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General Information
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Riga is Latvia’s capital and the geographical centre of the Baltic States. The city is located at the river Daugava not far from the Rigaian Bay. In the 14th and 15th century Riga was one of the most important trade centres of the Hanseatic League and was granted special rights to transport goods to the East. Still today Riga is very attractive when it comes to business opportunities and activities. Furthermore, it is an important transport junction with a harbour, the international airport and a developed road and railways network.
Especially the old seaport is famous for its art nouveau buildings, generous constructions and a well-preserved city centre. It is highly developed in its education system and has a great cultural value and therefore can be seen as the backbone of Latvia’s economy as well as the biggest centre for education and science. Every year numerous exhibitions, conferences and cultural events take place in Riga and contribute to the city’s international reputation.
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Weather
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Riga’s weather is harsh but not as much as you would expect. Winters can indeed be very long and dark but spring and summer can be very pleasant with mild temperatures during the day and long hours of daylight.
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Language
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Latvian is an Indo-European language meaning it is in the same ballpark as German, English and most other European languages. Latvian is related to Lithuanian, and people from the two nations can roughly understand each other.
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Religion
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There are two religious beliefs in Latvia – the Protestants and the Catholics (lattest mainly in the East). As a lot of Russians live in Latvia the orthodox church plays an important role. In the last couple of years some sekts have started to act in the country.
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Currency
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The official currency of the Latvia is Latvian LAT. The Euro is used for hotel, apartment and real estate pricing and for most apartment rental transactions. Payment for goods and services in shops, hotels, cafes and restaurants is only in Latvian LATs and usually cash. You can withdraw money from cash machines which can be found all over the city, at the airport, at bus and train stations and in some hotels and restaurants. Credit cards are not widely accepted especially out of Riga. In small restaurants, cafes or shops you cannot pay with credit card, although some hotels introduced a portable credit card terminal that the waiter brings to the table. Taxis don’t accept credit cards unless arranged in advance.
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Tipping
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Tipping in restaurants is not obligatory but it is common to leave a tip of 5 – 10 % for good service. Usually the tip is placed in a small plate on the counter and is not directly handed over to the cashier. . Taxi drivers and hotel staff also expect a small tipping.
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Taxes
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Travellers to Latvia over 17 years and arriving with goods purchased in the EU for personal use do not have to pay duty on 800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, 1kg smoking tobacco; 10 litres of spirits with alcohol content higher than 22%, 20 litres of alcohol with alcohol content lower than 22%, 90 litres wine or 60 litres of sparkling wine, 110 litres of beer, and 110 litres of non-alcoholic beverages. Travellers arriving from non-EU countries do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g smoking tobacco; 1 litre of spirits with alcohol volume higher than 22%, or 2 litres spirits, aperitifs, liqueur, sparkling or still wines with alcohol volume less than 22% and 2 litres still wine; perfume up to 50g or 250ml eau de toilette; other goods for personal use to the value of €175. Prohibited items include narcotics, guns, and fresh food products.
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Telephone
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Telephone cards can be purchased at kiosks, post offices or some shops. They are available for an amount of 2, 5 or 10 LAT. The English speaking information can be reached by dialling 118. Paying with coins is uncommon. Public telephones can be called; the number is shown on the telephone itself. For more information check www.lattelekom.lv.
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Internet
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There are internet cafes all over the city. Some addresses are:
DELAT: Baznicas 4a , Tel. 722-0510. Open 24h.
DUALNET: Peldu 17, Tel. 781-4440; Open 24h.
ELIK INTERNET CAFE: Kalku 11. Open: 24h.
You may be able to log on at the University of Latvia, Raina 19, or at the Nordic Information Office, Basteja 14.
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Emergency numbers
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Fire: tel. 01
Police: tel. 02.
Ambulance: tel. 03.
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Opening times
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The main post offices (Boulevard 19) are open until 8 pm, some even until 10 pm. The post boxes are yellow. Letters to the West of Europe take 5 – 7 days. Opening times for the post offices are: mon-fri 9am – 6pm, sat 9am – 1pm. Stamps can be purchased in the offices and at kisosks.
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Public Holidays
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1 Jan New Year''s Day
21 Mar Good Friday
24 Mar Easter Monday
1 May Labour Day
4 May Declaration of Independence Day
23 Jun Ligo (Midsummer''s Eve)
24 Jun Jani (Midsummer''s Day/St John''s Day)
18 Nov Latvian National Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day
31 Dec New Year''s Eve
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Safety
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Like in other big cities, Riga has a certain percentage of minor crimes such as pick pocketing and muggers. Especially car theft is a very common crime. So make sure to park your car in a protected and well-lit area. Another issue to pay attention to is paying for drinks in bars and cafes as owners tend to charge tourists with ridiculously expensive prices. Therefore it is wise to check prices before ordering.
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