Latvia Holiday Accommodation
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The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia has land borders with its two fellow Baltic states — Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south — and Russia and Belarus to the east. In the west, Latvia shares a maritime border with Sweden. The capital of Latvia is Riga (Latvian: Rīga). | |
| Large parts of Latvia are covered by forests, and the country has over 12,000 small rivers and over 3,000 lakes. Most of the country consists of fertile, low-lying plains with some hills in the east, the highest point being the Gaiziņkalns at 1,020 feet (311 m).
An inlet of the Baltic Sea, the shallow Gulf of Riga is situated in the northwest of the country. The capital city Riga is located on the shores of this inlet, where the River Daugava flows into it. Other major cities include Daugavpils further upriver and Liepāja along the Baltic coast. The Latvian climate is maritime and temperate in nature, with cool summers and wet, moderate winters. |
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| One of the most striking features of Latvian culture to visitors is the mid-summer festival of Ligo or Jāņi - 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 Jani (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 carraway and a drink made from birch sap are traditional fare at Ligo firesides. Through-out 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 liasons are not considered unseemly nor are they generally remarked upon the next day. |  |
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| Latvian Song and Dance Festivals held every five years or so since 1873, are one of the most important events in Latvian social life. During the festivals exhibitions of photography, art and folk craft also take place. Although usually dainas and classical choir songs are sung, recently modern popular songs were incorporated to repertoire. Most popular songs are from 1980s when songs that made fun about characteristics of soviet life and concerned about preserving Latvian identity aroused popular protests against USSR, they also gave rise to popularity of poetry. |  |
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