Valmiera is the largest town in Vidzeme. It lies on the crossroads of several important motorways, only about 100 km from the capital city of Latvia Riga and about 50 km from the Estonian border.

Valmiera is divided into two parts by one of the most beautiful rivers in Latvia the Gauja. Not far from Valmiera lies Zilaiskalns (Blue Hill) that is the highest point in the northern part of Latvia.

Livonian castle ruins and the remains of the Middle Age fortification system near the Gauja give evidence of the town centre of the 13th century. The fortification was destroyed during the Northern War. The castle ruins are now a very popular place for local inhabitants and tourists. During the summer season many cultural events are held in the historical centre of the town.

Not only the municipality, government and private sector are well developed in Valmiera, but also public organizations. There is a branch of the Red Cross of Latvia, the Rotary Club, the Society of Retired people and other organizations.

Valmiera is developing as a business and administrative centre by investing in the development of culture, arts and sports. The contributing factors for the development are educational institutions and, of course, Vidzeme University College founded in 1996. One of the main priorities in Valmiera is to develop a friendly environment for entrepreneurship. The largest manufacturing and commercial enterprises of Vidzeme Region are in Valmiera, they have close cooperation with partners abroad.