Augšdaugavas novads

Augšdaugavas novads (Upper Daugava Municipality) sprawls across the far southeastern corner of Latvia, in the historic and culturally distinct region of Latgale. Formed in the 2021 administrative reform from the merger of several former districts, it wraps almost entirely around the city of Daugavpils (which is itself a separate state city, not part of the municipality) and stretches to the borders with Lithuania and Belarus. The Daugava River — Latvia's great waterway — gives the municipality both its name and its defining landscape, carving a broad, looping valley through gently rolling countryside.

This is a land of lakes, forests, and a deeply layered cultural identity. Latgale is the most religiously and ethnically diverse part of Latvia, and here you'll find Catholic, Orthodox, Old Believer, and Lutheran communities living side by side, their churches punctuating the horizon. The Augšdaugava (Upper Daugava) stretch of the river is protected as a nature park and is sometimes called the "Latvian Switzerland" for its scenic bends, oxbows, and wooded bluffs.

For travelers, the municipality rewards those who slow down. It is rural, quiet, and uncommercialized — a place for canoe trips, lake fishing, mushroom and berry foraging, and visits to centuries-old churches and manor estates. It pairs naturally with a stay in Daugavpils, the regional hub, which supplies the restaurants, museums, and rail connections the countryside lacks.

Late spring through early autumn (May to September) is by far the best window. Summer brings warm, long days ideal for paddling the Daugava, swimming in the region's many lakes, and walking the nature trails of the Augšdaugava protected area. June and July are peak for wildflower meadows and the long Latgalian evenings.

Autumn (September–October) is prized locally for foraging — the forests fill with mushrooms and cranberries — and for the gold-and-russet colors along the river valley. Winter is cold, snowy, and very quiet; the lakes freeze and ice fishing becomes a local pastime, but most rural attractions wind down. Midsummer (Jāņi, 23–24 June) is the great seasonal celebration here as throughout Latvia, marked with bonfires, oak-leaf wreaths, and all-night gatherings.

A car is strongly recommended. The municipality is rural and spread out, and public transport between villages is sparse. Daugavpils is the natural base and gateway: it sits on the main rail line, with regular trains to Rīga (roughly 3–3.5 hours) and connections toward Lithuania, and it is the hub for regional buses.

From Daugavpils, regional buses radiate out to towns and villages such as Ilūkste, Subate, and Naujene, but schedules are infrequent — check timetables in advance and plan around them. Distances are modest: most points within the municipality lie within an hour's drive of Daugavpils. For the river itself, the most rewarding "transport" is a canoe or kayak — several operators offer guided and self-guided descents of the Augšdaugava.

• Ilūkste — the municipality's main town, a small Latgalian centre on the Daugava, with a historic church and access to the Upper Daugava nature trails.
• Subate — a quiet town on the Lithuanian border, known for its Catholic heritage and the surrounding lake-and-forest landscape.
• Naujene — a village near Daugavpils with access to the Augšdaugava nature park and the scenic bends of the Upper Daugava River.
• Svente — a small settlement on the Daugava, offering river views and the tranquil rural character of the Latgale borderlands.
• Bebrene — a rural parish centre surrounded by the forests and farmland of southeastern Latvia, with traditional wooden churches.
• Vabole — a quiet village in the southern part of the municipality, near the Lithuanian border, with access to the unspoiled countryside of the Upper Daugava region.

Latgalian cooking is hearty, rustic, and rooted in the region's farms, forests, and lakes. Expect freshwater fish (pike, perch, bream) from the Daugava and surrounding lakes, often smoked or fried. Pork, potatoes, rye bread, and dairy are staples. A regional signature is kļockas (or klockes) — dumplings of grated and mashed potato, sometimes served with a salt-pork or cream sauce. Sour cabbage soup, barley porridge, and curd-based dishes are common rural fare.

The area's Old Believer and Eastern Orthodox communities add a distinct culinary thread, including blini, kvass, and pickled and preserved foods. Forest harvests — mushrooms, bilberries, cranberries, and honey — feature heavily in season, often sold at roadside stands and markets.

Dining options within the rural municipality are limited; the fullest range of restaurants and cafés is in neighboring Daugavpils. For dietary needs, vegetarians will find potato, grain, and dairy dishes plentiful, though strictly vegan or specialized diets are harder to cater to in village settings.

The defining cultural feature of Augšdaugava is its religious diversity. Catholic and Orthodox feast days, Old Believer traditions, and Lutheran observances all shape the local calendar, and pilgrimages and church festivals draw worshippers from across Latgale.

Nationwide celebrations are observed with strong local color: Jāņi / Līgo (Midsummer, 23–24 June) is the high point, with bonfires, song, and wreath-making in the countryside. Lieldienas (Easter) is significant given the region's strong Christian communities. Latvia's broader Song and Dance traditions are alive here too, with local choirs and folk groups.

Latgale is also known across Latvia for its ceramics — the region's distinctive folk pottery, often dark-glazed and decorative, is a long-standing craft tradition worth seeking out from local artisans.

• Paddle the Augšdaugava — canoe or kayak the looping bends of the Upper Daugava through the protected nature park, one of Latvia's most scenic river stretches.
• Church and faith circuit — visit the Catholic, Orthodox, and Old Believer churches scattered through the villages, a tangible expression of Latgale's unique religious mosaic.
• Lake country fishing and foraging — fish, swim, and forage mushrooms and berries across the municipality's many lakes and surrounding forests.
• Manor and rural heritage — explore the historic manor estates and small-town heritage of the Ilūkste–Subate area.
• Birdwatching and nature trails — walk the marked trails of the Daugava valley, rich in birdlife and river-valley flora, especially in spring and autumn.