Shopping in Latvia - outlets, shopping streets and boutiques

Shopping has long become an integral part of almost any vacation, especially if this vacation is abroad. Latvia is no exception in this matter. For a number of reasons, the best shopping is in the capital of this Baltic country - the city of Riga.

Shopping in Riga is not cheap but exciting despite relatively high prices. Shopping is possible in any city district, as shopping malls can be found at every turn. The oldest shopping center in Riga is “Galerija Centrs” located in the Old Town. This center houses many shops and boutiques offering clothes, shoes, cosmetics, home appliances and a wide range of other goods. It's not easy to get lost in the Central Gallery. The information in different languages is available on information boards. The newest and one of the largest shopping malls is Riga Gallery. On its 7th and 8th floors, you'll find fashionable restaurants and a terrace with a skating rink. An interesting feature of shopping in Riga is the fact that its largest venues are on the outskirts of the city. At the same time, within the city, there is just a huge number of clothing, souvenir, grocery shops, and sweet boutiques. Their largest concentration can be found in the “Berg's Bazaar” quarter right in the heart of the Latvian capital. On every Saturday there is the Farmer's Market, which became famous thanks to products from Latvian farms that are considered the most eco-friendly.

Riga's outlets are just starting their development. This is a relatively new sphere, so it can hardly be called diverse. Nevertheless, several outlets are open in the capital. Here you can buy clothes and accessories from fashionable European brands at reasonable prices. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

All kinds of jewelry and small things made of amber, ceramic crafts, Riga Black Balsam and sweets are very popular as souvenirs brought from Latvia. Amber souvenirs, which are of great importance for any Latvian, often serve as memorable gifts for relatives and friends. Amber and souvenirs made of it can be bought in almost any big store or small shop. Prices are different. The closer to the city center, the higher the prices. Amber is used for producing women's jewelry, fridge magnets, key rings, all sorts of small figurines. Along with amber, another pride of Latvia is ceramics. Ceramic products are sold everywhere. A local flavor gives them a special authentic look. The next Latvian calling card is Riga Black Balsam. Its traditional recipe includes as many as 24 ingredients. These include all kinds of herbs, roots, berries. A bottle of this balsam warms up not only the stomach but also the soul. In Latvia, many tourists buy chocolates and various sweets as souvenirs. A leading brand on the local market of sweets is "Laima". Many of its sweets recipes have remained unchanged for decades. In Latvia, you can also buy high-quality cosmetics, and many tourists, especially the fair sex, are happy to bring it home as a souvenir. "Dzintars" trademark is popular not only in Latvia but also far beyond its borders. Its branded products are sold at every step, so there will be no problems with buying this kind of souvenir.

Large shopping centers in Latvia are open daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. In any store and on the market you can pay in cash. The country's currency is Euro. Tourists with plastic credit cards have no problems with payments as well. Here's one more interesting thing. Walking through shopping malls, visitors can accidentally witness all sorts of events and actions like fashion shows, trade fairs or children's parties. Holding these kinds of events in shopping centers is a common thing in Riga.

Tourists who go shopping should not forget about Tax free. Many Latvian stores work with this system. To make sure that a given shop offers Tax free, look for an appropriate sticker on its door. When making a purchase, you must present your passport to the seller and fill in your personal data in the check. After that, the goods will be packaged. Goods cannot be opened before passing through customs and crossing the border, otherwise, a tax of 17% of the total value of the goods will not be returned.