Latvia tours & holidays
Latvia is alive with vibrant cities, beaches, historic towns and a busy network of forests and rivers
Latvians are proud of their past and much time and effort has been spent preserving their architectural history. Once you’ve had your fill of Baroque, Art Nouveau and Renaissance wonders, head to the nearest beer garden and make friends with some of the liveliest locals in Eastern Europe.
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Explore tailor-made tripsLatvia at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Riga (population 874,000)
POPULATION
2.2 million
CURRENCY
EUR
LANGUAGE
Latvian
TIME ZONE
(GMT+02:00) Helsinki, Kyiv, Riga, Sofia, Tallinn, Vilnius
CALLING CODE
+371
ELECTRICITY
Type C (European 2-pin) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)
Learn more about Latvia
Best time to visit Latvia
The best time to travel to Latvia is from June to mid-September, when it’s warm and plenty of local food is available. Temperatures from June to August are normally around 20°C and 22°C and are very pleasant. July and August are the warmest months but they’re also the busiest months for tourists holidaying in Europe - outside of these times, you’ll experience fewer tourists.
October and November have autumn rains and daylight is short. From early November to April, temperatures rarely rise above 0°C during the day and drop well below zero at night. Slush underfoot is something you have to cope with in autumn and spring, when the snow thaws.
Top 5 architectural wonders of Latvia
1. St Peter’s Church
The centrepiece of the Old Town dominates Riga’s skyline. Thought to be about 800 years old, the spire has been rebuilt countless times in the same form. Climb to the top for sprawling views.
2. House of Blackheads
Destroyed in 1941, the House of Blackheads was rebuilt for the city’s 800th anniversary. Its Dutch Renaissance façade hides a stunning Gothic building that the Soviets felt was too ‘decadent’.
3. Swedish Gate
Follow Troksnu iela, the Old Town’s narrowest street, to the 17th-century Swedish Gate. This is one of the last remaining parts of the fortifications and celebrates the Scandinavians’ occupation of the city.
4. Riga Castle
Riga’s 14th-century castle has been destroyed time and time again, but keeps rising from the ashes. These days, it’s home to the fascinating History Museum of Latvia.
5. The Cat House
Gaze up at the roof of the Cat House to see two feline sculptures perched on top. It’s said that 100 years ago, the Latvian owner turned the cats’ bums towards the Guild in protest of being blacklisted.
Latvia travel FAQs
Standard tipping in restaurants is 10% unless a service charge has been added to the bill. Round up any taxi fares.
Internet access is excellent in Latvia. Free wireless zones as well as internet cafes can be found all over the country.
Latvia has excellent mobile phone coverage. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone.
Latvia has western-style flushable toilets. Keep loose change handy to pay for public toilets.
Yes, tap water is considered safe to drink.
Credit cards are widely accepted.
There’s good access to ATMs in nearly all towns and cities.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their adventure. Your leader will record your travel insurance details on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of healthcare around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.
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We take the health and safety of our travellers seriously and take every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and inclusive for everyone. When you travel with us, you have access to our global support network and local on‑ground leadership, and you can rest easy knowing we have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination.
We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure. The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Travelling from Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
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From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
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From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners World Bicycle Relief and Eden: People + Planet. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle relief is providing people in rural communities with the basic right to mobility. The organization provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers and farmers in rural areas, giving them access to vital education, healthcare and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles, specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions, to those who need them most.
Find out more or make a donation
Eden: People + Planet
Eden are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide. They are working to restore ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and build climate-resilient communities globally through tree planting and landscape restoration. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.