Latvia tourist information

One of the most striking features of Latvian culture to visitors is the mid-summer festival of Ligo or Jani - a celebration of the summer solstice and the feast day of St. John the Baptist. Whilst ostensibly a Christian festival, its pagan roots are unmistakable. Ligo takes place every year on the night between June 23rd and 24th, the shortest night of the year.

It is customary for people to go to the countryside for Ligo, traditionally wreaths of leaves and flowers are worn on the head. If a man is named Janis (John) the wreath will be made of oak leaves. In the early evening of the 23rd, fires are lit around which people will chat, sing and dance until the early hours of the following day. It is considered lucky to jump over these fires. Cheese flavoured with caraway and a drink made from birch sap are traditional fare at Ligo firesides. Throughout the night it is not unusual to see young couples slip quietly off into the woods in search of a non-existent "fern flower"- these liaisons are not considered unseemly nor are they generally remarked upon the next day.

Latvian Song and Dance Festivals have been held since 1873, normally every five years (this schedule was adjusted most recently for "Riga 800"), and are one of the most important events in Latvian social life - there is even a law to regulate this event. During the festivals exhibitions of photography, art and folk craft also take place. Events and competitions leading up to the event occur througout the period between festivals.

Many people are woken by a singing lady at a quarter to eight in the morning as a mark of free speech for women. Approximately 30,000 people all together participate in the event. Although usually dainas and classical choir songs are sung, recently modern popular songs were incorporated into the repertoire. Most popular songs are from the 1980s when songs that made fun of characteristics of Soviet life and which were concerned about preserving Latvian identity aroused popular protests against the USSR; they also gave rise to an increasing popularity of poetry.

In recent years Riga has seen many tourists. Tourists seeking active night life will enjoy the drinking hours, which are flexible to say the least. However, shops were recently banned from selling alcohol after 10:00.

The country won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002, and hosted the event on May 24, 2003.

Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, and meat features in most of the dishes. Since Latvia is situated on the east coast of the Baltic Sea, fish dishes are also often served.

Latvian cuisine has been influenced by the neighboring countries. Common ingredients in Latvian recipes are found locally, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbage, onions, eggs, and pork. Latvian food is generally quite fatty, and uses few spices. A typical example would be boiled grey peas with pieces of bacon. In fact, gray peas and ham are generally considered the stereotypical staple foods of Latvians.

A traditional Latvian cheese is Kimenu siers (caraway cheese); this is traditionally served during the celebration of Jani or midsummer. Other dishes are borshch (beet soup), rasols (potato salad), and sauerkraut. There is also a Latvian version of the smorgasbord, Aukstais galds. Like many East European countries Latvia has its own version of piragi. Latvian piragi are usually the baked variety. Popular drinks are beer, vodka, and balzam. Pickled mushrooms are also a Latvian speciality.