Latvia,

Finns and Swedes tease each other like siblings; the border is a bridge and the language on our cereal boxes. That gives us a particular angle on Latvia — close enough to know the quirks, far enough to still be charmed by them.

Summer (June–August) is the easy answer: long daylight, outdoor concerts, and the coast at its warmest. Midsummer weekend (Jāņi, late June) is magical but plan transport and lodging far ahead — Latvia shuts down and moves to the countryside.

Winter has its own case. December–February in Riga means Christmas markets, snow on the Art Nouveau facades and half-empty museums. Shoulder months (May, September) are our favourite for city breaks: fewer crowds, softer light, prices drop.

Riga. The old town is the postcard, but the city reveals itself on Alberta iela and in the Central Market. Walk the Art Nouveau streets, spend an hour in the market’s zeppelin hangars, then eat dinner in Miera iela where the creative crowd lives.

Gauja National Park. Latvia's oldest and largest national park, an hour from Riga: sandstone cliffs, river bends and forest trails. Even a day trip to Sigulda or Cēsis changes your definition of “city break.”

Jūrmala — the Baltic Riviera. Wooden Art Nouveau villas, pine forests, and a long sandy beach forty minutes from Riga. The seaside town is genuinely worth the trip in summer — and oddly peaceful in winter.

Gauja Valley & Sigulda. Sandstone caves, medieval castle ruins, and quiet hiking trails above the valley. If Riga feels too polished, Sigulda is where Latvia breathes.

For a first trip: three nights in Riga and two in Jūrmala or Sigulda. For a winter trip: Riga’s Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe.

Riga neighbourhoods: the Old Town for atmosphere, Āgenskalns for a local feel, the Art Nouveau district around Alberta iela if you want to walk and photograph. Skip hotels far from the centre — Riga is walkable but the old town cobblestones are worth staying close to.

Coaches and trains are the easy answer. Lux Express and Ecolines connect Riga to Vilnius, Tallinn, and Warsaw, and the Riga–Tallinn coach is under five hours.

Inside cities: Riga has no metro, but trams, trolleybuses and buses are reliable and cheap. Jūrmala is easy by train from Riga (30 min, very cheap). Don't rent a car in Riga — but do rent one for Sigulda, Gauja, and the coast.

Skip the stereotype about Latvian food being bland — Riga’s restaurant scene has grown up fast, and the Central Market is one of the best food halls in Europe.

What we always eat: grey peas with smoked bacon, rye bread (rupjmaize) with everything, smoked fish from the market, pīrāgi (bacon buns) every morning, and a shot of Riga Black Balsam if you can stomach it. Alcohol is sold in normal shops until 22:00 — no state monopoly here.

Latvia rewards slow travel. Unlike Finland, where you earn the wild by driving north, Latvia hands you beauty near every train station. It's the country we send friends to when they want Nordic-adjacent without the steep prices. Start with Riga, add Jūrmala, come back for the Gauja valley when autumn calls.

Both honestly, but if pushed: Riga if you want Art Nouveau, a lively old town, and great coffee culture; Tallinn if you want the most picture-perfect medieval streets in the region. Riga is larger and less crowded, which we prefer.

Yes — it is half an hour by train and the beach is thirty kilometres of pine-backed sand. Go for a long walk, a swim if it’s July, and lunch on Jomas iela. In winter it is empty and beautiful; in high summer, go early.