Category: Latvia

At first glance, Latvian cuisine may fail to dazzle, but take a closer look and suddenly you are in a world of delectable dairy products, tart berries, homemade rye bread, flavorful smoked meat and sausages, tangy pickles, and fresh Baltic seafood. This is a cuisine rooted in foraging, fermenting, and preserving, as well as celebrating the seasonal and the local. Add to these the centuries-old traditions of chocolate making and beer brewing, and you have a recipe for a world-class cuisine. Latvia’s elegant capital, Riga is leading the country in…

Source: 10 Delicious Things You Must Eat and Drink in Riga

Source: The rise and rise of Riga, the Paris of the North

Looking for a new low-cost holiday destination? Airline announces new route from Dublin Airport…

Source: Looking for a new low-cost holiday destination? Airline announces new route from Dublin Airport | JOE.ie

An airline has announced plans to increase flights from Aberdeen as it looks to run a longer summer season.

Source: Airline announces extended season and more Aberdeen flights – Evening Express

Information on visiting the Historic Center of Riga, including things to see and to, transportation information, and hotels.

Source: Historic Center of Riga

This summer I traveled to the Baltic States with G Adventures. (Disclosure: I have been an ambassador for G Adventures since 2010.) The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were some of the last places in Europe I had yet to visit. I had always been intrigued by these small countries which seemed to share so much in common, yet were different places. One of the primary goals I had on the trip was to find out what made each country different and what they shared in common.

Source: Touring the Baltic States: 3 Countries, 1 Tour

Many travel to Riga to visit the Old Town, but Latvia’s capital is more complex. This guide lists fwalking and bike tours, day trips and alternative sights.

Source: Riga City Travel Guide – Latvia’s Capital Beyond the Old Town

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First time in Latvia? Here’s a guide to the beautiful, romantic, fairytale town of Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of Latvia. Follow this guide for the best things to do and see in Riga so you don’t miss any of the highlights!

Source: Discover Riga, Latvia | Kevin & Amanda

Source: The best alternatives to overcrowded Paris

A gastronomy adventure to Old Town, Riga with visits to FAT CAT eklērnīca, Riga Central Market, Restorāns 3, Restorāns 1221 and Neiburgs. In collaboration with The Post Office Travel Money Card.

Vecrīga, Latvia for ‘Old Riga’, is the historical city centre of Riga, the capital city of Latvia. It was established in 1201 by Bishop Albert and was granted city status in 1225, and in February 2018 I paid a visit to it for the first time.

I knew nothing of the city, the country or its cuisine before I arrived there, and the purpose of my visit was to discover what I could. I believe that exploring a destination via its gastronomy is one of the most authentic cultural experiences you can have. Food tells a story, covering history, economics and culture. Food links us all together, no matter where we come from. We all eat.

Armed with a €250 pre-paid Post Office Travel Money Card, and a hefty appetite for adventure, I headed the furthest east I’ve ever been via an Air Baltic flight.

I flew to Riga from Aberdeen, in Scotland, via Amsterdam.

Source: Riga Restaurants: A Gastronomic Visit to Latvia | Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary

There’s no denying that Thailand is trendy and Iceland is hot, but if you’re looking for a vacation destination that’s a little more out of the ordinary, TripAdvisor’s 2018 travelers choice awards brim with inspiration.

The travel website’s just-released list of “destinations on the rise” include some unexpected picks, from sunny, beachy Nerja, a resort town on Spain’s Costa del Sol, to a tropical island in Japan. There are the architectural splendors of Latvia’s Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the port city charms of Poland’s Gdansk, perched on the Baltic Sea.

The United States scored just one spot on the list: Kapaa on the island of Kauai came in at No. 2.

The rest is a globetrotting delight, with destinations from Nova Scotia to Kenya and Costa Rica. The list even includes a Croatian town not used — shocking! — as a “Game of Thrones” filming location. (At least, we think not. And IMDb agrees.)

Here’s just a taste. Find the rest, plus tips on what to see and where to stay at www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice.

1. Ishigaki, Japan
2. Kapaa, Hawaii
3. Nairobi, Kenya
4. Halifax, Nova Scotia
5. Gdansk, Poland
6. San Jose, Costa Rica

Source: TripAdvisor’s top 10 destinations on the rise for 2018

The year is still new, and TripAdvisor has some interesting choices for your next big international destination for 2018.

TripAdvisor recently revealed its Travellers’ Choice Awards for destinations that are ‘on the rise’, based on booking interest and positive feedback from travelers. And there are some interesting entries in this list. From a little-known Japanese island to more than a few up-and-coming gems in Eastern Europe, you’ll find plenty of ideas here to plan out your next international trip. So let’s jump right into it and see what TripAdvisor has to advise us.

1. Ishigaki, Japan

The island of Ishigaki ranks first in TripAdvisor’s list, quite a feat for a lesser-known Japanese island. Ishigaki got high praise for its tranquil blue waters and clean beach stretches with soft white sand. The island also has dense mangrove forests and tall mountains to scale.

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Despite being relatively unknown, Japan’s Ishigaki island has topped TripAdvisor’s list of the world’s top 10 trending destinations for 2018. But what else should feature on your bucket list?

• The travel site has revealed its most-popular holiday spots for globe-trotters wanting something different
• Ishigaki island is the favourite, despite having a low profile among competing Japanese destination points
• Other must-see areas in the shortlist include Canada’s Halifax, Costa Rica’s San Jose and Croatia’s Rovinj

As global travel booms, it can be tricky to find a quiet corner of the world.

But savvy holiday-makers still discover interesting spots along the road less travelled – including a little-known Japanese island called Ishigaki, which is now deemed the coolest place to be – and be seen – this year, according to TripAdvisor.

The Japanese island tops this year’s TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for ‘Destinations on the Rise’, based on positive feedback.

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THE sun rises in the east… and sets in the east this summer.

TripAdvisor have revealed their Travellers’ Choice Awards for Destinations on the Rise -and three of the top ten are in Eastern Europe.

While Japan’s Ishigaki was revealed as the top trending destination in the world, Gdańsk in Poland, Riga in Latvia and Croatia’s Rovinj also made the list.

Award-winners were determined by measuring the year-over-year increase in positive TripAdvisor traveller ratings for accommodations, restaurants and attractions, and increase in booking interest.

Hayley Coleman, TripAdvisor spokesperson said: “Eastern Europe is dominating as a 2018 hotspot – for UK travellers this is great news as it’s easy to pop over for a weekend trip at pretty low cost.”

1. Ishigaki, Japan

Ishigaki is an island in Okinawa.

Home to sandy beaches and coral reefs, the destination is a popular diving spot.

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Latvia: An underrated destination in the Baltics that boasts an underground music scene, food from the forest and an architectural playground.

What makes an underrated European destination the next big thing? After retiring from the gastronomical feasts in Western Europe, backpacking through the islands in Eastern and Southern Europe and exploring the design capitals of Scandinavia, you’re left with that lesser-known sweet spot: The Baltics. Characterised by lush forests and cradled by the Baltic sea, the region’s quiet renaissance in recent years has attracted discerning travellers who shy away from crowds while still enjoying typically European experiences around old towns, rich cuisine and romantic landscapes.

Latvia celebrates its centenary in 2018, which gives the country a well-deserved tick on bucket lists for the year ahead.

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Even when explored in just one day, this Baltic beauty still packs a tremendous punch, and a new direct route makes it easy to visit.

The Latvian capital is a beautiful, fascinating, vibrant place – a Unesco World Heritage Site, with a long and illustrious history as a centre of trade in northern Europe. Its narrow, cobbled streets wind between squares filled with cafes, below a skyline pierced by slender church spires. Founded in 1201, Riga became a member of the Hanseatic League – a confederation of merchant guilds which between the 14th and the 17th centuries established a flourishing trade route across the Baltic. With the 100th anniversary of Latvian independence approaching next year, now is the perfect time to visit.

8am Freedom Monument

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Latvia to hold various events for centennial celebrations in 2018 

RIGA, Latvia ― The picturesque Latvian capital has such a rich cultural heritage that one can easily discover diverse architectural styles, from Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque cathedrals to art nouveau. 

In particular, Riga’s Old Town, or Old Riga, is full of medieval charm and some of its cultural assets date back to the 13th century. 

This calm, small and beautiful Baltic town’s cobblestoned roads make visitors feel as if they are traveling back through time to the Middle Ages. 

The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Riga served as the European Capital of Culture in 2014. 

“Riga is more than 800 years old. We are really proud of the city’s architectural diversity,” said Anna Blaua, PR account executive at the Riga Tourism Development Bureau. 

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[Where I’m At; a monthly update of what I’ve been up to, site news, and where I’m going next.]

Where I’ve Been

Greetings from Tokyo! The month began at Singapre Changi, which set the pace for a busy travel month. It’s been years since I’ve done so much travel, and certainly the most since my back injury last year.

London

I visit Europe once a year which always begins London. This is a tradition that began in 1999 when I moved to London to work for 2 years. I’ve been back every year since, making London my longest travel run for any destination. The yearly visits has also made Heathrow my second most visited airport (yes I keep track of such things). It’s still a pain to pass through when a bunch of long-haul flights have disgorged themselves first thing in the morning.

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