Not only Riga: a great trip around Latvia. Independent trip to Riga - five simple steps What you need to know when traveling in the Baltics

To get to know the Baltics, you need to visit all three countries: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Some of you will say that the Baltic states are not only the countries listed above, but we will only touch on them. First of all, we will visit three capitals: Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. It is advisable to visit them in the same weather and with the same mood, so that nothing interferes with comparing these three cities. Don't listen to anyone who says that this or that is more beautiful or interesting. They are all interesting, beautiful and in general everyone has their own opinion. I’ve been to the Baltics several times and liked some things better, so I tried to include this in the itinerary. The route program is designed so that you can complete it in a week. So: St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Cesis - Sigulda - Riga - Bauska - Siauliai - Kaunas - Vilnius - Daugavpils - Rezekne - St. Petersburg. These are the key points, now in more detail:

St. Petersburg – Tallinn

I will not dwell in detail on preparing the car, documents, etc. You can't predict everything. However, recently, I take at least two navigators on the road. I trust booking.com more and more and, if possible, return to cash. Don’t forget that it is difficult to cross the Estonian border back and you have to buy a queue, so we return through Latvia.

The distance from St. Petersburg to Tallinn is 362 kilometers and the estimated travel time is about 5 hours, not counting the time spent at customs. It’s best to move around while everyone is asleep, so we leave at about 4 am. We'll be at the border around 6, and then depending on our luck. To sufficiently familiarize yourself with the Old Town of Tallinn, 4 hours are needed. For those who like it slower, this time is not enough.

Car parks near the Old Town cost 3-4 euros per hour, there are cheaper ones nearby, but it is not a fact that there will be free spaces. If we compare hotel prices in all three capitals, then Tallinn and Riga are approximately the same, but Vilnius is cheaper, but no worse.

For me, Tallinn is always different in its impact. Sometimes I admire him, and sometimes I find him boring, apparently it depends on my mood, mood and company. In the “Old Town”, in addition to the main attractions, such as:

City Hall

The Dome Cathedral

Oleviste Church

Niguliste Church

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Fortress towers and walls

St. John's Church

... there are many beautiful and back streets, corners, courtyards. There are several observation platforms that offer beautiful views of the city. Lots of shops and interesting cafes. The architecture here is very different, from different eras, styles and “nationalities”.

I will never forget the impressions of my first visit to Tallinn. It was on the New Year 2007, when they started trying to take tourists from Helsinki to Stockholm to Tallinn. The first sign was the passenger ship Vana-Tallin, that is, “ Old Tallinn", not to be confused with the drink of the same name. And, by the way, it justified its name - it was built in 1974. That year there was no winter and no ice either. In Helsinki on January 1 it was +6, and in Stockholm +8. When we were walking from Helsinki to Stockholm we encountered a terrible storm and people, remembering this night, already leaving Stockholm for Tallinn, “pulled up” tightly so that they could fall asleep and not hang around the decks, clinging to everything they could and to each other. We all arrived in Tallinn a little rumpled, but in anticipation of new impressions. We were given buses, guides and some time to explore the city. We gathered for a whole hour and waited for those who were late, then we drove around Tallinn and listened to the guide, who did not really hide her hatred of everything Russian. Having dropped us off at the walls of the “Old City” and handed us over to another guide, she left with the bus. The first words of the “new” guide were: “Forget everything she said,” “now let’s run, we don’t have much time.” We seemed to be keeping up, but at the next turn the guide disappeared. 15 minutes have passed since the start of his excursion. There were half of us, we spat and went our separate ways. It was dank, damp, cold and windy outside. Only in the evening, when the garlands were lit and the wind died down, it became better, warmer and much more beautiful. This is what they were like – first impressions.

If you are not going to visit a pub in the evening or just look at night city, then you can stop for the night on the way towards Riga. I stayed at Ruunawere Hotel, near Tallinn, and really liked it. There is a small sketch about the hotel in the “Video” section. At all interesting places There are many places to stay overnight: farmsteads; guest houses; cottages, etc. If you plan your trip 21 days in advance or less, you may be able to get exclusive deals on hotel bookings, but you probably already know that. If you plan to stay in the city, I recommend Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark. Convenient, cozy, close to the “Old Town”, a good restaurant and after long walks you can lie in the jacuzzi, relax your muscles or swim.

Cesis-Sigulda

From Tallinn to Cesis (Sigulda) is about 300 kilometers. The time is about 4 hours. You can go in three ways, but the easiest way is through Pärnu. After Pärnu the road goes along the coast and if it’s summer outside, you can turn to the sea and swim and sunbathe. Relax in one word. The main attractions of Sigulda and Cesis cannot be seen in one day, even briefly, so plan to spend the night somewhere. Both of these cities are approximately the same distance from Riga, Sigulda is a little closer, where you stay does not play a special role.

The area around these two cities is a real hub of medieval castles, various attractions, and there is a lot to see and do. Residents of Riga think the same thing, which is why it can get crowded on weekends. Draw conclusions.

Let's start with Cesis. Here is the largest and best preserved…

Cessian (Wenden) Castle

A beautiful park at the foot of the castle is conducive to a leisurely walk and relaxation. The castle itself is nothing special, it’s just interesting to touch the history, take the likeness of an old lantern and walk along the dark staircases and alleys. Near the old castle there is

New Cession Castle

There are now ticket offices here, as well as history and art museums. Located almost close to these castles

St. John's Church

This majestic structure is the largest church in Latvia built outside of Riga (13th century). She belonged to the Livonian Order.

In addition to the main attractions, it is very pleasant to stroll through the wooden residential area. Nice houses that have seen a lot interesting stories, provide an opportunity to take a break from the “concrete jungle” of big cities.

Not far from Cesis there is another attraction local region, so-called

Araiši Lake Castle

Here, in the 19th-11th centuries, the Latgalians lived. Enough large area for a walk, where you can get acquainted with ancient life and buildings, the ruins of the Araish Order Castle and the lake settlement.

Here are the must-sees in the area:

Turaida Castle

Old Sigulda Castle

New Sigulda Castle

Of course, there is plenty more to do here besides the castles. Huge park, zoos, cable cars, caves, etc. They work in winter ski slopes. This is one of the best bobsleigh tracks.

In these parts I stayed only in one hotel - Hotel Atputa, it is located in Cesis. Quiet, cozy hotel, good restaurant, friendly service.

Riga

It takes less than an hour to travel from Sigulda to Riga. As soon as I enter Riga, I can’t get rid of the feeling that I’m driving through the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The building of the Latvian Academy completes the image of a large, Soviet city. Only in the “Old Town” do you come to your senses and return to the tourist skin. It is better to park the car on the embankment side. Before I forget, the police in Latvia are the same as in Russia. They like to test for alcohol, set up an ambush, and “pay off on the spot.” If there is something written in Latvian on the parking signs, it is better not to stop there, you will be fined. Alcohol: Estonia (0.2 volume), Latvia (0.5 volume), Lithuania (0.4 volume). I don't want to get caught.

Riga is different! Different than Tallinn. Firstly, there is no difference in heights, and therefore everything is located, as it were, on the same plane, along the Daugava embankment. By the way, be sure to visit the other side of the river, from there a beautiful panorama of the “Old City” opens up. All the attractions are quite tightly packed. In order to explore absolutely the entire “Old City”, you will more than once go to places that you have already seen. This is not “running in circles,” but somewhere close. The architecture of Tallinn is diverse and multinational, and in Riga a certain style is maintained.

I have long noticed that tourists equally like both large, huge churches or castles, and very small, even tiny “cartoons”, such as the St. Petersburg “Chizhik-Pyzhik”. And everywhere, in any city in the world, the reaction to them is the same. You should definitely pet them or throw a coin, and, of course, take a photo. One of these Riga “muleks” is the monument to the “Bremen Town Musicians”, almost a copy of the same one located in hometown. Here, the attraction program also includes bouncing. Everyone tries to pet the animal that is higher up. Walking around Old Riga, you will often see unusual figures and installations.

The Bremen Town Musicians

Now, let's go over the main attractions of the "Old City"

House of the Blackheads

The Dome Cathedral

Church of St. Peter and panoramas from the observation deck.

Town Hall and Town Hall Square

Riga Castle

Church of Our Lady of Sorrows

In Soviet times, as soon as it was necessary to show “abroad”, all film studios went to Riga, here every house, every crossroads was used as scenery. “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson” lived here, the spy passions “Seventeen Moments of Spring” were played out, and the songs “D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers” were sung.

When it comes to having a bite to eat in Riga, the choice is huge and the price tags are already quite affordable. If you have heard about LIDO, then I would not recommend visiting it in the “Old Town”, you can spoil the impression, it is better to go to the LIDO Recreation Center on Krasta Street 76. The food there is excellent, tasty and not expensive.

LIDO

For tourists with children, I advise you to see the Riga Zoo and its guests. In general, Riga is a wonderful city and I think you will want to come here more than once, to see not only it, but also the surrounding area, such as Jurmala, Jaunmokas Castle, and the Daugava Museum. Or spend a summer night on the streets and in the pubs of the “Old Town”, which never sleeps.

Bauska Rundāle Palace

If you have already seen everything in Riga and are not going to stay overnight, you can head towards the town of Bauska. More precisely, our goal is Rundāle Palace. The drive is about an hour, and I can recommend the hotel Hotel Rundale. It is very advantageously located just 250 meters from the palace itself.

The town of Bauska is not big at all, but there are many interesting places here. There are churches, old quarters, Bauska Castle. Delicious Latvian beer is brewed here. On the Town Hall Square you can have a nice and tasty meal in a cafe. But due to the fact that we visited this city only for the Rundāle Palace, that’s where we will go.

The palace belonged to Duke Ernst Johann Biron. It was built in 1740. In the same year, Biron, after a coup d'etat, was arrested and exiled, returning only in 1763. At the same time, by 1768, Rastrelli completed the interior decoration of the premises.

The palace amazes with its exquisite interiors and rich decoration. Unfortunately, I was there in the winter, and I was not able to see the splendor of the blooming French park, spread over an area of 10 hectares, closed on all sides by a canal, behind which, in turn, lies a hunting park.

I am constantly doing something in the palace, restoring, decorating, caring for, restoring, even clothes. Everything is sparkling clean and you can feel the love with which the local workers treat the exhibits. The palace and its decoration left an indelible impression in the memory. I will definitely come in the summer to take a walk in the garden and park.

Cross Mountain. Siauliai

Frenkel Palace

Now we are heading towards Lithuania, more precisely, towards the city of Siauliai. A little before reaching the city, we make an obligatory stop at Krestovaya Gora or the Mountain of Crosses. This is one of the most unexpected sights of the entire route. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, but I had heard a lot and was ready to be surprised, but not that much. Crosses from all over the world are actually brought here and this is truly a Mountain of Crosses.

The place is shrouded in legends. Under Soviet rule, it was destroyed 4 times, but the Mountain has not gone away, and there are more and more crosses. Even the Pope “marked himself” here with a rather impressive cross. Our crosses, like droplets of water, melted into a sea of huge waves of crosses.

Even if this place initially did not carry any energy load, the millions of prayers and aspirations that came here imbued this place with faith. There are no restrictions, orders, regulations that are so loved in churches of various denominations; here a person is alone - face to face with his feelings, with God.

The next destination of our journey will be the city of Siauliai. We were passing through there, stopped to have a snack, stroll along the pedestrian street, and go to the Cathedral. The weather was disgusting, and we were in a hurry towards Kaunas, so I can’t say anything special about this town. There was an attempt to visit the cat museum, but after sticking our nose in there, we decided not to waste time.

Now we are going to one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltics - Kaunas, it is called “Beautiful”. And there is no doubt that you should stop there for the night.

Kaunas

It often happens that people go to capitals, but nearby cities, which have no less interesting things, pass by. Kaunas does not complain about the lack of tourists, but undeservedly fewer people go there than to Vilnius and Trakai. Kaunas is great. IMHO, of course, but even the weather didn’t stop me from just falling in love with this city.

The "Old Town" of Vilnius is large, spacious, mostly pedestrian, under UNESCO protection. I really enjoyed walking leisurely along the main streets and squares, but there are a lot of people there, but if you turn somewhere to the side, after a couple of minutes it becomes simply deserted and you can get lost. I parked my car in one of the parking lots in the southern part of the “Old City”, put a mark in the navigator, relied on the technology, and went on a reckless exploration, instead of taking chalk and leaving marks on houses and sidewalks. Got lost. And parking is paid and by the hour, the fines are large, it’s unpleasant. The conclusion is that you need to park the car in the northern part, where the Castle Hill and Gedeminas Tower are. If this landmark falls out of your sight, people will help. And I couldn’t even really explain to passers-by where my car was parked “next to the church or church.” Yes, there are them here... . Now, with the advent of new gadgets and applications, it has become much easier.

What interesting things can you see in the “Old Town”?

Church of St. Casemir

Presidential palace

Cathedral of St. Nicholas

Church of St. Paraskeva (Pyatnitskaya Church)

Cathedral

Sharp gate

Bernardine Church and St. Anne's Church

In addition, there is also: Gedemin's Tower, the Church of St. Teresa, Church of the Holy Spirit, Church of the Holy Trinity, Vilnius Bastion defensive wall, Church of St. John, Church of St. Michael, Church of St. Anne, Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit monastery, Alumnat, the Church of St. Catherine, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of St. Nicholas, etc., etc. This is not all, and this is only in the “Old Town” itself. Now can you imagine how difficult it was to find the right church, church or temple?

One of the most pleasant impressions is the prices. In cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc. Whether in the business center or in the “Old Town,” there are many places where you can pleasantly spend the evening, night, and the rest of the day. We ate, rested, ate some more and hit the road. Now in the opposite direction, home. The intermediate point will be Daugavpils and you can spend the night there or see the city and drive to the small town of Rezekne and stay there.

Daugavpils-Rezekne

Daugavpils is the same city in which I was once again convinced of how much the weather influences perception, first impressions, and, finally, photographs. The first time I was there in terrible, disgusting, dirty weather, I was passing through, and the second time - excellent weather, warm, no rush, wonderful hotel, leisurely promenade. Earth and sky. Great town, beautiful, interesting. The most important attraction, or rather “mountain of attractions” is the “church hill”. Here, literally meters from each other, there are four churches of different faiths.

Martin Luther Cathedral

Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Daugavpils Orthodox Cathedral holy noble princes Boris and Gleb

Novosretensky Church of the Resurrection, Nativity of the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas (Old Believers)

In the city itself there is a small pedestrianized street, where you can just walk around and look around. There is a fortress here, it is a certain symbol of the city. In terms of accommodation, I can recommend the Park Hotel Latgola, it is located in the center, modern, not expensive, there are often special offers (double standard - 2000 rubles), the upper floors offer a panoramic view of the city. If you are unlucky with the weather, then it is better to leave exploring this city for another time, and go towards the town of Rezekne and stop to rest there.

To view information about Rezekne or Daugavpils (any other object), click on the name. We stopped in Rezekne only to rest before the final rush to the house. We walked around, had a good time in the restaurant of our hotel Kolonna Hotel Rezekne, and got up early (at 4 am), took “breakfast to go”, pre-ordered at the hotel, and headed towards the border.

From Daugavpils to the border it takes 2 hours, from Rezekne 40 minutes. Arriving at the border at about 5 am, we found the customs office really sleeping, we had to wake up to let them through. It’s a nightmare, they could “infiltrate” unnoticed and take out the entire Baltic states. That's basically it. The route, as you understand, can easily change; for example, you can organize everything with a mirror opposite. And from Tallinn go to Helsinki. 2-3 hours by ferry and you are in the capital of Finland. And there is already all of Scandinavia in front of us.

On my website in the section for tourists there is a “Planner”, where you can view the route and description, calculate mileage, fuel and estimate time. I wish you a good time in the Baltics. Gain new impressions and just have a good rest.

We had been planning a trip to Latvia for a very long time. And then somehow all the cards fell in line. I wanted a change of scenery, but it wasn’t far to go and there was the sea.

I'll start with the pleasant thing - a visa. I heard that Latvians are harmful in this regard, and you shouldn’t really count on a long-term visa. But here the brothers did not let us down: they opened a six-month “cartoon” to all members of our journey. I won’t write about the whole process, documents, etc. I’ll just say that the Pony express delivery service surprised me. This service is provided free of charge at the visa center and passports are delivered directly to your home.

We went on the trip by car. It turned out to be more budget-friendly and our hands, that is, our legs, were freed on the spot. The entire journey took 13 hours, including the border. There were no problems at border control. Everything is fast and clear. But the main thing here is to calculate the time and not get caught in the shift changes of the border guards. Usually this is from 8 to 9 and from 20 to 21.

Riga welcomed us with beautiful weather. Despite the fact that it was August, in the Baltics we were lucky to find +30 degrees. I can confidently add Latvia to the list of cities where I want to return. Therefore, I will describe point by point how and what and answer the main questions.

What to see?

Of course, the most important asset and charm of Riga is Old city. You can safely park your car on the outskirts and go sightseeing on foot.

The Dome Cathedral - main cathedral countries and a must visit place. Enough ancient building. The first stone was solemnly laid in 1211. Since then, it has been rebuilt many times, but it has not lost its grandeur.

Unfortunately, when we were there, the spire and tower were completely in the scaffolding, so especially beautiful photos No. But we went to historical Museum. The ticket cost 3 euros.

The main asset of anyone Catholic Cathedral- organ. We were unlucky and it was restored, but now not only services, but also concerts are regularly held in the Dome Cathedral. The poster can be viewed on the official website. If you have the opportunity to hear the music of this particular organ, you should not miss it. It’s not for nothing that it was recognized as wonderful-sounding in the world.

The interior decoration is not particularly luxurious, but how calm it is...

Stained glass windows are an integral part of all Catholic cathedrals.

At an altitude of 72 m there is an observation deck where an elevator will take you. From a bird's eye view there is an excellent view of the city on the banks of the Dvina. Observation deck open every day except Monday.

Main Dome Square. She seemed a little typical to me. Very similar to squares where they prefer the Gothic style, as in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. The same neat gingerbread houses.

Cat house. I used to think that Egypt is a country of cats, but it turns out to be Latvia. They are everywhere here and all black! Superstitious people would go crazy. But as a desperate cat lover, I wanted to see this particular house.

The story goes: the house belonged to Mr. Blumer, who really dreamed of joining the guild, which was located opposite his house, but he was not accepted at all. As a sign of protest, he installed black cats on the roof and turned their butts straight towards the guild. As a result, Comrade Blumer was nevertheless accepted into the coveted state, and the cats were turned in the opposite direction. But since then they have been symbols of Riga.

Narrow streets of Riga. Back in the days of the USSR, if you needed to film a movie “abroad,” you went to Riga, because even then it resembled Europe as much as possible. Such film masterpieces as Sherlock Holmes and 17 Moments of Spring were filmed here.

Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians.

The monument was cast by Bremen sculptor Christa Baumgartel. The moment is depicted when the musicians look into the window of the robbers, and judging by their worn noses, everyone believes in the magical power of these guys. But they look creepy.

Within walking distance from Old Riga, or as locals affectionately call it the old woman, there are also several attractions.

Powder Tower.

Lime watch. Latvia has Laima not only in Vaikule, but also in watches and even candies. By the way, Laima is translated into Russian as “happiness.” A constant meeting place for all citizens. Located opposite the Freedom Monument.

Riga National Opera. Quite a significant place in the city.

This is a fast food cafe. The specialty of this establishment is its spicy dishes. Every day the menu changes and opposite each dish there are hot chili peppers, which determine the severity of the sensation. Maximum 10. On the day we were there, the hottest was with 3 peppers. I’ll say right away that a dish with 2 peppers will make you cry, but with 3 you’ll breathe fire. It’s scary to imagine the extreme level with 10 points.

The prices are very reasonable. You can take the whole dish or half a portion. This establishment is closed on weekends! And on weekdays it is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Address: Gertrudes iela, 6

2nd place. Restaurant Lido. Quite a famous restaurant with unusually beautiful decorations! I advise you to first walk around the territory and take a couple of pictures, and then go inside. On the 1st floor there is a buffet restaurant. Take a tray and fill it with whatever your heart desires. Let me tell you right away, everything is delicious! Especially desserts. There is a bar on the -1st floor. They also have their own mini-brewery there, where they brew beer and immediately serve it to guests. And on the 2nd floor there is a restaurant and a banquet hall. There's already a dinner menu there. The choice is yours. But the interior is incredible! I can’t even imagine how beautiful it is here at Christmas.

Vilnius - Kaunas - Trakai

Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to Kaunas (100km)

Excursion around Kaunas.
Kaunas- the second largest city in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Kaunas was founded in 1362 and is the second capital of Lithuania. The city is famous for its medieval square. Here you will see the Town Hall, which is called the “white swan”, and admire all European architectural styles.
You will see the house of Perkunus (Thunder) - one of the most original late Gothic buildings in Lithuania. You will admire the Church of St. Vytautas and see the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and Paul.
The modern street of Kaunas, Laisves Alley, is a boulevard that is called “little Paris” with its cozy shops and cafes. The length of this street is about 2 km, and the panorama is completed by a magnificent church, built at the beginning of the 20th century according to the design of Benoit (now the Church of St. Michael the Archangel).
Kaunas is famous for its K.M. Museum. Ciurlionis. Many tourists from the east and west come here to admire the paintings of this great artist and composer. Also here is the famous Devils Museum, which the whole world knows about.

Transfer to Trakai (86 km).

Lunch at a Karaite restaurant. The menu includes the famous Karaite dish - kibinai, which is a crescent-shaped pastry made from dough stuffed with sliced meat and big amount onions and spices. Lithuania should be grateful to Grand Duke Vytautas for this extremely popular dish. It was he who brought the Karaites to Lithuania 600 years ago, and they brought the “kibinai”. The surprising thing is that no more than two to three thousand Karaites lived in Lithuania, and their “kibinai” peacefully conquered the entire country.

Excursion around Trakai.
Trakai, the ancient capital of the Principality of Lithuania, located just 30 km from Vilnius. Trakai is the ancient capital of Lithuania, a city between three lakes. The main attraction of the city is the famous Trakai Castle, standing on an island in the middle of Lake Galve. It should be noted that this is the only island castle in Eastern Europe, one of the largest medieval defensive structures in Lithuania, it occupies an area of 1.8 hectares. To enter the fortress, visitors must cross two wooden bridges. The center of the architectural ensemble of the castle is the princely palace, surrounded by a thick fortress wall with defensive towers. Now it houses a museum, the exhibition of which covers the period from ancient times to the mid-20th century. The exhibition features authentic furniture, dishes, glass and bone items, seals, hunting trophies and archaeological finds discovered during excavations. By the way, this is where the film “The Adventures of Electronics” was filmed.

Return to Vilnius.
Free time.

– this time the girl shares her ready-made travel plan for Latvia. Wandering around Riga and lying on the beach in Jurmala is a great program, but are you sure that you will learn a lot about the country from such a trip? Castles, waterfalls, lighthouses, gingerbread towns - where else to go and what to see in Latvia - the word to Masha.

Why Latvia?

Latvia became the first European country, a trip that I completely planned myself. We wanted to go to Europe, but we were limited in money and time - only ten days, so the choice fell on the Baltic countries. Initially, we were going to travel around Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, hitchhiking between them, but buy bus tickets to one of the countries to make it easier to get a visa. The cheapest flights were to Latvia - and that’s how the fate of the trip was decided.

Now I can say that Latvia is an ideal country for those who want to travel to Europe for the first time, but are afraid of the language barrier and do not want to spend a lot of money. But experienced travelers will also find it interesting. Alas, Latvia is often underestimated. Our compatriots and neighbors often perceive it as an intermediate point on the way to the “real Europe”. Europeans, on the contrary, go there to take a look at the post-communist country. But don’t think that by wandering the streets of Riga before a low-cost airline flight or lounging on the beach of Jurmala, you have really seen Latvia.

I have the impression that this country is seriously investing in the development of tourism. I would describe this with an English proverb: “If you can"t have the best make the best of what you have” (“If you can’t have the best, make the best of what you have”). There are not many world-famous architectural monuments, impressive natural attractions or places with very ancient history– so, only two points from Latvia are included in the UNESCO list. But every more or less attractive city is equipped information Center, and twenty Latvian beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag (a sign of quality and suitability for safe swimming). Everything even slightly interesting here is turned into a tourist attraction: from ruined forts to the telescope of the radio astronomy center. Looking at such a careful attitude towards their history, I want to express respect to the Latvians and even slightly envy them.

“Everything even slightly interesting here is turned into a tourist attraction: from ruined forts to the telescope of the radio astronomy center.”

How to get there?

We traveled to Riga from Moscow by bus LuxExpress for €35 per person. We took a return ticket to St. Petersburg for € 17.5. Ecolines are also transported from both cities to Latvia. If you plan your trip in advance, you can save money. Thus, the minimum price of a LuxExpress ticket from St. Petersburg to Riga is about € 13. There are also trains from Russia to Latvia: the branded Latvia Express train from Moscow to Riga costs from € 40.5, a regular one from St. Petersburg – from € 37.5 . Travel time in both cases is a little more than 16 hours.

You can also get from Minsk to Riga by bus. The state carrier Minsktrans will take you to Latvia for € 14.5. There are also offers from private companies: LuxExpress runs once a day, ticket price starts from € 10, Ecolines has several flights, price – € 23.8. Don't forget about discounts for youth and students!

Ecolies travels from Kyiv to Riga, but the journey will not be close - a full 30 hours on the road. A one-way ticket will cost €50. It will be much faster and easier to fly on airBaltic - about 2 hours on the road and about €100 per ticket.

Housing

During our ten days in Latvia, we didn’t spend a cent on accommodation thanks to couchsurfing. Finding a host in Riga is not difficult: the site has more than 700 users from this city who are ready to receive guests. In others populated areas the situation is different: in the second largest Daugavpils the population is seven times less than in Riga, in the third largest Liepaja - nine times. In the cities we visited, there were usually no more than ten active hosts - so I advise you to contact them in advance. We managed to find a “couch” in Riga, Liepaja and Kuldiga, and spent the night in a tent a couple of times.

Housing prices in the Latvian capital are encouraging: a night in a hostel starts from € 5. In other cities, everything is not so pleasant: the most cheap option from Booking in Ventspils – from € 10, in Liepaja – from € 12, in Kuldiga – from € 19, and in Cesis – from € 25. If you prefer to explore the country at a dynamic pace and want to save money, you can, like us, do Riga is a transshipment point. Distances in the country are very short: if you wish, you can leave the capital early in the morning, explore a city and return at night.

Transport

We hitchhiked around Latvia. According to our host from Liepaja, who has traveled to about sixty countries this way, hitchhiking in his homeland is one of the best in the world. I wouldn’t give such a high rating, but I confirm that hitchhiking around the country is convenient and fast. The average wait time for our couple was about 10 minutes, the maximum was an hour. A pleasant surprise was that many drivers are willing to spend a little time and gasoline to take you straight to your destination. One day, the driver not only drove us an extra fifteen kilometers to a point where a not very popular road led, but also left us a parting phone number so that we could contact him if we couldn’t catch anyone on the way back.

In addition to hitchhiking, we tried intercity trains - we traveled from Riga to Sigulda (about 50 kilometers). The ticket costs € 1.9. We were transported by a quite comfortable, although slightly painted, train. You can check the schedule and routes on the company's website Pasažieru vilciens (PV).

They go to places that cannot be reached by train. intercity buses. A ticket from Riga to Sigulda costs € 2.75, to Ventspils – € 7.55, from Liepaja to Kuldiga – € 3.85. Check the schedule and prices, and on a separate portal you can buy tickets online, but at a premium.

National cuisine

In Latvia they love rye bread. So much so that they not only eat it, but also add it to various dishes. For example, here you can try bread ice cream or bread yogurt with prunes. And also bread soup, which, oddly enough, is eaten not as a starter, but as a dessert. It is prepared from dried fruits and bread itself and seasoned with cream. Another local dish is made from rye flour - sklandrausis - an open pie with vegetable filling (usually boiled potatoes and carrots mixed with eggs and topped with sour cream).

As a main dish, I recommend gray peas, which are cooked with onions and smoked cracklings. And for dessert, try the cake “ Old Riga"(Vecriga) with curd cream.

Most dishes of Latvian cuisine can be tasted in the restaurant Lido, and we bought “Old Riga” cakes and bread yoghurts in supermarkets.

Language

There is practically no language barrier in Latvia: as a rule, the younger generation speaks English, the older generation speaks Russian. Of all the drivers who gave us a lift, we only had to communicate in English with one – a Dutchman.

Only once did we have difficulties with communication. In Kuldiga we wandered into a workers' canteen, which by some miracle was included in the guidebook. Only locals dined there; the menu, like something from a school canteen, hung on the wall and was only in Latvian, and the food was served from huge pots and basins, so there was not even a chance to understand what was there. I addressed the woman at the counter in Russian, and she answered in Latvian. I repeated my question in English - and then she switched to Russian.

The situation with the language in the country is closely related to the historical context. After the collapse of the USSR, only 2/3 of the country's population received Latvian citizenship - citizens of the pre-war Republic of Latvia and their descendants. The rest - mainly Russians, as well as Belarusians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Poles and a number of other peoples living on the territory of Latvia - received the status of “non-citizen”. As of 2013, there were about 80 differences in rights between citizens and non-citizens: for example, the latter cannot take part in elections, hold a number of positions, and there are economic and other restrictions for them. To obtain the status of a citizen, you need to go through the “naturalization” procedure: take an oath of allegiance to the country, pay a fee, pass an exam on your knowledge of the Latvian language, constitution, anthem and history. At the same time, back in the 90s, Russian ceased to be the state language.

On this moment There are still a little more than 10% of people living in the country who have not received citizenship: some consider the procedure itself unfair, some are not ready to pay the fee, some do not know the language sufficiently to pass the exam. However, not all Latvians like the fact that their country is inhabited by people who do not want to develop official language and speak it. According to a 2005 study, 47% of Latvians believed that the interests of Russian speakers in the country were taken into account even more than they should be. 68% of Russian speakers, on the contrary, believed that their rights were infringed. To this day, relations between the two nations within the country are slightly electrified.

Route

At the Latvian visa center we were provided with a couple of guides, and I found a wealth of information on the official Latvian tourism portal. Initially, I wanted to fit all the Baltic countries into a ten-day trip, but after studying a dozen booklets and websites, I realized that there was simply not enough time for Lithuania and Estonia.

I marked points of interest to us on the map, and a route emerged: arrival in Riga, inspection of the country to the east of it, then to the west, and finally returning to the Latvian capital, from where the bus went home.

Riga and Jurmala

Riga became the first European capital I visited. I was delighted by everything: organ music from churches, paving stones and tiled roofs, prices in euros... Although no, these rather upset me. I studied a bunch of guidebooks and didn’t want to miss a single point recommended there. I enthusiastically wandered around Town Hall Square, trying to fit into the frame the houses huddled close to each other, called the Three Brothers, and looking out for black cats on the roof of the house, the owner of which, in retaliation for the elder who did not accept him into the merchant guild, turned the sculptures with their fifth point towards his window. However, Riga has already been written in detail in.

Of the places not mentioned there, I would recommend Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum (Brivdabas iela 21), where more than a hundred ancient wooden buildings were brought from all over the country. During the warm season (from May to September) admission for adults costs € 4, for full-time students – € 2; in cold weather (from November to April) – € 2 and € 1.4, respectively. In the summer, artisans demonstrate their skills on the museum grounds. We spent almost half a day walking and had an inexpensive lunch at a tavern in the park.

“Everything delighted me: organ music from churches, paving stones and tiled roofs, prices in euros... Although no, these were rather upsetting”

I also recommend going inside. National Library of Latvia(Mūkusalas iela 3). Although many locals consider it ugly, it looks quite nice inside. You can explore the building along with a tour in Russian, which can be booked by phone on weekdays and costs € 2. I walked around the library for free with our host, seeing floors 1 to 8. The library website says that on Sunday the 11th and 12th floors are also available to visitors.

We visited Jurmala on the eve of departure, and it seemed rather boring to us from an excursion point of view, although there are more than a hundred monuments of wooden architecture of national importance here. But it is well suited for a resort holiday: a third of Latvian beaches that have received the Blue Flag are concentrated here, and the total length of the well-maintained coastline– 26 kilometers.

Sigulda

We went to Sigulda for the castles, of which there are three: medieval Turaida, destroyed Krimulda and more modern Sigulda Palace. Half a day is enough for a leisurely walk between them, while you will admire the views of the Gauja River valley and be able to appreciate several objects unique to Latvia.

Firstly, this Gutman cave (57.176235, 24.842062) 18.8 meters deep, 12 meters wide and 10 meters high. Those who are interested in speleology or have simply been in caves in the past will hardly be impressed by such dimensions, but this is the largest cave in the Baltic countries. Secondly, you can get to Krimulda Castle on the opposite side of the river by the only one in the country cable car. The views are magnificent, but the price for a 7-minute journey is unreasonably high - € 8 one way. You can bungee jump directly from the tram cabin, but the pleasure is even more expensive - € 60.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, there are other attractions in Sigulda: for example, a 1200-meter-long bobsleigh and luge track and an obstacle course at a height of 20 meters in the largest adventure park in the Baltics, Tarzāns.

Cesis

Cesis is one of the oldest cities in Latvia, more than 800 years old. Its main attraction is the largest in the country Castle of the Livonian Order, which is also called Wenden, named after the people who lived in these places.

For entrance to Cesis Castle summer season(from May to September) you need to pay € 4 (for schoolchildren and students - € 2.5), in winter (from October to April) - € 3 (€ 1.5). To visit the museum in the new castle you will have to pay an additional €2 (for schoolchildren and students – €1). We bought a full ticket, but came to the conclusion that we could limit ourselves to the castle.

I not only climbed around the entire building, going down into the dungeon for prisoners, but also watched the work of the blacksmiths, learned about medieval cuisine from the gardener and took part in the entertainment of that time - I practiced fencing with a wooden sword and took a dozen steps on stilts. When walking through the castle park, I advise you to find a wooden “box” where lies the dismantled monument to Lenin, which used to stand on the main square of the city.

Liepaja

This seaside town in western Latvia boasts the largest mechanical organ in the world and the third largest port in the country. Today the harbor is used only for trade, but previously a third of the city was occupied by a military port - “Karosta” in Latvian.

Construction of the largest naval military base in Russian Empire began here at the end of the 19th century. It was from here in 1905 that the Russian fleet set off for Pacific Ocean to participate in the Russo-Japanese War. But the location for the base was initially chosen poorly - only 40 kilometers from the border with a potential enemy, Germany. Soon the First began World War, and all defensive structures were destroyed by order of the commander of the Baltic Fleet - fearing that they would fall to the enemy, they were never used. The blasted forts have survived to this day and are popular with tourists.

During the Soviet years, submariners were based here, and Karosta became a closed military town. Now anyone can visit this area and admire the architectural contrasts - imperial buildings and typical Soviet houses, abandoned, unfinished or inhabited. We came here to visit museum-prison "Karosta" (Invalīdu iela 4). On the official website, this place is positioned as “the only prison in Europe open to tourists”, “from which no one has escaped.” But this does not indicate the security or scale of the structure: in fact, this is a cunning advertising ploy. From tsarist times until the end of the last century, there was not a prison here, but a guardhouse where military personnel served disciplinary punishments. The maximum term of imprisonment did not exceed a month, so there was no point in running away.

The guardhouse managed to serve the Russian Empire, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and after it was abandoned, local enthusiasts decided to turn the building into a museum. My admiration for how carefully and creatively Latvia uses the opportunities it has to attract tourists first came to me here. For €5 you can take a regular excursion, where they will take you through the chambers and tell you about the history of the place, and for €15 you can even spend the night. Large groups by appointment they can experience all the delights of prison life by participating in the show “Behind Bars”. Although children are allowed on the tour, and the guide constantly cracks jokes, the guardhouse has retained its gloomy atmosphere.

Today Liepaja is the music capital of Latvia, where a festival takes place every summer Summer Sound. Thanks to this, the city now has new attractions - a glass concert hall“Big Amber” and the Walk of Fame of Latvian musicians. It took us less than a day to explore all these places, despite the fact that we also managed to swim in the Baltic Sea at the marked Blue flag city beach.

Kuldiga

Kuldiga is perhaps the most comfortable city in Latvia that I have been to. Only 13 thousand people live here, you can walk from edge to edge in an hour, and historical Center The city is included in the UNESCO national list. But we came here primarily for the two waterfalls.

First - Alekshupitsky waterfall (56.969851, 21.975383) on the Aleksupite River - it looks very nice, but is weakly impressive, although with a height of 4.5 meters it has become the tallest in Latvia. Second - Ventas-Rumba (56.967965, 21.978900) on the Venta River - was awarded a higher title: its width from 100-110 meters to almost 280 at high water made it the widest in Europe. But don’t imagine the Latvian Niagara: its maximum height is just over two meters, so it resembles a river rapids rather than a waterfall. It is best to come here in spring or autumn to watch migrating salmon “in flight” overcome Ventas Rumba.

Ventspils

I got my first impression of Ventspils on the way to it. The woman who gave us a lift told us about the local amusement park and its key attraction – the Lembergs Hat ski mountain. The mountain is notable for the fact that it was created on the site of a landfill: the waste site was mothballed, processed, filled with construction waste, covered with turf, planted with grass and equipped with jumps and lifts. The garbage heap, which turned into a popular recreation spot, was named after the long-time mayor of the city of Lembergs.

One of the mottos of Ventspils is “a city with a future.” Indeed, the depressiveness and devastation usual for the province is not felt here. Progressive trends here are illustrated not only by the story of the landfill. Thus, in 2002, the city took part in the Cow Parade, an international art event in which artists create creative sculptures of cow cows and exhibit them in different places cities. After this, the monuments are sold at auction, and the money goes to charity. Ventspils became the first city of Eastern Europe who took part in the parade. Of the 26 cows that decorated the city during the event, only six were not sold. But the parade inspired residents and city authorities, and soon new cows began to appear on the streets, and in 2012 the Cow Parade was repeated again. Walking around Ventspils, you constantly come across sculptures of artiodactyls: from a fashionable cow admiring itself in the mirror, to a police cow or a fan cow watching football on TV with its owner. These works of art not only lift your spirits local residents, but also attract tourists.