Latvia

The city of Riga contains the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. Otherwise known as Jugendstil, some of the buildings in central and downtown Riga date as far as the late 19th century. The style is characterised by unusual shapes, curved and organic arches, gargoyles, carved faces, and flamboyant cornices. Over 30 percent of central Riga's buildings were created in this style, many supervised by famous Russian architect Mikhail Eisenstein. The best streets to view buildings on are Elisebetes, Strelnieku, and Albert. The Riga Art Nouveau Centre, located in central downtown, has been furnished in the Art Nouveau style allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the early 20th century.

Address : Albert St 13, Central District

Website : www.latvia.travel/en/article/art-nouveau

Telephone : +371 80 000 800

Opening times : Open 24 hours a day.

Jurmala is the main holiday resort town in Latvia, the place locals go to when they want to relax, catch a tan, and enjoy a spa treatment. The beaches are very good and the seafood restaurants are excellent too. Apart from sand and sea, the main attractions of Jurmala are its spas, which offer a range of therapies and treatments at a fraction of what they'd cost in western Europe. Getting to Jurmala from Riga is easy: by train or bus, the journey takes 30 minutes. Jurmala is fast becoming one of eastern Europe's best spa destinations, and tourists are urged to check it out before the secret gets out and prices begin to sky-rocket.

Riga Castle (or Riga Pils) was built in 1330 on the site of the original settlement of the city as a residence for the master of the Livonian Order, and later it served as the base for the city's occupiers throughout its history. The distinctive yellow castle was destroyed and rebuilt over time, and today it serves as the offices and home of the Latvian president, as well as the Latvian Museum of Foreign Art and the Rainis Museum of Literature and Art History. The castle is strategically placed on the banks of the Daugava, originally in order to oversee all ships entering the city's port, and has four towers and an inner courtyard.

Address : Pils laukums 3

E-mail : [email protected]

Telephone : +371 67 092 106

Opening times : Foreign Art Museum: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm. The Castle is open daily, though some sections are off-limits to tourists due to the Presidential residence

What is undoubtedly eastern Europe's finest motor museum is tucked away on the outskirts of Riga, and makes for an essential outing if you enjoy classic cars and Soviet history. The museum contains Molotov's limousine, Stalin's bombproof sedan, and the wreck of Brezhnev's car in which he crashed. The model dummies in the vehicles are a nice touch. There is a priceless collection of classic sports cars and motorcycles, irresistibly photogenic for petrol heads.

Address : Sergeja Eizenšteina iela 8, Vidzemes priekšpilsēta

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.motormuzejs.lv

Telephone : +371 67 02 5888

Opening times : Open daily from 10am to 6pm.

Admission : LVL 1.50

Latvia was occupied from 1949 to 1991 by two successive regimes in the forms of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. This well-curated museum conveys what life was like during this time, and serves as a memorial to those who died or fled as a result of the occupation. Visitors can view film archives and see a reconstruction of life in the infamous Siberian labour camps. A sobering and humanising experience, highly recommended for those who wish to connect to Latvian culture while on holiday in Riga.

Address : Raiņa bulvāris 7, Centra rajons

Website : www.omf.lv/index.php?lang=english

Telephone : +371 67 212 715

Opening times : Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11am to 5pm (October to April); and 11am to 6pm (May to September).

Admission : Donation