Country's codes
International phone code for Latvia: +371
3 letters: LVA
2 letters (internet domain): .LV
Digital country code: 428
Standard EAN-13 (country barcode): 475
Olympic country code: LAT
🇱🇻 Latvia Travel Guide
Latvia offers an enchanting mix of cobblestone medieval towns, Europe's finest concentration of art nouveau architecture, wild Baltic coastline, and ancient forests teeming with wildlife. Celebrate the Midsummer solstice (Jāņi) like locals do — with bonfires, flower crowns, and folk songs under the midnight sky.
Top Attractions in Latvia
🏙️ Riga Old Town (Vecrīga)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with medieval guildhalls, Gothic spires, and the world's greatest collection of art nouveau buildings.
🏖️ Jūrmala Beach
A charming resort town just 25 km from Riga, featuring 33 km of white sand beaches, wooden art nouveau villas, and healing mineral springs.
🏰 Turaida Castle, Sigulda
A striking red-brick medieval fortress rising above the Gauja River valley, surrounded by national park forest and legendary hiking trails.
🌊 Cape Kolka & Slītere National Park
Where the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga — a remote, windswept cape with ancient forests, coastal dunes, and exceptional birdwatching.
Best Places to Visit
- 🏙️ Riga – The Baltic's capital: art nouveau, history, and a thriving food scene.
- 🏖️ Jūrmala – Sun, sand, and elegant wooden resort architecture.
- 🌲 Gauja National Park – Latvia's "Switzerland" with castles, caves, and canoe trails.
- 🏰 Cēsis – A charming medieval town with a well-preserved castle and cozy café culture.
- 🌊 Liepāja – A port city known for its music culture, amber beaches, and Karosta military heritage.
Things to Do in Latvia
- Explore Riga's art nouveau district and climb St. Peter's Church for panoramic views.
- Join the Latvian Song and Dance Festival — one of the world's largest folk celebration events.
- Hike or canoe through Gauja National Park past medieval ruins and sandstone caves.
- Taste Latvian cuisine: grey peas with bacon (pelēkie zirņi), black rye bread, and cold-smoked fish.
- Hunt for Baltic amber on beaches at Liepāja or Jūrmala after an autumn storm.
Travel Tips for Visitors
- ☀️ Summers are warm and bright with nearly 18 hours of daylight near Midsummer; ❄️ winters are cold but magical with snow-dusted forests.
- 🚆 Public transport (trains, buses, trams) is cheap and reliable in Riga and between major cities.
- 💳 Cards are widely accepted in cities, but carry some euros for rural markets and forest guesthouses.
- 🌲 Latvians are proud of their forests — respect nature, follow marked trails, and observe wildlife quietly.
📌 Useful Country Information
Quick Facts
Total area: 24,938 sq mi (64,589 sq km)
Population (2023 est.): ~1.84 million
Capital: Riga (~615,000)
🇱🇻 Riga: Capital City Profile
Other major cities: Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, Jūrmala
Currency: Euro (EUR)
National name: Latvijas Republika
Language: Latvian (official); Russian widely spoken
Ethnicity/race: Latvians 62.7%, Russians 24.5%, Belarusians 3.1%, Ukrainians 2.2%, Poles 2%, Lithuanians 1.1%, other 4.4%
Religions: Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Russian Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other/none 23.6%
National Holiday: November 18, Latvia Proclamation Day.
Background
🕊️ Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 after the "Singing Revolution" — a peaceful mass movement where choral song became the voice of national freedom, reflecting the country's profound connection to music and folk tradition.
🌲 Nearly half of Latvia is covered in forest, and the country has invested heavily in eco-tourism, with pristine national parks, bog walkways, and birdwatching reserves that draw nature lovers from across Europe.
🇪🇺 Latvia joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, and adopted the euro in 2014, cementing its place as a modern, open, and digitally advanced European democracy.
Online Travel Visa Check.
Find Visa information for your destination.Get Travel Insurance Quote
