On this route, travellers are greeted by a mighty cocktail of the past: Baroque and Classicist manors and palaces, former Soviet military bases, a large former collective farm, a motor museum, and an old farmstead. Of course, you will get to enjoy the landscapes of Zemgale and banks of the River Lielupe. As a cherry on top of a cake – Zeimelis: a small village in Lithuania, which has preserved its charm of the past. But for the bravest – opportunity to cross the River Lielupe in the shallow with your vehicle or a boat – you choose!
Zemgale as a plain will not spoil you with huge variety of natural landscapes as much as other regions of Latvia, but there are many remarkable manmade attractions, from different periods in history, to experience. The fully restored Rundale Palace with its excellent garden is simply breath-taking, and there will be other manors and palaces along the route to visit. Many inherently useless objects as well as objects created for specific needs have been built in this region during the Soviet era. You will see several former army missile bases with huge hangars (if you are lucky, you might be able to get inside), the construction of a hydroelectric power plant that was never completed, impressive, but now abandoned factories, and much more. Lovers of old cars will appreciate the Car Museum exhibiting 100 units near Bauska, which prides itself of owning some unique exhibits.
What would you say about a quick peek into Lithuania? The special feature of this route is a small village in the territory of Lithuania, where the famous Lutheran pastor and writer Gotthard Friedrich Stender once lived. Here you will feel like you have just stepped out of a time machine. Besides, you will see a territory that once belonged to Latvia – a place which is now a manor complex, was built on a large site of an ancient Latvian settlement.
It is a fact that each of four cultural and historical regions of Latvia has one large river running through it. In Zemgale it is the River Lielupe. During the trip you will drive along the riverbank a few times, you will see how the river changes and will have to cross it several times. Normally, crossing the river would not be anything special, but what would you say, if we offer to cross it, where there is no bridge, in a way that you do not even have to wet your feet? Yes, that is right – in the River Lielupe there is a place where, despite the width, the river is only about 0.5 meters deep and it is possible to cross it by car! Surprise your fellow passengers, but we strongly recommend that you only try this if you have a properly equipped vehicle and experience in doing something similar.
