Travel in Latvia: when to go, places and advice

At the heart of the Baltic states, Latvia pairs a spectacular capital with untouched nature: Riga lines up the finest collection of Art Nouveau façades in Europe next to its UNESCO-listed Hanseatic old town, while the Gauja unrolls medieval castles and deep forests, Rundāle plays the Baltic Versailles and 500 km of white sand beaches remain nearly deserted. A gentle, affordable, Nordic journey, still spared by the crowds.

Capital: Riga
Currency: Euro (€)
Language: Latvian
Direct flight: ≈ 2 hr 45 from Paris
Time difference: +1 hr all year round

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in Latvia

The itineraries in Latvia are in the works: the day-by-day programme, named hotels, tickets to book flagged in advance. Leave your address to be notified when they come out.

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The right season

When to go in Latvia?

From May to September, Latvia lives its endless days: up to 18 hours of light in June, gentle beaches in July-August, russet forests from September. Midsummer (Jāņi, 23-24 June) gathers the whole country around the bonfires. Winter, dark and snowy, has its Christmas-market charm, Riga claiming history's first decorated tree, in 1510.

January : In-between
February : In-between
March : In-between
April : Pleasant
May : Ideal
June : Ideal
July : Ideal
August : Ideal
September : Pleasant
October : Pleasant
November : In-between
December : In-between

Ideal
Pleasant
In-between
Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding Latvia

Getting around

Riga is visited on foot, trams and buses do the rest. For the Gauja, Rundāle and the coast, rent a car: quiet roads and short distances. The suburban train reaches Jūrmala in 30 minutes.

Money

The euro (€). A card, contactless above all, pays for everything down to the central market. Prices remain well below the West European average, restaurants included.

Language

Latvian, a Baltic language of its own. Russian remains widespread, English is excellent among the under-forties. "Labdien" (hello) and "paldies" (thank you) are enough to charm.

Useful apps

Bolt, born in the Baltics, for taxis and e-scooters, the 1188 app for all bus and train timetables, and Mobilly for parking.

Accommodation

Characterful hotels in Riga's Art Nouveau buildings, log guesthouses near the Gauja and the spas of Jūrmala. The value is remarkable.

Etiquette

Do not cut across a park lawn, take your shoes off in private homes, and respect the silence of the sauna. In the forest, picking bilberries and mushrooms is a national sport open to all.

The iconic places

Riga old town

Riga

The House of the Black Heads, the cathedral and Hanseatic lanes listed by UNESCO. Climb St Peter's tower for the view over the Daugava.

Art Nouveau district

Riga

800 Jugendstil buildings, the European record: Alberta street, a delirium of mascarons and sphinxes by Eisenstein, is an open-air museum.

Riga Central Market

Riga

Five zeppelin hangars from 1930 filled with smoked fish, black bread and forest berries. The belly of Latvia, UNESCO too.

Gauja National Park

Sigulda

The wooded valley of the Gauja, its castles of Turaida and Sigulda, its red sandstone caves and its Olympic luge track. The Latvian Switzerland.

Rundāle Palace

Bauska

The Baltic Versailles, a baroque masterpiece by Rastrelli, the architect of the Hermitage, surrounded by a magnificent French rose garden.

Jūrmala

Gulf of Riga

33 km of white sand and century-old wooden villas half an hour from the capital: the seaside resort cherished by the Balts for 200 years.

Tap a dot, or browse the list below the map.

Riga old town : The Hanseatic jewel, UNESCO
Alberta street : The summit of European Art Nouveau
Jūrmala : Beaches and wooden villas
Sigulda : The gateway to the Gauja park
Turaida Castle : Red brick above the Gauja
Cēsis : Medieval castle and old town
Rundāle Palace : The Baltic Versailles
Cape Kolka : Where the Baltic meets the gulf