-Beautiful, well preserved in the capital of the Old Miastaw

-Architecture Art Nouveau district, also in Riga

Cautious about the characteristics of the sea on the Courland Peninsula and increasingly continental to the east. The average annual temperature between 4.5 and 6.5 degree Celsius. In winter, on the west coast -3, -7 in the northeast. In summer about 17 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall in the west reach 750mm and 550mm is the east.

In May, or at the end of September and October

Cautious about the characteristics of the sea on the Courland Peninsula and increasingly continental to the east. The average annual temperature between 4.5 and 6.5 degree Celsius. In winter, on the west coast -3, -7 in the northeast. In summer about 17 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall in the west back 750mm, and is east 550mm.W May or in late September and October

Latvians are ok. 60% of the population. In addition to the many Russians living in Latvia - almost 30%. In the capital, they constitute up to 40% of the population and is located in the east of the city Dqugavpils is considered practically Russian. For many centuries, Latvia has been strongly influenced by European culture - mainly German and Polish. Latvians, however, tried to cultivate local traditions and customs, to preserve the distinctiveness of their culture. Important element in this process so maiały. Christmas songs, sung during which the so-called. dainy. Among other things, thanks to the experience of more than seven years of captivity Latvians can boast beautifully preserved early folk poetry.

Dominated by Protestantism (about. 459 thousand.) Practiced mostly by Latvians. Next is the Orthodox Church (ok.350 thousand.) - Head of the Russians, Catholicism (about. 108 thousand).

Latvia customs are deeply rooted in pre-Christian beliefs of ancestors. Refer to the cycles of nature, the seasons change. For instance,. Christmas in Latvian is Ziemassvetki - Winter Festival. Custom orders on that day to drag a wooden beam around the entire house and then burn it as a symbol of the old year. Between houses or przebierańcy go, so. Kekatas. Dress up as animals such as bears, horses, goats, etc.. The hosts usually take their guest because of the dignity of tradition przydoszą they harvest in the new year. In the days before the end of the year are also popular divination.
The longest day of the year (23.VI) is in LIGO, or Feast of Latvians Jani. The celebration begins the evening and last all night, and most of the day. Houses adorns the wild flowers, wreaths of oak leaves, etc.. The latter can also be seen on cars, or even someone głowie.W night bonfires are lit and Ligotaji (świętojańscy guests), dancing and singing, wandering from house to house. The hosts have traditionally treats their so-called. Gospel of John cheese (soft cheese with cumin), and beer. Sometimes the milk and meat. In the evening, the door should be decorated with branches of the rowan, nettle and burdock. Normally services are also fortune-telling, and the search for the legendary fern flower is the norm. As the festival strongly alludes to the cult of fertility, associated with it (even now), some freedom in sexual relations. In addition, washing 24.VI by dew. Custom ensures health for the whole year

Russian, English, German, Belarusian, Polish

99.7%

Passports must be valid for at least three months beyond the end of your stay. Latvia has signed the Schengen agreement, so they can visit it without difficulty those of other members of the treaty. Do not przewoznić fresh food. Citizens of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need a visa for up to 90 days for half of the calendar year

Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Gdansk
st. Ogarna 99/100, 80-826 Gdańsk
tel / fax (0-58) 305 33 23
Opening hours: 09.00-10.00 and 15.00-17.00 Monday to Friday
Honorary Consul: Mr. Krzysztof Figel
Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Katowice

st. Old Town 4, 40-013 Katowice

tel. (0-32) 253 90 04, fax (0-32) 287 75 03

E-mail: konslatkat@wp.pl

Opening hours: 10.00-17.00 Monday to Friday

Honorary Consul: Mr. Tadeusz Biedzki

Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Lodz

al. Tadeusz Kosciuszko 35, 90-518 Lodz

tel. (0-42) 633 97 68 630 59 54, tel. / fax (0-42) 630 59 73

E-mail: consullotwa@poczta.onet.pl

Opening hours: 09:00-17:00 Monday to Friday

Honorary Consul: Mr. Wladyslaw Kazimierz Kotabe

Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Poznan

st. Wroclaw 6, 61-837 Poznan

tel / fax (0-61) 853 11 06

E-mail: consulatlatvia@poland.com

Opening hours: 10.00-14.00 Monday to Friday

Honorary Consul: Mr. Andrew Wojda

Latvian Country Tourism Association

Vilipa 1912-1921 iela, LV-1083 Riga, Latvia

Tel: 6761 7600th

Website: www.celotajs.lv

Embassy of the Republic of Latvia

st. Queen Aldona 19, 03-928 Warsaw

tel. 617 43 89, 617 45 89

Fax 617 42 89

E-mail: embassy.poland @ mfa.gov.lv

Embassy

Mednieku iela 6B, LV-1010 Riga, Latvija

tel. (0.0371) 7031500, 7031509 (clock)

Fax:. (0.0371) 7031549

E-mail: ambpol@apollo.lv

Not required for tourist stay up to 90 days. When planning a longer visit, you should check with the Office ds. Citizenship and Migration.

Wide available and at a good level.

A visit to an internist - 5 LVL

A visit to a specialist - 8-12 LVL

Dentist-15LVL.

Period of stay in hospital 15LVL

European citizens who have an EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card) can usually get help from the medical arm. In another case, you must have insurance to cover Latvia, or pay cash

Emergency - 03 or 112

A & S Health Care: Lacplesa 60, tel. 728-9516. A private dental clinic.

AIDS Center (A-6) Klijanu 7, tel. Hotline 737-8278 or 754-3777. www.aids.lv

ARS Clinic: (C-4) Skolas 5. Has a 24-hour service in Polish, Tel: 720-1001. For Emergencies at home, call tel. 720-1008.

Children's Republican Hospital: Vienibas 45, tel. 706-4400. Open 24 hrs.

Gaileziers Hospital No.. 7: Hipokrata 2, tel. 704-2424. www.gailes.lv

Republican Dental Outpatient Hospital: Dzirciema 20, tel. 781-5320. www.st-inst.lv

Baltic countries are quite safe for tourists. By following the basic rules of prudence, you can feel safe. In Latvia, the risk is somewhat higher. Do not walk after dark, especially around train stations and bus. Better to avoid accidental Dating in the bar to watch your drink. The car of a good brand better bet in a secure car park.

The country was occupied by both the Soviets and the Nazis. Latvians have preserved their national identity, but the influence of Germany and Russia in particular are very visible. Latvia became independent, it is known, however, that the story affects the relationship between the three countries

Fire brigade - 01 or 112

Police - 02 or 112

From Estonia:

Ainaži-Ikla, Valga-Valka

From Lithuania:

In Turmantas and Zagar

Latvia's largest carrier is Air Baltic (www.airbaltic.lv, 67207777), which offers direct flights to more than 30 cities in Europe. The international airport is in Riga (www.riga-airport.com,

6720 7009).

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) offers since 2005. Cheap calls between Riga and London, Stockholm, Franfurtem and Dublin.

EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) between Riga and Berlin,

Norwegian (www.norwegian.no) years between Riga and Oslo

Riga is connected with:

Moscow:> 25LVL, 18h, 2 daily

St. Petersburg:> 10LVL, 13h, every day

Kiev:> 25LVL, 20.5h, every other day from October to May, daily from June to lisopada.

Lviv:> 18LVL, 26h, even days

Vilnius:> 10LVL, 5 hours, even days

Eurolines (6721 4080; www.eurolines.lv) and ECOLINES (6721 4512; www.ecolines.lv) are located at the bus station in Riga. Connection and offer:

Vilnius: 7.5LVL, 5 hours,> 4 per day

Moscow: 15LVL, 17h, 2 daily

Tallinn: 7LVL, 4.5, 10-15 a day

St. Petersburg: 12LVL, 13h, 2 daily

Kaliningrad: 8.5LVL, 9h, two a day

Warsaw: 22LVL, 10h, every day

Berlin: LVL 30, 20h, every day

London: 81 LVL, 36h, week 4

Road network is well developed, and links with Belarus, Latvia and the neighboring Baltic republics. You can enter the country from the Russian Federation, Estonia, Belarus and Lithuania. Passing through the country, inter alia, the Via Baltica

Ship

DFDS Tor Line (6735 3523; www.dfdstorline.com) has three ferries coming from Lubeck in Germany to Riga.

45LVL, 34h, week 3

Tallink (6709 9700; www.tallink.lv) every other day sends a ferry from Stockholm 25LVL, 16h.

Most other connections with Germany, Sweden etc. Can be found at Scandlines (www.scandlines.com)

Lack of information on domestic flights, probably charters, or on a small scale

The best, and certainly the cheapest option if you want to get from Riga to:

Jurmala: 0.5LVL, 40minut every two hours

Sigulda: 0.7 LVL 12 per day

Cesis: 1.1LVL, 1.5h, 5 day

Liepaja: LVL 3.4, 3 h, every day

Join Riga with such cities as:

Sigulda: 1LVL, 1h

Cesis: 2LVL, 2h

Liepaja: 4.3LVL, 3.25h

Latvia's road network is well developed and properly maintained. At the airport in Riga, without much of a problem can rent a car.

Budget (6720 7327)

Auto (2958 0448)

The roads and motorways is 110km limit per hour, normal road 90km/haw cities 60km / h. The permissible blood alcohol is 0.0

All major cities have excellent public transport network. Buses, trams and trolley buses are not reliable and expensive means of transport

Internet Cafe Bilteks

20/22 Jekaba Str

Riga LV-1050

Phone: (+371) 7322208

E-mail: slawa@cafe.binet.lv

Price per hour: 2 Ls

"SVENIX" (Internet Studio)

Kr.Barona 16/18 -2

Riga LV-1050

Phone: +371-9636202

Email: svens@omcentrs.lv

Price per hour: 2.70 USD

Open: non stop

Mail in Latvia is running smoothly and offers services such as fax, telegram, international connections, etc.. Send a letter to the European country costs about 30s, the U.S. ok.40s

1 Latvian Lats (LVL) = 100 santimów

Money can wymianiać many banks and exchange offices (valatas main). Some of them buy a buck. However, be ostrożnośćKantory at airports, hotels and sometimes even banks can be exchanged at an unfavorable exchange rate for the tourist. It happens also to charge high commissions on such exchanges. The current official rate and can be found at:

Latvijas Banka

Larger hotels accept Visa, EuroCard and MasterCard. In smaller restaurants, the pay card, use caution and do not descend from her eye. There were reports of thefts of credit card numbers.

The exchange travelers checks should not be a problem. In hotels and apartments can usually pay in Euro. Dollar is becoming less popular

Water 1.5 L - 0.3 lvl

bread - 0.25 lvl.

Ticket for the bus - 0.4 lvl.

The cost of 1km by train - about 0.02 lvl

You can either go to a luxury shopping malls in west and search the style which stands in the Old Town of Riga, or at the flea market with souvenirs posowieckimi

Amber, the specimens of folk art, paintings, wickerwork, ceramics

200 cigarettes / 10 cigarillos / 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.

1 liter of alcohol over 22% or 2l of less than 22%.

Up to 50g of perfume

250ml eau de toilette

Medication for up to three months, the possession of appropriate documentation

Other goods with a value of 175 €.

For EU citizens, more than 17 years, having for his own use:

800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, 1kg of tobacco, alcohol 10l over 22%, 20 liters below 22%, 90 liters of wine or 60 liters of sparkling wine, 110l 110l of beer and soft drinks

There are more and more reports of overcharging for tourists in the premises of the Riga. Sometimes there are payment fraud credit card

Standard hotels in Latvia is generally high. You can find hotels of international networks, or small, run by the Lithuanian family.

Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Latvia
A Caka iela 55-223, Riga, LV-1011, Latvia
Tel: 6701 4131
Website: www.hotelsinlatvia.lv

In Latvia, there are many hostels of varying standards. Most are in dormitories, some rooms offer 2,3 or 4-bed.

Hostelling Latvia
Siguldas prospekts 17-2, Riga, LV-1014, Latvia
Tel: 2921 8560.
Website: www.hostellinglatvia.com

Many of the camps in Latvia is situated in very beautiful locations. Most of them provide a place for car camping, some huts. Many of the more than let the inspection and certification, which were divided into three categories. Information is best to look at:

Latvian Camping Association

Alkšņu iela 30, Jurmala, LV-2008, Latvia

Tel: 6773 2350th

Website: www.camping.lv

For enthusiasts, there is the possibility of staying in the castle adapted for guests, or a country house.

In Riga, and a few larger cities you can rent an apartment with kitchen, whether for a few nights or a long time.

Many farm offers. You can also find and rent a small cottage in the countryside, with kitchen and bathroom

For several LVL for a place in the hostel,

A dozen for a single ruhm in a cheap hotel,

From 40 LVL per room and up along with the standard, a very wide range of

Formed under the influence of German cuisine. Simple and satisfying. It is based on meat dishes, usually okraszonych thick sauce - based on butter or cream. For virtually every dish is added to white or brown bread. Some pastries in Latvia are very much appreciated - bread with cheese, jam, poppy seeds, croissants, donuts and other pastries.

Bread is baked with coarsely ground rye flour and wheat. There are dishes based on legumes. Np. gray peas with bacon and onion. Drink some kefir or sour milk. The Latvians eat meat mainly pork, less beef, lamb and poultry. They eat a lot of marine fish - herring, cod, flounder, mackerel, and the freshwater - the carp, perch, pike and bream. No true Latvian meal can not exist without the potatoes, cabbage and caraway

Grey peas with bacon and onion

Baked stuffed: bacon, or bacon fat, cheese, cabbage, carrot potato nardzieniem.

Different types of chops

Cabbage

Tort Alexander

Sweet soup made with dried fruits

Skabputra - chilled curd with a grain of barley

Black Balsam - a thick, black alcohol produced in Riga from 1700. Drink it with coffee or vodka. Its formula is closely guarded, but among the ingredients are ginger, oak bark, bitter orange peel and cognac.

Local beer Cësu, Aldaris, Kauskas Tumsais, Gaisais.

Kvass

Complete freedom, restaurants with traditional Latvian food and establishments serving cuisine from almost every corner of Europe

Tipping is customary, and sometimes they are added to the bill

Do not carry or consume alcohol on the streets, in parks or other public places. It is punishable by a fine

Riga - Old town, castle, cathedral and churches of St.. Peter and St.. James, kamiennice

National Park Gauji

Sigulda region

Jurmala

Teutonic Castle Ruins in Cesis

Daugavpils

Riga Castle

Old Town in Riga

Museum of Decorative Arts and Applied? P - Skarnu 10/20, in the old church of St. Gregory tel. 722-7833 Tue-Sun, 1911-1917. www.dlmm.lv

State Museum of Fine Arts - Valdemar L. 10a, tel. 732-4461. Wed-Sat, 1911-1917 - one of the best museums in Riga with a large collection of historic images from the years 1700 to 1945. www.vmm.lv

Lithuanian Museum of Fine Arts Foreign? P - Pils Laukumus 3, tel.732-4461. Tue-Sun 1911-1917. The collection includes handicrafts from ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, the Middle East and India. www.amm.lv

Museum of Photography - Marstalu iela 8, tel. 722-7231. The work of Latvian photographers from the period 1839-1941.

Museum History of Riga and Navigation, p? Palast 4, tel. 73506676 Wed-Sun, 10-17.

http://www.rigamuz.lv/km/index.php

National Park Gauji

River Valley Salač -

Kuldiga

No translation.

The second Sunday of June - Festival of the Sea - celebrated in the coastal towns. Colorfully dressed fishermen, traditional food and handicraft products, presented by those strongly associated with the sea of people.

Opened Latvian Song and Dance Festival - organized since 1873 every four years - the last in 2008 in Riga czerwcy. In addition to demonstrations of traditional songs and dances are also organized exhibitions of photography and traditional handicrafts. In addition, various games and competitions.

Positivus Festival - held since 2007., The annual music festival Salacgrīva. Usually takes place around mid-June.

Riga Music Festival - held in January, a traditional Lithuanian music and more. rigamusic.lv

Bach Music Festival - held in February and March is more than a month of concerts in honor of the famous German composer.

Contemporary Drama Festival "Insight" - organized theatrical festival in March. drama.lv

Riga Opera Festival - annual festival held in June at the National Opera provides the best of Latvian and foreign opera. opera.lv

Salsa Festival - held in late August and September often offers world-class shows rigasaslsafestival.com '

Arsenals International Film Festival - held in September, is the largest film festival in Riga. arsenals.lv

Autumn Chamber Music Days

The International Festival "Autumn Chamber Music Days" features a month of chamber music performances in some of the most beautiful halls in the city. September-October latvijaskoncerti.lv

Porta World Music Festival

The International World Music Festival "Porta" celebrates music from around the world with a month of special performances.November festivalporta.lv

Winterfest

Chamber Music Festival "Winterfest" offers a way to keep warm During the cold winter months while listening to beautiful chamber music from some of the world's most renowned composers and performers.November-February hbf.lv

Especially concentrated in Riga and the larger tourist resorts. In the summer night life in the capital of Latvia is very intense, clubs and streets of the old city are filled with people playing with. Prohibition of alcohol in the streets does not seem too respected. Regardless of taste, certainly everyone can find a corresponding place - there are really many.