This very weekend, on August 8 and 9, “Home Café Days” will take place in the Smiltene region. Twenty-two hosts will open their doors to welcome guests and invite them to discover the region through flavors, personal stories, and genuine hospitality.

Home Café Days are special because they are about more than just food. They are about people who have completely different day jobs but, for two days, become cooks, event organizers, and storytellers. It is an opportunity to get to know families where everyone pitches in to create a celebration for themselves and their guests.

2026. A culinary journey through the Smiltene Municipality will take you to Ape, Smiltene, and Rauna, as well as the parishes of Bilska, Branti, Drusti, Gaujiena, Launkalne, Rauna, Trapene, Variņi, and Vireši. A unique story awaits visitors at every stop: in one place, you might enjoy a meal in a farmhouse dating back over a century; in another, explore the world of ceramics, taste cider made from home-grown apples, attend workshops and cultural events, meet horses, ponies, or pheasants, make music with your hosts, try your hand at archery, go kayaking, or simply enjoy a leisurely summer day amidst the rural landscape.

The popularity of “home café days” in the Smiltene Municipality continues to grow. Last year, 19 home cafés welcomed over 2,300 guests over the course of two days, while this year, 22 home cafés will be ready to receive visitors, offering even more opportunities to explore the region.

The guiding theme for Smiltene Municipality this year—”Enjoy life at a leisurely pace”—invites you to pause for a moment, engage in unhurried conversations around a shared table, get to know the locals, and discover places where you want to linger a little longer. It is precisely these simple moments that often become the most beautiful summer memories.

Now is the perfect time to plan your culinary journey and decide which home cafés you will visit. Before setting out, we invite you to check the offerings of each café and verify whether a prior reservation is required for your visit.

Choose your stop in Smiltene Municipality.

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Ape

“Ringolds” Home Café
August 8, from 12:00 to 20:00.
Smilšu iela 10, Ape

“Druvas” Home Café
August 8 and 9, from 12:00 to 20:00.
Druvas 2, Ape

“Rafa Pizza” Home Café
August 8, from 12:00 PM until the last pizza is served.
“Jauncikuži”, Ape

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Bilska parish

“TAKA” Home Café
August 8 and 9, from 11:00 to 19:00
“Mēri Manor”, Bilska Parish

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Branti parish

“BIRZĪ” Home Café
August 8 and 9, from 12:00 to 18:00.
“Kainaiži”, Branti Parish

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Drusti parish

“Prom no visa” Home Café
August 8, from 11:00 to 20:00.
“Stūrariešas”, Drusti Parish

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Gaujiena parish

“Garšo ēst!” Home Café
August 8, from 11:00 to 21:00.
“Lauri”, Gaujiena Parish

“Meža stāsts” Home Café
August 8, from 13:00 to 22:00.
“Tiltalejas”, Gaujiena Parish

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Launkalne parish

“Café Mežs” Home Café
August 8 from 13:00 to 20:00.
August 9 | 12:00–17:00
“Vecsprenīši”, Launkalne Parish

“Kukaburra” Home Café
August 8, from 11:00 to 19:00.
“Kukaburra”, Launkalne Parish

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Rauna and Rauna parish

“Leilas Gardumi” Home Café
August 8 and 9, from 10:00 to 19:00.
Rīgas iela 2A, Rauna

Home café “Mirdzošais Feju kafijas mirklis pie Lauras Rozes”
August 8 and 9, from 12:00 to 18:00.
Saules iela 1, “Rozes”, Rauna Parish

“Raunas Ceplis” Home Café
August 8, from 12:00 to 20:00.
“Ķieģeļceplis”, Rauna Parish

“Vēverīšas” Pop-up Garden Café
August 8, from 12:00 to 20:00.
August 9, from 10:00 to 19:00.
“Lejas Vagaļi”, Rauna Parish

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Smiltene

“Purcha Garage” Home Café
August 8, from 12:00 to 20:00.
Blaumaņa iela 27, Smiltene

“Pie Rozīšiem” Home Café
August 8, from 11:00 to 18:00.
Meža iela 3, Smiltene

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Trapene parish

“Bertas Pastas Stacija” Home Café
August 8 from 11:00 to 20:00.
August 9 from 11:00 to 18:00.
“Stādzēni”, Trapene Parish

“Fazāni” Home Café
August 8, from 10:00 to 20:00.
“Fazāni”, Trapene Parish

“Sili” Home Café
August 8, from 12:00 to 20:00.
“Sili”, Trapene Parish

“Skursteņslauķu sēta” Home Café
August 8 from 12:00 to 20:00.
August 9 from 11:00 to 18:00.
“Stādzeni”, Trapene Parish

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Variņi parish

“Meža taka” Home Café
August 8 and 9, from 11:00 to 19:00.
“Jaunbirzuļi”, Variņi Parish

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Vireši parish

“Pie Kalniņš un Vilciņš” Home Café
August 8 from 10:00 to 22:00.
August 9 from 10:00 to 20:00.
“Viesturi”, Vireši Parish

 

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Prepared by: Līga Ozoliņa, Deputy Head of the Entrepreneurship and Tourism Department (Tourism Development) at Smiltene Municipality.