LAT·vee·uh - /læˈtviʌ/
Named for it's ancient inhabitants, the Latvija or Latgallia, one of four Baltic tribes which emerged in the region around the 5c AD, specifically in present-day Latgale. + Greek suffix ia = land of 🔍. The meaning and origin of the roots for Latvija are so old as to be unknown - likely from a Proto-Latvian language..
..
With historic charm, Art Nouveau architecture, medieval castles and lush National Parks, Latvia is a unique & affordable destination off the beaten path.
@ a glance essentials:
.
Language:
Latvian
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Water safety
Generally Safe to Drink
Many Locals can speak basic English, particularly the younger generations in large cities.
Currency:
Euro
Local Transport
There is a bus network in large cities but smaller towns will require a car.
Don't overlook the the self-service cafeterias - there a local institution and great for a cheap satisfing hot lunch including vegy sides, drink & desert! (LIDOs are the most common.)
Hot Tip:
Post Ice-Age the region that would become Latvia was part of the Kunda culture, with Indo-Europeans not migrating, from the southeast🔍, until around the 3c BC. These tribes became known as Balts after the Baltic Sea🔍 (Latin balteus = belt, as it stretches around the land.) Though they traded with the Roman Empire and later Byzantines they stayed mostly separate from the rest of Europe, preserving unique linguistics (including the Finnish Language) as well as pagan customs/ mythology. That changed in the 12c however, when the region was targeted by Germanic crusaders of Pope Innocent III's Northern Crusades.
a bit of background...
........................ While a relatively low profile country today, there was a time, in the 17c when Riga, Latvia was the capital of then Swedish Livonia and the largest city in the entire Swedish Empire.
FUN FACT:
By the 13c the Germanic crusaders had incorporated a large part of the Baltics in their Teutonic Order. They first named the territory Terra Mariana (Latin: Land of Mary) then later Livonia, (Estonian liiv = sand) After the Livonian War of the 16c Poland, Lithuania and Sweden all ruled portions of what would become Latvia, until, over the course of the 18c, the entirety of the region was conquered by the Russian Empire.
With the 1917 Russian Revolution the region was briefly part of the German Empire, but Latvia quickly declared independence in 1918, defining a Latvian state🔍 for the very time as a constitutional republic. Then a bloodless coup set up a dictatorship in 1934 until WWII when it was annexed first by Russia in 1940, then Nazi Germany and then the Soviet Union again in 1944, as the Latvian SSR.
Latvia finally regained autonomy after the 1987 Soviet perestroika, the Singing Revolution, (a peaceful movement) and 1990 Declaration on Restoration of Independence, being officially recognized as the 🔎Republic of Latvia in 1991.
Must Try Local Cuisine:
Cold Beet Soups: sweet & sour Aukstā Zupa & Biešu Zupa w/ radish, cucumber & boiled egg + Kefir† - sour milk
Aukstā Gaļa†† - cold meat in savory jelly w/ horseradish ∞ Skābeņu Zupa - sorrel soup w/ pork & barley
Siļķe Kažokā ("herring in a coat") - herring salad between layers of boiled veg, eggs & sour cream/ mayo
Pelēkie Zirņi ar Speķi (Speck), - smoked pork-belly bacon, w/ peas & fried onions
Kotletes - burger; pork, chicken, beef /sometimes fish ∞ Pīrāgi - small buns filled with bacon & fried onions
Rupjmaizes Kārtojums - a layered dessert of crushed rye bread, cinnamon, jam & whipped cream
➿➰➿
† Traditionally made by shepherds storing dairy in leather travel bags †† Traditionally pork ears & head, but beef or chicken are used today
I haven't yet had the opportunity to visit
Latvia
(but it's on the list!) - So I don't have any personal
(If you get there first send me your best finds !)
recommendations yet, but you can start with the most popular spots
below, and I'll update with my favorites, hopefully soon!
Most Known For:
♦️ Castles like Medieval Cesis, Baroque & Rococo Rundale Palace & city of Sigulda's Castle,
Krimulda's 19c manor & 14c castle ruins & 11c red brick Turaida Castle
🔸 Riga - with 14c Brotherhood of Blackheads guild for unmarried merchants (now a museum)
& Gothic, Baroque & Art Nouveau City Center with a massive market (largest in Europe)
♦️ Seaside towns like Ventspils for surfing & their waterpark or Jurmala known for nightlife,
and Mr. Morberg’s 19c colorful Neo-Gothic wooden house / fairy-tale palace
🔸 Latgale - Land of Blue Lakes, with its own dialect, known for camping, hiking, & cheeses
♦️ Nature Sites like Gauja National Park with 10,000-year-old Gutman’s Cave, canoeing +
floating the Gauja River, bungee jumping from a cable car & forest ziplines, the Great Kemeri National Park
Bog boardwalk | Dzintari or Europe’s widest waterfall; Venta Rapids | Kuldīga
🔸 Pirts - Latvian (wet) saunas to purify body & spirit, most with pirtniek, trained sauna experts
👀 NOTABLE LATVIANS:
♟️ Mikhail Tal | Youngest World Chess Champion 🚀 Anatoly Solovyov | Cosmonaut
👣
🌀 Jāņi & Līgo / Midsummer (June 23/24) - celebrating summer solstice (but always on the same day, not
the actual solstice) with bonfires, wildflower wreaths and traditional songs & dancing through the night
🌀 Latvian Song & Dance Festival (every 5 yrs) - a celebration of music, dance, and folk costumes dating to 1873
🌀 Cesis Castle Medieval Fair - traditional medieval clothes with food, art and dancing
🌀 Riga Festivals like Riga Opera Festival - celebrating opera & ballet
Carnaval (November) - one of the biggest Latvia cultural festivals food, music, art, concerts & fireworks
Staro Riga Light Festival - annual tradition of hanging festive lights on all the major buildings & bridges
with music, theatre, dance and food stalls set up on waterfront
Site Key:
Five Star Recommend
Make the Time!
Worth the Effort/ $
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