Latvia is a country on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia. Latvia has welcoming people, gorgeous nature, and pagan festivities. It is a pre soviet nation and it declared its independence in 1991.  Latvia lies along the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga. It is bordered by Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and Lithuania to the south. Riga is its capital, a beautiful, compact, and walkable city.

• Official Name: Republic of Latvia
• Capital: Riga
• Population: 1.92M in 2021
• Currency: Euro €
• Official Language: Latvian
• Visa Requirements: It is a part of Schengen and anyone can visit it with a valid Schengen visa.
• Best Time to Visit: late Spring(April-May) to early Autumn(September-October) is considered as the best time to visit Latvia

Latvia is a safe country to travel to, however, there are certain things that we have to consider before going there so that we can avoid petty crime incidents and scams. Someone said, “check your purses, tape your wallets, and don’t take a drink from strangers”. Although this proverb can be applied to all traveling places. However, we can take a precautionary hint from this.

Riga’s Old Town, Central Train Station (Dzelzceļa stacija), Central Bus Station (Autoosta), and Central Market (Centrāltirgus) are areas popular with pickpockets. The underground tunnels linking Old Town to the bus station and nearby shopping malls are also particularly attractive to opportunistic criminals. Latvia is not immune from credit card fraud, but concerted law enforcement efforts have helped reduce the number of incidents.

Scams, be aware of individuals asking visitors to buy them drinks – particularly young, attractive women.

A  Recent Report is beneficial before a visit to Latvia.

Transportation -About half of Latvia’s population lives in Riga and its suburbs. Nearly every Latvian passenger train route either begins or ends at Riga. There are no subways or elevated trains, meaning this transport can be slow.

• The local public transport is anchored on trams which serve main routes. Buses are also available. In the smaller cities, buses are effectively the only form of public transport. It costs 1.15€ for a single trip and 5€ for 24Hours. For the tour planner and route map, plz click here.
• Taxis, travelers should use radio-dispatched and metered taxicabs (e.g. Red Cab Taxi, Baltic Taxi, Bolt). Within the city, Panda Taxi is another good option. If the taxicab does not have a meter, negotiate the price in advance.
• Baltic Region, roads lead to Latvia from Lithuania, Estonia, and Belarus. It offers a good opportunity to visit the three Baltic States by car or Bus in one trip. I traveled to these countries by Lux Express. You can check another option for this travel from here.

Accommodation – A Baltic region is a budget-friendly place, A hostel dormitory bed starts under €10.

I stayed in The Liberty Airy Hostel in downtown Riga. By staying there I can recommend it.

Other sites to plan and choose your accommodation might be Booking.com, Air BnB, Agoda, or Hostelworld. However, when you’re looking for a hostel, do your research, read reviews to get a feel for the place. and book somewhere that suits you

Food and local Dishes -Latvian cuisine has a few wholesome dishes of vegetables and fresh seafood.

• Rupjmaize, a traditional Latvian bread.
• Cold Soup (Aukstā Zupa). We can call it a soup or practically it is a thick Kefir (Yogurt /fermented milk drink) blended with boiled egg, cucumbers and it is chilled before drink. It is an advanced form of “Lassi” which is widely used in Pakistan/India.
• Rasols, A mixed Vegetable, and Meat Salad / Potato Salad a typical kinds of Russian salad.
• Grated Potato Pancakes (Kartupeļu Pankūkas)
• Rye Bread Arrangement (Rupjmaizes Kārtojums) a classic dessert in Latvian cuisine.