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Rural tourism spotlighted in new guides

By Anatol Steven. 04.02.2015

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Rural tourism association brings out new cycling and culinary guides

Latvia’s ever-approachable and multilingual countryside tourism association Lauku ceļotājs is bringing out a fresh wave of publications aimed at luring more tourists into the Baltics’ beautiful rural surroundings.

A new cycling map of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia is available to download free, detailing nine cycling routes, 240 sites and things to see along the way, and practical tips on how to travel to and around the Baltic states. 

Several routes or their separate sections can be combined together. Recommended local cafés and pubs are also marked on the map.

The Baltic landscape is gentle rolling hills, and none of the featured routes are particularly difficult. Most are suitable for long-distance beginners. Available in both English and German, the pdf file can be found here: http://www.celotajs.lv/en/p/files/Velokarte2015?9

If you want to go in a group, Lauku ceļotājs organizes its own paid-for cycle tours, often lasting between five and nine days and covering for example the Baltic Sea coastline from Riga to Lithuania's Curonian Spit, or cycling through Latvia's national parks to the Estonian islands. 

All of the association’s active tours operate from May to August. Daily distances for cycling tours are typically from 20-55km (asphalt, forest or gravel roads). There are also walking and canoeing tours.

Lauku ceļotājs also recognizes the value of local culinary traditions and small food producers. Over the past year it has developed tourism materials, culinary tours and a database to promote food and drink tourism in Latvia. The database with more than 400 places to experience Latvian food can be found here:

http://www.celotajs.lv/en/c/wrth/goodies?46&lang=en

A “Go Rural” tourism manual of farm stays, eco-labeled accommodation places, thematic food and drink tours, kids’ camps and agricultural tours is here:

http://www.celotajs.lv/lv/p/ebook/GoRural2014#/Chapter_1

And a culinary map of Latvia with 178 taverns, cafés, restaurants, rural tourist accommodations and other dining venues throughout the country (not including Riga) with 10 culinary routes is here:

http://www.celotajs.lv/en/p/view/KulinaraKarte2014?57

Lauku ceļotājs says that the printed publications are available on request.