Alūksne brings together distinct themes to help you plan your trip: medieval history on Castle Island, manor-house architecture, lakeside paths and cultural attractions in town. Lake Alūksne also offers opportunities for walking, cycling and seasonal boating and water sports. You can choose your priorities based on the specific routes and historical sites.
Castle Island and Tempļakalns: Alūksne’s history
Lake Alūksne is Latvia’s eleventh-largest lake and has four islands: Cepurītes, also known as Mīlestības sala, Garo sala, Tīklu sala and Pilssala. On the largest island, Pilssala (Castle Island), the Livonian Order completed construction of a stone castle in 1342. Of the medieval castle’s eight towers, the restored Southern Tower is the only one to have survived to a significant extent.
Another historical site is Tempļakalns, a state-protected cultural monument as well as an ancient Latgalian hillfort and settlement site. Alūksne New Palace represents a different era: it was commissioned by Alexander von Vietinghoff and built between 1859 and 1863 in the English Gothic Revival style. The historical themes found in Alūksne therefore range from a medieval castle complex to nineteenth-century architecture.
Walking trails and viewpoints
For a walk in Tempļakalns Park, there is a 1 km nature trail that can be followed as a loop in either direction. The “Ezertaka” is longer, at 2.8 km, and goes around a peninsula in Lake Alūksne. The route lengths can help you choose between the two trails based on how far you want to walk. Conditions on hiking trails may vary.
Alūksne’s observation tower can also be described in precise terms: it is 37.8 metres high, and 153 steps lead to its upper viewing platform. If you include this attraction in your plans, its height and step count provide a useful reference for your visit.
Cycling route and seasonal activities on the lake
Official cycling route No. 129 runs for 22 km around Lake Alūksne. Velo Osta offers classic bicycles, accessories for modern electric bicycles and special family bicycles for four to six people for hire. As rental options may change, it is advisable to check availability before your trip.
During the summer season, you can rent boats, catamarans, single and double kayaks, SUP boards and a motorboat on Alūksnes Pilssala (Alūksne Castle Island). Check availability in advance if you plan to use any of these services. Another activity is the 350 m-long ZZZIPPP zipline, with an average top speed of 50 km/h. Operation is weather-dependent, so check whether the zipline is available before your trip.
Cultural attractions with different focuses
Alūksne Cultural Centre is housed in a late nineteenth-century building that once belonged to the Alūksne manor estate complex as a distillery and brewery. The “Kalme” folk applied arts studio operates at the cultural centre and welcomes guests. If you plan to visit, check locally what participation options are available.
Railway history is presented in the luggage depot at Alūksnes Bānītis station. Period images and a narrow-gauge railway are at the centre of the exhibition, which portrays the railway over more than a century as a helper, a workplace and a source of inspiration. The Elevators exhibition offers a different historical perspective: its three floors display an extensive collection of retro cars that reflects different eras of automotive design and presents the development of historic vehicles. The collection may change.
Discover more destinations: Kolberģis, Jaunlaicene, Visikums, Jaunanna, Korneti.
Return to the main travel overview: Alūksnes Novads.
