Latvia: the Gap Year pros and cons

Latvia crams a lot in its small space. A pristine coast, lakes, forests and the cosmopolitan, history packed capital of Riga.

Latvia has a low cost of living and a good infrastructure.

Riga is a lively, cosmopolitan city and a unique mix of medieval, Art Nouveau and Soviet architecture.

Latvia’s home to a remarkable 500km of Baltic coastline – the majority of which are white-sand beaches backed by forest.

It’s rich in nature – if you hike, cycle or camp its very easy to have the place to yourself.

It’s a good base for exploring Estonia, Sweden, Finland and Lithuania.

Not everyone speaks English, but it’s easy to get by if you don’t speak Latvian.

The Winters are harsh and dark. From October to March the weather can be unpredictable.

Tourist hotspots in Riga are increasingly becoming home to pickpocketing, scams and drink spiking.

The stag party scene remains strong in Riga.

Drinking alcohol in public is illegal.