There is a 1.8 ha island in Lake Viļaka, where fragments of the Marienhausen Castle are still preserved.The castle was built in 1293 on the site of a ruined fortress, and during the Great Northern War the Marienhausen Castle was completely destroyed.
A 442-metre-long walking trail has been created on an island in Lake Vilek. There are wooden footbridges with a resting “pocket”, a boat dock and information boards. The island of Lake Viļaka is accessible via one of the longest pontoon footbridges in Latvia – 144 m. There is a bird-watching platform at the start of the pontoon trail, and there is also a bicycle dock.
The total length of the trail is about 1 km (from the car park to the pontoon and including the trail to the island).

2026.in April 2011, a new section of the walking trail was opened, which is currently the longest pontoon boardwalk in Latvia – a unique attraction that stretches for 400 metres along the shore of Lake Viļaka. The new footbridge connects the beach of Lake Viļaka with the walking trail of Viļaka Island, which is approximately two kilometres long and allows visitors to discover both the natural values and the historical heritage.

The walking route offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the species and inhabitants of Lake Viļaka, as well as to see the fragments of Marienhausen Castle, a historic site built in 1509 on the ruins of an ancient fortress on the island of Lake Viļaka, using interactive elements. The island also features a model of Marienhausen Castle and a bird-watching platform.

On 12 May 2022, the Municipality of Balvi Municipality signed contract No SKV-TL-2022/12 with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia for support under the measure “Promoting International Competitiveness”, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund

Info from visit.balvi.en