Latgale, Latvia is a part of the Baltic region that many travelers miss. Well off the beaten path that links Riga with Vilnius and Tallinn, Latvia’s southeastern corner is a mysterious land of lakes, castle ruins, and onion domes. Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia share borders with Latgale, which was first settled by the Latgalians in the 10th […]
Palaces and Castles
Fun and Interesting Things to Do in Stockholm
The city of Stockholm, Sweden is spread across fourteen islands in the Baltic Sea. These islands are connected by a whopping 57 bridges, inspiring Stockholm’s nickname, the “Venice of the North.” Boats, ferries, and trams make Swedish island hopping a breeze. Good thing, too, because there are a ton of cool things to do in […]
Dobele, Latvia and the Largest Lilac Garden in Europe
The Dobele lilac garden is the largest of its kind in Europe. When I mentioned this fact to a Riga taxi driver, he didn’t believe me. But it’s true – the Peteris Upitis Garden in Dobele, Latvia boasts more than 200 lilac trees! The garden was started in 1956 by Peteris Upitis, an avid horticulturist and head […]
Versailles: In the Footsteps of Kings and Tourists
In the 1670s, Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles on the site of his father’s hunting lodge. Louis was fed up with the scheming nobility and relocated the entire French court from Paris to a remote location where he could monitor them more closely. Versailles was designed to show off Louis’s absolute power as […]
Fun Things to Do in Valmiera, Latvia
In 1764, a Prussian duke by the name of Peter August built a hunting lodge on the grounds of a 17th century manor house outside the town of Valmiera, Latvia, then part of the Russian Empire. Duke Peter August, who was Field Marshall of the Russian Imperial Army, was given the land by Emperor Peter […]