Everyday practical information for Latvia

Power

• 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets type F (Schuko). The same round two-pin plugs as Germany and most of continental Europe.
• UK, US, Irish and Australian plugs need an adapter.

Language

• Latvian is a Baltic language, related to Lithuanian and to nothing else living. It is not Slavic and not related to Estonian.
• Russian is very widely spoken, particularly in Riga and the east, and is a live political question - English is the neutral choice for a visitor.
• English is common among younger people and throughout the tourist economy.
• "Sveiki" is hello, "paldies" is thank you. Both are appreciated.

Practicalities

• Shops open late and on Sundays in Riga; smaller towns keep shorter hours.
• Riga Central Market is worth a visit - five zeppelin hangars full of food - and is also the city's pickpocketing hotspot, so go with your bag closed.
• The sauna (pirts) is a real tradition here as elsewhere in the region, and being invited is a compliment.

Manners

• Latvians are reserved with strangers. Quiet is normal; enthusiasm is not expected.
• Take your shoes off indoors in someone's home.
• Song is a serious national matter - the Song and Dance Festival is a defining cultural institution, not a folk display for tourists.
• Do not make jokes about the Soviet period. The occupation is living memory and it is not funny here.