Latvia: Off The Grid
Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Latvia! ↓
I first visited Latvia on a citytrip-with-sidetrips to check off Riga. Then I (literally) walked back in from Estonia to cross the country on foot from Valka to Zagaré, following the trails of the Baltic Camino. Seems like a pretty thorough exploration already, far surpassing what the average tourist gets to explore… but it was not enough, not with a destination like Latvia! So after I kicked off my hiking boots somewhere in a field in Lithuania, I turned around and once again came back for Latvia, this time aiming for a hitchhiking trip cutting through the relatively unexplored east side bordering Belarus and Russia all the way up north again. An unusual itinerary, but one that comes with travel memories I’d refuse to miss out on.
The hitchhike adventure started off in Latvia’s second biggest capital Daugavpils, after which I spent the night in a lakehouse just outside of Kraslava. Click here for the full story.
Part 2:
The hitchhike adventure started off in Latvia’s second biggest capital Daugavpils, after which I spent the night in a lakehouse just outside of Kraslava. Click here for the full story.
Part 2:
Lubana
I enjoy the full-on randomness of traveling and usually refrain from any specific plans to allow myself to surf that wave of casualty. During my summer visit in Riga, on the anniversary celebration of the city (also random – I had no idea before I arrived), an old couchsurfing friend I stayed at years ago in Lithuania happened to be in the area. While catching up for a drink and a walk-around-town the Latvian girl he was lowkey seeing joined us. As we clicked quite right, we kept in touch and she continued following my hiking adventures through the Baltics, inviting me to stay at her countryside family house upon completion. In Lubana. A 4,4 km² place me, and most people with me, have never heard before. It wasn’t so easy to get here. As bus transportation is spotty the deeper you disappear into the countryside, I figured I just hitchhike out of Kraslava towards Rezekne, crossing the Raznas National Park. Two hours later, standing in the pissing rain, I had to conclude that this road is not generally used. So I turned around and tried to hitch into the other direction, making a huge detour, causing me to reach the highway just after sunset. That truly is something I hate with every fibre of my body: hitchhiking in the dark. For obvious safety reasons as a woman alone, but also for lack of visibility. I however managed to tie my headlamp dangling from a pole to put myself in the spotlight, causing a worried family to pull over and drop me off in Rezekne, where I had a supermarket dinner and a cherry beer in the park like the homeless person I am. From there I could drive along with my friend’s parents who happened to be there for a theatre performance, as there would be absolutely no way I’d catch any rides on the obscure, moonlit dirt roads swirling into the forests… onto hidden Lubana.
It's those adventures that give traveling its unforgettable flavor though. Just like those experiences in a wooden countryside house in the middle of nowhere in Latvia. There’s nothing going on but life itself. Everyone knows everyone. There's one church, one shop and one bar. The bar serves drinks for under a euro and also functions as a post-communist diner, community centre and gossip assembly point. In the house, shared with 3 generations and built by a few generations before theirs (and only recently given back to the rightful owners after the communist occupation of private property), a firewood stove quite functionally serves as central heating, stove and oven, in which food is prepared mostly made of ingredients collected straight from the forest. A forest that stretches out until Lake Lubans, Latvia’s largest, with the Teirumnieki Bog situated at the other side. Sights you don’t even need to have a complete experience in Lubana, a place that balances on the true definition of the Latvian essence.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
I enjoy the full-on randomness of traveling and usually refrain from any specific plans to allow myself to surf that wave of casualty. During my summer visit in Riga, on the anniversary celebration of the city (also random – I had no idea before I arrived), an old couchsurfing friend I stayed at years ago in Lithuania happened to be in the area. While catching up for a drink and a walk-around-town the Latvian girl he was lowkey seeing joined us. As we clicked quite right, we kept in touch and she continued following my hiking adventures through the Baltics, inviting me to stay at her countryside family house upon completion. In Lubana. A 4,4 km² place me, and most people with me, have never heard before. It wasn’t so easy to get here. As bus transportation is spotty the deeper you disappear into the countryside, I figured I just hitchhike out of Kraslava towards Rezekne, crossing the Raznas National Park. Two hours later, standing in the pissing rain, I had to conclude that this road is not generally used. So I turned around and tried to hitch into the other direction, making a huge detour, causing me to reach the highway just after sunset. That truly is something I hate with every fibre of my body: hitchhiking in the dark. For obvious safety reasons as a woman alone, but also for lack of visibility. I however managed to tie my headlamp dangling from a pole to put myself in the spotlight, causing a worried family to pull over and drop me off in Rezekne, where I had a supermarket dinner and a cherry beer in the park like the homeless person I am. From there I could drive along with my friend’s parents who happened to be there for a theatre performance, as there would be absolutely no way I’d catch any rides on the obscure, moonlit dirt roads swirling into the forests… onto hidden Lubana.
It's those adventures that give traveling its unforgettable flavor though. Just like those experiences in a wooden countryside house in the middle of nowhere in Latvia. There’s nothing going on but life itself. Everyone knows everyone. There's one church, one shop and one bar. The bar serves drinks for under a euro and also functions as a post-communist diner, community centre and gossip assembly point. In the house, shared with 3 generations and built by a few generations before theirs (and only recently given back to the rightful owners after the communist occupation of private property), a firewood stove quite functionally serves as central heating, stove and oven, in which food is prepared mostly made of ingredients collected straight from the forest. A forest that stretches out until Lake Lubans, Latvia’s largest, with the Teirumnieki Bog situated at the other side. Sights you don’t even need to have a complete experience in Lubana, a place that balances on the true definition of the Latvian essence.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Mosquito Statue.
- Museum: Small exhibition in the “city hall.”
- Hikes / Nature: Lake Lubans, Lubana Wetland Complex: Teirumnieki Bog Trail.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Other: Lubanas Vinatova (winery).
Cesvaine / Madona
Cesvaine is a short daytrip away from Lubana (and Gulbene) and home to one obvious sight: the Cesvaine Palace. On its spot stood several castles, the first one built in the beginning of the 15th century, when the area was under the power of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. It was destroyed in the Livonian War, as a punishment of the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible after the defenders of the castle refused to surrender. A century later, the Russians destroyed the same castle once again, this time under the flag of the Second Northern War. In 1896 a palace was built at the location, as upon request of the German Baron Von Wulf, who however opted for the British Tudor-style architecture. It stood fiercely and unharmed in the Latvian landscape until 2002, when a fire destroyed a big chunk of the palace. The restauration work took well into 2022 (looks like they enjoyed taking their time), offering us a brand-new edition of the same palace, eager to receive visitors.
The town of Madona, another daytrip, has an entirely different feel to it. It’s the main town of the region and is therefore more developed in the sense of busier streets, heavier traffic and more modern architecture. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Cesvaine is a short daytrip away from Lubana (and Gulbene) and home to one obvious sight: the Cesvaine Palace. On its spot stood several castles, the first one built in the beginning of the 15th century, when the area was under the power of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. It was destroyed in the Livonian War, as a punishment of the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible after the defenders of the castle refused to surrender. A century later, the Russians destroyed the same castle once again, this time under the flag of the Second Northern War. In 1896 a palace was built at the location, as upon request of the German Baron Von Wulf, who however opted for the British Tudor-style architecture. It stood fiercely and unharmed in the Latvian landscape until 2002, when a fire destroyed a big chunk of the palace. The restauration work took well into 2022 (looks like they enjoyed taking their time), offering us a brand-new edition of the same palace, eager to receive visitors.
The town of Madona, another daytrip, has an entirely different feel to it. It’s the main town of the region and is therefore more developed in the sense of busier streets, heavier traffic and more modern architecture. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Lazdona Manor, Vestiena Manor, Ruins of Orthodox Church.
- Hikes / Nature: Krustkalni Nature Reserve, Gaizinkals Hill (highest point of Latvia), Kalezers Lake.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Cesvaine Palace.
- Museums: Madona City Museum.
- Hikes / Nature: Kalsnava Arboretum.
- Other: North Wolf Handcraft Distillery, Cesvaines Alus Daritava (brewery), Smeceres Sils Skiing Area.
Gulbene / Tirza
I thought I was in the deep down countryside during my days in Lubana, but this was only a lube-up for the Tirza experience. Not even a city, town or municipality on Google Maps, but a “parish.” You have to keep zooming in, further and further, until you trace down that one street with some side-driveways that forms the entire destination. And that’s not even where I was staying… this was “downtown”! My host Herta picked me up to drive me deeper and deeper into the forest until suddenly a beautiful wooden house appeared. Her house. Shared with her extensive fur family of cats, dogs and even a pet-goat. A house heated by firewood, river water running out of the taps and a pond for a shower. At night, when you wake up needing to pee, you have to first put your warm coat and rubber boots on to walk into the night towards the long drop toilet out there in the garden. An unwelcome practice at first, but soon appreciated while looking up at the shooting stars instead of down at your phone screen. Everything I ate and drank was home-grown and home-brewed, its direct ingredients collected from the garden and forest. Even the face cream she generously gave to me was ensembled from natural ingredients she encountered in her direct surroundings. This feels so much closer to life somehow. I appreciate people who’re not just simply being born in this situation, but purposely decide to live like this. Turning their backs to the always available option of modern society, and embracing the power of a few steps back. Exchanging progressive stress for environmental balance, materialist greed for natural provision by the natural environments surrounding us and digital distractions for a strong groundedness in the here and now. It was inspiring to be around Herta, who I felt resembled me in multiple ways but who chose an entirely different direction to give an outlet to similar needs. Living her reality was all, and more, than I needed from Tirza.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
I thought I was in the deep down countryside during my days in Lubana, but this was only a lube-up for the Tirza experience. Not even a city, town or municipality on Google Maps, but a “parish.” You have to keep zooming in, further and further, until you trace down that one street with some side-driveways that forms the entire destination. And that’s not even where I was staying… this was “downtown”! My host Herta picked me up to drive me deeper and deeper into the forest until suddenly a beautiful wooden house appeared. Her house. Shared with her extensive fur family of cats, dogs and even a pet-goat. A house heated by firewood, river water running out of the taps and a pond for a shower. At night, when you wake up needing to pee, you have to first put your warm coat and rubber boots on to walk into the night towards the long drop toilet out there in the garden. An unwelcome practice at first, but soon appreciated while looking up at the shooting stars instead of down at your phone screen. Everything I ate and drank was home-grown and home-brewed, its direct ingredients collected from the garden and forest. Even the face cream she generously gave to me was ensembled from natural ingredients she encountered in her direct surroundings. This feels so much closer to life somehow. I appreciate people who’re not just simply being born in this situation, but purposely decide to live like this. Turning their backs to the always available option of modern society, and embracing the power of a few steps back. Exchanging progressive stress for environmental balance, materialist greed for natural provision by the natural environments surrounding us and digital distractions for a strong groundedness in the here and now. It was inspiring to be around Herta, who I felt resembled me in multiple ways but who chose an entirely different direction to give an outlet to similar needs. Living her reality was all, and more, than I needed from Tirza.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Vecgulbene Manor Park, Struve Meridian Arc Ramkau (UNESCO), Ranka Manor & churches.
- Museum: Muzeji Un Ekspozicijas (Local History Repository Tirza).
- Hikes / Nature: Sparites Park, Emzes Park, Sita Nature Park, Seravots Sulphur Spring, Rutkavinas Springs, Pededze Lower Reaches Nature Reserve, Kalna Lake.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Stameriene Castle.
- Museums: Tirza Ski Museum, Gulbene Municipality History and Art Museum.
- Other: Gulbene – Aluksne Narrow Gauge Railway, Talavas Sidrs (distillery).
Aluksne
It was even an adventure to get here. The Gulbene-Aluksne Narrow Gauge Train has been operating for over a 100 years and has transformed into the main attraction of the region. It’s a bit of a time sacrifice, 2.5 hours for a meagre 30km (cycling is faster), but it truly is a back-in-time, murder-on-the-orient-express-kinda-sensation. Wooden benches, tainted sliding windows and if you’re lucky, a steam locomotive at the front (check the schedule for the steam and diesel locomotives here). The last station is Aluksne, my sign to head out into the blistering cold again. When I arrived in Latvia it was 25 degrees, and I even swam in the waters of the Venta Rapids in Kuldiga… but now, three months later, winter has made its loud and clear announcement and my scarce layers of clothing failed to protect me from its brutal force. As it turned out, life had a plan for me: My hostess Antsla set up a regional humanitarian project of second-hand swap shops, and she released me into her reserves for a free grab of layers in exchange for some summer tops and worn out hiking poles.
Aluksne seems to be a good-weather destination. The main island (which contains the remains of some former castles of the Livonian order) boasts plenty of beaches and water sport facilities providing the perfect base for long-lasting summer memories. Reality-check during my visit: the polar winds were roaring so forcefully in my face that I thought my eyeballs would freeze right into their sockets. I found more comfortability within the Aluksne New Palace, heritage of the Von Vietinghoff family and currently housing the Nature Museum and the Aluksne Museum. The latter combines artworks with a historical overview of both the region and the building, from the Latgalian tribes to the Latvian struggles for independence, accompanied by a meant-to-be-artistic-but-rather-tacky video introduction. The 18th century manicured gardens surrounding the building, which were once exclusively accessible for the elite, now form a well-kept park for the public, containing several pavilions and temples.
You can opt to extend this walk to entirely loop around the lake, which will total about 25km. Out of personal experience, however, I cannot fully recommend it, as there isn’t much of a trail going around… it’s mainly sand road and sidewalk. That said, the part around the cemetery, connected to the castle island with a bridge, offers some interesting trails and sights, such as the Temple Hill, the Rotonda, the Sun Bridge, the Dolomite Steps and a watchtower. During the construction of the temple, trees were felled to create special paths for winds blowing from all directions to play the four Aeolian harps which hung in the temple and whose music could be heard throughout the park. Also the cemetery is a cheerful place in Latvia, where I noticed people having picnics and celebrations, including the family members that are no langer actively participating in the conversation. An interesting phenomenon.
Two days flew by, and before I knew it I was leaving Latvia for the very last time that year. I put up my thumb and stepped into the lorry of a Russian trucker. Trying to overcome the language barrier I managed to ask what he was transporting. Tobacco… which he drove out of a small city of the Netherlands no one had ever heard of. Bergen op Zoom. The place where I was born. And here we found each other, in the bumfuck nowhere of Latvia. One of those improbable coincidences that can cause one to doubt the coincidentally of the coincidence.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
It was even an adventure to get here. The Gulbene-Aluksne Narrow Gauge Train has been operating for over a 100 years and has transformed into the main attraction of the region. It’s a bit of a time sacrifice, 2.5 hours for a meagre 30km (cycling is faster), but it truly is a back-in-time, murder-on-the-orient-express-kinda-sensation. Wooden benches, tainted sliding windows and if you’re lucky, a steam locomotive at the front (check the schedule for the steam and diesel locomotives here). The last station is Aluksne, my sign to head out into the blistering cold again. When I arrived in Latvia it was 25 degrees, and I even swam in the waters of the Venta Rapids in Kuldiga… but now, three months later, winter has made its loud and clear announcement and my scarce layers of clothing failed to protect me from its brutal force. As it turned out, life had a plan for me: My hostess Antsla set up a regional humanitarian project of second-hand swap shops, and she released me into her reserves for a free grab of layers in exchange for some summer tops and worn out hiking poles.
Aluksne seems to be a good-weather destination. The main island (which contains the remains of some former castles of the Livonian order) boasts plenty of beaches and water sport facilities providing the perfect base for long-lasting summer memories. Reality-check during my visit: the polar winds were roaring so forcefully in my face that I thought my eyeballs would freeze right into their sockets. I found more comfortability within the Aluksne New Palace, heritage of the Von Vietinghoff family and currently housing the Nature Museum and the Aluksne Museum. The latter combines artworks with a historical overview of both the region and the building, from the Latgalian tribes to the Latvian struggles for independence, accompanied by a meant-to-be-artistic-but-rather-tacky video introduction. The 18th century manicured gardens surrounding the building, which were once exclusively accessible for the elite, now form a well-kept park for the public, containing several pavilions and temples.
You can opt to extend this walk to entirely loop around the lake, which will total about 25km. Out of personal experience, however, I cannot fully recommend it, as there isn’t much of a trail going around… it’s mainly sand road and sidewalk. That said, the part around the cemetery, connected to the castle island with a bridge, offers some interesting trails and sights, such as the Temple Hill, the Rotonda, the Sun Bridge, the Dolomite Steps and a watchtower. During the construction of the temple, trees were felled to create special paths for winds blowing from all directions to play the four Aeolian harps which hung in the temple and whose music could be heard throughout the park. Also the cemetery is a cheerful place in Latvia, where I noticed people having picnics and celebrations, including the family members that are no langer actively participating in the conversation. An interesting phenomenon.
Two days flew by, and before I knew it I was leaving Latvia for the very last time that year. I put up my thumb and stepped into the lorry of a Russian trucker. Trying to overcome the language barrier I managed to ask what he was transporting. Tobacco… which he drove out of a small city of the Netherlands no one had ever heard of. Bergen op Zoom. The place where I was born. And here we found each other, in the bumfuck nowhere of Latvia. One of those improbable coincidences that can cause one to doubt the coincidentally of the coincidence.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Castle Island, Manor Park, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Temple Hill, Rotonda, Sun Bridge, Dolomite Steps, Zeltini Soviet Army Missile Base.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Korneti Watchtower, Aluksne Watchtower, Delinkalns Watchtower (during my visit in low season there were ticket booths, but they were not manned).
- Museums: Aluksne New Palace: Nature Museum, Aluksne Museum. Bible Museum, Fazani.
- Other: Gulbene-Aluksne Narrow Gauge Train, Marienburg Boat, Kaija Raft.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Latvia Facts
Short History Recap
650: Curonians & Livonians. 750: Curonians fight at Swedish side in Battle of Bravellir. 800: Rebellion against Swedes → refusing to pay tribute. 850: Danish came to conquer, but got butchered and plundered. ’54: King Olaf of Sweden attacked Seeburg & Apulia, area subjected to Sweden again. ’70 & ‘90: Struggles with Danes. 925: Icelandic influence. ’50: Norse occupations. 1100s: First settlements in Courland, Semigallia, Talava, Koknese & Jersika. 1184: Missionaries & Crusades. 1201: Riga founded on site of earlier Livonian settlement. ’02: Catholic military order Livonian Brothers of the Sword founded (by Bishop Albert), fought Livonians and later Estonians. Defeated in ’36 by Samogitians & Semigallians at Battle of Saule. ’42: Alexander Nevsky defeats Livonian Order. ’82: Riga member of Hanseatic League. 1452: Archbishop of Riga & Livonian order rule Livonia together. 1558: Russian Ivan the Terrible attacks. ’61: Livonian War → Livonia now Lithuanian → in ’69: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1629: Peace of Altmark → Livonia/Courland become Swedish Livonia. ’89: Testaments translated in Latvian. 1700-‘21: Great Northern War between Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden & Russia. ’21: Part of Russian Empire (until 1918). 1841: Famine. ’87: Russification. 1914: Start WWI. ‘18: Independence proclaimed. ‘18-’20: Civil war ends in peace treaty with Soviet Russia. ’40: Soviet Union (SU) annexes Latvia / Estonia / Lithuania. Mass deportations to Siberia and Central Asia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades. 70,000 Latvian Jews killed by Nazis & Latvian paramilitary units. ’44: SU returns = more deportations and repression of resistance. ’86: Anti-Soviet demonstrations and nationalism. ’91: Referendum in favor of independence. Later on declared during anti-Gorbachev coup in Moscow. ’94: Last Russian troops leave. 2003: Referendum vote backs EU membership. ’04: Nato & EU. ’06: Citizenship requires to pass Latvian language test. ’08: International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves 1.68bn euro rescue package. ’10: Unemployment 20%, highest in EU. ’11: Pro-Russian Harmony Centre largest party in elections → coalition government excludes it. ’12: Referendum on giving Russian joint official language status rejected by large margin. ’14: Joins Eurozone. ’15: Nato reinforces its presence in Baltics. ’22: Russia invades Ukraine. Latvia declares state of emergency along Belarusian border due to illegal border-crossing attempts.
Latvia Facts
- Capital: Riga
- Language: Latvian (a minority speaks exclusively Russian)
- Population: ± 1.9 mln
- Sq km: ± 64,600
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +371
- Emergency Phone: 112
- Visa: Schengen visa (Latvia is part of the EU). Info here eand easy visa application here.
- Vaccinations: None, although it’s recommended to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease if you plan to spend a lot of time in the forests, as this is rather common in the Baltics (I personally caught Lyme disease in Estonia but detected it early, so I could get it treated with antibiotics). Healthcare is very cheap in Latvia.
- Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
- High season: July-August
Short History Recap
650: Curonians & Livonians. 750: Curonians fight at Swedish side in Battle of Bravellir. 800: Rebellion against Swedes → refusing to pay tribute. 850: Danish came to conquer, but got butchered and plundered. ’54: King Olaf of Sweden attacked Seeburg & Apulia, area subjected to Sweden again. ’70 & ‘90: Struggles with Danes. 925: Icelandic influence. ’50: Norse occupations. 1100s: First settlements in Courland, Semigallia, Talava, Koknese & Jersika. 1184: Missionaries & Crusades. 1201: Riga founded on site of earlier Livonian settlement. ’02: Catholic military order Livonian Brothers of the Sword founded (by Bishop Albert), fought Livonians and later Estonians. Defeated in ’36 by Samogitians & Semigallians at Battle of Saule. ’42: Alexander Nevsky defeats Livonian Order. ’82: Riga member of Hanseatic League. 1452: Archbishop of Riga & Livonian order rule Livonia together. 1558: Russian Ivan the Terrible attacks. ’61: Livonian War → Livonia now Lithuanian → in ’69: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1629: Peace of Altmark → Livonia/Courland become Swedish Livonia. ’89: Testaments translated in Latvian. 1700-‘21: Great Northern War between Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden & Russia. ’21: Part of Russian Empire (until 1918). 1841: Famine. ’87: Russification. 1914: Start WWI. ‘18: Independence proclaimed. ‘18-’20: Civil war ends in peace treaty with Soviet Russia. ’40: Soviet Union (SU) annexes Latvia / Estonia / Lithuania. Mass deportations to Siberia and Central Asia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades. 70,000 Latvian Jews killed by Nazis & Latvian paramilitary units. ’44: SU returns = more deportations and repression of resistance. ’86: Anti-Soviet demonstrations and nationalism. ’91: Referendum in favor of independence. Later on declared during anti-Gorbachev coup in Moscow. ’94: Last Russian troops leave. 2003: Referendum vote backs EU membership. ’04: Nato & EU. ’06: Citizenship requires to pass Latvian language test. ’08: International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves 1.68bn euro rescue package. ’10: Unemployment 20%, highest in EU. ’11: Pro-Russian Harmony Centre largest party in elections → coalition government excludes it. ’12: Referendum on giving Russian joint official language status rejected by large margin. ’14: Joins Eurozone. ’15: Nato reinforces its presence in Baltics. ’22: Russia invades Ukraine. Latvia declares state of emergency along Belarusian border due to illegal border-crossing attempts.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Latvia: Mego, LaTS, Top!, Spar, Vesk, Sky, Elvi, Aibé, Rimi, Lidl and Maxima. Mego, Lidl and Maxima are the more budget-sensitive ones.
- Local Dishes: Bukstinbiezputra (heavy bacon porridge), Griki (buckwheat – eaten for breakfast), Rasols (vegetable potato salad with mayonnaise), Kartupeļu Pankukas (potato pancakes), Stoveti Kaposti (stewed sauerkraut), Piradzini (lard), Karbonade ar Kaulu (pork chops), Asinsdesa (blood sausage), Smoked Fish, Pelekie Zirnie Ar Speki (grey peas with lard), Silke Kazoka (herring), Sasliks (shaslik), Piradzini (meat-stuffed bread), Rupjmaize (rye bread), Maizes Zupa (rye bread soup), Auksta Zupa (cold beet soup), Frikadelu Zupa (meatball soup), Skabenu Zupa (sorrel soup), Galerts (head cheese), Auksta Gala (cold meat in jelly), Biezpiena Sierins (curd snack), Rupjmaizes Kartojums (rye bread and cream dessert), Biezpiena Placenisi (cottage cheese pancakes).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg could be complicated in Latvia, as traditionally meat and fish are central in most meals. That said, most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. Local veg dishes: Griki (generally contains butter), Rasols (with mayonnaise), Kartupelu Pankukas (generally served with sour cream), Stoveti Kaposti, Rupjmaize, Maizes Zupa, Auksta Zupa, Skabenu Zupa (soups mostly include sour cream and sometimes bacon – verify before), Sierins (dairy), Rupjmaizes Kartojums (dairy), Biezpiena Placenisi (dairy). So basically as a vegan you’re f’cked, unless you feel like surviving on rye bread. They love mushrooms too, those might save the day for you.
- National Drink: Beer (Alus in Latvian), Kvass (fermented beer-like drink, alcohol-free / same as Kali in Estonia), Medalus (honey beer), Cider, Sweet Berry-Based Wines.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Baltic countries, Latvia is right in the middle when it comes to costs (Lithuania is cheaper, Estonia is more expensive). The bigger cities in Latvia are however swiftly moving towards Estonian prices.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate request explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Latvia is rather big and active, and many of the hosts live on or close to the Latvian Camino. In the Latvian section, I Couchsurfed on 3 occasions (and another 4 times at a later stage outside of the Camino route). I also used Warm Showers, which is in principal a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays. That said, long-distance hikers fit well with these type of travellers and are warmly welcomed.
- Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Latvia, with the exception of private land. You can literally spend the night anywhere you want, as long as you don’t leave a mess and treat nature with respect. There is not such an organized system as in Estonia, with free state-provided campsites all traceable in an app… but the national parks (the main one you pass is Gauja NP) all contain plenty of free campsites, with tent shelters, picnic tables, dry toilets, a fireplace and water access. The website Mammadaba gives some coordinates of fireplace and picnic spots where you could also set up your tent, although I don’t find it very user-friendly.
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Latvia is a very safe country. No animals will kill you here. Bears are so rare that when one is spotted, it actually makes the news. Latvian people are more extraverted than Estonians, but generally they keep to themselves and besides a small chit-chat here and there they won’t bother you.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink. Latvians also love their natural water sources for water provision, but you’ll generally need a local to point those out to you as they’re not clearly signposted. I drank straight from the streams in the forest without any issues, but I used a lifestraw/filter for the water from the bigger rivers or when close to a town or farmland. However, when cooking a filter wasn’t needed, as the act of boiling already kills the bacteria.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Latvian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs (especially when your card is in another currency than euros), but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
- Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are LTM, Zelta Zitvina / Tele2 and Bite. LTM has the biggest network coverage and the fastest connection, which makes it most attractive for a hike in the countryside. You can cheaply buy their simcard in one of their outlets, or otherwise at any gas station, kiosk or supermarket. You don’t need to bring an ID. As their packages are inconveniently weekly and not monthly, I preferred to visit an LMT outlet and pay the exact amount of credit for the number of weeks I intended to be in Latvia (at the end of the week the package automatically renews if you have enough credit). As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. In order to use your sim outside of Latvia but within Europe, you must turn roaming on… keep in mind that the amount of minutes and data you can use outside of Latvia is less. Bite has the cheapest deals, but a rather bad reputation. Tele2 is decent, but their connection is not as fast and widespread as LTM’s.
Transport
- Walking: All destinations mentioned in this article are very compact and suitable for cycling.
- Cycling: Latvia is pretty bicycle-friendly, with even the occasional bicycle lane.
- Public Transport: Outside of the capital you can only find buses to get around in town. You can buy tickets at the occasional ticket machine (not at every stop), Narvesen outlets, on the Mobily app or (more expensively) pay the bus driver in cash. In most buses, you can’t pay by card. You also have to validate your ticket at the electronic validator. During the 4-5 weeks I spent in Latvia, I have never been checked for a ticket though.
- Taxi / Uber: Uber is not available in Latvia (2023/2024), but Bolt is. Another option is Yandex.
- Intercity Buses: are very frequent in the bigger cities, but generally only go once or a few times a day in the countryside. Therefore, prior planning is key. Google Maps is unreliable for bus times, as it’s not always up-to-date. Instead, use the local 1188 app or website or the (rather user-unfriendly) website Autoosta.lv.
- Train: Latvia’s train network connects Riga with certain parts of the country in a rather low-cost manner, but the lines and departure times are limited. The operating company is called PV, and you can check the routes and buy 10% discounted e-tickets on their website.
- Car Rental: is pretty cheap in Latvia. The best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport, from other locations it can be 3 or 4 times more expensive.
- Airport: Riga Airport (RIX).
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Latvia, but definitively not common. Not everyone is willing to invite a stranger into their car, so waiting times might be slightly longer compared to other countries. That said, I hitchhiked on plenty of occasions in Latvia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone)… with the exception of some deserted roads in the south around Kraslava.
Next?
In order to support the travelers’ community, I spend many hours per week to adequately document all information and advices for prospective visitors, accompanied by a (hopefully) entertaining insight into my personal observations and experiences. This service is and will remain free. However, if you voluntarily want to make a contribution and support my travels and thus the creation of new stories and information supply, here is the button you’re looking for:
Related:
- Be about Bulgaria: Check off Bansko, Plovdiv, Sofia and of course Veliko Tarnovo!
- Romania's Winter Wonder Land: Sinaia & the Sibiu Region (and sleep in an igloo!)
- Europe's best skiing & hiking: Get your ass over to jaw-dropping Switzerland!
- Check out Budget Bucket List's FAVORITE HIKING DESTINATIONS worldwide!
- Visit Balkan's finest: Montenegro's National Parks Blog, Kotor Bay & Lovcen NP and Cetinje, Podgorica, Prokletije NP and Montenegro's Coastal Towns Blog
- 10 typical Dutch celebrations no traveller should miss out on
- History preserved: Time capsule of Romanian culture Maramures
- Get your Albania itinerary ready: Berat, Gjirokastër, Korcë / Ohrid Lake, Theth, Shkodër, Tirana, Mount Korab & the coast!
- The 3 golden rules to travel Sofia on a budget! & Why you shouldn’t miss out on Plovdiv! [Bulgaria]
- Where modern meets classic: Vilnius, Lithuania
- 8 ways to save money in Vienna, Austria
- German Gems: Aachen, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Mulheim, Osnabruck, Baden-Baden... and of course Freiburg!
- The world's biggest metal festival: Wacken Open Air
- Europe's best skiing & hiking: Get your ass over to jaw-dropping Switzerland!
- Budget Bucket List hitchhike trip to... Kosovo!
- Unravel the mysteries of Serbia
- Discover the splendours of Turkey: Istanbul on a Budget & Reasons to visit Edirne
- Get deep into Greece: Athens, Delphi, Arachova, Mount Parnassos NP, Epirus, Meteora, Thessaloniki & Volos
- Archeological treasures, UNESCO sights and Greece's roughest nature: Explore the Peloponnese!
- Be about Bulgaria: Check off Bansko, Plovdiv, Sofia and of course Veliko Tarnovo!
- Romania's Winter Wonder Land: Sinaia & the Sibiu Region (and sleep in an igloo!)
- Europe's best skiing & hiking: Get your ass over to jaw-dropping Switzerland!
- Check out Budget Bucket List's FAVORITE HIKING DESTINATIONS worldwide!
- Visit Balkan's finest: Montenegro's National Parks Blog, Kotor Bay & Lovcen NP and Cetinje, Podgorica, Prokletije NP and Montenegro's Coastal Towns Blog
- 10 typical Dutch celebrations no traveller should miss out on
- History preserved: Time capsule of Romanian culture Maramures
- Get your Albania itinerary ready: Berat, Gjirokastër, Korcë / Ohrid Lake, Theth, Shkodër, Tirana, Mount Korab & the coast!
- The 3 golden rules to travel Sofia on a budget! & Why you shouldn’t miss out on Plovdiv! [Bulgaria]
- Where modern meets classic: Vilnius, Lithuania
- 8 ways to save money in Vienna, Austria
- German Gems: Aachen, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Mulheim, Osnabruck, Baden-Baden... and of course Freiburg!
- The world's biggest metal festival: Wacken Open Air
- Europe's best skiing & hiking: Get your ass over to jaw-dropping Switzerland!
- Budget Bucket List hitchhike trip to... Kosovo!
- Unravel the mysteries of Serbia
- Discover the splendours of Turkey: Istanbul on a Budget & Reasons to visit Edirne
- Get deep into Greece: Athens, Delphi, Arachova, Mount Parnassos NP, Epirus, Meteora, Thessaloniki & Volos
- Archeological treasures, UNESCO sights and Greece's roughest nature: Explore the Peloponnese!