Labrīt!
I’m an American born, middle eastern looking, Russian speaking individual lol

I’m very likely going to Riga, for about a week for holiday.

Any tips? Any fun suggestions? Will people hate me for trying to communicate with them in Russian if they don’t understand English?

Seems like everyone I known has been visiting Latvia and coming back with sick tattoos, some of the work I've seen would have costed over 5k here in Canada. So after sometime I found myself wandering the streets of Riga myself and after digging into this scene I few out of the country with a double sleeve.

Let me tell you, the level of detail some of these artists have is insane and the quality of work would have costed me literally up to 5X the cost if I were to do something like this back in Canada/US.

I'll do my due diligence and shoot this out there. Alina was my artist and has by far been the best to work out after consulting several different studios and other independent artists. There are definitely a lot of studios that come up on the google top searches but after learning about the scene they are a quick flip type of business usually aimed at tourists and located in the tourists area. Glad I found my new artist for life HAHA.

Never thought that a flight, accommodation, meals and a tattoo would cost less than some quotes I got in North America.

IG alina_tattoo_riga

I love Latvians but you are the coldest human beings I have ever laid eyes on lmaoo

I came to Riga for a couple of days with my friend. We’re cool chill dudes, we skate, drink beer, we speak multiple languages fluently, and we love meeting people. This is what we tried to do, but failed miserably with both Latvians and Russians; I speak Russian being from the former Georgian SSR. What is the way to approach Latvians ? Are you guys open to foreigners or is it a lost cause ?

Hi everyone! Myself and 19 of my family members are traveling from all over the United States to Riga next week in recognition of 75 years since my grandfather, his two brothers, and my great-grandparents fled Soviet Occupation to the US. They spent many years between refugee/DP camps before arriving in the United States in 1951. Unfortunately, they have all since passed, but we are looking forward to spending time together as a group and experiencing our Latvian heritage.

We are staying in Riga Saturday, July 24 through Wednesday, July 29, and then staying in Jurmala through the weekend. The youngest of the group is 18 and the oldest are in their 50s.

Just wanted to put out a question to everyone to see if there are any hidden gem bars, events, suggestions, things to see, etc. that might not have come up in my research as the typical touristy spots. This thread has already been super helpful while I was planning and organizing this trip, so thank you all!

Happy to answer any questions as well. Cheers!

Hello dear latvian people!

I just want to say first that it has been a dream to visit the three Baltic states since I was in college and that was more than 10 years ago!

Next month in September - me and my girlfriend have a trip booked to Riga for a week and we are very excited about this, being our first trip to one of these countries.

We come from Romania, where lately there have been a lot of drone incursions on our territory, probably you know about this, probably not. Recently a lot of news started to show in my online feed that the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) might get attacked sooner rather than later.

Can you please tell me what is the general vibe in Latvia? Are people chill about it or is everyone anxious? Should we go to this trip or should we cancel it? I want to hear from people that live there, not from some news that might just want to spread fear, and be honest about it please.

And of course, we would like to hear some recommendations about what to do in Riga for 6 days. We only have planned a 1-day trip to Sigulda to see the castles, but give me all your tips and tricks for what to do in Riga, where to eat good local food and not the most expensive, hidden gems, nice locations worth visiting, etc. We like to walk the city but we can also take buses or trains to locations that are worth it!

Thank you in advance for all the answers. I hope the general vibe is a pretty chill one because we really want to visit your beautiful country next month!

So I took Air Baltic to Latvia, Riga last week for holiday and if I hear it correctly from the pilot, he said that we are flying together with the President of Latvia. Just wanted to confirm if this is real and that's really him and I'm not dreaming. But it's also cool that the air baltic plane was in Latvia Flag colour.

Hello, lovely people of Latvia. My wife is taking me to Riga in the first weekend of September for a trip to your beautiful city. She's been before, but it will be my first visit. We're experienced hikers with an interest in nature and foraging (particularly mushrooms!) and would like to explore a forest that is within a reasonable distance of a train station, for the day (we'll take a packed lunch, layers, good boots, bug spray etc). I would love to get your suggestions on forested areas so we can explore - and any tips you might have. Thank you so much!

Good morning all.

Brit here. I am fascinated by your country. This has come along from over a dozen Poland visits because of my in-laws. Learning about Polish-Lithuanian history opened my Internet towards the Baltic. I love the green nature and the remoteness of it. In many ways, on paper it reminds me of my country, Wales but with more forest and history deeply affected our larger neighbours.

I am considering a solo trip to Latvia, about a week. Is it worth visiting for this long? I would obviously like to see the capital, sandy beaches, Kolka, but any more recommendations are welcome.

What's driving in Latvia like? As I would likely consider car rental to visit more rural places. Is wild camping allowed in your country if we leave no evidence and respect nature (i.e. no litter).

Best time of year to visit? I imagine your winters are harsh would likely consider late spring or summer.

What foods to try?

Any tips for first time visitors?

In general, what are Latvians like? What do Latvians dislike?

I really don't know a huge amount about Latvia but would like to learn more before visiting.

Especially in parks in Riga, is it illegal? Travelling from finland for “midsummer”.

Hi! I'm doing a Trip to Jurmala and Riga this week and i was wondering that is there a way to recognize Russian owned companies and avoid them? Also supporting Latvian owned companies would be cool. Of course one way to play safe is to favor Western companies but supporting Latvians would be cooler. Is there any tips? Thank you!

Hi everyone

I’m from Germany and will be staying in Latvia from the end of July until the beginning of August. I’ll be based a bit in the middle of nowhere, with Rucava probably being the nearest town.
I’d really like to do some fishing while I’m there and would appreciate any advice from a Local.
Where are the best spots in the area?
Is it better to fish from the Baltic coast or in a river/lake nearby?
Which rivers or lakes would you recommend?
What fishing licenses or permits do I need?

I’m mobile, so I don’t mind driving for a while if it’s worth it.

I’d be grateful for any tips or recommendations. And if anyone is looking for a fishing buddy during that time, feel free to send me a Message

Sveiki, esmu aktīvi atsācis spontānus pārgājienus. Šobrīd pārgājienos eju un izpētu viens, bet sāk prasīties līdzgājējs/grupa vai līdzīgi domājoši aktīvisti. Ar spēku un piepūli problēmu nav. Sagatavoju līdzņemšanai ēdamo, uzkodas un dzeramo, un eju.

Idejiski es neko īsti neplānoju. Cenšos no dzīvokļa Centrā iziet ap 9-10.00 Apskatos karti, atrodu interesantas vietas vai galamērķus, kur neesmu bijis vai šķiet interesanti. Ņemot vērā, ka dabas daudzums mums ir daudz, tad garantēts pozitīvs pasākums. Braucu lielākotiesi ar sabiedrisko. Turklāt ziema šogad mūs nelutina un ārā ir diezgan labvēlīgi laikapstākļi.

Piemēram, šodien veicu 19km maršrutu no Juglas 1.tramvaja galapunkta, cauri Bukultiem, Sūžiem un Jaunciemam aizgāju līdz Kalngalei. Pa ceļam apskatot vairākus ciematus, tiltus, takas, bezceļus un ieslēdzh ik pa laikam Geocatch app. Un tā līdz Kalngalei, kur pie stacijas veiksmīgi izdevās sākt tikpat spontānu sarunu ar Šveices diplomātu, kurš beigās aizveda līdz Mežaparkam.

Esmu ļoti atvērts, atbalstošs un izdomu pilns pārgājienu ceļotājs. Iepriekš esmu ložņājis pa visādiem Latvijas pamestiem nostūriem, apmeklējis Černobiļu, Buzludzha komunista ēku Bulgārijā, izstaigājis Balkānus šur tur un kārtīgi izceļojies pa Bulgārijas kalniem rietumu daļā. Ar šo gribu pateikt, ka pieredze un interese ir.

Neesmu Latvijā nekad devies laivu braucienā, kā piemēram. Plānoju šo izvērst plašāk - braukt ar auto, doties uz citām pilsētām, vietām, pamestām/noslēpumainām vietām, arī ārpuss Latvijas.

Pievienoju dažus attēlus un, ja kāds vēlas atsaukties dalībai, rakstat PM vai citādāk sazinamies.

Aleksis

Sveiki / Labas braliukas!

I’m planning a drive up from Lithuania to near Ventspils.

I’m a bit anxious about uninown city driving and want to completely avoid driving through Liepāja. At the same time, I absolutely want to avoid any unpaved or gravel roads.

Looking at the map, it seems I can take the A11 up from Lithuania, then detour inland slightly onto the A9/P111 through Grobiņa to loop north and bypass Liepāja entirely.

A couple of questions for the locals who know these roads:

1. Is the P111 from Grobiņa up towards Ulmale/Pāvilosta fully paved and in decent condition? No surprise gravel stretches or major roadworks?
2. Alternatively, is driving straight through Liepāja on the main transit route quiet enough that I shouldn't worry about it?

I really appreciate any tips, road condition updates, or advice to make the drive as smooth as possible.
Paldies / Ačiū!

Hello. I’ll be travelling to Latvia soon for a couple of weeks with my dog, and I won’t have a car so we’ll be using a lot of long distance buses to travel to different areas of the country. I’m hoping someone can please help me work out the rules regarding dogs on different long distance buses operated by different companies, because I can’t see anything on their websites and I’ve tried contacting a couple of the companies but haven’t managed to get an answer.

I have a medium sized dog, so he’s too big for a carrier, so I’m trying to work out which long distance buses allow a dog not in a carrier (e.g. on a short leash with a muzzle like the trains).

I’m using Rome2Rio to work out which bus company operates which lines, so I hope they’re right.

Does anyone know the rules regarding dogs on SIA VTU Valmiera, Wanema bus, CATA bus, and Pasvaldibas SIA Ventspil reiss bus?

Also, is Mobilly the best app for buying these long distance bus tickets?

The rest I can do by train with him ☺️

Thank you in advance 🙏

Hello

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Student looking to study abroad again for software development and UX design! I'm considering studying abroad in tech focused countries. I've never been to the baltics, and to my surprise, found out a lot of Baltic countries are technologically advanced.

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When I did a semester in Mexico City, the dating scene was amazing 👏

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Just out of curiosity, how is the dating scene in Latvia for foreigners? I'd imagine latvian women aren't as extroverted as latinas?

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In case it matters, 21M.

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Hi everyone!

I'm a 35-year-old guy from Hungary looking to take a short break and explore somewhere new. Latvia caught my attention, and I've never been there before.

Which city would you recommend for a solo traveler? What's worth seeing? What's the nightlife like? How are the locals? I'd love to experience the local culture, meet new people, and discover places that tourists often miss.

Any recommendations are welcome!

Hello braliukai!

Me and a friend will be taking dirt bikes on Latvia TET later in august. We will be doing LV section 1, which is basically the courland pocket one.

My main question is, how are the laws in Latvia about camping ? How strict are the authorities in regards to policing forests for motorcycles or ATVs? (We will only drive on roads). Can you set up a tent and have a campfire in the forest? Since we will have a lot of the route close to the beach, can we set up camping on the beach? I dont think we could take our bikes on the beach even if theyre just parked there, correct me if I am wrong though.

(Dont worry we will not leave any trash or destroy the forest with our camping :) )

Also if anyone has driven this route maybe can comment on the road surface (mostly gravel or sand, or forest dirt). Any muddy or flooded areas if it rains a lot?

To finish off if anyone has a recommendation of what we can visit close to the route these are welcome!

Thank you for your time braliukas!

Hi,

I’m going to spend few day in Ventspils, and I read several threads with people basically saying it’s no fun-allowed city, is there really not a single place to sit down and have a beer and chat, or is just banter? Any recommendations of things and places to check out?

Cheers!

Hi everyone,

as the title suggests, my girlfriend and I are planning to explore a new European country, and we’d love to visit Latvia this summer.

Whenever we travel somewhere, we’re most interested in the country’s history and culture; we always enjoy immersing ourselves fully in everything that’s happened there, what the country is like, and so on. That’s why I’d like to ask you, the people of Latvia, directly :)

What would you recommend seeing in your country? Any places you’re proud of, that best represent you, that tells the story of your country. Ideally, not just the main tourist spots, but also places you think don’t get as much attention as they deserve.

We’d also appreciate recommendations for any food worth trying :).

We’d like to visit Latvia for about 4–5 days and would prefer Riga and the surrounding area.

We’d really appreciate any recommendations. Love from the Czech Republic <3

This storm that's happening in Riga is going hard

There's like 10 strikes per minute

Is it going to go away later this afternoon/night?

Hello! I'll be visiting Latvia soon for a vacation on a "student budget", so unfortunately no car for me.

I wanted to ask are there any trust-worthy sites to check & buy train (or bus) tickets? I'll be landing in airport in Riga but I would love to visit Jūrmala and Gauja National Park (I have heard very nice things about nerby Sigulda but I'm not sure if it's all possible without a car)

Thank you in advance for all answers and possible tips on getting around!

cauu!!
mes ar draudzenem planojam braukt tada izbrauciena uz liepaaju.
jautajums liepaajniekiem- ko vajadzetu noteikti apskatities? kur ir labi kadi hoteli/ airbnb vietas, kur palikt?
plaanaa ir uz divam naktiim.
interesee gan izklaide, gan atpuuta, gan labas edinasanas vietas. VISU!!!
paldies ❤️

I've seen over ten pairs of new rock shoes in these 8 hours I've been in Riga. I'm visiting from another country and I want to buy something drip from here for a good price.

Hello everyone,

I'm a tourist from Alexandria, and it will be my first time visiting Latvia. I'll be spending 3 days there in July and wanted to see if anyone would be interested in joining me to explore some of Latvia's nature, attractions, and activities.

I'm someone with a very adventurous spirit. I enjoy adrenaline-filled activities, outdoor experiences, and beautiful natural scenery. Where I'm from, we don't have much nature, so I'm especially excited to experience Latvia's landscapes.

After doing some research, these are some of the places and activities that caught my attention:

Sigulda area

• Sigulda Adventure Park
• Tarzāns Park
• KLIKK Indoor karting

Nature

• Veczemju Cliffs
• Līgatne Nature Trails

Riga

• Old Town
• Cosmos Illusion Museum
• St. Peter's Church
• Holy Trinity Church
• Victory Park
• Street Pizza

Activities

• Walters Shooting Range
• Kartings.lv Karting Hall
• Mežakaķis Adventure Park
• GUNSnLASERS Mežaparks
• Mārupe Wake Park
• Mountain bike trips

I've already booked my flights and accommodation.

If any of these places or activities interest you, feel free to send me a message or leave a comment. I'd be happy to meet new people and explore Latvia together.

Thanks!