Tucked between Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south, Latvia is the meat of the Baltic sandwich. We’re not implying that the neighbouring nations are slices of white bread, but Latvia is the savoury middle, loaded with interesting fillings. Rīga is the main ingredient and the country’s cosmopolitan nexus; the Gauja Valley pines provide a thick layer of greens; onion-domed cathedrals sprout above regional towns; cheesy Euro-pop blares along coastal beaches; and the whole thing is peppered with Baltic-German, Swedish, Tsarist Russian and Soviet spice.
Travelling here is easy, language difficulties rarely arise and the simple allure of beaches, forests, castles and history-steeped streets holds plenty of appeal. Latvia may not provide the all-you-can-eat feast of other, more high-profile destinations, but it makes a tasty addition to any European menu.
COUNTRY FACTS
Area 64,589 sq km
Capital Rīga
Country Code 371
Currency Euro (€)
Emergency 112
Language Latvian
Money ATMs are easy to find
Population 2 million
Visas Not required for citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA, among others. For further information, visit www.mfa.gov.lv.
AIR
Fifteen European airlines fly into Rīga, including the national carrierairBaltic (%9000 1100; www.airbaltic.com).
LAND
In 2007 Latvia acceded to the Schengen Agreement, which removed all border control between Estonia and Lithuania. Carry your travel documents with you at all times, as random border checks do occur.
US
Buses are generally more frequent than trains and serve more of the country.
Updated timetables are available at www.1188.lv and www.autoosta.lv.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Driving is on the right-hand side.
Headlights must be on at all times.
Local car-hire companies usually allow you to drive in all three Baltic countries but not beyond.
TRAIN
There are train services from Rīga to Jūrmala, Sigulda and Cēsis.
Timetables are online at www.1188.lv and www.ldz.lv.
ESSENTIAL FOOD & DRINK
For centuries in Latvia, food equalled fuel, energising peasants as they worked the fields and warming their bellies during bone-chilling Baltic winters. Although it will be a few more years before globetrotters stop qualifying local restaurants as being 'good by Latvia's standards', the cuisine scene has improved by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years.
Pork, herring, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut and black bread are the traditional standbys, pepped up with dill, cottage cheese and sour cream. Other local tastes to look out for include the following:
Mushrooms Not a sport but a national obsession, mushroom picking takes the country by storm during the first showers of autumn.
Smoked fish Dozens of fish shacks dot the Kurzeme coast – look for the veritable smoke signals rising above the tree line.
Black Balzām The jet-black, 45%-proof concoction is a secret recipe of more than a dozen fairy-tale ingredients including oak bark, wormwood and linden blossoms. A shot a day keeps the doctor away, so say most of Latvia's pensioners. To take the edge off, try alternating sips with some blackcurrant juice.
Alus For such a tiny nation there's definitely no shortage of alus (beer) – each major town has its own brew. You can't go wrong with Užavas or Valmiermuižas.
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