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Latvia✨ 10 best things to do in Latvia

Things to do in Latvia

1. Stroll Riga's Old TownWander cobbled streets past the House of the Blackheads, St Peter's Church and medieval guild halls.
2. Admire Art Nouveau architectureCrane your neck at the fantastical façades of Alberta iela, one of the finest Art Nouveau streets in Europe.
3. Browse Riga Central MarketExplore stalls of smoked fish, rye bread and honey in vast hangars originally built for Zeppelins.
4. Tour Rundāle PalaceVisit a lavish baroque palace and its formal French gardens, designed by the architect of St Petersburg's Winter Palace.
5. Hike in Gauja National ParkExplore sandstone cliffs, caves and medieval castles around Sigulda and Cēsis.
6. Relax in JūrmalaWalk a long white-sand beach backed by pine forest and wooden villas.
7. Celebrate Midsummer (Jāņi)Wear a flower crown, jump over bonfires and eat caraway cheese with locals on the shortest night of the year.
8. Visit KuldīgaSee Europe's widest waterfall, the low Ventas Rumba, in a charming red-roofed old town.
9. Try a pirts saunaExperience a traditional Latvian bathhouse, complete with birch-twig whisking and a cold plunge.
10. Explore Cape KolkaStand where the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga on the wild Livonian coast.

Latvia🗺️ Where to visit in Latvia

Where to go in Latvia

• 
  RigaCapital · UNESCO old town & Art NouveauThe largest city in the Baltics blends medieval lanes, Art Nouveau boulevards and a lively food and bar scene.
• 
  JūrmalaGulf of Riga · beach resortA long beach resort town with spas and wooden villas, easily reached by train from Riga.
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  SiguldaGauja National Park · castles & natureA gateway to forest hikes, castle ruins at Turaida and adventure activities.
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  CēsisVidzeme · medieval townA charming town with a well-preserved castle where visitors carry lanterns through the towers.
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  Rundāle PalaceZemgale · baroque palaceLatvia's grandest palace, set amid rose gardens in the countryside south of Riga.
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  KuldīgaKurzeme · old town & waterfallA picturesque town with a brick bridge, cobbled streets and the wide Venta waterfall.
• 📍
  LiepājaBaltic coast · port cityA city of music, beaches and the former military district of Karosta.
• 📍
  LatgaleEastern Latvia · lakesA region of blue lakes, pottery traditions and the basilica at Aglona.

Latvia🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Latvia

Best time to visit Latvia

Latvia has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold, often snowy winters. The coast is slightly milder, while the east around Latgale tends to be colder in winter.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Riga (approximate averages).

Latvia🎉 Festivals & events in Latvia

• June
  Midsummer (Līgo and Jāņi)On 23-24 June Latvians head to the countryside for bonfires, singing, beer and caraway cheese.
• July (every five years)
  Latvian Song and Dance FestivalThousands of choirs and dancers gather in Riga for a celebration recognised by UNESCO.
• August
  Riga City FestivalConcerts, markets and events celebrate the capital's birthday across the city.
• November
  Independence DayOn 18 November the country celebrates with parades, candle-lit displays and fireworks over the Daugava.

Latvia🧭 Latvia itinerary ideas

How many days in Latvia?

Latvia🎒 Backpacking Latvia – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $40–55 a day

• Riga's Old Town and the area near the Central Market have plenty of hostels.
• Trains to Jūrmala and Sigulda are cheap, and buses reach most towns.
• Eat at cafeteria-style restaurants where you pick dishes by weight, or grab pastries from bakeries.
• Many forests and lakes have free campsites and nature trails maintained by the state forest agency.
• Riga is a good base for cheap bus connections to Tallinn and Vilnius.

Latvia🛡️ Safety & money in Latvia

Emergency: 112 general · 110 police · 113 ambulance

Latvia🛬 Getting to Latvia

Riga International Airport is the largest airport in the Baltics; buses connect Riga with Tallinn and Vilnius, and ferries link Riga and Liepāja with Scandinavia and Germany.

✈️ Cheap flights to Latvia: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Latvia💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Latvia

• About a third of central Riga's buildings are in the Art Nouveau style.
• Latvia's folk song tradition includes over a million recorded dainas.
• Over half of Latvia is covered by forest.
• Riga Central Market's pavilions were built from old German Zeppelin hangars.
• Riga is often credited as the place where the first decorated Christmas tree stood, in 1510.

Latvia❓ Latvia travel FAQ

Latvia travel questions