Baltic countries refers to three countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) in Northern Europe on the eastern coast of Baltic sea. These three countries were independent, then occupied by Soviet Union, among the first to break away in 1990s. Today they are members of European Union and NATO. All three countries uses the EURO as their currency. Visitors usually visit all three countries together as it is easy to travel from one Baltic country to another and there are many interesting sites to see along the way. You can choose to either travel from south to north (Lithuania to Estonia) or from north to south (Estonia to Lithuania).
Leaving Riga in the morning to Sigulda, a town in the Vidzeme Region located 53km away from Riga. Because of its lovely landscapes, Sigulda is known as the Switzerland of Latvia.
The city of Riga has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in the world and is generally recognized that Riga has the finest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. Outside the old town, there a few more attractions which are also worth a visit including the Freedom Monument, Latvian National Opera, Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Central Market and Latvian Academy of Science where I enjoyed the panoramic of Riga City.
Riga, Latvia’s capital city, was founded in 1201 and over the following 800 years was occupied by Germans, Poles, Swedes and Russians. Latvia finally became an independent country in 1991 after long years of Soviet domination. In 1997, Riga Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania I proceed on with my journey to Latvia. First stop in Latvia is the 18th century Rundale Palace. The journey took about an hour. Rundale Palace is a summer residence for the Dukes of Courland and it's one of the two must visit place in Latvia.
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