Kalnieši offers two distinct ways to experience a stay: locally made cheese and a glimpse into the history of the area. There is also a cycling route that runs through Kalniešu pagasts. When planning, it helps to keep these themes separate: a visit to the producer requires a reservation, the local history room offers a broad historical perspective, while the route provides a regional cycling perspective. This makes it possible to shape your stay around your preferred focus without combining the different offerings into a single activity.

Locally made cheese

Producer Ludmila Peculeviča makes hard cheese in Kalnieši in various stages of maturity; the range also includes seasoned cheese balls and cheese for baking. For travelers interested in food, the specific range of products is combined with an opportunity to learn about the production process: tastings and a tour of the farm’s production facilities are available by prior reservation. This requirement makes a culinary visit an activity you should arrange before your trip. Peculeviča is also a member of the Latgale Culinary Heritage Network. This membership adds a connection to the region’s culinary heritage to the experience of individual products.

Local history across two time periods

The Kalniešu Local History Room contains materials on the history of Kalnieši from antiquity to the present day. If you would like to explore the area over a long period of time, the collection offers a broad historical perspective.

The photo exhibition “Kalniešu skolas skolotāji und skolēni” features large-format photographs about the school’s history from 2006 to 2016. Unlike the broad time span covered by the materials, it focuses on a clearly defined decade and a specific subject. The Local History Room thus brings together two distinct historical perspectives: the long history of the area and the school’s history during a particular period.

Cycling in Kalniešu pagasts

Cycling Route No. 789, “Latvijas-Baltkrievijas pierobežā,” runs through Kalniešu pagasts between Krāslavas pagasts and Piedrujas pagasts. It adds a regional cycling perspective to trip planning: unlike the visit to the cheese producer and the historical topics, it is defined by its route through the pagasts. Cycling therefore stands as a focus in its own right alongside food production and local history.

Highlights for your stay

The different requirements and time frames are especially useful to consider when planning. Tastings and tours require a prior reservation; the historical topics differ in how far back they reach, and the cycling route is described at the level of Kalniešu pagasts. So consider whether a culinary appointment, a historical topic or cycling will be the deciding factor for your stay. If you are looking for hotels in Kalnieši, these priorities can serve as a starting point for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Kārsava

For the broader travel overview: Kārsavas Novads.