Overview to Latvia: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
A relatively small country, Latvia is nevertheless a land of striking cities and challenging rural stretches that just beg to be explored. In backpacking terms, its stock is quickly rising and now is the time to visit what must surely become one of Europe’s top travel destinations.
The capital Riga was once referred to by Napoleon as a ‘suburb of London’ because of its diversity of people. The French ruler’s statement is no less true today, with many travelers visiting for a heady weekend heavy on the gastronomy and nightlife, yet light on the wallet.
Riga isn’t just a hedonist’s paradise, though: a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s an enchanting and romantic city. Its predominant Jugendstil architecture adorns countless squares and lends an impressive art nouveau backdrop to its thriving daytime café culture.
Away from Riga, the beautifully untouched Jurmala Coastline, replete with sand banks and densely wooded forests, could come straight out of a Bergman film. The Guaja National Park and Guaja Valley are equally pleasing to the eye.
Latvia’s climate means that holidaying here can differ enormously from one month to the next, with excellent snowboarding and skiing in the winter and a busy festival scene in the summer. Whatever the season, however, Latvia has a tantalizingly untouched feel.