The lovely people from Hotel.info and the Latvian tourist association have invited us on an adventure packed week long press trip to Latvia. Starting in Riga we’ll learn all about the major highlights as well as exploring the city for ourselves, then we’ll travel to Skrunda and on to the seaside city of Liepaja. We are even stopping off at a scary looking prison attraction/hotel on the way.

Latvia, and Riga in particular is somewhere that has been on our ‘must-see’ list for a while, so to say we’re looking forward to the trip would be an understatement. Iain Mallory (representing TravelDudes) will also be on the trip and we’ll be meeting lots more lovely people on our journey. Here’s what we’re up to:

Saturday 9th June – Riga

• Arrive and check into Hotel Gutenbergs which is a boutique-style hotel in the centre of the old town.
• Meeting with Live Riga representative and a welcome cocktail from Riga’s trendy Skyline Bar
• Dinner will be at the restaurant B-bar in Old Town and then we’ll start sampling some of Riga’s nightlife!

Sunday 10th June – Riga

• Guided Riga City tour of the Art Nouveau region, old town and Bergs bazaar.
• Lunch at the wine bar Garage in Bergs Bazaar and then we’ll explore the city for ourselves (and probably more bars and nightclubs…)

Monday 11th June – Riga

• Guided city tour to Riga Central market and Spikeri district.
• Lunch at the restaurant Kitchen (described as part restaurant, part laboratory, part art gallery) in the Spikeri district.
• More free time in Riga.

Tuesday 12th June – Leave Riga, arrive at Skrunda and then Liepaja

• Arrive at Skrunda Milk Manor to explore the Museum of Milk, old manor, country sauna house, camp site, tennis courts, lifestyle (health treatments, seminars & trainings, eco food).
• Demonstration of health treatments available.
• Transfer from Skrunda to Liepāja, dinner at Hotel “Kolumbs” restaurant and meeting the head of Liepaja tourism.
• Staying in Hotel Porins which is located in the centre of Old Liepaja.

Wednesday 13th June – Liepaja

• Meet with Judith Abraham, owner of luxury apartments The Lux Pod in Liepāja, Latvia and London, England.
• Liepāja’s architectural heritage (Art Nouveaux, Max Paul Bertchy, authentic wooden architecture from 16th and 17th century).
• A trip to Liepāja blue flag beach.
• Lunch at restaurant “Pastnieka Māja”, and then explore the seaside city for ourselves.
• Stay the night at Hotel Porins.

Thursday 14th June – Liepaja/Karosta

This is our scary prison day (and night).

• Excursion around Karosta Prison
• Interview with Monta Krafte, manager of Karosta Prison and/ or another staff of prison
• Spy game ‘Escape from USSR’
• Moonshine brewing in Karosta Prison
• Ghost hunting night tour (hotel.info)
• And then we’re bravely spending the night in the supposedly haunted Karosta Prison Hotel (eek!) Don’t worry we’ll have our cameras ready just in case!

Friday 15th June – Depart Karosta, arrive Riga

• We’re let loose again on the city of Riga and then staying the night at the Albert Hotel (a design hotel named after Albert Einstein) .

We head back to London on the Saturday 16th June and we promise lots of write ups, travel photos and possibly even a few pictures of (ahem) ghosts. We hope you’ll be following us and Iain Mallory on our #epiclatvia adventure on Twitter.

You might also enjoy these...