Latvia

Get around

In Latvian, the word for street (as in street names) is iela. An example is Brīvības iela which is translated as Freedom street.

See

thumb|Cēsis castle ruins, Vidzeme Region thumb|Bridge over Venta in Kuldīga thumb|Jelgava thumb|Koknese castle ruins

Eat

Latvian cuisine is typical of the Baltic region and, in general, of northern countries, and especially similar to Finnish cuisine (see Nordic cuisine). It's high in butter and fat while staying low on spices except for black pepper, dill or grains/seeds, such as caraway seeds. If you are from the Mediterranean, you might find the food rather bland, but if you come from England or the Midwestern U.S., you will probably not have any trouble getting used to most of the dishes.

Latvian cuisine originated from the peasant culture and is strongly based on crops that grow in Latvian maritime, temperate climate. Latvian cuisine offers plenty of varieties of bread and milk products, which are staples. Pork products, potatoes, rye or wheat, oats, peas, beets, cabbage are the staples. Meat, especially pork, features in most main meal dishes. Sometimes even some meatless dishes can be cooked using bacon fat. But fish also is commonly consumed due to Latvia's location on the east coast of the Baltic Sea and Livonian heritage: smoked and raw fish are quite common.

Drink

thumb|Riga Black Balsam, local herb liqueur

Beer (alus) is generally the alcoholic beverage of choice for most Latvians. Aldaris and Līvu are the main large breweries in Latvia, but local breweries such as Užavas, Bauskas and Piebalgas exist all around the country and should not be forgotten. You are also suggested to try the locally distilled Riga Black Balsam (Rīgas Melnais balzams). It's an infusion of various herbs, roots and spices, making it a good home remedy for the common cold. By itself it is fairly strong - 45% alcohol by volume - and can be taken by adding a touch of it to flavor your tea, as a few spoons to lace your coffee or mixed in various cocktails. Even though Latvia is fairly far out north, grapes can still be successfully grown for making wine, although wine production in Latvia generally happens in small quantities, there are some local wineries and vineyards.

Sleep

Although you might not find plenty of 5 star hotels all around Latvia, you will find comfortable places to stay for reasonable prices. There are many hotels to choose from and the prices generally start with €30 outside of Riga and €60 in Riga.

A small network of youth hostels also exists. Dormitory rooms are around €10-15 while single and double rooms are €30 and above.

So-called guest houses or country houses, some on farms, are a great place to stay at the countryside. They usually cost much less than hotels and are of much better quality than hostels due to the limited number of guests and the personalized service. Such houses are usually run by families and will come with full amenities with some even following the hotel star ratings. These usually provide many recreational activities such as the Latvian popular sauna (pirts) and horseback rides. You can ask your hosts regarding popular attractions available nearby, what sights are worth visiting and whether some events are taking place at that time that they would suggest visiting. Keep in mind, you will not be able to simply "drop in" usually and will be required to plan ahead, contacting the guest house in question a day or few before arrival. This can depend on the specific place. Guest houses can generally be found fairly frequently throughout the countryside and are often listed on tourist booklets.

Latvian rural tourism association, Lauku ceļotājs has published catalogs and maps that list various types of accom…

Stay safe

It is generally safe to travel around Latvia on your own, although some petty crime exists.

If travelling by bike, watch out for bicycle theft. Cyclists are a small minority in Latvian traffic, and dedicated bike lanes are rare. It is common practice that bikes drive on the pavement in larger cities.

If travelling by car, try not to leave valuable things in plain sight in your car. Stay alert when driving on smaller roads, especially through forests, as wild animals may wander around. It is particularly important to keep that in mind during the night. Many Latvian drivers enjoy speeding and the traffic can often flow much faster than the laws allow.

If travelling by foot, take care when crossing the roads as many Latvian drivers can be fairly reckless.

It is considered bad mannered to consume alcoholic beverages in public, when not in bars, restaurants etc. Some places you might be fined when consuming alcoholic beverages out of a non-concealed bottle. Drunken behaviour like for example urinating in public will also get you a fine, or a night in jail.

Local informational web-sites for tourists claim that, in terms of safety, there is almost no difference between big cities and country areas. Although it is true that anywhere in Latvia one is never too far from a town or a city, seeking help in case of emergency may be somewhat more difficult in the countryside (for foreign tourists), as few people speak English there. This is somewhat balanced by the fact that even then …

Stay healthy

You can turn to any doctor or hospital at any time during your stay. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to pay a fee for receiving urgent care.

In a sparsely-inhabited, remote area, it may be difficult to obtain medical care due to the low number of air ambulance helicopters in the country. Having a first aid kit around during those times is a good idea. The 112 (emergency service number) operators will be able to assist you in Latvian, English and Russian and will be able to either dispatch a team to you or connect you to the appropriate emergency services, if required.

Doctors usually are able to speak fluent Latvian and Russian. Some may not have good English skills. This mostly depends on the region and the age of the doctor.

You are suggested to bring your own medicine, if you require it, as there are few drugs that are available without a prescription.

Many doctors take undisclosed fees in the form of gifts from the patients ranging from a box of chocolates to raw cash. This is usually due to patients recognizing doctors receive low wages and feel the urge of expressing their gratitude. While this is made illegal by local law, it is estimated that 1 in 4 doctors has taken or is taking such donations when seeing patients.

You should seek immediate medical attention if bitten by a snake, a domestic or a wild animal. Snakes are not venomous in Latvia with the exception of the European adder. The common adder is not generally aggressive unless startled and fe…

Respect

Latvians in general are fairly reserved and generally respect others' personal space, for example, Latvians do not usually greet strangers unless introduced by someone.

As with many countries in Europe, inquiring about someone's salary or talking about your own is uncommon and not recommended. Similarly, personal, political, or religious convictions are no-go areas until you're better acquainted with someone.

Littering is considered bad manners and is against the law. Offenders may be fined.

It is considered polite in Latvian culture to hold a door open for someone, let others board a bus or a train first etc. This applies to men letting women go first in particular.

thumb|upright|Swastika as a common element of souvenir scarfs

The swastika symbol (Latvian: ugunskrusts or pērkonkrusts, "fire cross" or "thunder cross") is a common ornament in embroideries in Latvian folk costumes and contemporary souvenirs and was considered a pagan religious symbol for centuries. It is supposed to bring luck, energy and fire. There is no connection of this symbol to Nazi Germany, and any attempts to hint at one will be considered offensive.

You should be careful when talking to Latvians about politics and history, especially about the Soviet Union. As Latvia became a Soviet republic after World War II, many Latvians, especially of the older generations, have strong opinions about the topic. There is an annual ceremony in March commemorating the veterans of the Latvian Legion; while it f…

Go next

Lithuania, the southernmost Baltic state and Latvia's brotherly nation, with castles (much like in Latvia) and the relaxed capital Vilnius, easiest to reach by bus. Estonia, northernmost Baltic state, with a lot of islands, beautiful landscapes, and a language related to Finnish. Can be reached by bus or train. Sweden and Finland, and from there the rest of Scandinavia can be reached by the many ferries operating across the Baltic sea. The airport of Riga has many connections with other countries in Europe.