Latvia feels full of charm and wide open space. Forests cover most of the country and stretch from the inland hills all the way to the long Baltic coast. Riga stands at the center with grand Art Nouveau buildings. Lively markets and a historic old town that mixes medieval towers with bright wooden houses. Beyond the capital the landscape opens into peaceful lakes, calm rivers and small towns that feel untouched by time.
The coast is one of Latvia’s greatest treasures. Jurmala offers long sandy beaches and forests that smell fresh after rain. Further north rocky stretches and fishing villages give you a look at life shaped by the sea. Inland national parks protect woods and clear streams where you can stop for short walks or long hikes. Gauja National Park has old castles, caves and trails that guide you through green valleys.
Latvia also has a strong cultural spirit. Folk songs, festivals and traditional crafts play an important role in daily life. Food is simple and hearty with fresh bread, smoked fish and berry dishes that taste fresh like the forests around them. Whether you follow roads or explore towns filled with wooden architecture, Latvia gives you a calm and refreshing sense of discovery.
Latvia in a nutshell
- Population 1.8 million people (2025)
- Capital Riga
- Citizens are Latvian
- Native language is Latvian
- Local currency Euro
- Size 64.589 km²
The Big Four
Fun Facts
- Tallest women in the world Latvian women are on average the tallest in the world. The average height is over 170 cm (5 feet 7 inches) and many are taller than that. You often notice this immediately in cities like Riga. It has become a cultural fact that surprises visitors. The reasons behind this include a combination of genetics and environmental factors such as nutrition, healthcare and lifestyle.
- Blue jeans You might be wearing it but blue jeans fabric was invented here. The durable denim used for blue jeans was first created by a Latvian tailor named Jacob Davis in the 1870s. He later partnered with Levi Strauss (better known as Levi's) and helped launch the world’s most famous pants.
- Baltic gold Latvia’s Baltic coast is famous for its amber. It's often called 'Baltic gold'. Latvia’s Baltic coast produces almost all of Europe’s natural amber. Beachcombers sometimes find tiny pieces washed ashore. These pieces are often hundreds of millions of years old.
- Festivals of epic size Latvians keep a powerful tradition of choir music. Every five years the Song and Dance Festival brings together more than forty thousand performers! It fills Riga with magical voices that come from every region of the country.
Explore the regions
Latvia's history
Latvia’s land became a key trading route between Scandinavia and the East. By the early thirteenth century German crusading orders arrived and built stone castles across the region. Many of these fortresses still stand today in places like Cesis and Sigulda where you can walk through old towers and look over wide green valleys.
In the sixteenth century Latvia was shaped by a series of powerful neighbors. Poland Lithuania, Sweden and later Russia all ruled parts of the region. Riga grew into a major Hanseatic trading port and its old warehouses and guild halls still show the wealth of that era. In the eighteenth century the Russian Empire took control and built grand boulevards and wooden villas that you can still see in Jurmala.
Latvia declared independence in 1918. Since then the country has restored medieval squares, rebuilt landmarks and revived old traditions. You can explore wooden fishing villages on the coast, manor houses in the countryside and ancient forests that have changed little over the centuries. Latvia’s history is visible in every region and makes each road trip feel like a journey through different chapters of the past.