How to avoid problems
According to liuxers.com, you can’t exactly call Latvia a country dangerous for staying: the crime rate here is consistently low, the locals are peaceful. However, this does not mean that you can forget about elementary precautions: in tourist areas and public transport, pickpockets hunt, ready at any moment to “confiscate” a wallet or mobile phone.
In large cities, they understand Russian and English, but when going to the outback, it is better to take a phrasebook with you.
Alcohol is sold from 8:00 to 22:00, when buying, you are often asked to show your passport. Drinking alcohol in public places is strictly prohibited: violations of the rules can result in a fine of up to 140 EUR. Driving “under a degree” is fraught with even more serious consequences: you can part with a substantial amount (350-1400 EUR) and with rights. Smoking is allowed only in specially designated areas, for a lit cigarette in a cafe, taxi, park or at a public transport stop, you will be fined from 15 EUR to 100 EUR. But there is no official punishment for topless tanning on the beaches: if you want to show off – please!
Embassy of Russia in Riga: st. Antonias, 2; tel.: (67) 332-151; website.
Consulate General in Daugavpils: st. Kraslavas, 46; tel.: (654) 216-44.
Consulate General of Russia in Liepaja: st. Liepu, 27; tel.: (634) 225-17, 313-93.
Police: 02, ambulance: 03.
Latvian beaches
Sprawled on the picturesque shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, Latvia is a brilliant choice for fans of a beach holiday: beautiful, not hot, relatively inexpensive, and the service has reached tangible heights in recent years. To soak up the sandy coast, it is not even necessary to leave the capital: in Riga there are 8 sea and river beaches at once. The most popular is “Vetsaki” with many cafes and restaurants, sports grounds, changing cabins and rescue towers.
However, Jurmala remains the most famous resort in Latvia, if not the entire Baltic. It is made up of 15 cozy villages replacing each other on a 30-kilometer coastal strip along the Gulf of Riga. The beaches here are wide, clean, with a gentle entry into the water and fine snow-white or golden sand – the Blue Flag is deservedly awarded to them.
Connoisseurs of solitude will like the villages of Melluzhi and Asari, those who want to improve their health – Jaunkemeri and Kemeri with sulfur springs and mud lakes, families with children – quiet Vaivari with a small water park. The centers of local cultural life are Majori and Dzintari with dozens of cafes, restaurants, clubs and other places of entertainment.
The beaches of Liepaja have also been awarded the blue flag: its spacious, 70 m wide coastline is covered with golden sand and equipped with everything necessary for a first-class holiday. The entrance to the sea is smooth, so you can safely swim here even with the smallest children. The picturesque “Jurmala Park” stretches along the coast: it is pleasant to alternate relaxation under the sun with walks along neat shady alleys.
Not inferior to the rest of the Latvian resorts and Ventspils with a well-groomed coastline and developed infrastructure. There are umbrellas, sun loungers, playgrounds and sports grounds, changing cabins, showers – a complete set for vacationers of all ages. And Ventspils beach was the first in the country to receive the coveted Blue Flag.
5 things to do in Latvia
- Attend exciting racing competitions held at the military base in Vinods.
- Ride with the breeze on the last passenger narrow-gauge railway in Latvia, located between Aluksne and Gulbene.
- Be impressed by visiting the huge fish pavilion of the Riga
- Try delicious Riga sweets and spicy black balm in the Laima and Latvijas Balzams chain stores.
- Find the famous tavern in the labyrinth of Riga’s streets, where d’Artagnan discussed plans for revenge against the cardinal with his friends.
Treatment in Latvia
Latvia, with its mild climate and numerous natural resources – from endless coniferous forests to healing mineral springs – has long become a center of attraction for tourists who want to combine relaxation with health improvement.
Many well-known clinics, sanatoriums, balneological and spa complexes are located on the coast. For example, health resorts in Jurmala offer effective courses of treatment for the respiratory system and the musculoskeletal system. Local doctors skillfully combine the intake of mineral water with a high sulfur content, all kinds of body wraps, mud and herbal baths and many other effective procedures.
In general, the level of medicine in Latvia is proven to be high: clinics are equipped with modern equipment, doctors undergo many years of professional training and regularly train in Europe and the USA. At the same time, the cost of treatment remains very affordable in comparison with other European countries.
The priority areas of Latvian medicine are ophthalmology, dentistry, oncology, narcology, reproductive medicine and plastic surgery. The services of cosmetologists, aesthetic surgeons and IVF specialists cost 20-40% less here than in Russia.
High-quality outpatient care is offered by more than 3,000 institutions throughout the country, some of which also provide inpatient care. Choosing a medical center today is not difficult: most clinics provide potential clients with full-fledged online consultations.
