STUDYTOUR #11
A living story about places where the change is happening for real | local initiative driven major changes in the small village of Blīdene | new event venue “Mītne” | a peaceful walk along Lake Ciecere | visit to Solveiga Dzene’s garden and master class pavilion | breathtaking nature panorama from the Lake Ciecere observation tower | lunch at the family restaurant “Eat&Chill” | new family doctor’s practice “Eikalipts” | modern dental clinic “EGADent” | meeting at the physiotherapy center with medical specialists in the field of physiotherapy and traumatology-orthopedics | dinner at the “Laipa SPA” restaurant “Brasērija”
Basic information
departure: 8:30 / arrival 21:00
meeting point: Jūrmala Hotel SPA
available places: 30
What to expect ...
This will not be an ordinary trip – it is a living story about places where change is truly happening.
The day will begin in Blīdene, a small yet strong village with 612 residents, where the community, school, parish and local associations have proven that local initiative can drive real change. Here, we will see how community-led development and LEADER projects work in practice.
Next, we will travel to Brocēni to visit “Mītne” and meet its founder, Ilze Tomanoviča-Barone, whose work inspires others to believe in the power of small businesses and community initiative. From there, we will enjoy a peaceful walk along Lake Ciecere together with Karīna Ciesmane, a representative of Saldus municipality.
The highlight of the walk will be Solveiga Dzene’s ornamental garden, where landscape design, tranquillity and entrepreneurship merge into a single concept. This is also the site of a developing garden pavilion for relaxation and workshops – a place designed for people, flavours and ideas to meet.
By bus, we will then get to the other side of the lake to climb the 18-metre-high Ciecere Lake observation tower, offering a panoramic view above the treetops – a moment that invites quiet reflection.
Lunch will be enjoyed at “Eat&Chill”, a family-friendly venue with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and space for children to enjoy themselves.
In the afternoon, we will explore the latest healthcare developments in Saldus municipality – initiatives that have significantly improved access to healthcare services for residents in recent years.
We will visit the “Eikalipts” family doctors’ joint practice, which provides a full range of primary healthcare services in one location.
We will also visit “EGADent”, a modern dental clinic offering both preventive care and specialised treatments.
At the “Madara Dzalbe-Ķenava Health Centre”, we will meet entrepreneurs working in physiotherapy and traumatology/orthopaedics, expanding local access to rehabilitation services and specialist care within the municipality.
Following these visits, we will take a guided walk through Saldus town centre, exploring the urban environment.
The day will conclude with dinner at the Laipa Spa restaurant Braseria, accompanied by the panoramic viewpoint “The Edge of the World”.
If you want to see what rural and small-town development looks like in real life – not just in presentations – this trip is designed for you.
