A Journey of Discovery Through Gulbene in Latvia, Gulbene, Latvia (B)

Stay in a Manor House, wander through the Castle Park that surrounds it and take a ride on a narrow gauge railway.

All these delights awaited me on a visit to Gulbene in the Latvian region of Vidzeme. This region is considered to be the cultural heart of Latvia. Its name translates as Middle Earth which conjures up visions of fairy tale castles surrounded by enchanted forests. The main attractions here include elegant castles built by Baltic German nobles during the nineteenth century when Russia ruled Latvia. Once Latvia regained independence these palaces have been preserved and put to good use. Gulbene boasts two palaces and a Manor House, Vecgulbene Manor (Vecgulbenes muiža).

Vecgulbene Manor, once the centre of Gulbene, no lies on the southern edge of the town. The Manor House, is the renovated riding school of the manor and the best hotel in the town. The bedrooms lead from a gallery above a large open area that is now an elegant function room. This hotel is full of character although some guests may not relish the lack of curtains at the small, semi-circular windows. The Manor House is surrounded by the Castle Park which features two castles and an orangery including the main building, the White Castle. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).