Elisabetta Povia’s Top 5

1. THE BIGGEST MARKET IN EUROPE

In Riga they boast of having the biggest market in Europe. It’s held among the former warehouses where they used to make Zeppelins, airships used by the Germans. You can find everything there: food and otherwise, all manner of goods imaginable from the Latvian countryside and also from neighbouring Russia. A chaos of sounds, shouting and flavours at exceptional prices. An obligatory experience for anyone passing through Riga.

2. OUT OF THE CITY: JURMALA

It’s the place where all inhabitants of Riga escape for a trip to the sea. That’s what they say, even if it seems strange; Riga itself rises out over the sea. But Jurmala is something else, with its dunes, the stretch of beach, the trees and the old houses. Other places to visit are the castle of Sigulda and the Rastrelli of Rundale palace.

3. THE ETERNAL STAND-OFF: LATVIANS VS RUSSIANS

Even if Latvians are inclined to build and reinforce their nation, something normal for populations who have only recently obtained their independence, around 30% of ‘Latvians’ are in fact Russian; even in Riga the number of people of Latvian ethnicity is exceeded by Russians. This identity crisis has created a few small problems, but it isn’t a definite impediment for the country, which in the course of history has had to suffer significant maltreatment, to transform itself rapidly.

4. THE LAND OF AMBER

Like all of the Baltic, the Latvian territory has been known since antiquity to produce amber, used for making jewellery, pendants, amulets etc. In Ancient Egypt, Assyria, Greece and the Roman Empire it was considered more precious than gold. Amber has also been used for pharmaceutical purposes since it contains an acid which was considered to have incredible medical properties.

5. THE EVENT: THE FESTIVAL OF NATIONAL SINGING

The first festival of national singing was held in Latvia in 1873. This display, which is held every five years for a week and finishes with a huge choir in the great open-air amphitheatre in the capital, has over the years become the most exhilarating event in the calendar with around 20,000 artists participating, from singers to amateur dancers. The most important festival of the year is dedicated to the summer solstice and is deeply rooted in the most ancient Latvian traditions. The great shows for the Festival of Jani begin on June 23rd, when the population moves to the countryside for the celebrations in the middle of lakes and pine forests. For the occasion, special beers, cheeses and cakes are prepared and garlands of flowers and herbs are made and hung around house to keep away evil spirits, and special songs called Ligo are performed around a fire.

Video. YANA KAY, LATVIAN SINGER (DURATION: 4 MINUTES)