General travel information for Latvia
Continent: Europe
Geographical location: Northern Europe, Baltic States
Highest elevation: Gaising (311 m above sea level)
Longest river: Livonian Aa (452 km)
Form of government: Parliamentary republic System of
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Languages: Latvian
Neighboring countries: Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Estonia
Capital: Riga
Area: Approx. 64,600 km²
Residents: Approx. 1.93 million people (2019)
Population density: Approx. 30 residents per km²
Religions: Approx. 20% Roman Catholic, approx. 12% Protestants, over 40% non-denominational, minorities of Jews, Muslims and pagan religions
Currency: Euro
Travel climate: Cool, moderate travel climate
Time zone: UTC + 2, (March to October) UTC + 3
Area code: +371
Country code: LV, LVA, 428
Electricity: In Latvia type C and F sockets are used. The mains voltage is 220 V with a 50 Hz change interval.
- Check a2zdirectory for old history of Latvia and agooddir for modern history of Latvia.
Culture and sights in Latvia
Due to the rich cultural heritage that dates back to the Hanseatic League and beyond, Latvia has a number of cultural sights. The historic city center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the Latvian part of the so-called Struve Arch, a cross-border scientific monument for the geodetic survey arch that begins at Hammerfest in Northern Norway and ends in Ukraine.
One of the most beautiful castles in the Baltic States is Rundale Palace, built in the Baroque and Rococo styles in the Zemgale region – near the town of Bauska.
The natural beauties of Latvia are not only in the four national parks but also in the Tervete Landscape Park
not far from the village of Dobele. Above all, the beautiful beach landscapes on the Baltic coast and in the Riga Bay should definitely be visited during a trip to Latvia.
Holidays in Latvia
January 1st New Year
in April Good Friday
in April Easter Monday
in April Easter Monday
May 1st Labor Day / Convocation of the Constituent Assembly
May 4th Independence Day
May 10th Mother’s Day
In May / June Whit Monday
June 22nd St. John ‘s Day / Midsummer Festival (additional public holiday)
June 23rd Ligo Festival
June 24th St. John’s Day / Midsummer Festival
July 12th Dance and Song Festival of the Young
People Nov. 18th Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia
Dec. 24th Christmas Eve
Dec. 25th Christmas
December 26th day after Christmas
December 31st New Years Eve
Medical information for Latvia
For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for Latvia and therefore refer to the information provided by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health.
Travel advice for Latvia
You can obtain current travel and safety information, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal information and recommendations for your stay in Latvia from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Foreign mission in Latvia
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Riga Administrative
District / consular district: Latvia
Place: Riga
Street address: Raina Bulv. 13, 1050 Riga
Postal address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, PO Box 186, 1050 Riga, Latvia.
Telephone: +371 67 08 51 00, for emergencies +371 29466456
Fax: +371 67 08 51 49
Email: Contact form
Website: http://www.riga.diplo.de Official languages
in the host country: Latvian
Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Berlin
(There are other honorary consulates in Hamburg, Rostock, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main and Munich)
Location: Berlin
street address: Reinerzstraße 40-41
Postal address: Reinerzstraße 40-41, 14193 Berlin
Telephone: +49 30 82 60 02 22
Fax: +49 30 82 60 02 33
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http: //www.mfa.gov.lv/de
