The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
LAVISH LATVIA
Felicity Donohoe savours food heaven, amazing scenery and the distinctive sight of sauna hats in beautiful Baltic nation
Latvia has been on my bucket list since I became friends with a Latvian student called Svetta some years ago and learned a little about the country, so I jumped at the chance to finally visit in person. Just over two-and-a-half hours away by direct flight from Edinburgh to the capital Riga, this small Baltic country is nestled between Estonia to the north, Lithuania and Belarus to the south and its enormous eastern neighbour, Russia.
Arriving a little later in the evening, we headed straight for the The Grand Poet hotel in the old town, with views over the neighbouring park, and within walking
distance of landmarks such as the National Opera House, 13th Century buildings and historic monuments.
The hotel’s stunning architecture, lavish suites and superb food meant the trip started off with some real five-star luxury.
A quick sauna and dip in the pool the next morning, along with a light breakfast, set the day up nicely as we met with our guide, Juris.
We headed to the old town and the wonderful market area, made distinct by the fact each type of produce (fruit and veg, bakery, meat, dairy and sweets) was housed within its own massive Zeppelin aircraft
I EMERGED FROM THE SAUNA FOUR HOURS LATER FEELING LIKE A NEW PERSON
hangar. It was quite an impressive sight. It was also my first sight of a sauna hat.
“Everyone wears them,” our guide assured me. I suspected it was just a prank on tourists but Latvians take their saunas very seriously, as I was to find out.
After a visit to St Peter’s Church and Riga Cathedral, next stop was a nearby restaurant, The Three Chefs, for lunch, where modern food was served, and veggie requests quickly and cheerfully dealt with.
A six-course tasting menu is available for 65 euros, and includes some lively choices such as hamachi ceviche, Baltic herring with horseradish, kohlrabi, cucumber and sunflower oil – or even ostrich tartare.
The menu may have been cosmopolitan here but the Latvian attachment to local herbs was obvious, especially at the Gimlet Nordic Bar, our next destination. Here,
mixologist Edgars wowed and dazzled with a combination of Latvian and Nordic flavours using wild herbs, berries, beetroot, pines, wild cherries, carrots and radishes, with kombucha brewed on the spot, in our drinks.
As we tried several, accompanied by a charcuterie and cheeseboard, we became more adventurous, making suggestions for flavours, which Edgars flamboyantly rustled up in two shakes of a cocktail mixer.
Taste buds buzzing, it was an evening to remember.
Next day we headed to the countryside to visit the resort town of Aluksne. Beyond the city boundaries, remnants of the Sovietera occupation of Latvia scar the landscape, decayed buildings sitting side-by-side with energetic, revitalised structures.
Almost 50% of the country is covered in trees. Nature and outdoor living are extremely important to Latvians, and Lake Aluksne sees thousands descend on the area in the summer and for winter sports when the lake is frozen.
“Yes, we race motorbikes across it with skiers attached,” our guide tells me matterof-factly. I can’t believe I’ve never seen this.
We were also fortunate enough to meet biologist and TV presenter Maris Olte at Erglu Station – a kind of pop-up restaurant housed in an old train station.
On a walking tour through a forest with
him, we saw serene silver birch, rivers and acres of wild garlic, which we picked to be quickly whipped into a dip for bread on our return to the station.
With clean air, forests, good food and a cheerful disposition, our final night at Ziedlejas, a traditional Latvian sauna and bath house, was the perfect end to the trip.
Hidden in the Sigulda countryside, Ziedlejas reveals the deep-rooted Latvian culture where saunas are key to wellbeing.
The location was beautiful. The cabins had floor-to-ceiling windows set in the midst of nature, with a minimalist, Japanese design, a space-saving table that disappeared into the floor and a fold-down bed.
The sauna – or pirt – had two masters (with sauna hats) and once disrobed we were taken to a large circular room with a central stone stove. Lying on a bench, the pirt masters set about their work with birch branches, massage and a honey, salt and soda scrub, creating a full detox and cleanse.
Four hours later I emerged feeling like a new person. And maybe a little light-headed.
A visit to Latvia is superb value for money, with a lively, contemporary city life matched with a genuine appreciation of nature and outdoor living.
I will definitely be returning – and with my own sauna hat.