Latvia

Latvia rewards travellers who combine city energy with quiet landscapes. Start in Riga, where the UNESCO-listed Old Town, Art Nouveau streets, Central Market, and riverside parks can fill several days. Then venture beyond the capital: Cēsis offers a romantic medieval castle and access to Gauja National Park, while Jūrmala pairs wooden villas and pine forests with a long Baltic beach. For a slower cultural journey, consider Kuldīga’s historic streets and Europe’s widest waterfall, Ventas Rumba.

Build your itinerary around distances rather than trying to see everything at once. Riga works well as a base for short excursions, but staying overnight in Cēsis, Sigulda, or Kuldīga gives you more time for forest trails and local restaurants. Use Hello’s trip planning tools to group destinations by region, save transport details, and keep museum visits or nature walks in a realistic order. If you are travelling in summer, reserve popular accommodation early, especially around Jūrmala and Gauja National Park.

Riga is easy to explore by tram, trolleybus, and bus. A 90-minute public transport ticket costs €1.50, while longer passes are available for visitors staying several days. Bus 22 connects Riga International Airport with the city centre in roughly 30 minutes, with services generally running every 10 to 30 minutes. Buy tickets at Narvesen kiosks, ticket machines, or approved apps, and validate them as required.

For journeys outside Riga, coaches are often the simplest option, linking the capital with Cēsis, Sigulda, Liepāja, Ventspils, and Kuldīga. Trains are useful on selected routes, including travel toward Sigulda and the coast. Check timetables shortly before departure because seasonal schedules can change. Renting a car makes rural Latvia easier, particularly if you want to visit small villages, farm cafés, or secluded Baltic beaches, but city parking can be limited. Download maps before leaving Riga and use Hello eSIM connectivity so route planning and ticket information remain available without roaming charges.

Latvian food is comforting, seasonal, and closely tied to the landscape. Look for dark rye bread, smoked fish, potatoes, cabbage, dairy products, and hearty soups on menus and at local markets. Riga Central Market is an excellent place to sample regional ingredients, while Āgenskalns Market and Kalnciema Quarter Market are good choices for artisanal foods and casual lunches. Try grey peas with bacon, potato pancakes, smoked sprats, and sklandrausis, a traditional rye pastry filled with potato and carrot.

Do not overlook modern Latvian cooking: restaurants in Riga often reinterpret forest mushrooms, berries, freshwater fish, and seasonal vegetables with elegant presentation. Outside the capital, look for farm shops and countryside cafés, especially during Home Café Days from July to September, when rural homes host temporary dining experiences. Prices vary widely, so check menus before ordering. If travelling with friends, use Hello’s expense splitting feature after shared market purchases or group meals, and record spending in euros with its budget tracker.

Latvia uses the euro (€), and cards are widely accepted in Riga, larger towns, hotels, and restaurants. Carry some cash for rural markets, small cafés, public toilets, or informal stalls. Track costs in euros as you travel; Hello’s budget tracking feature can help separate accommodation, transport, food, and activities without converting every purchase immediately.

Summer brings long, bright days that suit beaches, cycling, and national parks, but it is also the busiest season. Spring and autumn are quieter and excellent for museums, architecture, and forest colours. Winters can be cold, dark, and snowy, so pack waterproof footwear and warm layers if you plan to walk outdoors. Latvian weather can change quickly near the coast, even in summer.

A few Latvian words are useful: “paldies” means thank you, and “labdien” means hello. English is common in tourist areas, while a friendly greeting and patience go a long way elsewhere. Activate Hello eSIM before landing so airport transfers, translation, maps, and reservations work as soon as you arrive.