Changes

|currency = Lats Euro (LVLEUR) |BW = LV|hitch = {{good}}<rating country='lv' />

'''Latvia''' is a Baltic country. It is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. It boarders with borders [[Estonia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Russia]] and [[Belarus]]. There are a lot of young people just hitchhiking around the country, to their hometowns, festivals , etc. Especially , especially during summer, so most probably you'll probably meet someone on the road as well. People are used to hitchhikers and it is fairly easy to get a lift. Even in the middle of nowhere, whether along important routes, even along such as the [[E67]] (''Via Baltica''), it's quite easy to get a rideor in the middle of nowhere.

 It is allowed to hitchhike in Latvia (at least there are no laws which forbid that), but of course in places where you do not danger road safety. It is a common practice here to use signs of the cities, or countries where you want to get a ride to, but thumb also works fine.

<!-- Please keep in alphabetic order (after Riga) -->* [[Riga]], the capital of Latvia's capital* [[Balvi]]* [[Cēsis]]* [[Gulbene]]

 The Latvian pupulation population is divided in two parts. into Latvian speaking speakers and Russian speaking (especially in the East)speakers. Most of adult Latvians will know both languages, especially adults. So if If you know some Russian , feel free to use ithere. Most of young people will speak English as well. Or if noIf they don't, they will at least try, to communicate in it if they see you are a foreigner who needs help. Some people might speak German as well. To catch some phrases you can also check [[Eastern Europe phrasebook]]. === Border crossings === '''Towards''' [[Russia]] [[Terehova-Zasitino border crossing|Terehova-Zasitino]], for direction [[Moscow]]<br>[[Grebnova-Gavry border crossing|Grebnova-Gavry]], for direction [[Pskov]], [[St. Petersburg]]  '''Towards''' [[Belarus]] [https://www.google.com/maps/place/55%C2%B043'06.5%22N+26%C2%B052'27.4%22E/@55.718463,26.8721013,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d55.7184603!4d26.8742901?hl=en Urbany (BLR) / Silene (LV)] (bel. Урбаны, rus. Урбаны) – located on [[P68]] some 35 km to the south-east from [[Daugavpils|Daugavpils]] on the way to [[Braslaŭ|Braslaŭ]].<br>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/55%C2%B049'14.4%22N+27%C2%B037'32.0%22E/@55.820655,27.6233543,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d55.8206521!4d27.6255431?hl=en Ryhoraŭščyna (BLR) / Paternieki (LV)] (bel. Рыгораўшчына, rus. Григоровщина) – located on [[A6]] some 75 km to the east from [[Daugavpils|Daugavpils]] and 35 km from [[Krāslava|Krāslava]] on the way to [[Vierchniadzvinsk|Vierchniadzvinsk]], [[Polack|Polack]], [[Navapolack|Navapolack]], [[Viciebsk|Viciebsk]].  Because of Schengen agreement, there are are '''no border control points''' between Latvia and Lithuania / Estonia. === Roads ===Roads are getting better but don't expect European standards, especially in winter and early spring when temperature fluctuations destroy asphalt pretty easily. Be careful on dirt roads in countryside regions. Not only you get dust in your face from vehicles, but sometimes you can be hit by stones. On the other hand, traveling those roads usually offer the most beautiful and authentic scenery.

Image:IMG 7303.JPG|[[User:Tiziano|Tiziano]] hitching in Latvia