Exploring eastern Europe: Latvia

With a population of around 600,000, Riga is a small capital by European standards, but a metropolis by Baltic standards. It is known for a large number of well-preserved historical buildings of various styles, which is why its old town center is protected as a World Heritage Site. Riga's Central Market is particularly beautiful, as is the Freedom Monument, completed in 1935.

On the eastern outskirts of Riga is the Ethnographic Open Air Museum of Latvia, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Here, history buffs can learn how the people of this region lived and worked hundreds of years ago. Over 100 faithfully reconstructed buildings and thousands of household objects and tools make Latvia's history literally come to life.

Picturesque landscapes, fascinating rock formations and caves, diverse plant and animal life — the 90,000-hectare (222,395 acres) Gauja National Park, an hour northeast of Riga, offers all this and more. It is ideal for hiking, boating and rafting, and in winter for skiing and snowboarding.

The coastal town of Jurmala is located about 40 kilometers west of the capital, and its 25-kilometer-long (15 miles) sandy beach is ideal for long walks and swimming. There are also historic wooden houses from the 19th and early 20th centuries in Jurmala, with facades and window frames often adorned with intricately carved decorations.

The small town of Kuldiga is an ideal destination for those wishing to experience the original Latvia. Away from the tourist crowds, there are historic buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries to marvel at. The city looks back on an important and eventful history: It joined the Hanseatic League in the 12th century and later came under Polish-Lithuanian and then Russian rule.

Adventurous visitors to Latvia's west coast will find remnants from a time when sections of what is now Latvia were part of the Russian Tsarist Empire: In the town of Liepaja, there are ruins of a massive water and land fortification once built by the Russian Tsar in the early 20th century. However, it was abandoned a few years after completion.

Built in the 18th century, Rundale Castle in southern Latvia is considered the most magnificent Baroque castle in the Baltics. It was modeled after the French palace in Versailles near Paris. With 130 rooms on more than 7,000 square meters (75,347 sq-feet) and an approximately 10-hectare castle park, anyone who wants to see it all should plan enough time.

Mark Rothko is perhaps one of the best-known citizens of Daugavpils in southeastern Latvia — although in his time it was still called Dvinsk and belonged to Tsarist Russia. Since 2013, many of the artist's paintings can be admired at the Mark Rothko Art Center. The museum is housed in the impressive Daugavpils Fortress.

Not everyone is aware of how varied Latvian cuisine is. German and Russian influences can be found in many typical Latvian dishes, such as pork shank with pea puree or borscht. Another typical Latvian dish is the hearty rye bread, which is traditionally served with many dishes.

As in many other countries in Europe, there are regular rallies in Latvia opposing Russia's war in Ukraine, as seen in this photo. It shows balloons and posters in Ukrainian national colors being displayed outside Russia's embassy in Riga. For many Latvians, the war brings back dark memories of the time under Soviet occupation.