There are different ways to explore Vītoli: farm animals and activities for children, Latgale beer, places to relax, and religious and living culture. When planning your visit, you can prioritise these themes according to your interests. At the “Jaunbērziņi” farm, animals and activities for children take centre stage; at the recreation areas, picnicking, spending time outdoors and camping options shape the visit. Those interested in culture can discover architectural history and a devotional practice that takes place every year.

Farm Animals, Rides and Latgale Beer

At the “Jaunbērziņi” farm, you can see ponies, horses and other farm animals, including sheep, rabbits, chickens and goats. Pony rides and horse-drawn carriage rides are available for children. This offers two options for your visit: observing the farm animals or planning one of the two rides for children.

Dainis Rakstiņš focuses on Latgale beer and culinary offerings. Visitors are introduced to the production and traditions of authentic Latgale beer, made using ancestral methods. In the tasting room, you can sample the host’s beer and snacks prepared by the hostess; visits should be arranged in advance. In addition, a lunch or dinner break featuring soup cooked over an open fire is available by prior arrangement. The introduction to brewing traditions and the tasting of beer and snacks are therefore distinct from the meal break with soup.

Picnic Areas, River and Nature

In Bērzpils Active Recreation Landscape-Thematic Park, there is an equipped recreation and picnic area next to the Bērzpils open-air stage. The park also includes a rose garden near the municipal administration building. The stage, picnic area and rose garden offer different points of interest for spending time outdoors.

Krišjāņu Staburags is an equipped recreation area on the Tilža River. Its facilities include a gazebo, a fire pit with tables and benches, and camping sites. Compared with the park in Bērzpils, the riverside facilities and the opportunity to camp take centre stage here. The Lubāna Wetland Nature Reserve can also be visited in the wider area around Bērzpils.

Church and Religious Culture

The Catholic church in Krišjāņi was built in 1939. The granary of the Krišjāņi semi-manor was used to build it. Its construction history therefore includes both its year of construction and the use of the granary.

The Žogi roadside cross was erected in Krišjāņi Parish in 1994. Another form of religious culture can be experienced in Naglīši: On May evenings each year, local people, especially women, go to a roadside cross to pray, sing hymns to Mary and draw “značkas”. The church, roadside cross and this annual practice offer different insights into the religious culture of the area. The years date the church and roadside cross, while the May evenings mark a practice that recurs annually.

Discover more destinations: Bērzkalne, Balvi, Gailīši

See the wider travel overview: Balvu Novads.