{"id":1954,"date":"2018-10-04T14:35:58","date_gmt":"2018-10-04T14:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.svenlucaworld.com\/?p=1954"},"modified":"2020-07-15T12:30:40","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T12:30:40","slug":"reisebericht-lettland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.svenlucaworld.com\/en\/travel-report-latvia\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel report LATVIA \u2013 Untouched nature and long white sandy beaches in the central Baltic region"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Visa and entry requirements Latvia:<\/strong>
\nPassport not required
\nNo visa is required<\/p>\n

Information from the Foreign Office about your trip to Latvia:<\/strong>
\nhttp:\/\/www.auswaertiges-amt.de\/DE\/Laenderinformationen\/00-SiHi\/LettlandSicherheit.html?nn=332636?nnm=332636<\/a><\/p>\n

Latvia is a country in Eastern Europe, located in the center of the Baltics. The country has around two million inhabitants, has been a member of the European Union since 2004 and has also been part of the Eurozone since 2014. The capital and largest city of Latvia and the entire Baltic region is Riga.<\/p>\n

Latvia borders Estonia to the northeast, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, Lithuania to the south and the Baltic Sea to the west and north. The country is relatively flat with the highest elevation being only 311 meters. The area of the state is 450 kilometers from east to west and 210 kilometers from north to south.<\/p>\n

The territory of Latvia offers an impressive animal world and you can meet there, among other things, brown bears, elks, bison, wolves, lynxes, beavers, various wild boar, roe deer and stags. The majority of these animal species are protected in the four national parks.<\/p>\n

The official national language is Latvian and is spoken as a native language by two thirds. The rest of the population mainly uses Russian, due to the times of Soviet occupation. After the capital Riga, the largest cities in the country include Daugavpils, Liepaja, Jelgava, J\u00fcrmala, Ventspils and Rezekne.<\/p>\n

Around 700,000 people live in Riga, the country's largest city. In June 2012 I had the pleasure of getting to know Riga's old town as part of my Baltic tour. The Old Town is the historical and geographical center of Riga, located on the right bank of the Daugava River. The center of the old town is the market square, where there are many restaurants, cafes and bars. The town hall and the House of the Blackheads are also located on the market square, with the Roland statue towering in front of it.<\/p>\n

In the old town quarter there is also the 90 meter high Riga Cathedral from 1211, the St. Peter's Church and the St. Jacob's Church with its 80 meter high tower. The official residence of the President is in Riga Castle. With the Powder Tower from 1650, there is also a remnant of the former city fortifications.<\/p>\n

The Riga TV Tower is located on the D\u00fcna island of Zakusala. At 368 meters, it is one of the tallest structures in Europe.<\/p>\n

Approximately 70% of all Latvian companies operate in Riga, the country's economic center.<\/p>\n

Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014, also due to its many museums and theaters. The heyday of European music surprisingly began in this city in the 17th century.<\/p>\n

The Latvian capital Riga is definitely highly recommended and is now a very popular travel destination, especially among tourists. I definitely look back on my two-day stay in this impressive Baltic city with very good memories and hope to be able to visit the city again at some point.<\/p>\n\n