Smiltene
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Get in
Get around
The town is small enough to be explored on foot..
See
KalnamuižaSmiltene manor house. The estate also features the ruins of a Livonian Order castle and a cheesery built in 1763.
Ruins of Smiltene castle
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Lazdukalns (Hazel Hill) Sight Tower
address: Parka iela 8This 19 m high platform offers a beautiful panorama over the town and surrounding countryside
Do
- Swim in Lake "Niedrājs"
- Cross-country skiing around this lake in winter, where there are pine woods and a Nordic feeling.
- There are some bicycle rental places and routes in neighbouring forests.
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phone: +371 26425426, +371 64720056address: Smiltene district, Blome parishTours are available by prior reservation. Visitors can learn about the bread-making process and even bake their own bread to take home with them.
Eat
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phone: +371 64773708address: Brūža iela, 2A good place to have a meal and to sleep is Park Hotel "Brūzis" ("Brewery" in English, because there used to be one). Excellent food and best beer in town.
Go next
- Cēsis – One of the country's oldest towns. It has an impressive castle complex of Livonian Order origin, a charming city centre with some cobblestoned streets, and historic wooden buildings.
- Valmiera – Features the only professional theatre in the region.
- Seda – Founded in 1953 in an uninhabited area, it still embodies the pomp of Communist and Stalinist shock-work aka architecture. Nearby a vast man-made peat bogs nature area can be found, and is not to be missed. Both occurrences are historically tied to each other.
- Alūksne or Gulbene – The start and destination of the only narrow gauge railway in the Baltics. Alūksne is located at the picturesque Lake Alūksne.
- Cesvaine – This nearby village of is home to the Cesvaine Palace and ruins of medieval castles.
- Madona – A scenic town surrounded by hills, forests and lakes, and a winter sports centre.