Latvia [1] is situated in Eastern (Northern) Europe. One of the three Baltic States, Latvia is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus on the south east, and the Baltic Sea on the west. The most famous travel spot is the capital Riga, a World Heritage Site.
Regions  There are four historical regions of Latvia:
There are some cultural and social differences between regions, for example, traditional dress is different from region to region. The Latgale region has its own unique dialect. Cities
Other destinations
Understand Latvia is a famous ancient trading point. The famous ‘route from the Vikings to the Greeks’ mentioned in ancient chronicles stretched from Scandinavia through Latvian territory along the river Daugava to the Ancient Russia and Byzantine Empire. Across the European continent, Latvia’s coast was known as a place for obtaining amber. In the Middle Ages amber was more valuable than gold in many places. Latvian amber was known in places as far away as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. At the 12th century, German traders arrived, bringing with them missionaries who attempted to convert the pagan Baltic and Finno-Ugrian tribes to the Christian faith. The Germans founded Rīga in 1201, establishing it as the largest and most powerful city on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. After independence in 1918, Latvia achieved considerable results in social development, economy, industry and agriculture. It has always been a multicultural melting point, where foreigners and locals worked together and brought prosperity to the country. During the time of the Iron Curtain, Latvia was just a province of Soviet Union, but the concentration of heavy industry was enormous. Contacts with the West virtually did not exist. Since regaining independence in 1991, economic and social development has been fast even for Latvians and neighbouring Europeans. Latvia has joined the European Union in 2004. Because of a tribal past and divisions between occupying nations, there are regional differences between parts of Latvia which are interesting to explore. ClimateThe best time to travel to Latvia is from June to mid September, when it is warm and plenty of local food is available. January and February are the coldest months. October and November have autumn rains and daylight is short. You will probably not experience a very high comfort level while traveling in Latvia, so this is really a trip for active and self-motivated people. GeographyHalf of Latvia is covered with forests which are rich with wildlife. There are many lakes, especially if you go to Latgale region. There are deep river valleys with some sections having sand cliffs on their banks. Heavy industry halted a long time ago, so most places are ecologically clean. The highest point in Latvia is Gaizinkalns, at 312m (1,023ft) above sea level, just west of the town of Madona. Get inVisasFor those permited for visa free entry
If you need a visa, getting it is tricky. Visa costs are on the high side considering size of the country - 20LVL for single or 35LVL for multple entry. Applications will take 7 days to process, or can take as long as 30 days if additional information is needed. To apply, submit to the Latvian embassy or consulate:
By plane To Riga International Airport, you can arrive from various European (London, Munich, Barcelona, etc) and Middle Eastern (Tel Aviv) cities as well as New York City. Inexpensive national airline: Air Baltic. There are also other low-cost carriers from cities in UK, Germany and Finland. Uzbekistan Airways flies on a New York - Riga - Tashkent route. There are bus (0.25 LVL) and taxi (<10 LVL) connections to city centre. Only one cab company operates from airport, so look for red taxis on the ground floor near the parking lot. Journey times depend on traffic. By train
By carYou can use your car up till 3 months, if you are not resident in Latvia. After 3 months you need to register it. By bus
By boat
Get around By planeAir Baltic flies from Riga to Liepaja International Airport in summer (June-September). By carInternational car rentals are represented in Latvia. Offices are in Riga and on the ground floor in Riga Airport. Cheaper car rental offices are available. Drive with the headlights on all year round. Winter tires are required for winter period. Most of petrol stations are self-service and operating 24 hours. Two types of octan rating gasoline and diesel fuel available. By busThere is vast network of bus connections around Latvia. Buy bus ticket in bus station or in bus when boarding. If you have luggage ask bus driver to put into trunk. It depends from company if they will charge extra for that. There is express bus connections to major towns, which saves time. On Fridays and Saturdays buses could be crowded in the outbound direction from Riga. Bus time tables are available at the Rigas Autoosta site. By thumbHitchhiking in Latvia is generally good. The roads around Riga present the largest obstacle, unless the city is your destination - there is no clean "by-pass" road, and a considerable amount of local traffic makes hitching very difficult. The easiest way to get around Riga is to find a "cross-country" lift at the border with Lithuania or Estonia. License plate numbers/countries of origin are your friends. TalkLatvian or Lettish is an Indo-European language that shares its own Baltic branch of that linguistic family with Lithuanian. The language is spoken natively by most of the 2.4 million residents of Latvia, with some Russian also spoken by the Russian ethnic community and older generations. There is also a small Polish-speaking minority. In addition, English and German are understood in urban centers. See also: Latvian phrasebook DoWinter There is a lot of possibilities to practice winter sports - snowboarding, cross country skiing, downhill skiing etc.Ramkalni, Baili, Zviedru Cepure. Some of slopes are open till late night. Usually need car to access. SpringAs rivers get more water from melting snow, canoeing down the rivers is favorite past time for young people. It usually gets warmer after Easter.
Summer
Latvia has one of longest sand beaches in Europe. In July and August the water is warm enough to swim. The sea has a very slow slope. AutumnThere are many interesting and old castles around Latvia. Association of Latvian Castles, Palaces and Manors has links and photos on their website. Note that sometimes castles are reserved for private occasions. It is popular to go for autumn leaves viewing, when the trees turn red and yellow. Popular spots are Sigulda and Vidzemes Augstiene. Buy
There are ATMs all over Latvia and in Riga International Airport, even in some small towns.Tax free shops have their signs clearly displayed. Best rates offered for foreign currency are around central railway station in Riga on Merkela street. Banks will charge additional commission. Banks will accept travelers checks with some fee as a percentage of sum. They will cash you in LVL in anycase taken their foreign currency exchange rate. Before leaving Latvia, it is advisable to exchange Latvian lats back to foreign currency, unless you want to keep them as souvenir. EatThis is best thing that could happen to a traveler in Latvia - food. Latvian cuisine comes from the peasant culture, and is based on crops that grow in Latvia's temperate climate. Rye, peas, beets, and potatoes are the staples; smoked bacon, sausage, and other pork products are favorites. Since Latvia is surrounded by the sea, smoked and raw fish is also available. Lots of things are flavored with caraway seeds, especially cheese and bread. A cheese similar to smoked gouda, but more soft, is the cheapest and, arguably, tastiest variety. Latvian rye bread is heavy and flavorful, and goes well with hearty Latvian meals like pea soup, potatoes, and schnitzels (karbonades). Restaurants in larger cities often offer stews in clay pots. Latvian cuisine is typical for temperate and northern countries, high on butter, fat, and grains, low on spice. If you are from the Mediterranean, you will find it bland, but if you come from England or Russia or the Midwestern US, you won't have trouble getting used to it. A more exotic Latvian dish is a sweet soup made from rye bread (maizeszupe). Some specific food only available in this area:
Other mentionable food and dishes:
Drink Many local beers are quite excellent. Aldaris, Līvu, and Senču can be bought almost anywhere. A special 'live beer' called Užavas can be found in selected pubs and restaurants. Don't forget to try the Balsam (Rīgas Melnais Balzams). It's a strong (45%) infusion of various herbs, roots, and spices. It will cure your flu in no time. Add a few drops to flavor your tea, or a few spoons to lace your coffee, or drink it neat. Wine is also grown in Latvia in small quantities. It is the most Northern point in the world where wine is grown. Wineyards can be seen in Sabile (in Latvian). Some remarkable places to have a sip:
Places serving Cantonese, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Ukrainian cusine are also available in Latvia. There is no need to tip, unless you enjoyed food and service very much. They will do accept tip without hesitation. SleepThere are many hotels to choose from. There is also a network of youth hostels developing. You can also rent a cottage or farm in the countryside. There are plenty to choose from. Lauku celotajs LearnWorkNot impossible, but you have to find company, which is willing to pay 35 LVL fee per month, work permit up to 170 LVL (once), fee for checking your documents of education 47.20 LVL (once). Salary should not be less than 246 LVL per month. Stay safeIt is generally safe to travel around on your own, although petty crime exists. Things to watch out for are bicycles and things left in your car. When visiting bars and restaurants in Riga - make sure you know the price before you order, follow your spending, so no cheating is possible. Emergency phone number: Fire/Police/Ambulance 112. Stay healthyThere is no problem turning to any doctor or hospital to seek medical help, just pay an outside patient fee. Very few drugs are available without prescription, bring your own if you expect to need them. RespectIt is very common to give up your seat for an elderly passenger on the public transport in Latvia. Always let the women board a train or bus first. There are lot of dust bins on the streets and near shops. Throwing garbage on the street is unacceptable and is punishable. Also, pedestrians crossing against a red light are liable to be fined. ContactLatvijas Pasts is also reliable and a fast way to send letters and parcels (up to 10kg). Most of GSM mobile phones will work in Latvia. Pre-paid SIM cards are also available and could be easy bought and topped-up at kiosks and outlets. Some SIM cards are capable of GPRS data transfer, although the setup of phone and computer will not be that easy. Internet spots are available in cafes and airports. A wifi card is need to connect to Lattelecom WLAN. A WLAN area could be around any Statoil petrol stations. Internet is also available in most public libraries. To call from a public phone you need Telekarte. It costs 2,3 and 5 LVL. International calls are possible from every public phone.
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