Wheelchair accessible Latvia is a beautiful country in Europe that is part of the Baltic states. Latvia borders Estonia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia. Latvia’s capital is Riga and several other major cities are Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, and Ventspils. Latvia is known for its long history. Throughout the country, you find old castles and churches from different eras. Furthermore, the country has also served as a transit route for the Vikings and has been occupied several times by Germany and Russia. Besides all that, the country also has a long coastline consisting of sandy beaches, dunes, and rock formations.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE LATVIA
TOP DESTINATIONS IN LATVIA
What to see
Besides the gorgeous nature, Latvia has beautiful cities to discover as well. Riga, for example, is the capital of the country and is home to approximately 800,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The city has many German influences, partly because the Germans and Prussians lived and worked here from the 12th to the 17th century. Especially in the old town in the center, you find many German buildings. There are many cathedrals, including the St. Peters church and the Rigas Dom, and you can also visit the museum of the history of Riga. In the new part of Riga, you will find many 19th and 20th century buildings, and there are many shops and restaurants.
About Latvia
Latvia covers an area of 64,600 square kilometers and is a relatively flat country without very high mountains. The highest mountain is the Gaizinhalms with a height of 311 meters. Furthermore, the country consists of forest, built-up land, and thousands of lakes. The two largest rivers are the Daugava and the Gauja.
Latvia has a temperate continental climate. During the winter, the temperature is usually just below the freezing point. However, it sometimes drops below twenty degrees Celcius below zero. Besides that, a lot of snow can fall in this season. Summers are generally dry and warm with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celcius. In the spring, especially in May and June, a lot of rain can fall. With winds from the sea, temperatures in Riga in both summer and winter are slightly more moderate than in other parts of the country.
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. Due to the many ethnic groups, especially Russians, only about half of all Latvians speak the Latvian language. On the other hand, in addition to Latvian, most ethnic Latvians also speak Russian and often German. English is also spoken in the cities.
In Latvia, you pay with the euro. In most cities, you find many ATMs where you can withdraw money. Although, you can also pay with a credit card in many places. Keep in mind that a small surcharge can be added. Tipping is not common. A service charge is included in the hotel or restaurant bill. If not, you can tip 5 – 10%.
