Latvia
Latvia travel advice
Most visits to Latvia are trouble-free.
There have been reports of increased petty theft and robbery, including pickpocketing. There have also been reports of drinks being spiked in establishments and tourists being charged extortionate prices for drinks or having fraudulent transactions debited against credit/debit cards.
Latvia Christmas Traditions
Though Latvia celebrates Christmas on December 25, this holiday is closely linked with pagan winter solstice celebrations. Latvians mark the 12 days up until Christmas with gifts. If you're in Riga during the month of December, you can purchase traditional decorations and sample Latvian Christmastime foods at the Riga Christmas Market.
The regions of Latvia
Latvia lies at the crossroads where east meets west on the shores of the Baltic Sea. At the beginning of 2003, the population of Latvia stood at just under two and a half million and its territory covered 64 589 km².