Varakļāni

Day Trips

Begin with a guided tour of the 18th-century Varakļāni Palace. Marvel at its neoclassical façades and ornate interior balconies. Wander through the baroque gardens, breathing in the scent of blooming lindens.

Settle beneath a centuries-old oak for a picnic featuring local cheese, smoked fish, and fresh rye bread. Follow winding park paths to hidden grottos and ornamental ponds. Learn about the palace’s noble inhabitants as you explore the chapel and former stables.

Dine at a riverside café in Varakļāni town, sampling grey peas with bacon and honey cake. Return to the palace grounds for a twilight stroll under lantern-lit alleys. Cap off the night with craft beer at a cozy tavern by the manor gates.

Head to a nearby elk sanctuary for a guided feeding session. Observe these majestic creatures grazing in their natural habitat and snap photos from a safe distance. Listen to the sanctuary keeper share tales of elk behavior and conservation efforts.

Hike along forest trails that wind through pines and spruces surrounding the enclosure. Pause for a riverside lunch of baguettes and smoked sausage overlooking a tranquil bend in the stream. Keep an eye out for beaver dams and colorful woodpeckers along the banks.

Return to Varakļāni for a hearty Latvian dinner at a family-run guesthouse. Savor beetroot soup and potato pancakes while locals share folk stories. Finish the day with a bonfire under the stars, roasting marshmallows and listening to traditional lute music.

Launch a canoe on nearby Lake Rušona at dawn to catch the mist rising from the water. Paddle quietly past reed beds as cranes and herons skitter along the shoreline. Pause mid-lake for coffee and pastries as dragonflies flit overhead.

Beaches and hidden coves await exploration—stop to swim in the cool, clear water. Picnic on the sandy shore with fresh fruit, cold cuts, and kvass. Hike a short lakeside trail to find secluded picnic spots and panoramic views.

Dry off and return to town for a riverside grill featuring freshly caught perch. Join locals for live folk music on the terrace of a waterfront inn. End the evening with a glass of mead while gazing at the moon’s reflection on the lake.

Set out before sunrise along a marked trail through Rozska Woods. Listen to the dawn chorus of songbirds as rays of light filter through mossy trunks. Spot edible mushrooms and berries with guidance from an expert mycologist.

Stop at a wooden clearing pavilion for wild herb tea and rye crispbread. Continue deeper into the forest to discover hidden springs and ancient burial mounds. A forest guide will explain the legends woven into the trees and stones.

Return to Varakļāni for a sauna session at a rustic spa lodge. Cool off by rolling in the fresh grass or dipping into a cold plunge bucket. Conclude the day with a quiet dinner of mushroom stew and fresh garden salad.

Climb Mākonkalns hill before dawn for panoramic views of the mist-shrouded countryside. Set up your camera for golden hour shots of rolling fields and distant woodlands. Capture dew-tipped spiderwebs and the first birdsong in soft morning light.

Descend to a nearby beekeeping farm for a honey-tasting workshop. Learn how local honey is harvested and sample lavender, buckwheat, and linden varieties on warm biscuits. Stroll through fragrant hives and photograph busy bees at work.

Join a farm-to-table dinner in a barn-style dining room where long tables are set with wildflower centerpieces. Feast on honey-glazed roast chicken, root vegetable mash, and fresh garden greens. End with a hearty slice of apple-rhubarb pie and a cup of herbal tea.

Browse the Varakļāni weekly market where farmers display fresh produce and artisanal cheeses. Chat with stallholders about potato varieties, pickling techniques, and smoked fish traditions. Sample homemade kvass and honey-lemon pastries.

Visit a traditional pottery workshop just outside town to try your hand at shaping clay on the wheel. Learn local glazing methods and paint motifs inspired by folk embroidery. Take home your own handmade bowl as a unique souvenir.

Attend a wood-carving demonstration in a historic barn lit by candlelight. Watch artisans carve decorative spoons and household items using centuries-old tools. Share a communal dinner of barley porridge, roasted vegetables, and warm fruit compote.

Start with a cooking class led by a Latvian grandmother in her countryside kitchen. Prepare potato dumplings, cabbage rolls, and fresh berry compote from scratch. Gain insights into seasonal ingredient selection and traditional techniques.

Embark on a tasting tour of local farms—visit a dairy for fresh yoghurt and butter shaping demos, then sample artisan bread at a wood-fired bakery. End with a strawberry-picking session in a sunlit field. Enjoy your haul alongside strawberry-rhubarb preserves.

Dine at a pop-up supper club featuring a five-course fusion menu blending modern flair with Latvian classics. Toast with elderflower champagne as chefs explain each course. Savor unexpected flavors like borscht foam and blackcurrant reduction.

Rent bicycles and follow quiet backroads past red-roofed farmhouses and golden grain fields. Stop to greet local farmers tending goats and chickens. Admire roadside sunflowers and hayrick sculptures in village squares.

Pause at a roadside café for smoked sprats on dark rye and a refreshing glass of kefir. Continue cycling toward a small Orthodox chapel hidden in a birch grove. Learn about local religious traditions and admire hand-painted icons.

Return your bikes in Varakļāni and join an evening brass band performance in the town hall. Tap your feet to lively polkas and céilí tunes. Sample street-vendor treats like grilled sausages and potato fritters under warm lantern light.

Rise early and drive to the expansive Sēlpils Meadows known for rare waterfowl sightings. Set up telescopes to observe white storks, lapwings, and marsh harriers. A local ornithologist will help identify each species by call and plumage.

Enjoy a lakeside picnic of smoked eel sandwiches and berry-infused kvass. Hike a raised boardwalk through reed marshlands to spot bearded tits and reed warblers. Photograph sunlit wings and captures vibrant dragonflies skimming the water.

Head back for a riverside fish bake where chefs grill perch and pike under an oak canopy. Share stories with fellow birdwatchers as the evening sky deepens to indigo. Sip hot sea buckthorn tea around a low campfire before retiring.

Indulge in a slow morning at your guesthouse with fresh pastries, herbal infusions, and gentle yoga on a sunlit terrace. Listen to the distant calls of woodpeckers and the rustle of leaves overhead. Plan your final day’s stroll through town at a leisurely pace.

Take a last walk to the riverbank park for a final picnic of local cold cuts, cheese, and seasonal fruit. Sit on a bench beneath a towering oak and watch boats drift by. Reflect on the week’s discoveries as light dances on the rippling water.

Celebrate your departure with a sunset cruise along the Varakļāni River, complete with live folk singing. Enjoy a farewell feast of buttered new potatoes, sour cream, and dill-flavored fish. Raise a toast of local apple cider as the sky fades to violet, bidding Latvia goodbye.