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Latvia is sandwiched like a middle child between outgoing Lithuania and more reserved but tech-savvy Estonia. And like a middle child, it has been forging its own distinctive style, in this case since it regained independence after the demise of the Soviet Union. There is a sense of buoyant energy in the country but also a certain coarseness—qualities that are exemplified in the capital, Riga. The city's elegant and whimsical Jugendstil (art nouveau) buildings are surrounded by blocks of Soviet-era concrete structures and a sprawling industrial area.

Although it is no longer the Paris of the north (as it was once called), Riga is the cosmopolitan hub of the Baltics, with good food and nightlife and an international flair. Visitors can use the capital as a base to explore Latvia's charming, verdant countryside, which includes memorable castles and villas and a stretch of coastline known as the Baltic Riviera.

Geography

History

Latvians have suffered throughout their history from foreign domination—Germans, Swedes and Russians have all occupied the country. In fact, the concept of Latvia as a nation is relatively recent: It wasn't until the 1800s that a national consciousness and literature began to emerge.

Russia has played the largest role in Latvia's development. It ruled Latvia for more than 200 years, until the 1920 Treaty of Riga made the country an independent state for the first time in history. Latvia's freedom was short-lived, however. The republic was annexed in 1940 by the Soviet Union as it and Germany divided eastern Europe.

During its short tenure as a free state, Latvia's patriotic feelings intensified. As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the early 1990s, Latvians saw their opportunity: Two days after a 1991 coup attempt in Moscow, Latvia declared independence. A referendum on whether Latvia should be independent brought out a majority "Yes" vote from the population. The new country immediately set about privatizing state services and developing relations with Western Europe. Many Latvian immigrants who had left the country and settled all over the world returned. Latvia was accepted into NATO in 2004.

Also in 2004, it was one of 10 nations that joined the European Union, a move that many hoped would strengthen the country's economic and political standing.

The polluting factories of the Soviet era have been closed, so rivers and coasts are cleaner than they once were. In other respects, Latvia is becoming more and more cosmopolitan, with clean streets, cautious and polite drivers, plus some good shopping and international businesses.

Snapshot

Latvia's main attractions include the old European town of Riga; baroque, Gothic and art-nouveau architecture; opera; the organ of the Dom Cathedral; the countryside; and friendly people.

Although the situation has improved, Latvia will not appeal to visitors who require first-class accommodations and service everywhere they go. Deluxe service is most likely to be found in Riga, Jurmala and the coastal area, but standards and service levels are born from Soviet roots; visitors should not expect effusive hospitality.

Potpourri

Some of the streets in Riga are named for the occupations of former residents. For example, artisans and beer makers lived on Audeju Street (where several famous Jugendstil buildings are situated), and blacksmiths lived on Kaleju Street.

Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov and film director Sergei Eisenstein were born in Riga.

Czarina Catherine I, the wife of Peter I of Russia, (according to one version of the story) was born there, and Anna Ivanovna, another Russian czarina, got married and lived in the Latvian countryside for some time.

Latvian documentaries, particularly those by director Juris Podnieks, have received international attention.

Russia's Ivan the Terrible had a well-deserved reputation for atrocities. In 1577, besieged residents of Cesis, surrounded by the czar's army, blew themselves up rather than surrender.

Duke Jacob of Courland, a 17th-century Latvian ruler, took an interest in developing his navy. Because of him, Latvia had African (Gambia) and Caribbean (Tobago) colonies and even planned to develop colonies in Australia. It was the smallest country that had African colonies.

For 50 years, the Bank of England kept six tons of gold for the Baltic Republics. In 1993, the gold was finally returned.

Even though Latvia has been a part of Christian Europe for several centuries, Latvians still observe many pagan holidays and traditions. One of them is the summer solstice, when people congregate in forests and by the sea, building bonfires and playing games.

In the past, Riga regularly suffered from floodwaters of the Daugava River. To repair the damage caused to the streets, citizens used gravel to lift their level, and as a result, the floor level of the old buildings is much lower than the ground level of the streets.

In the Soviet era, the Old Town in Riga was the place for the shooting of all the cinema scenes that were to take place in the West, as there were almost no other European-looking places in the U.S.S.R., and shooting abroad was not accessible. Thus, Riga played the role of many German cities, London, Paris and even New York (in the 1980 Soviet version of The Brothers Rico).