| 6 mins read
By Joseph Francis
Ranging from the icy Baltic Sea to the wooded hills that form the border with Lithuania, Latvia surely remains one of Europe’s less-trodden and enticingly off-the-beaten-track gems. However, things are changing. Riga now booms with bars and clubs, seaside resorts beckon with their sloping yellow sands and there’s oodles of history and culture to uncover between the forested backcountry.
Parties and cultural pursuits in Riga
No Latvia tourism guide could possibly be complete without at least a mention of the country’s buzzing and burgeoning capital at Riga. Set sprawled over a series of islands and banks where the Daugava River meets the Riga Gulf, this up-and-coming Baltic city is a real favourite with stag dos and hedonists, who come in search of the underground beer bars and folk pubs that stay open until the early hours between the cobbled streets of the Old Town area. But it’s not just about the Riga Black Balsam (the local tipple) here either - culture abounds too. Your Riga tour guide will come up with quite the listing of attractions such as the iconic House of the Blackheads, the Gothic rises of the Old Town’s various churches, the sobering Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (highly recommended) and the glorious Art Nouveau facades that beckon on Elizabetes away from the centre.
Between the forests and the sea at the Slitere National Park
Nestled beautifully between the forest-clad Blue Hills and the roaring sea waters where the Latvian Gulf meets the icy rollers of the Baltic Sea, the Slitere National Park remains one of the oldest protected natural areas in the region. Famed for its array of habitats and landscapes, the park encompasses everything from long and sandy beaches and salt-washed cliffs along Cape Kolka to rustic, Finnish-flavoured towns on the Liv Coast (don’t miss the smoked fish cuts!) and dense pine, spruce and coniferous forests on the inland ridges. Another real draw are the undulating sand dunes and peat swamps, which coalesce between the woodland and the sea, hosting lynxes and natterjack toads and coming crisscrossed with oodles of beautiful hiking trails to boot!
Enjoy the hearty foods of the Latvian kitchen
No matter where you find yourself in Latvia, a taste of the national kitchen is a must on any well-rounded trip of the Baltic nation. Be sure to start with a hefty platter of the region’s favourite meat: pork. Served most commonly are pork knuckles or chops, while the Austrian influence is evident in schnitzels too. Sour cabbage is a great side and potatoes (typically roasted in pork fat too!) are ubiquitous. And then there are the sweets, going from sklandrausis (heavy rye dough pies packed with potato and carrot paste) to thick kissel fruit bowls of thickened arrowroot or potato starch. Delicious!
Strut your stuff along the promenades of Jurmala
Threaded along one side by perhaps the most shimmering, shining stretch of sand in the entire Baltic region (sorry Sopot!), Jurmala is considered the closest this northern country could come to the rivieras of the Med. The beachfront, which goes for some 30 kilometers along the coast, is lined with the elegant timber facades of centuries-old houses, painted in colourful hues of ochre, sea blue and forest green. These are interspersed with the occasional Prussian mansion and chic modern hotel, while the seaside itself erupts at spots like Majori and Dzintari in a medley of cocktail bars and sun-kissed boulevards (at least by summer). Expect oodles of moneyed Russians as company, and don’t forget to wonder at the amber galleries – this region is particularly famous for the precious stone.
See castles and caves in Sigulda
Set right in the heart of the country, indelibly green and verdant Sigulda is considered one of Latvia’s most beautiful destinations. The town itself comes peppered with cherry trees and restored 19th-century mansions, while the real draws lurk on the peripheries, where the winding river ways of the Gauja carve out fir-dressed valleys and sandstone canyons from the earth. Of course, the eponymous Gauja National Park pulls many hikers and outdoorsy types, while the red-brick turrets and bulwarks of the Turaida Castle offer a glimpse at the more medieval history of the Vidzeme. Then there’s the seemingly endless Gutmanis Cave to explore; the highest and widest of its kind in the entire Baltic and the home of the mysterious Rose of Turaida legend.
Wonder at the elegant Rundale and Jelgava palaces
Gorgeous enough to rival the mighty creations of Petersburg and bursting with Baroque elegance and flamboyant designs, the palatial complexes of Rundale and Jelgava are certainly not to be missed. The builds can be found just north of the border with Lithuania, situated beautifully amidst their own manicured grounds, or – in the case of Jelgava – along the pretty meanders of the Lielupe River. The mansions themselves were commissioned in the 18th century under the auspices of the Duchy of Courland, then a part of the Russian Empire, their facades sculpted and interiors meticulously created to a plan by the famous architect of the tsars, Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Today, Latvia tour guide offer official tours of both palaces, complete with interesting insights into perhaps their most curious period of national history.
Find Russian history and artsy vibes in Liepaja
Part down-to-earth port town, part lively beachside resort, Liepaja is the largest city in the Kurzeme. It’s found just a short jaunt up from the Lithuanian border, sprawled out along the courses of its prized Blue Flag stretch of sand (unquestionably one of the finest in the Baltic); a town of windswept harbours and just a hint of regal tsarist Russian charm. The city has also become famed as one of the homes of the modern Latvian music scene, and that shows in its mega nightlife, which erupts each weekend along the so-called Promenade. And that’s not even mentioning the enclave of Karosta – a district to the north of the centre that’s a must on the itineraries of Liepaja tour guide. Here, the ruins of imperial Russian fortresses and clandestine military homes are being turned into artsy galleries and workshops, while Karosta prison offers an altogether more immersive experience for those who dare shut themselves in the cells overnight!
Joseph ‘Rich’ Francis is a freelance travel writer who has travelled extensively in Asia and Europe. He particularly enjoys the jazz bars of Poland, the ski slopes of Austria and the beaches and cities of India.
Image Details and Licenses: https://flic.kr/p/uWwpX9 (Rafael Vila,CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/gs8zqF (Liga Eglite, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/hAnsr9 (Liga Eglite, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/nGBsm8 (Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/ypoRee (Jonathan, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/om7pmn (Marijus Medišauskas, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/7fEuyN (Martijn.Munneke, CC BY 2.0)