Completely different from its past soviet image, the modern day Latvia is refreshingly breathtaking and a must visit to any serious traveller. It is a European country whose capital is Riga. Latvia is a former member of the USSR but unless told you will hardly notice that fact. It has an estimated population of over 2,353,854 as of July 1999. The main languages spoken in Latvia are Lettish, Ukrainian and Russian. Only a few people speak English as their second language.
Transport within the country is not tricky with rail and road transport being the most common means in all the cities of Latvia. You can easily get around with a map of Latvia. There are several car rental agencies in all the cities at affordable rates. Other car rental services are available online while others are not. Getting a good car rental for your vacation or holiday is not that hard as some travel agencies provide free information about the best car rental services in Latvia.
The weather in Latvia changes according to the four main seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. Winters in Latvia can be extremely cold so if you are planning to visit Latvia during winter, make sure you carry heavy clothing to beat the cold. Summers are normally cool with little or no showers at all. The best time to travel Latvia is during spring when everything is cool and calm. Due to high number of tourists flying in during summer, cheap flight tickets may be a bit high so it is advisable to fly in during winter or spring when you can easily get cheap flight tickets
There are numerous tourist attraction in Riga and other small towns and cities. A good example is the town of Sigulda which has a population of about 10000 people. It is near the capital city, Riga and is commonly known by Latvians as the winter capital of Latvia. The town experiences cool and damp weather conditions throughout the year as it is on altitude. Its warmest months are July and august which are the most appropriate months to visit the town.
For nature and animal lovers, Gauja national park is a must visit. Here you will enjoy the best time of your life thanks to the rich flora and fauna features the national park offers. The park is ideal for hiking, bird watching and nature walks. It is open throughout the year with only a few times when proper management of the park needs to be done. Different tour agents charge different rates for a trip around the park. Alternatively you can consult a car rental service and visit the park by yourself.
There are other cool places to visit outside the town and more information about such places can be found at the Latvian tourism board official website. To sum up your visit in Latvia take a walk around the city and socialize with Latvians. You will realize they are all passionate about their country and are receptive than most other nationals across the entire continent of Europe.