Latvia
The Republic of Latvia may be small but it offers much more as a destination than many travelers might guess. Latvia offers markedly different features depending on which area you visit; one-third of this Baltic state is covered by forests, but you'll also find a cosmopolitan city full of art nouveau architecture, plus miles of serene coastline and thousands of rivers. We've collected the best Web sites to help you discover Latvia online and to aid you in planning a trip there.
Expand All Guide SectionsBasic Latvia Travel Information
The Web reveals Latvia's land, culture, enviable sightseeing opportunities, and shadowy history. In ... read more »
Travel Requirements for Latvia
Here you'll find sites to relieve your pre-travel anxiety, covering passport requirements and embassy registration as well as tips for staying safe and healthy abroad. You may even pick up a few words of Latvian.
Dulcinea's Insight
- U.S. citizens do not need a visa to enter Latvia. An up-to-date passport is sufficient for up to 90 days of travel in Latvia every six months.
- Being aware of current events in the country you intend to visit can enhance your stay there. Consider searching online for local newspapers in the Latvian cities and towns you plan to see. Often these outlets offer calendars of events as well.
- Local tourism offices in cities and small towns can be excellent sources of advice and information; just a phone call may provide an insider travel tip or two.
- Throughout the country you can expect chilly evenings and rain year round; rain is especially heavy in August. Be sure to dress and pack accordingly, and check forecasts at a site like the Weather Channel or AccuWeather.
- The "Lat" is the official currency of Latvia, and may be abbreviated as LS, LVL, LA, or LATS. Outside of Riga, credit cards are not typically used, so you'll want to have cash on hand. Euros are usually accepted for hotel transactions.
Dulcinea's Picks
For travel requirements, safety information, and embassies ...
The U.S. Department of State
's "Consular Information Sheets" provide essential information for international travelers including entry requirements, safety and security, dealing with crime, medical insurance abroad, traffic safety, and more. Also see the menu at left, which gives further information regarding passports, as well as tips for traveling abroad, and advice for registering with an embassy.
EmbassyWorld
deserves a moment of your time before you travel anywhere overseas. Consult the listings of embassies of Latvia to the world, with links to Web sites, as well as listings of embassies of other nations to Latvia. See the U.S. Department of State (mentioned above) for embassy registration advice. EmbassyWorld also offers a "Telephone Search Engine" that finds the correct telephone code you'll need to call anywhere in the world. Telephone directories for all countries are also provided.
For news ...
The Baltic Times
is an independent weekly newspaper based in Riga that provides coverage of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. This page takes you directly to Latvia's news, including business, finance, entertainment, and opinion pieces, linked in the left sidebar. On the homepage you'll find breaking news from all of the Baltics.
The New York Times
gives readers access to its thorough collection of world news articles about Latvia, including breaking reports and archival pieces. Scroll down to the "Articles" section, where you can sort features by newest or oldest.
For currency conversion ...
Oanda.com
offers a converter for more than 164 currencies using daily updated rates. The easy-to-use tool allows you to enter a monetary amount and corresponding country, and have it converted into any other country's currency. Another helpful Oanda device is the "FXCheatSheet," which helps you create a printable currency converter table to help keep track of various currency conversions while on the go.
To learn the Latvian language ...
Learning Latvian Online
aims to help you do just what its name says. Start with general information like gender and language, pronunciation, and word order in the "About Latvian" section. Then try the "Alphabet" portion to hear examples of the pronunciation of each letter before you consult additional site resources dealing with vocabulary.
The BBC section on Languages
is a quick way to pick up key phrases in Latvian, such as "yes," "no," "thank you," and "I need help." Listen to each expression or download MP3 files to take with you.
For local tourism resources ...
The Official Latvia Tourism Portal
, mentioned in the first section of this guide, also includes an interactive map. Click on a region to access cities; each city is linked to specific tourism information and contact e-mail/phone numbers. You may need to use the dropdown menu in the top right corner to convert the site to English (click "EN.")
Getting to Latvia
Latvia may present a challenge if you're used to Eurail-ing it around Europe. Though it lacks the ... read more »
Latvia Hotels
Tourists in Latvia have many accommodation options from which to choose: upscale and boutique ... read more »
Getting Around in Latvia
Latvia's size is manageable, which means you'll have plenty of good transportation options once you ... read more »
Latvia Travel Blogs and Forums
Latvia's independence is still relatively new, and Soviet occupation and influence is still a ... read more »
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