Latvia is a Baltic country in Northern Europe that shares land borders with Russia, Belarus, Estonia, and Lithuania. Though very small in size, Latvia is a significant Baltic state due to its ancient heritage, culture, art, and history. The Republic of Latvia is distributed in 76 towns and cities, each city carries its individual history and claim to fame. We’ll explore some major towns and cities later in this article.
Owing to its relaxed lifestyle, ease of settling in, and comparatively low cost, retirees are becoming more and more attracted to retiring in the Republic over the years. There are a number of ways you can gain temporary and permanent long-term residence in Latvia.
Retirement visa
For retirees (senior citizens) the Latvian government offers residence permits for seniors, known as “Retirement Visas”. The said visa is valid for up to 5 years. The three primary conditions to be illegible for this visa are:
- The nationality of the applicant has not been banned by the government
- Can finance his/her stay and maintain a decent living
- Has reached the official retirement age, which is 65 years
Perks of living in Latvia
Besides being inexpensive and easily accessible, here are some extraordinary features that will clear any doubts about retiring to Latvia.
Sights & Sounds
First and foremost, Latvia is a peaceful rural country. A country drenched in history, culture, and dazzling beauty. Latvian folk are friendly and welcoming with a decent sense of humor. The capital city Riga is a vibrant city full of restaurants, pubs, bars, and music clubs. Riga is an old town and the entire landscape reflects that. If you wander outside the main city of Riga, you get a chance to explore four national parks. The monumental Gauju National Park is one of the main tourist attractions, it has 500 monuments on display!
More than half of the Latvian wilderness has never been inhabited or touched in any way; hence offering nature in its purest form.
Property & rents
After joining the European Union and being declared a Eurozone, Latvia has become an attraction for foreigners. This has increased real estate prices significantly. However, there are plenty of cheap apartments available that will cost you as low as EUR 500 per month. As you go higher in luxury and accessibility the prices go up accordingly.
Healthcare system
It is encouraging to know that the healthcare system in Latvia is perpetually pushing boundaries toward providing better healthcare. A general increase in aging people and higher life expectancy are evidence of the healthcare available in Latvia. Especially the startups tend to have a more collaborative attitude compared to the established hospitals; these startups collaborate with their international counterparts on medicine, innovation in surgery, and modern palliative care.
Big & small cities
The biggest and most modern city in Latvia is Riga, with a population of just above 600,000 people. While the smallest city is Durbe, with only 500 inhabitants! Liepaja, another major city of Latvia is like a favorite child of Latvians. A coastal town, Liepaja is treated with affection and love and is considered a honeymoon spot by the locals.
While our ears have waxed hearing about how romantic Paris is, and only after a visit there, does a person realize all the hullaballoo is just a stunt to rip tourists off their hard-earned money? If you wish to see a genuinely romantic city, come visit Kuldiga. The city is nothing short of an epic historical movie scene, set in 17th & 18th century Europe. Cobblestoned winding streets, gushing rivers, brick houses, and picturesque views combined with the starry night is a perfect background to fall in love at the first sight!
