Latvia Travel Guide


The latest travel Information on Latvia, includes ideas on Things to See and Do, Local Events, Consulate & Embassy Contact Addresses and much more, all from a first-time visitors point of view.

Latvia Information

Overview

Latvia is a small country on the Baltic Sea with ancient history and traditions. If you want to enjoy nature, there is not only the serene Gulf of Riga and the open Baltic Sea, but also nature parks, lakes and beautiful forests.

Old Riga offers not only fabulous architectural monuments, but also various nightclubs and pubs. According to legend, once every 100 years the devil rears his head from the waters of Riga’s River Daugava and asks whether Riga is ‘ready’ yet. If the answer is ‘yes’, the now nearly 900-year-old city will be condemned to sink into the waters.

For now, however, there is no chance of Latvia being ’ready’ to sink. Long the Baltic favourite, Latvia is now also beginning to emerge as a tourist destination further afield, championed as one of Europe’s hidden treasures. Those who visit will appreciate the small picturesque medieval towns, country castles, museums and folk parks, ruined fortresses and, occasionally, grand palaces. They will also appreciate the little Latvian quirks still entrenched in customs, crafts and culture.


Top Things To See

Look out for the padlocks that decorate the bridges of Riga - left there by newlyweds as symbols of eternal love.

Luxuriate in the health resort of Sigulda, on the banks of the River Gauja. In the national park here, visit the 13th-century Turaida Castle, as well as a sculpture park where Latvian folk poetry has been captured in stone.

Enjoy the rich flora and fauna in the regions of Kurzeme, Latgale and Vidzeme, which are also favourites with hikers. 

Take a more relaxed pace in the charming villages that are dotted throughout the beautiful countryside, such as Bauska, Cesis, Kolka and Talsi.

Spot birds in Latvia’s wetlands and traditionally cultivated farmland, which attract significant populations of interesting and uncommon birds, including the corncrake, now rare in other parts of Europe. Local operators can arrange birdwatching trips. For more information, contact the Latvian Ornithological Society (website: www.lob.lv).

Watch out for wildlife such as elk, deer, brown bears and wolves in the national parks.

Seek out the ornate castles with vast parks such as Rundale and Jelgava, established by 17th-century aristocrats in the lowland region of Zemgale (website: www.zemgale.lv).

Get a taste of rural Latvian life at the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia (website: www.muzeji.lv) - established in 1924, it is one of the oldest in Europe. Walk amongst historical dwellings, workers’ homesteads, a tavern and windmills, gathered here from all over Latvia. See masters of 18 different crafts demonstrate their work.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Top Things To Do

Explore the capital, Riga (website: www.rigatourism.com), and be dazzled by its rich history and culture, reflected in its remarkable range of architectural styles. The centre of the city is considered to contain the finest concentration of art nouveau buildings in Europe and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Picnic beside Latvia’s highest waterfall at Kuldiga, situated on the banks of the River Venta (website: www.kurzeme.lv).

Holiday in Jurmala (website: www.jurmala.lv), the biggest Baltic resort with an endless sandy beach. Stay in one of the city’s renowned spa hotels and indulge in traditional treatments with local natural resources such as mud and mineral waters.

Hike the trails in the national parks and protected areas, such as Gauja National Park, the country’s biggest. Covering an area of nearly 94 sq km (36 sq miles) around the River Gauja, it features caves, rocks and dense woods (website: www.gnp.lv/eng).

Get introduced to the indigenous plants and animals while walking on special nature trails in Kemeri National Park or on the Amber Trail along the western coast of Courland.

Visit the seaside town of Liepaja where the waves crash against the shore with such force they leave amber scattered on the beach (website: www.kurzeme.lv).

Ski or snowboard down the Vidzeme hills - the highest in Latvia (website: www.vidzeme.com).

Challenge the river rapids on the winding Gauja.

Immerse yourself into both Christian and pagan ancient traditions in the Latgale region (website: www.latgale.lv), with the beautiful Basilica of Aglona. Listen out for the unusual dialect of the Lettigalian language. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Going Out

Food and Drink

Hors d’oeuvres are very good and often the best part of the meal. Overall, cuisine can be heavy but almost always tasty and nourishing.

National specialities:
• Kotletes (meat patties).
• Skabu kapostu zupa (cabbage soup).
• Alexander Torte (raspberry- or cranberry-filled pastry strips).
• Sweetbread soup with dried fruit.
• Piragi (pastry filled with bacon and onions).

National drinks:
• Riga’s Black Balsam is a thick, black alcoholic liquid which has been produced since 1700. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but some of the ingredients include ginger, oak bark, bitter orange peel and cognac. It is drunk either with coffee or mixed with vodka.
• There are several good local beers, including the dark beer Bauskas Tumsais and the pale Gaisais.
• Kvass is a refreshing summer drink.
• Sparkling wine is popular.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Restaurant bills usually include a tip. It is customary to give a little extra for good service.

Nightlife

Riga has a good range of excellent restaurants, bars and cafes. In summer months, cafes spill out onto the streets. Nightclubs offer a varied scene, from dancing all night to blues concerts.

Shopping

Amber is of high quality and a good buy. Other purchases include folk art, wicker work and earthenware.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900/1000-1800/1900, Sat 0900/1000-1600/1700. Some smaller shops may close for an hour or two between 1200 and 1500 for lunch. Food shops open 0800/0900-2000/2100. Some shops are open 24 hours.


Climate

Temperate climate, but with considerable temperature variations. Summer is warm with relatively mild weather in spring and autumn. Winter, which lasts from November to mid March, can be very cold. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall in August. Snowfall is common in the winter months.

Required Clothing

Light- to mediumweights are worn during summer months. Medium- to heavyweights are needed during winter. Rainwear is advisable all year.


Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
21 Mar Good Friday. 
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
4 May Declaration of Independence Day.
23 Jun Ligo (Midsummer’s Eve).
24 Jun Jani (Midsummer’s Day/St John’s Day).
18 Nov Latvian National Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
31 Dec New Year’s Eve.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
4 May Declaration of Independence Day.
23 Jun Ligo (Midsummer’s Eve).
24 Jun Jani (Midsummer’s Day/St John’s Day).
18 Nov Latvian National Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
31 Dec New Year’s Eve.


Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Yes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

For European visitors who are taken ill or have an accident, free or reduced-cost treatment is available - in most cases on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC gives access to state-provided medical treatment only. Note that the EHIC replaces the Form E111, which is no longer valid.

Note

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Latvian Lat (LVL; symbol Ls) = 100 santims. Notes are in denominations of Ls500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Ls2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 santims.

Currency Exchange

Bureaux de change are found all over main towns, including inside shops, hotels, post offices and train stations. These tend to close at 1900. The most convenient currencies to exchange are the Euro and the US Dollar.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard and Visa are accepted by most hotels, restaurants and shops. ATMs are available in towns and cities.

Traveller's Cheques

To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Some banks are open Sat 0900-1300.


Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Other EU

Passport Required: 1
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Passport Note

Latvia joined the Schengen Agreement on 21 December 2007 for overland entry points and seaports, and will join on 29 March 2008 for airports.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for a stay of up to 90 days within any six-month period. For stays over 90 days nationals should apply for a residence permit from the Latvian offices of citizenship and migration affairs.  

Visa Note

Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).


Contact Addresses

Embassy of Latvia in the UK

45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY, UK
Tel: (020) 7312 0040.
Website: www.london.am.gov.lv
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1300 (consular section).

Latvian Tourism Bureau in London

72 Queensborough Terrace, London W2 3SH, UK
Tel: (020) 7229 8271.
Website: www.latviatourism.lv

Embassy of Latvia in the USA

2306 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 328 2840.
Website: www.latvia-usa.org
Opening hours: Mon 1400-1600 and Tues-Thurs 1000-1200.


Travel Advice

Warning

Most visits to Latvia are trouble-free.
 
Travellers should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel




Disclaimer
We've tried to make the information on this page as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information with the relevant authorities before you travel.