With fewer than two million inhabitants and a territory that covers just less than 25,000 square miles, Latvia is easy to get to know and to travel around with a car rental. The road network is good, especially between the main urban centres, and navigation is a breeze. Latvia is a member of the EU and the currency used throughout the country is the Euro.
Things to See and Do in Latvia
Latvia has plenty to offer visitors, whether they have come for business purposes or purely for pleasure and tourism. The most-visited place in the country is the capital, Riga. Here, you should take time to view the Vērmanes Garden, the oldest public garden in the city, with an area of approximately five hectares. The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation is also worth seeking out – it is situated close to the city's magnificent cathedral. Heading out into the countryside is advisable, too, especially if you take advantage of the cheap car hire from National. A visit to Rāzna National Park, in the east, is recommended, as is a drive to Liepāja, Latvia's most westerly city, which lies on the Baltic. The old post office here has been turned into a great restaurant that serves many Latvian favourites.
A Holiday by Car in Latvia
Because of the good standard, but relatively cheap accommodation in Latvia, a car rental holiday makes a lot of sense. Booking hotel accommodation in advance is not generally required, so you can simply follow the open road in whichever car hire vehicle takes your fancy. There is plenty of choice of vehicles with National in Latvia. Although many tourists stick to the coast, close to the Gulf of Riga, heading east and south towards the Lithuanian border gives a sense of the undiscovered side of the country. The city of Daugavpils, for example, is rarely visited by westerners and yet is the main cultural centre of eastern Latvia.
Famous Road Trips to Take in Latvia
Due to our cheap car rental, road trips are a must-do activity in Latvia. There are some great routes our staff will recommend to you, but here are two to whet your appetite: The first begins at Ainaži, a harbour town in northern Latvia. Simply follow the A1 coast road to Lilaste. The 50-mile trip takes you through attractive parkland and past some stunning Latvian beaches. In the east, the 35-mile trip from Rēzekne to Dagda takes you along the shores of the beautiful Rāzna Lake in the national park that shares its name. Dagda is a typical market town for this part of the country, but Rēzekne is larger and noted as a centre of woodcarving.