Information about Latvia

Latvian Institute

The portal provides overall information in a number of languages on Latvia, its geography, history, politics, culture, society, and other topics. The portal presents the most relevant and notable facts and photographs highlighting the beauty of Latvia's nature, architecture and cultural heritage.

Latvian Culture Vortal

The portal of the Ministry of Culture of Latvia offers detailed up-to-date information on Latvian music, art, theatre, dance, cinema, literature, concerts, performances and other cultural events.

National portal of Latvia, Latvija.lv, your guide to e-Latvia

The Portal was created to provide people in Latvia and abroad with centralised access to electronic services offered by different institutions. The Guide section leads to Internet resources of Latvian state and local authority institutions, structured by sector.

Official tourism portal of Latvia

A portal for an unhurried leisure in Latvia. For travellers, Latvia is a destination to be enjoyed. It is a green land with vast forests and untouched nature, a land with sandy beaches easily reached from cities with an ancient history and cultural tradition, diverse architecture and exciting sights to see. With a slow pace of life in the countryside, with modern cities, with unintrusive yet hospitable people and a safe environment.

Riga – European Capital of Culture 2014

Each year, the European Union designates a city to be the European Capital of Culture (ECC). For a whole year, this city can demonstrate its cultural life and European values to the rest of Europe. The ECC has an excellent opportunity to highlight both the richness and diversity of culture in its country and in Europe as a whole, as well as the link among cultures and people in various countries. The ECC is chosen on the grounds of programmes offered by the candidates that should present long-term measures for cultural, economic and social development in the city.

Umeo and Riga have been designated European Capitals of Culture for 2014.

Virtual tours in Latvia and 360° panoramic images

The Ocean Virtual Tours Agency for several years now has been producing spherical 360° panoramic images of Latvia, virtual tours and multimedia reports from the most attractive sites and notable events.

Currently virtual travellers can immerse themselves in the 800‑year history of Riga, take a virtual tour through Old Town, visit the romantic Liepāja, enjoy the Baroque splendour of Rundāle Castle, tour the Latvian coastline, stand on the Song Festival stage among 12,000 singers, take part in a traditional Summer Solstice rite in Turaida, etc. New exciting virtual routes will soon be opened to tell you more about Latvia, its culture, nature and people.

Virtual Art Gallery

The Virtual Art Gallery is open since 1997. The gallery showcases the classics of Latvian art and developments in modern fine art. Currently the Gallery includes home pages of 168 artists.

Latvian National Museum of Art

The Latvian National Museum of Art is the largest treasury of professional art in the country and plays a notable role in collecting, preserving and promoting cultural values in Latvia and abroad. The museum, on a regular basis, holds art exhibitions, research conferences, various art and cultural events, takes part in international projects, and issues publications.

The structure of the Latvian National Museum of Art includes the museum's main building on Krišājņa Valdemāra iela, the Arsenāls exhibition hall, the Museum of Romans Suta and Aleksandra Beļcova, and since 1 January 2010, also the Museum of Decorative Art and design, and the Museum of Foreign Art.

Music in Latvia

The Music in Latvia portal is supported by Jāzeps Vītols Music Academy of Latvia in association with the Music Information Centre of Latvia.

Latvian National Opera

The source of Latvian opera dates back to 1912 when Pāvuls Jurjāns established the Latviešu Opera in Riga. On January 23, 1919, the Latvian National Opera staged its debut performance, Richard Wagner’s opera Der fliegende Holländer. At present, the Latvian National Opera is a repertory theatre which stages an average of six new performances during the season from September till end of May, keeping balance between opera and ballet. During the season, the LNO shown more than 200 performances and hosts a number of symphony and chamber concerts.