Easter celebration in Riga and at Open Air Museum of Latvia
Finding out about unique traditions!
02.04 – 06.04.2021
5 days / 4 nights
Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia invites to welcome together Spring Solstice or better known as Easter. You will enjoy different workshops, traditional games and pastimes, traditional music and rites and traditional Latvian crafts Easter fair. Various traditions are associated with Easter. While many are no longer practiced, Latvians remember the superstitions and rituals of their ancestors. Swinging is a Latvian Easter tradition that encourages the rising of the sun: the idea is to swing as high as possible, which also helps to repel insects. In the past, people built the swings from scratch, but today, any type of swing works for this custom. Beliefs and rituals associated with swinging could be quite complex, with the type of tree the swing was hung from being important, as well as the burning of the swing one week after Easter so that witches couldn’t use the swing to their evil advantage. Men, who hung the swing or gave women pushes on the swing, were gifted with Easter eggs, baked goods, or other foodstuffs.
ITINERARY
Day 1: 02.04.2021 Friday RIGA
Arrival at Riga airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in. Depending on arrival time, you can walk around the city.
Overnight: Riga
Day 2: 03.04.2021 Saturday RIGA . Optional trip to Sigulda (50 km from Riga)
Walking tour of Riga. You will enjoy the beauty of the ancient Hanseatic City: picturesque streets of the Old Town, the Dome Cathedral, the Church of St. Peter, the old Guild Houses, the Swedish Gate, St. Jacob’s Church, the Parliament House, Old Riga Castle. Organ concert (piccolo 20 min) in the Dom Cathedral. Afternoon optional trip to Sigulda. Relax in the Latvian spring weather at Gauja National Park, the largest park in Latvia and full of stunning terrain, diverse wildlife, and historic landmarks: Turaida Castle, a 100-foot tall defense tower, a history museum, the beautiful Gauja River Valley, and the view from Eagles’ Cliffs. Return to Riga
Overnight: Riga
Day 3: 04.04.2021 Sunday RIGA
Easter breakfast at hotel. Morning worship of the Cathedral or other church of Riga. Full day for Easter activities in Riga. See the “Easter fair” in Riga’s Old Town district. Here, you will find singing, dancing, concerts, craft demonstrations and workshops, and much more.
Overnight: Riga
Day 4: 05.04.2021 Monday RIGA- Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia
Tour the Ethnographic Open Air Museum located just outside the Riga city limits and on the shores of Lake Jugla. Easter Celebration at the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia is an event which allows you to experience variety of traditions in Latvia, extensive cultural program with performance of different Latvian folk bands, traditional games and rites combining the spirit of ancient and modern times. Easter at the Museum represents the intertwining of folklore, modern and Christian traditions. Activities program is offering a wide range of different, creative workshops adapted to Open-Air Museum environment.
Overnight: Riga
Day 5: 06.04.2021 Tuesday RIGA
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Riga airport.
PRICE
PER PERSON IN DBL NET – from 299 EUR
SINGLE
SUPPLEMENT NET - from 105 EUR
Price valid for min. 2 person
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
· 4 x overnights at centrally located 4-star hotel in Riga
· Riga Old Town guided walking tour (3 hours)
· Picolo organ concert at Dom Cathedral (20 min)
· Trip to Open Air Museum of Latvia with guide escort (10 h-16 h)
· Entrances: Dome Cathedral, Open Air Museum of Latvia
· Transfer Riga airport - hotel – Riga airport
OPTIONAL:
1. Excursion to Sigulda. (ca.5 hours, from Riga).
Price: 115 EUR p/person. The price includes: transport, guide, entrance ticket to Turaida castle.
Tailor made programs for the Baltics, Russia, Belorussia, Poland and Scandinavia are on request.
Please contact: incoming@ambertours.lt, tel. +370 5 2107044, fax +370 5 2628434
