Know before you go
Latvia
General Information
Latvia is located in the Baltic Region of Northern Europe bordering Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and Estonia. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvia is both a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement. They drive on the right side of the road.
Visa
Holders of a EU passport don’t require a Visa. For holders of a different passport check out this link to see if you are required to apply for a visa or not or contact your ministery of foreign affairs.
Watch Geography Now!
The video will give you a good first overview of Latvia.
Power
Latvia uses Type F plug outlets („Schuko“). They also work with Type C and E. The voltage is 230 Volt and the frequency is 50 Hz
Language
The official language of Latvia is Latvian. You can get by with English just fine though.
| Latvian | English |
|---|---|
| Čau! | Hello! |
| Atā! | Bye! |
| jā | yes |
| nē | no |
| Paldies! | Thank you! |
| Lūdzu! | You're welcome! |
| Atvainojiet! | Excuse me! |
| Priekā! | Cheers! |
Weather Forecast
Climate
Latvia has a temperate climate. Coastal regions, especially the western coast of Courland Peninsula, possess a more maritime climate with cooler summers and milder winters, while eastern parts exhibit a more continental climate with warmer summers and harsher winters.
Average Temperature in Riga
Average Precipitation in Riga
Transportation
How to get there?
The biggest airport in Latvia is Riga International Airport (RIX). You shouldn’t have any trouble flying to Riga from anywhere in Europe. Once in Riga, public transport will take you where you need to go. Follow this link to find a list of all airports in Latvia.
It is also easy to travel to Latvia by bus or train from any neighboring country.
How to get around?
Cities in Latvia are small enough to walk everywhere. However, there are also public buses available.
How to get from town to town?
You can use buses or trains to get from town to town.
Money, Money, Money
Currency
Latvia is part of the Eurozone and therefore uses the Euro as its currency. Check out the currency converter to find out about current exchange rates.
Accommodation
Depending on where you are staying prices will vary of course. Using Airbnb, we paid an average of around 18€ per person per night.
Cash
Even though credit cards are widely accepted, you should still withdraw Euros at an ATM. How much you will need of course depends on your spending habits. Retrospective I found I needed around 20€ per day. This includes food, transportation, activities and souvenirs.
