Skrīveri: Literature, Tree Diversity and Treats

• The Andreja Upīša Memorial House explores the writer’s life and work; excursions to locations featured in two of his works are also offered.
• The Sūnu taka is about 800 metres long and passes through a forest hollow near the arboretum.
• The Skrīveri Arboretum comprises 257 species, variations, forms, and cultivars of woody plants.
• Guided tours and workshops focus on ice cream and confectionery, and on making or decorating them yourself.
• The “Balta Kaza” Water Tourism Centre offers a ferry connection between Skrīveri and Jaunjelgava, as well as boat trips on the Daugava.

At the Andreja Upīša Memorial House, you can learn about the writer’s life and work. There are also excursions to locations featured in the novel “Zaļā zeme” and the story “Sūnu ciema zēni”. The literary connection is also evident on the Sūnu taka: wooden figures inspired by Andrejs Upīts’ work “Sūnu ciema zēni” stand along the approximately 800-metre-long path. The path passes through a forest hollow near the Skrīveri Arboretum.

The experiences have different focuses: at the Memorial House, you learn about the writer and his work; on the Sūnu taka, you encounter a forest setting inspired by one of his works. If you would like to include literature in your travel plans, you can choose between a visit with an excursion and a walk among literary figures.

The Skrīveri Arboretum has 257 species, variations, forms, and cultivars of woody plants. This figure combines several categories, so it does not mean that 257 different species are counted there. This distinction helps put the figure into context: it describes the diversity of woody plants using different botanical categories. The arboretum offers a different focus from the literary experiences: here, the diversity of woody plants takes centre stage.

At Skrīveru mājas saldējums, the informative and entertaining guided tours combine several activities. You learn about the history of ice cream, taste up to 20 different flavours, and find out how to make ice cream yourself. Learning, tasting, and making your own are all part of the experience; “up to 20” refers to the possible selection, not a guaranteed number at every tour.

At the creative confectionery workshop at Skrīveru Saldumi, you can wrap the legendary Skrīveru gotiņas in special labels. You can also shape figures from soft toffee and marzipan, and take part in a truffle workshop. The two sweet experiences have different focuses: Skrīveru mājas saldējums centres on the history of ice cream, tasting, and making ice cream, while Skrīveru Saldumi focuses on decorating and wrapping confectionery.

The “Balta Kaza” Water Tourism Centre offers a ferry connection between Skrīveri and Jaunjelgava, as well as boat trips on the Daugava. These are two different options: the ferry connects the two towns, while the boat trips take place on the river. If you plan to use the ferry, check the timetable in advance. When choosing a hotel, you can first consider whether literature, tree diversity, confectionery experiences, or an experience on the Daugava is especially important to your stay.

How long is the Sūnu taka?

The Sūnu taka is about 800 metres long. It passes through a forest hollow near the Skrīveri Arboretum; wooden figures inspired by Andrejs Upīts’ work “Sūnu ciema zēni” stand along the way.

What does a guided tour at Skrīveru mājas saldējums include?

You learn about the history of ice cream, taste up to 20 different flavours, and find out how ice cream is made.

What activities does Skrīveru Saldumi offer?

You can wrap Skrīveru gotiņas in special labels, shape figures from soft toffee and marzipan, and take part in a truffle workshop.

For the broader travel overview: Skrīveru Novads.