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Camping Vērbeļnieki
Guesthouse and camping "Vērbeļnieki" is located on the road Klaipeda - Liepāja, 6 km from the city of Liepāja in Nīca parish (Latvia) We discovered this place by accident, during a random driving around in the area at the start of February 2021. As I had equipped with my DJI Mavic AIr 2 drone I decided to capture some nice golden hour photo here Kids playground at Vērbeļnieki Our toddler girl was very excited Golden hour sunset near…
Vilgāle flat Renovation - tearing down walls, removing floors
Welcome, to yet another exciting photo series to our latest renovation project - Vilgāle flat. I bought this flat at an online auction back in September 2020, it took me a few months before all the legal procedures were done and we could actually start renovation works. For actual renovation works, I hired local contractors at Kuldīga town. Not to speak more here are photos from our first "operation" - tearing down the walls and removing the…
Property prices for Real Estate in Tosmāre, Liepāja
Tosmāre is a neighborhood of Liepāja, located between Lake Tosmare, the Karosta, and Zaļā Birze. Not as chic as the city center of Liepāja, we still find this a very luring neighborhood and most important - undervaluedIn one of our previous articles, we shared an idea of possible investments in the Karosta / Tosmāre neighborhoods of Liepāja. See: Invest in Liepāja Real Estate / Tosmāre / KarostaToday we decided to visit Tosmāre, and take some…
Cēsis Castle
Cēsis Castle is one of the most iconic and best-preserved medieval castles in Latvia. The foundations of the castle were laid 800 years ago by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. The most prosperous period Cēsis Castle experienced was during its next owners, the Teutonic Order. It became one of the key administrative and economic centers of the Teutonic Order in Livonia and was a seat of Landmeister in Livland. The first serious damage was…
Piltene Lutheran Church
Piltene Lutheran church is located in Piltene, some 20km from Ventspils. The church was originally built-in 1557. The pride of the Piltene church is gilded wooden altar and pulpit, organ with 9 stops, wooden images of XII century Apostles, benches, and separate lodges with doors with kettle-hinges. I first discovered the Pitlene church at the sart of 2021, while doing random wanderings in the area Pitlene church from a drone flight The…
Gray Dune Area in Ventspils
Gray dune area in Ventspils is a part of “Preserving, Exhibiting and Developing Tourism of Culture History and Nature Heritage of Northern Courland” of the Ventspils Museum project, during which the creation of an infrastructure of the South Western part of the city was carried out, has been completed. A new parking lot and two new entries to the beach are currently available to the residents and guests. I first discovered the Gray dune area in…
Saint Simon's Church of Valmiera
Saint Simon's Church in Valmiera is one of the most noticeable objects in the city, located in the heart of the city on Bruņinieku iela 2. The architecture of St Simon's Church combines the Romanesque and Gothic styles. The church boasts 15th-16th century burial plaques of the city's notables, a pipe organ built in 1886 by a well-known European organ builder Friedrich Ladegast, and paintings on the pulpit and the organ loft made back in 1730.…
Valmiera Music school
Valmiera music school is located next to the Gauja river banks on Pilskalna street 3 (Valmiera) I had a chance to explore the area at the start of January 2021, while doing a day trip to Valmiera and Cēsis. Discovered by accident, I decided to make some photography from a drone in this area. Here is what I got: Valmiera music school To learn more, please visit https://vms.valmiera.lv/ (in Latvian)
Užava Lighthouse
Užava Lighthouse - a lighthouse located on the Latvian coast of the Baltic Sea. The lighthouse stands in an isolated location, on a 28 metres high sand dune, which is permanently threatened by the Baltic Sea waves' erosion.For this reason, the first coastal reinforcement – a dense log wall was constructed to secure the lighthouse's location in 1910. Later, fir-tree baskets filled with gravel, and big boulders to absorb the waves' energy.…
Vilgāle
Vilgāle (formerly also Saldenieki) is a village in Kurmāle Parish, Kuldīga District, Latvia. Located on the shores of Lake Vilgāle. Distance to Kuldīga 17 km, 181 km from Rīga. Back in September 2020, I bought a flat in this village in an online auction (without actually seeing the flat), see: Today I bought my first flat on online auction site, It took me a couple of months before I actually get inside the flat (after the flat was registered…
Embūte Castle
The ruins of Embūte Castle are located in Embūte, Latvia, in Embūte Parish, Vaiņode Municipality, not far from an ancient hillfort erected by Curonians. It was an ancient Curonian settlement and is mentioned in ancient chronicles as a place with strong Curonian resistance to German crusaders. The bishop's castle was built as a border castle with Lithuania by Livonian Order on a steep hill on the right bank of the Lanka river, which flows into…
Zaķu krogs near Jūrkalne
Zaķu krogs is both a restaurant a hotel located near Jūrkalne in Latvia. We discovered this place while driving around Užava, Pāvilosta, and decided to take here a quick stop to order some food for our toddler girl. Just later I learned there is a hotel also located. Zaķu krogs near Jūrkalne Located in Jūrkalne, Zaku Krogs is about 0.9 mi yards away from a Baltic Sea beach. It offers basic rooms with a work desk. Free private parking is…
Devil's Dam Embūte (Joda Dambis)
Devil's Dam of Embūte is an awesome place for hiking and trekking in the Courland region. We first discovered this site at the end of 2020, and plan to return here more often. Devil's Dam from a drone flight Taken with DJI MAVIC AIR 2 Here is what I was able to find about this place (Source: Joda Dambis) At the western foot of the Indulis (or Curonian) castle mound is the Joda Lower Square, where open-air stages have been built several…
Embute Church Ruins
The Embūte church is located in the Embūte Nature park, nowadays, there are just remains left from the old day glory. It was in a hazy December 2020 afternoon, I took my DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone and made some nice aerial photography and even a video here, see Embūte Nature Park 4K. Ancient Curonian Land. Latvia . DJI MAVIC AIR 2 Embūte church Here is what I was able to find about this church (source: Embūtes baznīcas drupas) The Embūte church…
Īvande Manor
Īvande Manor, also called Lielīvande Manor, is a manor house in Īvande parish in Kuldīga municipality in the historical region of Courland, in western Latvia. The manor Groß-Iwanden was created by the merger of several small estates. In the middle of the 16th century the estate was owned by the family of Rudolf Steinrat. Ivande manor Three generations remained the property in the family Steinrat and was enlarged by them. In 1643 was the…
Ēdole Castle
Ēdole Castle is a Gothic Revival castle situated on the banks of Ēdole Lake, Ēdole parish, in the historical region of Courland, western Latvia. Originally consisting of two residential buildings linked by a stone wall, the castle is surrounded by a landscaped park. It is considered an architectural and archeological monument of national importance. Ēdole Castle The castle was built for the bishop of Piltene between 1264 and 1267. It was…
Kronvalda Park in Riga
Kronvalda Park (originally Strēlnieku dārzs) is a part of the greenery of the Old Riga canal bank. The total area of the park is 11.92 ha. Kronvalda park which borders Elizabetes and Kr. Valdemāra Street, as well as Kronvalda and Kalpaka Boulevards. The city canal divides the park into two parts. Kronvalda park in Riga I spent a good hour with our toddler baby girl and DJI Mavic Air 2 drone to capture some nice aerial photography of Riga…
Apriķi Lutheran Church
Apriķi church is located in the Apriķi village, Laža parish, Aizpute district in the Western part of Latvia (Courland). Apriķi church is considered to be the pearl of Courland sacral art because the glory of its indoor interior is remembered by every visitor. Apriķi Lutheran Church The stone church is built on Apriķi manor house land as Osten-Sakenu private church in the beginning of 17th century. The church got its glorious blue-white…
Enzo’s Ezo Italian Restaurant in Kakheti
Discover chef Enzo’s Italian yard with a positive vibe and happy atmosphere in the center of Chateau Mere hotel, close to Telavi It's said that the place serves home-made simple rustic Italian food and 36 hours of rising dough pizza. We had a chance to dine here at the start of October 2020, ordered some quattro formaggi pizza, salads, pasta carbonara, some drinks. Food was good, bill was about GEL 100 Overall - nice place.
St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, Karosta / Liepāja
The St Nicholas Naval Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral church located in Karosta in the north of Liepāja, Latvia. I have visited this cathedral just a couple of times, but always have been impressed by the glory of the place. It was at the start of November 2020, I got my new DJI Mavic Air 2 drone and I wanted to make some nice aerography, as we happened to be in the area, it was agreed to film and photograph this cathedral St…
Rudbārži Palace
Rudbārži Palace is a palace in Rudbārži parish in Skrunda municipality in the historical region of Courland, in western Latvia. The estate was, from 16th century to 1661, owned by the family of Eberhard von Goes and from 1778 till 1920 by the von Fircks noble family. Schloss Rudbahren was originally built (within the Courland Governorate) in 1835 for Baroness Thea von Fircks and was remodeled in 1882–1883. The structure was severely damaged…
Sapara Monastery
Sapara Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery located in the Akhaltsikhe District of Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Georgia. I had a chance to visit this monastery at the end of September 2020 and capture really awesome drone photography / catching colors of the fall Sapara monastery from a drone flight It has existed from at least the 9th century, and has numbered among its monks many important figures in Georgian ecclesiastical history.…
Ķemeri Forest House
Ķemeri Forest house is really cool outdoors tourism attraction located close to Jūrmala The park centre is located in Ķemeri, in the “Forest House” . We first discovered this place back in Spring 2018 and made some nice hiking in the area, see: Hiking Trails in Kemeri National Park (Near Forest House) We have been returning here for a few more times ever since. Forest House in Ķemeri The history of the “Tree House” dates back to the…
Atskuri Fortress
Atskuri is a medieval Georgian fortress located on the right bank of the Mtkvari River, approximately 30 kilometres from Borjomi, in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. We discovered this fortress by accident while driving to the town of Akhatiskhe. As I was equipped with my DJI Mavic mini drone I made some cool aerography here Atskuri fortress Built on a massive rock back in the 9th century, Atskuri Fortress was an important stronghold for the…