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 this section, we present sites to introduce you to this Baltic nation before you visit.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Depending on whom you ask, Latvia's capital, Riga, is either the next hot spot in Europe or in a downward cultural spiral. For example, a 2006 feature in The New York Times Travel section described Riga as an admirable combination of boutique hotels, trendy restaurants, and a symphony orchestra, while a 2007 entry from travel blog World Hum notes Riga's potential for becoming the "Baltic Bangkok," due to a growing sex industry, numerous clubs and pubs, and cheap flights.
- During the Holocaust, the capital city of Riga was the site of concentration camps for Jews from Latvia, as well as from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. Furthermore, as the BBC describes, Latvian soldiers have a complicated history with the Nazi party. It may be worth visiting a few places in Riga to gain a better understanding of what Latvia went through during World War II. The Estonia-based periodical City Paper suggests some relevant spots.
- Latvia gained status as an independent state in 1991 after decades under the communist rule of the Soviet Union. Reminders of communism can still be seen in Riga, such as small apartment blocks and ethnic Russian discrimination. Therefore, you may need more than a day or two to get a true sense of the country and its people, as your initial impression may not be favorable.
- If you want to catch Latvia in a good mood, consider visiting during one of its many festivals. Ligo, a celebration of the summer solstice, is an especially popular gathering (and superstitious: if you fall asleep at all during Ligo, tradition holds that the following year won't go well for you). One of the sites described below, iExplore, lists some popular Latvian festivals.
- Beer is the beverage of choice for Latvian festivals and for the long, harsh winters. If you plan to do some sampling while you're there, get to know your many options beforehand. Beer.lv lists Latvian beers with descriptions of taste, and includes a list of pubs and beer news in the Baltics.
- Prague isn't the only city in Eastern Europe offering castles and stunning architecture; Latvia has both Riga, known for its art nouveau style and charming Old Town, and Cesis, which has otherworldly castles.
Dulcinea's Picks
For official tourism resources ...
The Official Latvia Tourism Portal
offers extensive information and resources to help you become better acquainted with the country. The site has a clean, easily navigable design, which makes perusing sections such as "E-Latvia" (multimedia features) and "About Latvia" (a helpful overview) quite fun.
For geography and natural features ...
The CIA World Factbook
describes essential characteristics of each country. A simple map of Latvia is included, as well as geographical facts (namely, boundaries, area, length of coastline, land use, and current environmental issues) in a straightforward, outline format.
The Latvian Institute
was established to provide information about the country's society, culture, and history. Touting an attractive layout and vivid photos, the site also includes a "Nature" section. Thorough details of natural features, animal and plant species, and natural resources such as amber are provided. Ecotourism is also discussed.
Merriam-Webster's Atlas
is an online source for maps and encyclopedic information. View a small but detailed map of Latvia, including cities, nature reserves, and national parks, as well as bordering countries and bodies of water. Land use facts are provided adjacent to the map.
For history and culture ...
The Latvian Institute
, previously mentioned for its "Nature" section, is an excellent source of historical information, no matter how much time you want to devote to research. A basic timeline dating back to 9000 BCE is included in this well-organized section, in addition to features on "Latvia in the 20th Century," "Milestones in History of Technologies in Latvia," and much more. Also see the Institute's sections on culture, including music, cuisine, and literature, and a breakdown of Latvian society that discusses ethnic composition and population density.
City Paper
is a news source for the Baltics, published weekly online and monthly in print. Consult this "20th Century Timeline" of key historical events and turning points for the Baltic states, incorporated with quotes from key players including professors and journalists.
The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia
's Web site, although text heavy, is dense with information about various aspects of Latvian culture, including library and museum systems, film, music, and more. Cultural news and upcoming events are also listed.
The Latvian Culture Vortal
is a sister site of the Ministry of Culture, and is appealing both visually and textually. Get an overview of Latvian arts and artists, including listings of upcoming events in music, art, dance, literature, and more; samples of artwork give you an idea of what to expect from exhibits. Personalities of Latvian culture are also detailed.
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
's Web site includes a section on Latvia. The progression of Jewish persecution in the country is summarized and flanked by multimedia features: maps of Baltic Nazi camps and ghettos, historical film footage of mobile killing units, and personal stories with photos of Latvian Jews who either lived through or died during the Holocaust.
For travel guides ...
Insight Travel Online
presents guides written by country natives that are a pleasure to read. Quick but descriptive summaries convey a sense of Latvia that you won't find in most other guides. Consult various sections to get the full picture: "Highlights" for parks, towns, and cities to visit; and "Travel tips" for cultural dos and don'ts, for example.
iExplore.com
, a leading adventure travel magazine, furnishes this well-rounded guide to Latvia. Sections are detailed and lively, and describe history, culture, natural features, and activities (bird watching, for example). Practical advice and logistics are included as well (see "Where to Go" for two resort cities near Riga). iExplore has been named Forbes's "Best Adventure Travel Magazine" for the past seven years, and provides adventure tours for the Travel Channel and Lonely Planet, among other top guidebook companies.
In Your Pocket
guides give the scoop on urban life in Eastern Europe in a young, sarcastic tone, courtesy of locals. Several cities in Latvia have guides but the Riga guide is most thorough. Intros explain what to expect from each season, while culture, nightlife, food and drink, and shopping are detailed in separate sections. Expats should find the directory useful, as it offers info about apartment rentals, translators, and more.
The New York Times
Travel section's prolific "36 Hours In" series recently featured Riga. A detailed itinerary includes recommended sights and attractions, restaurants, and hotels, all of which are marked on the accompanying map. A vivid slideshow offers an enticing peek of the city.
For sightseeing ...
TripAdvisor
is a valuable compilation of opinions and recommendations from travelers. On this page of "Things to Do in Latvia," scroll down for "Attractions by city." Click each for lists of suggestions, most of which have summaries and links to sites of museums, monuments, markets, and more.
Kaleva Travel
offers package and tailor-made tours in the Baltics and Finland. Highlighted attractions and sightseeing options for three Latvian cities (Riga, Sigulda, and Cesis) are featured here, with descriptions of guided tours and bus trips. Scroll to the bottom of this page for Kaleva's contact information.
MyPhotographs.net
presents well-organized, high-quality photo galleries created by travelers. The site includes more than 125,000 pictures taken in 63 countries around the world, including a great section on Latvia. Countless images of sights and attractions in Riga, Segulda, and Cesis are available, including the National Theater, the Riga Central Market, and the Cesis Castle.
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 convenience of the famous train system, this Baltic nation maintains an off-the-beaten-path allure. The sites in this section can help you get there by plane, boat, bus, and yes, even train.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Despite not being serviced by Eurail, Lativa is still reachable by train. Russian Rail has overnight trains from Moscow, as well as from other Baltic and Russian cities. LDZ, Latvia's national rail service, has service from Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
- For additional resources that may be of use during your trip to Latvia, see the findingDulcinea Russia Travel Guide or Europe Travel Guide, depending on where you're coming from.
- If you're flying into Latvia from the United States, you may have to book two flights; only Uzbekistan Airways flies direct from the United States (John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York) to Riga, Latvia. Luckily, you can catch an inexpensive flight to Riga on a discount carrier from a number of European cities, such as London and Frankfurt.
- If you're searching for flights to Latvia, consult search engines and individual airline sites to find the best price. Search engines may tack on additional fees for their services. See our findingDulcinea Travel Guide for further advice and information on finding and booking flights.
- Consider a drive into Latvia on the Via Baltica highway, which runs through each of the Baltic states as well as Prague, Helsinki, and Poland. Be aware, though, that environmental concerns have been raised over construction of the road. For a coastal view, drive into Latvia along the Baltic coast from Estonia.
Dulcinea's Picks
For help from a travel agent ...
Tripology
is especially helpful for travelers wanting advice from a travel agent without actually having to visit one. Select what you need help with, whether flight, cruise, hotel, rental car, and/or activities and tours, and Tripology connects you with travel agents specializing in your needs. You'll receive an e-mail or phone call from three agents, usually within 24 hours, after which you can choose which one you'd prefer to work with.
For flight search engines ...
SideStep
eliminates the need to visit numerous airfare search engines. Enter your travel dates and location, and SideStep searches for the lowest fares from more than 200 sites and promptly displays your options.
Mobissimo
not only searches numerous discount fare sites for you, but it also has a handful of nifty additional features. One such feature is "MobiCombo," which helps you book two tickets to get to your European destination, often at a much lower rate than one ticket.
AirNinja
differentiates itself by searching only discount and regional airlines and linking you directly to their sites. You may find that individual airline sites offer slightly lower-priced tickets, as search engines can tack on additional fees when you book through them.
For individual airlines ...
airBaltic
is Latvia's national airline, featuring a friendly, easily navigable site. Consult the list of one-way ticket offers to Riga from numerous destinations in and out of Latvia, as well as the "Travel Information" section covering the new EU security rules, baggage regulations, check-in advice, and more.
Ryanair
is perhaps the most prolific low-fare carrier in Europe, offering surprisingly inexpensive flights to Riga from Frankfurt, London, Stockholm, Tampere, and more. Because one-way flights from the United States to Latvia are hard to find, consider booking a flight to one of the aforementioned cities and then flying Ryanair into Riga.
OrexCA.com
provides flight listings for Uzbekistan Airways representative offices around the world, with contact information. UA is the only carrier with one-way flights from the United States (New York) to Riga, but you must call or e-mail to make a booking. Scroll down to "Uzbekistan Airways in USA" to find the NYC office information.
For ferries ...
VirtualRiga.com
lists ferry routes between the Latvian capital, Sweden, and Germany. Make a selection from the "Choose route" pull-down menu to see departure and arrival times, ferry company and phone number, and notes on price and included meals.
For trains and buses ...
LDZ
is Latvia's national rail system, providing service between Latvia and Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. View international routes, and get timetables and prices. Note that timetables must be downloaded as PDFs.
Eurolines Baltic
offers bus service throughout the Baltic states. A useful map of the cities it services is featured on this homepage. Access schedules and routes, and purchase tickets online. Also see "Ways to save," such as the "Baltic Pass" and 30 percent off when you book four people at once. There's also a useful table of bus routes out of Riga.
Ecolines
provides bus service between Riga and several European locations. Included among a few new routes is one to the Czech Republic, notably Prague and Brno. The site has a few spelling and grammatical errors (once translated into English), is difficult to navigate, and does not allow you to purchase tickets online with U.S. dollars. Despite this, Ecolines buses are an efficient method of traveling into Latvia.
Latvia Hotels
Tourists in Latvia have many accommodation options from which to choose: upscale and boutique hotels in larger cities, hostels across the country, and comfortable bed and breakfasts in between. Visit the sites below to find and book a place to stay that suits your tastes and budget.
Dulcinea's Insight
- In Riga, hotels in the same class can vary widely in price—at times by up to hundreds of dollars. Be sure to shop around before you book a room.
- If you're willing to stay outside of Old Town, Riga, you'll find several less-expensive accommodation options.
- See the findingDulcinea Travel Guide for additional advice and information about finding and booking accommodation abroad.
Dulcinea's Picks
For accommodation search engines ...
Kayak
searches up to four travel sites for you (Hotels.com, Travelocity, Expedia, and Priceline) to provide numerous results (with photos) from which you can choose; our search for Riga turned up 50 hotel options, for example. Once your results appear, use the price range tool to narrow things down. Then book directly through the travel site offering your desired package.
TripAdvisor
holds travelers' opinions in high regard, offering Latvia hotel listings with reviews written by those who've been there. Scroll down to search by Latvian city, and to access listings with traveler reviews and photos. Sort by hotels, B&Bs/inns, and other types of lodging. Or use the search tool to find hotels available for your dates of travel.
The Accommodation Search Engine (ASE)
lists nearly 150,000 places to stay. This link takes you to a specific section for Latvia; select a city and you'll be presented with a list of possible lodgings, which you can sort using the filter tool. Hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and holiday rentals are all included on this site.
For hotels and hostels ...
LatviaHotel.net
is affiliate with Bookings, a European online hotel reservation company. A unique feature is the interactive map that lets you click on a destination and zoom in to discover hotel listings there. Also browse the cities listed below the map to access hotel listings with photos, ratings, and reviews.
Hostelz.com
provides listings of hostels in several Latvian locations. Often you'll find revealing interior photos, as well as a side-by-side comparison of the hostel's own description with Hostelz.com reviews (complete with details of location and amenities).
Getting Around in Latvia
Latvia's size is manageable, which means you'll have plenty of good transportation options once you arrive. Bus, rail, air, and car travel are all possible, though some modes are better than others. The sites in this section will inform you of the best ways to get around in Latvia.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Bus travel is generally a better option than rail travel in Latvia. Trains are known to be on the slow side, whereas buses move quickly and are available almost anywhere in the country. However, you may have a hard time booking bus tickets online; Latvian bus company Web sites are confusing, and portions may not be available in English.
- Even if you don't want to book bus tickets online, visit bus Web sites to print or copy down departure and arrival times and stations, which may prove useful during your trip. If you are not familiar with Latvian cities, make sure to have a map of Latvia handy before you get started; we've found that Latvia's bus companies do not typically include maps on their Web sites, and often require you to know your exact departure and arrival cities to view timetables.
- Because of its compact size, Latvia lends itself to road trips rather than air travel. However, if you are planning to drive, be advised that Latvian drivers are known for their excessive speed and recklessness, and the country has a high rate of car accidents.
Dulcinea's Picks
For air travel ...
airBaltic
is Latvia's national airline but it services just one route within Latvia: between the capital, Riga, and Liepaja, the country's third-largest city. Special rates from Riga are listed in the "Offers" section in the uppermost menu, and include discounts for this route.
For rail ...
LDZ
is Latvia's national rail system, providing service between numerous cities and towns (zoom in to see the domestic route scheme). View "Train Timetables" to enter your departure and arrival locations, and departure time, in order to get ticket prices. This site is not very easy to navigate, and tickets must be purchased at the station.
For buses ...
1188
has several intercity bus routes, most of which depart from Riga. Although you can view timetables on this site, you cannot book online, and information about the company is not available in English.
Autoosta
has bus service from Riga to various destinations in Latvia. Use the "Time-table" tool to get routes and times and to reserve tickets. Autoosta does not list bus routes on its site; if you know your destination, enter it to access a timetable. To see a list of bus stations in Latvia and to purchase tickets online, visit Bezrindas.lv instead.
For driving ...
Auto Europe
is an international car rental and chauffer service based in Portland, Maine. Consult the car rental overview for Latvia where you'll find practical details regarding road conditions and rules, fuel information, driving age requirements, and more. Use the "QuickCar" tool to book your vehicle. Booking early may save you up to 8 percent.
Drive Safe
, a Web site of National Car Rental, provides essential information for countries worldwide, including Latvia. Tips for country and city driving are given in addition to basic "Local Knowledge," most of which is applicable to any driver in Latvia.
Latvia Travel Blogs and Forums
Latvia's independence is still relatively new, and Soviet occupation and influence is still a subject of much discussion in blogs and forums. Adding to the political pontificating are Latvian expatriates in the United States, as well as native Latvians who only recently returned home after 1991. Travel advice and tips for visitors can be found on the sites in this section, as well.
Dulcinea's Insight
- To find blogs on specific topics, try a blog search engine like Technorati or BlogPulse.
- If you find a blog you like, check to see if the blogger has included a blogroll (a list of recommended blogs on similar or different topics) in either of the sidebars.
- Use your discretion when accepting or rejecting the advice of a blogger or poster in a forum. Read previous posts and profiles to get a better sense of personality, interests, and credibility before you make any important decisions regarding your trip based on what someone has posted.
- See the findingDulcinea Blogs Guide for more tips and advice for finding blogs, and starting your own.
Dulcinea's Picks
For blogs ...
Baltic Visitor
blogs about travel tips and news for Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Uncluttered and clearly written, this blog can be broken down by country or topic-see categories in the right sidebar. There is a good mix of subject matter, whether you're into music festivals and Baltic beer or Latvian history and politics, or all of it.
Gadling
, a very recently (and sleekly) redesigned travel blog, has a string of entries about Latvia and the Baltics written by several different bloggers. You can learn a lot here, as Gadling includes many embedded travel-friendly links within its posts, as well as helpful visuals like maps and photos to enhance written entries. An under-the-radar vacation idea in Latvia provided one such excellent post.
Marginalia
is a blog kept by Peteris Cedrins, who was born in Chicago to Latvian exiles before relocating to Latvia after the country gained independence in 1991. Cedrins makes observations and provides commentary on politics and history in Latvia and the "periphery of the EU." Recent posts discussed a speech by the U.S. ambassador to Latvia and "being green" in Latvia.
All About Latvia
presents the sarcastic, and at times scathing, insights of Aleks, a 30-year-old Latvian who has lived in the United States since 1997. Browse categories in the right sidebar, such as "Communist Past," "Constitution," and "The Parliament: 10 wise guys." "YouTube Links" concerning Latvia have also earned a separate category
For travel forums ...
VirtualTourist
maintains forums for countless countries, including Latvia. Browse the questions and answers to find what you're looking for, or post your own thoughts. There is no typical entry here but rather an interesting mix of restaurant and bar recommendations, driving advice, visa inquiries, and much more.
Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree
forum is comprised of numerous branches (countries) revealing traveler-written tips and bits of wisdom. The Latvia branch is full of questions and answers to help you plan your travels or reduce pre-trip anxiety. Browse or post your own entries for specific concerns.
For travelogues and essays ...
The Washington Post
offers an intriguing glimpse of the two sides of Riga: exuberance tamed by troubling historic sites.
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