Arkadia - Hotel • SPA

Movie town Cinevilla first movie town in Latvia – Cinevilla – is situated in a distance of 15 km from Tukums, in Praviņas at the Slampe parish. It was initially created for shooting the movie “Guardians of Riga”. The foundations of the decorations were set in May of year 2004, at a place, where there once were only meadows, some buildings of the 20th century and ruins of old houses. During the course of shooting the movie, props imitating Riga and the left bank of river Daugava in Riga, as well as the riverside of the Old Riga of the beginning of 20th century were created. Some of the props included the fire-fighter station, the railroad station buildings, warehouses, a factory and the market square, 500 m long railroad line, and 120 m long tram line, imitation of River Daugava was dug and the old Luebeck wooden bridge and the Iron bridge were constructed. Squares and streets were paved with cobblestones, communication lines and lanterns were set up, thus creating credibility and a feeling of reality.

Address: Praviņas, Slampes pagasts

Phone: +371 28606677,  mdambis@inbox.lv www.cinevilla.lv

Address: Tīle, Rīgas iela, Tukums

Contacts : +371 29212644  tile@one.lv

The Rideļi Mill

On the excursion at the mill, the visitors can see the flour grinding process and then try out the pancakes made of freshly ground flour at the café “Cope”, which is right across the road. Already back in the day, when the mill was constructed, the millpond of Rideļi was formed. Around it, resting places and spots for organizing small events have been set up, also welcome are the fishermen. If you find this place to be appealing, you can also arrange a picnic there at any time and rent a boat to go boating in the millpond.

Address: Rideļu dzirnavas, Engures pagasts, Engures novads

Phone: +371 26536532

Working hours: Sa. Su. 10:00 - 17:00.

Admission: Ls 0,50/ 1,00.

Jaunmoku Castel

Jaunpils Castle is one of the best recognized brick buildings in Latvia. The interior design at the castle is kept in line with hunting castles and it was renewed at the end of the 20th century, however some of the noteworthy originally arranged items are the tile stoves, one of which was made at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries to honor the 700 anniversary of Riga city, and on the tiles, various sceneries of Riga and the surroundings of the time can be seen.

Address: Jaunmokas, Tumes pagasts

Contakts : +371 63107125, +371 26187442 info@jaunmokupils.lv www.jaunmokupils.lv

Durbes Castle - Manor

Durbe Manor in Tukums is one of the most interesting castles of classicism style in Kurzeme. For a pleasant walk tohide from the summer heat and in the luxurious ambience of autumn leaves, visitors can enjoy the scenic park created at the beginning of the 19th century with architectural monuments – the rotunda and stone bridge over a ravine. At this time, the renovated exhibition halls of the castle offer various expositions about manors, however the 1st floor halls of the castle offer expositions of the interior of countryside manors of the 19th century. One of the auxiliary buildings is host to an exhibition of ancient household items "The Latvian and his Master", which tells the story about the lives of farmers and craftsmen during the feudal times.

Address: Mazā Parka iela 7, Tukums

Contakts: +371 63122633, +371 26305946, durbespils@infonet.lv www.tukumamuzejs.lv

The Ceramic Workshop of Velga Melne

The ceramist introduces with her works and the process of pottery making in the administrative building of Durbe Castle and on the basement floor, where the ceramist workshop is open. Here, you can meet the ceramist every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and learn about the process of making the clay dishes, as well as try out your skills in pottery. The workshop also accepts individual orders and you can also buy some souvenirs.

Address: Durbes pils, M.Parka iela 7, Tukums

Contacts: + 371 26478677, velga_melne@one.lv

Jaunpils Castle

The Jaunpils Castle was the biggest private manor in the region of Tukums principal lord. The castle has been renovated multiple times and has suffered during the course of time, however on the exterior, the castle has retained characteristics of many order castles of the time – the typical round corner tower, floor level without windows and the thick walls. Nowadays, the Jaunpils Castle hosts the cultural community centre and a museum, which invites the visitors to get acquainted with the castle in a medieval style along with the monk, brother Theodore, the brisk hostess Hilda, the castle love-song singer – minnesinger, and with other residents of the castle.

Address: Jaunpils

Contacts: +371 63162128, +371 63107082, +371 20223423, info@jaunpilspils.lv www.jaunpilspils.lv

Latvia’s Road Museum

Latvia’s Road Museum where you can learn more about the development of roads and road maintenance in Latvia. The exhibitions, both indoors and out, tell the story of road and bridge construction in Latvia and provide a clear picture of the development of the industry throughout Latvian history. In the yard, you will find a collection of horse carriages including ones used for industrial purposes and road building. Šlokenbeka also boasts one of only two existing “Marshall” steam rollers which was built in Britain in the 1920s and was used for road building until WW2.

Address: Milzkalne, Smārdes pagasts, Engures novads.

Conacts: +371 63182354, +371 28301020, +371 29194613, www.slokenbekasmuiza.viss.lv

Working hours: 1.december - 1. may M.-F. 9:00-16:00, Sa.,Su. closed, 2.may - 30.october T.-F. 9:00-16:00, Sa., Su. 10:00-15:00 Entrance free

The Nature park  - Lake Engure

Lake Engure and the lands appurtenant to it, as well as the seashore of the Gulf of Riga from Mērsrags to Engure and the forests between the shore and the lake. By means of versatility and number of endangered species of plants and birds, the ornithological preserve of Lake Engure (1957) is one of the richest territories in Latvia. 187 bird species nest in the preserve, amongst them the white tailed eagle and corncrake, existence whereof is endangered everywhere in the world. However the shore of the Gulf of Riga near Engure is one of the main molt spots for the golden-eye birds. During the spring and autumn migrations, here you might see around 900 cranes, and in spring – about 250 of the whooper swans and 170 of the Bewick’s swans, and in autumn – about 800 tundra bean geese and 1000 greater white-fronted geese. In respect to biotopes, the greatest value of Lake Engure is the vast areas of fresh-water biotopes and the calcareous grass bogs. Mērsrags is one of the few places of Latvia, where the seashore meadows characteristic for briny soil can be seen. The surroundings of Lake Engure are the floristically one of the richest territories in Latvia – it stands out with great versatility of species (860 vascular plant species), as well as with a very important criterion for the value of the plant kingdom – with its natural qualities. It means that the forests and meadows have only such species of plants, which are characteristic to the circumstances, and very few plants, which have appeared as a result from intensive activities by humans. Lake Engure is a habitat mainly for rudd fish and tenches, less of the perches and pikes. In the 90-ties of the 20th century 14 species of fish were registered: pike, bream, silver bream, roach, rudd fish, tench, crucian carp, golden carp, orfe, bleak, moderlieschen, perch, ruff, and the three-spined stickleback. However, there are 14 species of amphibians and reptiles, including, common spadefoot, running toad, copperhead, and sand lizard, which are on the list of Latvian Red Book. For more than 40 years now, the Field Base of Ornithological Laboratory of the Institute of Biology has been operating next to Lake Engure. For convenience of the travellers and others, bird watching towers and animal enclosures have been set up; there is also the Trail of Orchids.

Address: Dabas parks „Engures ezers”, Bērzciems, Engures novads.

Contacts : +371 29474420, www.eedp.lv www.enguresnovads.lv

More information http://www.turisms.tukums.lv