunch in the countryside if you are on a longer touring route, or as 1-2 day outings for people staying in Riga. The program descriptions include maps, distances, timing, facilities, contacts and other practical details that help to plan your trip. Get inspired to explore the countryside!

Last week, November 30, an informative seminar "From the Cultural Sign" Latvian Heritage "to UNESCO" was held at the National Library of Latvia. The participants had an opportunity to learn how to preserve the local cultural heritage, making it attractive and recognizable to local and foreign tourists, and as an intangible cultural heritage carriers to enter the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and later on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
 

Welcome to Finland, Estonia and Latvia – three neighbouring countries in the North of Europe and Scandinavia, on the shores of the Baltic Sea. This brochure will help independent travellers plan a holiday trip in the South of Finland, Estonia and Latvia beyond traditional touristic routes and to discover the real countryside. 

Finns, Estonians and Latvians share similarities in mentality and way of life, but each country is still proud of its unique identity. All three countries are safe and easy to travel around – there is a good road and transport network, and there are many guest houses and country hotels, even in remote country areas, to welcome guests.

In this brochure, you will find the key information that is necessary to plan a trip – a map of the Baltic Sea countries with airports and sea ports marked, names and contacts of airlines, ferry and bus companies and car hire, and suggestions for holiday themes in the countryside. Besides, we have provided a number of web links to useful sources of more detailed information. 

Let this brochure inspire you for a holiday trip!

We have come up with five new touring routes that offer colourful holiday experiences across three Baltic Sea states – Latvia, Estonia, and the South Coast region of Finland. The itineraries combine city and rural experiences offering the best highlights in each country and UNESCO heritage in all its diversity - from Art Nouveau architecture in capital cities to traditional smoke sauna in Estonian countryside. The countryside attractions are specialised in hospitality service and offer insight in small self-sustained farms, local food, arts and crafts, and nature while staying at comfortable guest houses, rural estates with gourmet restaurants or charming country homesteads that make you feel happy in simplicity and sincerity of real country life and home-made meals.

The tours can be organised on your own contacting the sites directly, or contacting Baltic Country Holidays for arrangement of services or modifications of the itineraries. Read further for itinerary descriptions and maps:

On 18th November 2018 Latvia as a country will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This anniversary is the biggest event in today’s Latvia’s history. It will be celebrated for five years (2017. – 2021.) with more than 800 different events all around Latvia and in 70 other countries, bringing in the light important events and persons that are connected to Latvia’s formation as an independent country while telling Latvia’s full story.

This manual is aimed to help you discover rural destinations in South of Finland, Estonia and Latvia beyond traditional touristic routes. The tours and sites in this manual are based around small-scale accommodation, open farms, local producers, living traditions and sincere people. The people here have a close relationship with itsnature and annual cycle. Each season has its own specific activities like mushrooming, berry picking, collecting herbs, ice-fishing and different agricultural jobs as well as traditional and seasonal celebrations. The countries are a haven for the tourist who loves nature, respects traditions and would like to experience the countries and their cultures more deeply.