Discover Jelgava Municipality

The Lielupe, Latvia’s second-longest river, flows through Jelgava Municipality. The municipality is also home to the distinctive landscape of the Zemgale Plain. The river and the plain offer two different points of reference for exploring the area: the water as a prominent geographical feature, and the open landscape as a defining image of the region.

Landscapes and nature experiences

Guided tours with playful educational elements are offered in Vilce Nature Park. They focus on rare and specially protected plant and animal species. The tours combine nature observation with learning: you can focus on the species covered by the tour rather than seeing the park merely as a scenic backdrop.

The Zemgale Plain and guided exploration of protected species offer different ways to experience the nature of Jelgava Municipality. If you are especially interested in plants and animals, the specific content of the Vilce tour is a useful guide for planning your visit.

Traces of the Christmas Battles

The Christmas Battles Museum features a reconstructed section of the German first defensive line, unique in the Baltics. A 7.2-kilometre trail exploring the sites of the Christmas Battles also starts and ends at the museum. The reconstructed section and the trail offer different ways to engage with this historical subject: one through a reconstructed defensive line, the other along a longer exploration route through the sites.

Manor houses, history and exhibitions

Various events and historical reenactments of bygone eras are held annually at Lielvircava Manor. These recurring events give the manor a distinctive place in the region’s cultural programme; check specific dates before your trip.

An exhibition on the history of the school is open to visitors at Vilce Manor. It covers the era of the barons, hunting stories and legends, as well as the revolutionary movement of 1905. If you are interested in the development of the Eleja manor complex, you can explore a different historical subject at the Eleja exhibition hall: a historical exhibition there presents the manor complex and the people who were important to its development.

Eleja Manor Park also brings together historical and environmental features. Historic paths have been restored, a bridge to a peninsula in the pond has been built, and interactive environmental objects have been installed. The exhibition and the park have different focuses: the history of the manor complex is at the heart of the former, while the paths, pond and environmental objects invite you to explore the latter.

Collections, tea and disc golf

Nākotnes Park features vintage items, old aircraft and a collection of retro motorcycles. If you are interested in historic vehicles and objects, you will find a different subject here from those covered by the manor exhibitions and the offerings related to the history of the Christmas Battles.

Tea tastings are available at Eleja Tea House for an additional fee. This extra cost is worth considering when planning your budget. There are twelve disc golf baskets across the grounds of Vilce Manor Park. Disc golf discs can be rented by calling the Vilce Tourist Information Point in advance. The number of baskets and the option to rent discs give you specific information about what you can plan for this activity.

Timetables for planning your trip

You can find public transport timetables and routes in Jelgava Municipality on 1188.lv and JAP. Check the information before travelling so that your plans are based on the available timetable details.

Discover more destinations: Valgunde, Vilce, Zaļenieki, Mežciems, Vidusmuiža, Blankenfelde, Jelgava, Platone.

For the broader travel overview: Latvia.