Discover Baldone: Circular Routes, Culture and Nature

Baldone is a destination for anyone who wants to combine nature experiences, regional history and a variety of activities. The Baldones Stāstu takas, with their different routes, are at the heart of the area, complemented by parks, springs, cultural sites and attractions in the wider surroundings. This allows you to plan your trip in many different ways: with a longer circular route, a visit to exhibitions and historic buildings, or a day centred around equestrian sports, astronomy and winter activities.

Circular Routes with Their Own Character

The main circular route of the Baldones Stāstu takas starts and ends in the town of Baldone. It is approximately 20 kilometres long and includes 16 tourist attractions with audio guides. The audio guides are available in Latvian, Russian, English and Lithuanian. When planning your trip, this gives you not only a specific route length but also a thematic guide for your journey. Those who prefer another way of getting around can use the smaller circular route of the Baldones Stāstu takas for cycling.

For a shorter section, the Riekstukalns trail is a good option. It is part of the main circular route and is approximately 5 kilometres long. Also in the Baldone area is the 10-kilometre digital military heritage circular route “Baldones militārā mantojuma digitālais maršruts”, with 13 information stops. These different formats make it easier to choose between a longer discovery tour, a single section of the route and a route with a historical focus.

Nature, Parks and Views

Ceriņu Park has been a popular place for walks in Baldone since the resort era. Baldone’s most important natural feature, a sulphur spring, is also located there. The “Ķirzaciņa” spring is located in the sanatorium park. Those who want to include peaceful walks and distinctive natural features in their stay will therefore find two separate points of interest within the town.

In the wider regional surroundings of Baldone, the observation tower on Riekstukalns offers views of Riga’s most prominent high-rise buildings. Riekstukalns also has ski slopes there that are suitable for experienced and inexperienced skiers as well as snowboarders. When choosing a holiday apartment, the desired mix of walks, regional excursions and winter sports is therefore a useful point of reference, even though all experiences do not have to be in the same place.

Culture and Special Discoveries

The Baldone Museum has been housed in Mercendarbes muiža since 2018, 4 kilometres from the centre of Baldone. A 130-year-old linden avenue leads there. The museum presents the exhibition “Ceļš uz Baldones kūrortu” as well as temporary exhibitions. Baldone also has a life-size model of a horse-drawn tram on display. Baldone Evangelical Lutheran Church of St Michael has been mentioned in written records since 1567. Baltā pils now houses the Baldone Music School.

The wider surroundings also complement the cultural offering. Baldone Observatory offers a creative workshop, a visit to the mini-planetarium “Count the stars, don't count the time” and, on request, a lesson entitled “The Miracle of Space”. The Vanagkalni open-air stage has 4,000 seats and a roof over the stage area. By registering in advance, private visitors can take excursions at the “Atēna” equestrian sports club, where they can see horses, ponies and other animals and learn about equestrian sports.

Which Base Suits Your Plans?

A holiday apartment in Baldone can be a particularly suitable search option if you want to use the town as the starting and finishing point of the main circular route. The Baldone sports complex can serve as the starting point for the “Baldones mežu stāsti” forest walk; you can park there conveniently by car. If, on the other hand, you are mainly planning cycling, a museum visit, viewpoints or winter activities, you should take the locations of the respective attractions into account when planning your day.

For further orientation within the broader range of travel options, you can also visit Riga and Mārupe.

For the overall travel overview: Rīga.