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Latvia - Places to see and things to do.

The Republic of Latvia is situated in Eastern Europe and is one of the Baltic States. It borders Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Russia and is separated from Sweden by the Baltic Sea. Latvia has been an important trading state and through its territories passed the ancient route from the Vikings to the Greeks. It was also the best place for obtaining amber during the Middle Ages, when it was more valuable than gold. When the country regained its independence from Russia in 1991, it developed quickly and is today a member of NATO and the European Union. Its capital and largest city is Riga, which is also the main tourist spot and has many historical and cultural sights that have to be seen. The other tourist destinations include the town of Cessi, which has a lovely Medieval castle, the town of Karosta which has a long, beautiful beach and the town of Kuldiga, where the widest waterfall in Europe is set. Other interesting places include the Open-Air Museum at Pedvale and the Livu Akvaparks. Latvia is divided into four historical regions, namely Zemgale, Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale, which differentiate from each other in terms of social and cultural characteristics.

The best time to come for a holiday is from June to mid-September, when the weather is warm and even quite hot on some days. Traveling to Latvia during January and February isn't advisable, as it's freezing cold, while October and November come with a lot of rain. In the summer, there's a Country Music Festival, Jazz Festival Saulkrasti, International Music Festival and the Opera Festival Sigulda. The summer months are also quite suitable for enjoying swimming and sunbathing along the long, sandy beaches. In the winter months, it's possible to practice sports like downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as snowboarding. In February, there's an International Ice Sculpture Festival and an International Festival of Cartoons. Tourists should know that the official language in the country is Latvian. Russian is quite popular though, as there's a large minority of Russians living in the country. English and German are understood in the big cities, but not among the older people in Latvia. The currency in Latvia is lats, but the Euro is to be introduced soon. The Latvian lats are some of the most beautifully designed money, and thus some small change could be kept as a souvenir. The banks in Latvia accept traveler's cheques and ATM machines are widely available throughout the country. The most popular souvenirs that are bought as presents from Latvia are jewelry made from amber, smoked ceramics, and black bread. As Latvia has signed the Schengen agreement, entering the country can be done on a Schengen visa and there are no passport controls at the European Union borders. Obtaining a visa for those who need it can be tricky and takes at least seven days. Of course, the easiest way to come to Latvia is by plane.

The Riga International Airport accepts flights from most European cities, the Middle East, Moscow and New York. Further, there are several small airports available across the country. The national airline is Air Baltic and the flights offered by it aren't expensive. The low-cost carriers that service the area are RyanAir and EasyJet. The railway system is well-developed and there are trains to Riga from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Minsk, Vilnius and Lvov. The bus service in Latvia is well-organized, but tourists should know that the buses can be quite crowded during the weekends. Eurolines and Ecolines cover the country, and online booking is usually available. Renting a car is easy to do and the driving licenses are valid if issued in any of the countries of the European Union. Driving should be done with the headlights on. Hitchhiking in Latvia is widely acceptable. Ferry lines to Latvia are available from Stockholm in Sweden and Lubeck in Germany. Getting around the country by bike is possible but not quite safe, so the route should be carefully chosen, as well as the hours that are free of traffic. The first city that will be presented here is Riga, which is the capital of Latvia and its largest city. Riga is a very friendly place, and tourists shouldn't have communication problems as besides Latvian and Russian, English and German are also well-understood, especially by the young people. Riga has a beautiful and well-preserved Old Town with the breathtaking Dome Cathedral, buildings with German architecture, great parks and vibrant nightlife. The Occupation Museum reveals Latvia's history, St. Peter's Church has an elevator to the top offering views over Riga, the TV Tower is 368 meters high and also has an observation deck, and the Mezaparks on the outskirts of Riga hosts the local Zoo. Riga also has an opera house staging ballets and opera performances. The city of Liepaja is located on the Baltic coast and is the third-largest settlement in the country.

Liepaja is comprised of a city centre and Karosta, both of which feature lovely beaches with soft white sand. The centre of the city has many beautiful buildings and small streets with old souvenir shops. Interesting sights to be seen here include the Amber Clock situated on the promenade, the Craftsmans House, and of course the beaches, which are safe for swimming, windsurfing and getting a suntan. On the central beach of Liepaja, an annual music festival is organized, the Baltic Beach Party. Near the beach is set the Seaside Park, which has various species of trees, a concert garden and a bowling centre, as well as a mini-golf playground. Liepaja is surrounded by water, as it isn't only set on the coast of the Baltic Sea but also features two big lakes and several small ones, as well as four channels. The churches in Liepaja are very beautiful and offer a variety of architectural styles. Worth visiting are the Saint Trinity Church with its 55 m high tower, Saint Anne's Church which is the oldest one in the city, St. Joseph's Church which has a model of a ship believed to bring luck to the fishermen, and St. Meynard's Church, the construction of which was a present from the Vatican.

The Karosta region of Liepaja is a former secret Soviet military town. When Latvia became independent and the Russian troops had to leave the country, many houses in Karosta were abandoned and ruined. Today, there are plans for this part of the town to be reconstructed. The area evokes tourist interest and the best-visited places here are the eight fortresses around the city, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Karosta Prison, the Horse Arena, the remnants of the submarine base and of course, the beach zone. The area around Liepaja provides plenty of forests and a long coastline, as well as the large Kalvene Zoo, where there are some very large animals, or the Pape Nature Park where you can spot wild horses and boars. Another pleasant destination in Latvia is the town of Cesis, which has many lovely streets and houses, as well as beautiful castles. The town is located some 100 km outside Riga and its tourist sights include a Medieval castle, St. John's Church and Victory Monument, and the Square of the Rose.

Jurmala is a lovely destination and the largest resort town in Latvia, which has the longest beach in this part of Europe. The holiday resort has many hotels and guesthouses, pools with sea and mineral waters, a sports centre, various cultural events and festivals such as the Jomas Street Festival, the Fishermen's Festival, etc. The places of interest in Jurmala include the Dzintari Concert Hall, the Horn Gardens, the sanatorium Marienbade and the National Rehabilitation Centre Vaivari, as well as the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum. Ligatne is a small town where all of the sights are walking distance away from each other. Interesting things to see here include the Ligatne Nature Reserve, which has bear, lynx, bison, roe and red deer, as well as many bird species. Ligatne also has 19th-Century wooden architecture, and the Ligatne paper mill which has operated since 1816. The main landmark, however, is the ex-Soviet bunker which is five kilometers outside of town. The area is good for hiking and skiing, as well as canoeing. Approximately a hundred kilometers away from Riga, in the beautiful Gauja Valley, is the town of Sigulda, which is one of the most appealing settlements in Latvia. Must-sees here include the Turaida Castle, which offers great views over the town, the valley and the river, as well as the Gutmanis Cave and the small creek there, which is believed to have healing qualities.