Culture and events
Visit a local artisan and learn an authentic craft. In Latvia, there are numerous farmsteads and visitor centres where travellers can bake loaves of aromatic rye bread, smoke freshly caught Baltic Sea fish, collect...
Culture and events
Visit a local artisan and learn an authentic craft. In Latvia, there are numerous farmsteads and visitor centres where travellers can bake loaves of aromatic rye bread, smoke freshly caught Baltic Sea fish, collect herbs for a tea blend, weave baskets and more. Take a piece of Latvia with you!
While visiting, be sure to check the events calendar. You’ll find an eclectic mix of local scale festivities and large international celebrations from town fairs to opera festivals.
Nature and adventure
Roam along the trails of one of Latvia’s four national parks and you might spot a white-backed woodpecker, squirrel or deer. With around 50% of Latvia’s land covered in forest and over 500km of coastline, visitors have ample opportunity to admire the local flora and fauna.
The natural landscape provides a spectacular setting for boating, cycling, horse riding and other active outdoor pursuits. Did you know you can even take a dip in Europe’s widest waterfall?
Food and drink
Contrary to the popular notion that Latvians subsist only on potatoes and meat, these days local, seasonal and natural produce is being given its space in the limelight. Rhubarb lemonade, blackcurrant mousse, forest mushroom tart, venison burgers – enjoy the best produce from Mother Nature’s Latvian garden at restaurants and markets throughout the country.
Spa and wellness
To bathe in true Latvian fashion, visitors simply must include a sauna visit in their plans. Traditionally, the sauna ritual involves drinking lots of tea, swatting one another with leafy besoms and jumping in cold water. Invigorating!
For a spot of more contemporary pampering, Latvia’s day spas and spa hotels, many set in former manor houses and castles, offer up unusual treatments, such as amber massage, herbal scrubs and beer soaks.
City breaks
Riga – a well-connected city approx. two hours from most major European airports, and brimming with free Wifi hotspots. The city boasts a UNESCO-listed old town and prized collection of Art Nouveau architecture. It’s fast becoming a foodie haven with popular farmers’ markets and over 100 quality restaurants.
Also worth considering are the coastal cities of Liepaja and Ventspils, and much-loved resort town of Jurmala, as well as charming inland pearls Sigulda, Cesis, Kuldiga, Daugavpils and Valmiera.
