Andrejs Upīts’ works bring together several discoveries in Skrīveri: the memorial house and excursions explore his life and writing, while a forest trail features characters from one of his books. There is also an arboretum, hands-on activities involving ice cream and confectionery, and experiences on the Daugava. Literary, nature-related, sweet and river-based themes thus meet in a variety of experiences.

Literature: Andrejs Upīts and His Works

At the Andrejs Upīts Memorial House, you can learn about the writer’s life and work. You can also join excursions to the settings of the novel “Zaļā zeme” and the story “Sūnu ciema zēni.” The two offerings complement each other thematically, but have different focuses: the Memorial House centers on the author and his work, while the excursions take you to literary settings. This offers a way to learn about the writer as well as visit places that feature in his works.

Forest Trail and a Variety of Trees

The Sūnu Trail is about 800 meters long and runs through a forest hollow near Skrīveri’s dendrological park. The trail features wooden figures inspired by “Sūnu ciema zēni.” The Skrīveri Arboretum has 257 species, variations, forms and cultivars of woody plants. The figure therefore includes not only species, but also variations, forms and cultivars. The natural attractions offer different focuses: the Sūnu Trail features a forest hollow and literary figures, while the arboretum showcases the diversity of woody plants.

Hands-on Sweet Treats

Skrīveru mājas saldējums offers educational and entertaining tours. You can learn about the history of ice cream, sample up to 20 different flavors and find out how to make ice cream yourself. The creative confectionery workshop at Skrīveru Saldumi focuses more on making things yourself: you can wrap the legendary Skrīveru gotiņas in special labels, shape figures from soft toffee and marzipan, and take part in a truffle workshop. The formats are clearly distinct: one combines ice cream history, tasting and making, while the other offers a choice of practical confectionery activities.

Ferry Service and Boat Trips on the Daugava

The “Balta Kaza” Water Tourism Centre offers a ferry service between Skrīveri and Jaunjelgava, as well as boat trips on the Daugava. The offerings serve different purposes: the ferry connects the two places, while a boat trip focuses on the experience of being on the river. If you plan to use the ferry on a particular day, check the timetable in advance. This lets you plan your visit around the service.

Choose the Focus of Your Stay

When looking for a hotel in Skrīveri, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. Would you mainly like to learn about Upīts and his works, explore a nature trail, get hands-on with confectionery, or include the Daugava in your plans? The offerings differ not only in theme, but also in format: excursions, a forest trail, a guided tour, a workshop, and ferry or boat trips. Use these differences as a starting point for your planning, and choose the rest of your experiences based on what matters most to you during your stay.

For the broader travel overview: Skrīveru Novads.