Smiltene

Smiltene is a town in Valka District, Latvia with approximately 6,000 inhabitants.

Get in

There are plenty of buses from Riga, see 1188.lv.

Get around

The town is small enough to be explored on foot..

See

• 1 Kalnamuiža. Smiltene manor house. The estate also features the ruins of a Livonian Order castle and a cheesery built in 1763. (updated Mar 2015)
• 2 Ruins of Smiltene castle (Smiltenes pilsēta). 
• 3 Lazdukalns (Hazel Hill) Sight Tower, Parka iela 8. This 19 m high platform offers a beautiful panorama over the town and surrounding countryside (updated Feb 2015)

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.
• 1 "Donas" farm and bakery, Smiltene district, Blome parish, ☏ +371 26425426, +371 64720056, dona@inbox.lv. Tours are available by prior reservation. Visitors can learn about the bread-making process and even bake their own bread to take home with them. A fee is charged for tours (€7, but may vary depending on chosen activities). (updated Mar 2015)

Eat

Brūzis

• 1 Park Hotel Brūzis, Brūža iela, 2, ☏ +371 64773708, hotelbruzis@inbox.lv. M–Su 12:00–21:00. A 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. (updated Feb 2015)

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.

• 

  Smiltene manor barn ruins

  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 a 33-km long narrow-gauge railway, 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.