Summer Fun

During the warm months, there is no better place to be than swimming in one of Latvia’s many lakes. Rent a car and travel from Riga to the eastern part of the country and experience the “Land of the Blue Lakes.” There are tons of quaint cottages for rent on many different sized bodies of water. Stay at a lakeside house equip with a sauna and other traditional amenities for a nostalgic holiday. Fish in the clean lakes and prepare a king sized feast while the sun slowly sets.

Another way to enjoy the summer is by taking a trip on one of the relaxing rivers. Charter a raft or canoe, pack some camping gear and venture on an amazing journey down the well-known Gauja River. There are tons of places to explore and plenty of camp sites on the banks of the river in the Gauja National Park. The park is just a short drive from Riga, but the atmosphere is of a different world. There are expeditions that range from one day to one week for some great ecotourism.

Fall and Spring

The water is not inviting for swimming during these seasons but the rivers and lakes are perfect for fishing. Drive through Jurmala up the coast of Riga Bay and arrive at Engures Lake. This is a famous place to fish for pike and perch on the vast, yet shallow waters. The fish may not be the biggest in Latvia, but they will be plentiful.

Winter

When the lakes and rivers freeze over, it doesn’t mean the fun freezes too. Ice fishing is a popular winter sport in Latvia. It is best to drive far away from the warm coastline to ensure the ice will be safe for walking and drilling. Book a getaway for a couple nights in a cottage on a frozen lake and fish for a great winter meal. A couple hours in a traditional sauna is ideal after a long time on the ice and a warm hut is the best place to enjoy the rewards of the day’s catch.

Riga is the capital city and best place to set as your home base in Latvia. It is placed in a central location and all other destinations are an easy drive with your car hire. The landscape is diverse and you will have an amazing time exploring all the interesting places. Close proximity of Latvian attractions means you will not spend a lot of money on gas and your car hire will get you there fast. You will surely want to spend some of your time in Riga, but the most authentic tour of Latvia rests outside the urban capital.

Spring Time in Latvia

Drive your car hire along the Baltic Sea coast and enjoy the tranquility of Latvia’s pristine beaches. There are long stretches of coastline that remain uninhabited and project incredible beauty. The only way to experience the amazing beaches is with the intimacy of a car hire. Go to the seashore for the day or make it a stop on your way to another unique destination.

Your cheap car hire in Latvia will take you to cities of great culture and storied history. Take a city break to Daugavpils, Liepaja, or Jelgava. In these Latvian cities, you can enjoy unforgettable local cuisine, unique Latvian shops and great history. The freedom of your car hire can bring the past of Latvia into your life. Tour the earlier periods at medieval castles or enjoy some recent history in the museums and central town districts.
The most enjoyable part of driving in Latvia is the abundance of daylight. During the spring, you can drive your car hire from six in the morning until nine at night. The long days mean you will not sacrifice visibility in your rental car. The days will continue to get even longer as the calendar moves toward the summer solstice on June 21. If you are willing to pay a little more for a car hire, you can come for the Midsummer Night Festival and enjoy twenty-hour days. The national holiday is a memorable time to drive your car hire into the country and celebrate the sun Latvian style.

Wherever your car hire takes you on your Latvian holiday, you can be sure you will get there fast. Renting a car is the most convenient way to explore the amazing cities and most enjoyable tourist destinations. Bring the whole family or come with friends to enjoy the country that rests in the heart of the Baltic States. Your car hire in Latvia is the ticket to unbeatable fun!

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Easter will be on April 12th this year, but folk tradition says that Easter begins when the day is longer than the night (March 22nd). Christian Latvians will most definitely partake in the religious events, but most everyone else will celebrate in much different fashions. Customarily, people would wake up before the sunrise to wash themselves in a stream that runs east. This practice was to ensure health and beauty in the next year. Whoever is the first awake has the responsibility of waking the other people in the house by hitting them with small birch branches. This ritual is said to increase fertility and anoint the recipients with health and success. After bathing in the stream water, they would wait for the sun to come up and for the birds to begin singing. They believed the singing would protect them from sickness and evil.

When the sun has come up for the day, the next tradition is to hang from a swing to promote even more fertility. This is an archaic belief that says the swing will move until it stops by its own accord. If the swing is stopped artificially, the ritual is not valid. The swinging will help the fields to be spared from damaging wind and too much rain. Furthermore, livestock will be in good health from the swinging. The father and mother of the household are always the first to swing followed by the children.

In return for starting the swing, the girls need to repay the boys with hardboiled eggs. The egg is a symbol of new life and they are decorated by onion skins or hay. This is still the process today, although some people have adopted the use of food coloring dye to complete the decorations. Then everyone participates in egg fights to see who has the strongest egg. One person holds their egg stationary and the other person hits it with theirs. The one that has the strongest egg will consequently live the longest.

Despite religious affiliation, it is customary for Latvian to make Kulich or Paska Easter bread. The bread starts small and rises very tall to represent Christ rising from the dead. The inside is yellow and white swirled together to represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The bread has taken on a more secular role in modern culture as a tasty fare of the Easter season.

Since the start of the global financial crisis, every country in the world has experienced some economic troubles. Many countries in Eastern Europe have seen hasty declines in the level of output from the workforce. Most notably is Latvia which took a hit of 10% to their GDP last quarter. Everything from airfare and car rentals in Latvia to souvenirs and food service have seen a decrease in revenues. At the end of 2008, Latvia was approved for a 1.68 billion euro bailout plan which is roughly 15% of the total 7.5 billion euro package for needy EU countries. The price to save Latvia is so high because of all the money currently depending on the value of the Latvian currency. There would be dramatic repercussions for many European countries if the Latvian Lat decreased in value. The plan for the money is to help keep it as stable as possible which is basically counterproductive for the workers and consumers. Coupled with the EU/IMF bailout plan is an increase in unemployment and consumer taxes causing a decrease in the country’s national output. Unfortunately for Latvia, things are going to get worse before they can get better.

Optimistic Solutions

There are some positive aspects of the Latvian economy however; they have agreed to keep their national debt at a low level to ensure the integrity of the currency and they have received support from neighboring countries that import their goods. This should most likely keep Latvia from plummeting into an uncontrollable financial downfall, but the short-run will prove difficult with high prices and low wages. There have already been massive downsizing operations in the public and private sectors and the end seems nowhere in sight.

With the financial crisis mounting in Latvia, it has brought about the total overhaul of the current administration. Many of the top financial and political leaders have resigned or been removed from office due to their obvious incompetence. The future can have some hopefulness with the appointment of a new prime minister Valdis Dombrovskis and his modern economic policies. He has already announced there will be huge government budget cuts to help save the country from bankruptcy. One more promising ray of light is the upcoming tourist season and the anticipation of extrinsic cash flow.

Tourism in Latvia

The summer has always been a great time for increased revenue from tourism. The weather is warm, the days are long, and the rest of the world comes to have a unique Latvian vacation. In the past, prices have risen dramatically in the summer to even further increase the impact of the tourism money, however this year could be much different. Latvian businesses dependent on tourism cannot afford to radically raise prices because they desperately need the people to come. There have been early reports of consumers haggling for lower prices at stores, markets and even hotels. The influx of tourism is going to be a great relief to a nation in trouble and the local prices should remain reasonably unchanged. This summer could be one of the best times to visit Latvia and help the country’s monetary situation while not really hurting your own. European countries are notorious for adjusting prices during the tourist season and Latvia has been no exception. This year there will be much different because of the high demand for tourism. Contrarily, you need to be careful when booking your trip because as some places will try to attract tourists with lower prices, others may increase them to an even greater level than previously seen. The times are difficult in Latvia and most people are trying to earn extra money any way they can. You will need to be aware of possible scams and ridiculous overpricing to ensure your money will go as far as possible. If you do some careful planning and know what to look for, you can have a fun and inexpensive holiday in Latvia.

Beach Towns

Jurmala is the favorite destination for the people that live in Riga. The pristine beaches are only a 20 minute drive from the capital and the perfect place to spend a hot day. For some of the best lodging in the country, stay at one of the 5 star resorts and be pampered beyond belief. For the budget seekers, there are plenty of great hotels at fair prices and many camping grounds. For those staying in Riga, simply rent a car and travel to the nearby oasis for a day of swimming and sunbathing.

On the west coast, Liepaja and Ventspils are ideal destinations for escaping the hectic atmosphere of Riga. The beaches are huge, making it easy to find the perfect spot on the Baltic Sea. Although these maritime towns are much farther away than Jurmala, the small city atmosphere coupled with incredible coastline is well worth the trip. Spend a few days exploring the beaches and the historical districts in these famous Latvian cities.

Isolated Beaches

For a more intimate interaction with Latvia’s coastline, hire a car in Riga and drive any direction to find the perfect secluded beach. The Latvian shoreline is mostly sandy and uninhabited providing a tranquil ambiance nothing short of spectacular. Dense forestland usually rest between the major road and the beach making for a perfect backdrop as well as a natural sound barrier.

For a great family holiday, rent a small cottage directly on the sparsely populated coast. For a truly isolated vacation, stay at a house that is 2 hours away from the nearest store. Pack up the essentials into a rental car and drive to a fantastic beach paradise. The desolate Latvian coastline is one of the few places left in the world to enjoy pristine and undeveloped beaches.

Most tourists pour into Latvia during the summer to soak up the long sunny days and live at the beach, but the winter offers an equally enticing atmosphere. The prices are lower and the cities return to a normal state of existence. Snow sports, seasonal cuisine and attractive city decorations are a few of the characteristics that make Latvia a great place to visit in the winter. Explore the urban settings and the rural getaways for a unique cultural experience.

The Cities in Winter

In Riga, the streets come alive in the weeks and days before Christmas. A huge tree is set up in the old town and illuminated for two months. Accent lights hang from poles and buildings throughout the city turning it into a perennial winter wonderland. The air is filled with anticipation and joy of the upcoming holidays and the snow flies to accompany the season.

For more great examples of how Latvia looks in the winter, take a day trip from Riga to Liepaja, Daugavpils or Jelgava. The cities will also be decorated in festive colors and seasonal ornaments. Stop in at a local café to drink some hot wine and eat traditional gingerbread cookies. Latvia is also famous for its Black Balsam Liquor that is best enjoyed warm. For great non alcoholic drinks, try some of the local tea, hot chocolate or coffee. There are very few tourists in Latvia during the winter and everything from rental cars and hotels to merchandise and food will have a lower than normal price.

Winter Fun

The best place for snow sports is in Latvia is Sigulda. Hire a car and drive just 100 km to the northwest of Riga to find the amazing winter paradise. Fly down the slopes of the highest hill in Latvia and late night skiing under the lights. There are inviting cafés cleverly placed throughout the area and pleasant lodging for a relaxing evening. For even more excitement, try an unforgettable ride down the Olympic bobsled track. The one minute ride is piloted by a member of the Latvian National Team and speeds of 100 km/h are not out of the question. This is one of the few places in the world that allow untrained riders to experience the thrill and velocity of the bobsled track. The facility is open all year long, offering dry runs in the summer, but it is best to have an authentic ride on the ice.