Heavily influenced by the weather and locally available crops, Latvian food tends to be hearty. Red meat is a mainstay on menus and it comes served with creamy sauces and as warming stews. Along the coast fish forms a bigger part of the diet. International restaurants abound in Riga. Filling meals are often washed down with Latvian beer and lethally strong spirits.

Things to Know:

Drinking (or possessing an open bottle/can of alcohol) in streets, parks and other public places is forbidden in Riga and carries a fine of up to Ls100.

National specialities:
• Kotletes (meat patties).
• Skabu kapostu zupa (cabbage soup).
• Alexander Torte (raspberry- or cranberry-filled pastry strips).
• Sweetbread soup with dried fruit.
• Piragi (pastry filled with bacon and onions).

National drinks:
• Riga’s Black Balsam is a thick, black alcoholic liquid which has been produced since 1700. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but some of the ingredients include ginger, oak bark, bitter orange peel and cognac. It is drunk either with coffee or mixed with vodka.
• There are several good local beers, including Cesu, Aldaris, Bauskas Tumsais and Gaisais.
• Kvass (made from grains in the early stages of fermentation) is a refreshing summer drink.
• Sparkling wine is popular.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Restaurant bills usually include a tip. It is customary to give a little extra for good service.

Riga's nightlife is legendary with little to distinguish cafes from bars. In the summer months, both spill out onto pavement terraces. Nightclubs offer a varied scene, from dancing all night to blues concerts. The capital also has a number of strip and lap-dancing clubs. At the height of summer the bars and clubs in Latvia's holiday resorts, like Jurmala, are also lively. Big cities like Daugavpils, Ventspils and Liepaja also have a large number of drinking venues, though these are not geared towards tourists.

Amber is of high quality and a good buy. Cheap imitations are also widely available. Other typical souvenirs include folk art, linen, wickerwork and ceramics. Other good gifts include Latvian beer, Riga Black Balsam drinks and folk music.

Passengers flying to a country outside the EU can claim a tax refund at the airport. Only shops displaying ‘Tax-Free' stickers participate in the scheme. These will (if asked) give you a Global Refund cheque. A minimum spend of Ls29.50 in one shop in a single day is required, in addition you need to keep the original receipt and goods should be unopened.

Shopping hours: Opening hours are typically Mon-Fri 0900/1000-1800/1900 and Sat 0900/1000-1600/1700. Some smaller shops may close for an hour or two between 1200 and 1500 for lunch. Food shops tend to open Mon-Sat 0800/0900-2000/2100. Some shops are open 24 hours.