Auciems combines the cultural heritage of Lake Auciema with distinctive sandstone formations and a specific cultural offering: theater performances take place at the cultural center. When planning your trip, you can look at the area from several perspectives: as a destination for culture enthusiasts, for nature experiences in the surrounding area, and for a cycling route that passes through Auciems. The Ziediņi guesthouse is near the lake and adds a named place to stay to this overview.

Manor Complex and Sandstone Landscape

The Auciema manor complex is located on Lake Auciema. The park has long avenues that give the grounds a linear layout. Near Auciems, the Raiskums Red Cliffs form a 280 m-long sandstone outcrop belt, with rock faces reaching heights of about 15 m. This figure describes the maximum; not all the rock faces are the same height. The 280 m refers to the sandstone outcrop, not to a route. Rūcamavots emerges from a cave at the foot of the Red Cliffs.

The Kvēpene Nature Trail in the surrounding area offers a different focus. It leads to Kvēpene Cave and a sacred spring that flows from a sandstone outcrop, and runs over Kvēpene Hillfort Hill. This makes it possible to distinguish the natural attractions by their specific features: Rūcamavots and the Red Cliffs are on the cycling route, while the nature trail connects the cave, spring and hillfort hill.

Theater and Cycling Route

The “Auciemmuiža” cultural center hosts theater performances. This adds a specific cultural option to the scenic attractions. If you would like to plan around a performance, check whether one is scheduled for your travel dates.

The cycling route to Rūcamavots and the Raiskums Red Cliffs passes through Auciems and along the canal by Lake Auciema. It is about 15 km long and starts and ends at the “Apaļkalns” campsite. Having the same starting and ending point means the route can be considered a loop. The approximate length of the cycling route and the 280 m length of the sandstone outcrop describe two different things: one is the route, the other the formation.

Swimming Area and Accommodation

A water quality test on August 26, 2026, found the Auciema swimming area hygienically safe for swimming. As conditions can change seasonally, check the current situation before swimming.

The “Ziediņi” guesthouse is near Lake Auciema and was built in the 1890s. Its construction period and location give this named guesthouse a specific historical and scenic connection. The “Ziedu Pirts” sauna house is in Auciems and is an octagonal log building. These places therefore have different features to highlight: the guesthouse’s proximity to the lake and its construction period, and the shape of Ziedu Pirts as a sauna house.

Discover more destinations: Straupe, Plācis, Stalbe, Lielstraupe.

For the broader travel overview: Pārgaujas Novads.