Follow the light trail, explore the Christmas markets and discover the best places to eat and stay. Christmas Markets Editor's Pick Latvia.
Spending time with loved ones is a must at Christmas, and what better way to smile and laugh with friends or family than on a short break in a truly magical location? These longer hours of darkness also provide the opportunity for some beautiful light displays, with the Christmas light trail always a real draw. From December to February, be sure to take the time for a stroll through Riga's parks, to both please the eye and warm the heart.
Here, you'll find a whole host of winter-themed light installations to help brighten the darker evenings. Some hang from the trees, while others reach up out of the ground; some glitter off the snow that crunches beneath your feet, while others create glimmering reflections in the canal. Follow the trail from start to finish until you reach the centrepiece โ always a photo-worthy spot. Riga Black Balsam was created in by apothecary Abraham Kunze and promoted for its healing properties legend has it that Catherine the Great had an illness cured by the drink when she visited the city.
Today, it comprises 24 natural ingredients โ including 17 botanicals โ and contains herbs and roots such as valerian, wormwood, ginger and gentian. The botanicals are infused in a water-spirit mix in a barrel, then the resulting essence is blended with other ingredients such as honey, caramel and natural juices. This is then poured into a clay bottle, where it interacts with the natural material and continues to develop for the next 6 months.
Only the master distiller and his apprentice know the exact details of the creation process, which adds an intriguing air of mystery to this unique drink. Also worth a try is the traditional sklandrausis , an open tart which mixes sweet and spiced flavours and is eaten cold; a layer of sweet rye dough is topped with potato and carrot paste, with spices such as caraway, cinnamon and cloves sometimes also added.
