Valmiera is situated 110 km from Riga, close to the Estonian boarder, along the banks of the scenic Gauja River.
The main tourist attractions are the local history museum and the Teutonic Knights’ castle ruins. In 1928 a mineral spring was discovered next to “Valterkalnins” city hill. Two years later this spring water was awarded a gold medal in Belgium.
 Each year Valmiera hosts a rock music festival, and in October “Simjuds” medieval fair (in Germany known as “Simon-Juda Markt”). This tradition was brought by German conquerors to the region. Since 1919, Valmiera has maintained a very lively theatre scene.
One of the main cultural events occurring in Latvia is the song festival. The first Latvian song festival took place in 1864 in the park of Dikli Palace, in Valmiera region.
Valmiera region provides a wide range of ecotourism and recreational opportunities, including cross country and downhill skiing, canoeing along the Gauja River, and promenading at Burtnieku Lake.
There are a number of castles, manors and palaces in the vicinity of Valmiera which offer accommodation for conference groups, or for those seeking an enchanting place for a celebration.
Rujiena has the oldest diary in Latvia, manufacturing ice-cream and offering excursions.
 How to get there
By train: Trains for Valmiera leave four times a day – see the schedule on the railway station link (LV, EN, RU)
By bus: Buses for Valmiera leave every hour – see the schedule on the bus station link (LV, EN, RU, DE)
By car: The drive takes an hour and half.
Tourism Information
 Valmiera Tourism Information Centre
Rigas iela 10, Valmiera, tel: +371 420 71 77, fax: +371 420 71 77
tic@valmiera.lv
| 
Latvia
