Discover Latvia

Latvia is an Eastern European country on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia. It is a small and friendly country with 2 million inhabitants, a third of which reside in its capital, Riga. For those more budget conscious travellers, Latvia is much cheaper than some of its European counterparts.

Latvia is surrounded by countryside and water with over 15,000 rivers and small lakes. It also has its fair share of sandy beaches and beautiful waterfalls. One of the biggest parts of Latvian culture is their love for folk music, which I certainly witnessed in the capital, Riga. We thoroughly enjoyed singing and dancing along!

Food and Drink in Latvia

Latvia is known for being resourceful with its food by hunting, foraging, smoking, curing, pickling and fermenting. As a result, traditional food in Latvia includes:

• Liepajas menciņš which is made from smoked cod, potatoes, and onions
• Potato pancakes served with sour cream and speck sauce
• Shashlik which is meat marinated in vinegar with onions, black pepper and herbs and skewered / grilled over hot coals
• Pelmeni Dumplings filled with minced meat, vegetables, or cheese and boiled or fried (my favourite!)

The Latvian national spirit, Black Balsam, is an excellent pairing with the local food. It is a vodka-based liqueur infused with herbs including pepper, ginger, linden flower and raspberry, which is great as an aperitif or digestif. Latvians also love beer and the capital even has a Beer Spa where you can immerse yourself in a warm beer bath!

Discover Latvia: Riga

Riga is a beautiful European city with most of the main attractions within walking distance. It has the perfect mixture of traditional and modern buildings, beautiful architecture, history and delicious food and drink.

Some of my favourite things to do in Riga are:

• A Walking Tour around the Old Town to get your bearings and learn more about the history of the capital.
• Climb St Peter’s Church for beautiful views over Riga.
• Leisurely wander around the Old Town taking in the gorgeous colourful facades and the impressive House of the Blackheads.
• Visit the Freedom Monument and Bastejkalns Park.
• Visit the Nativity of Christ Cathedral.
• Explore the Art Noveau District.