Sports and Outdoor activities in Latvia

Ice hockey is the national sport, and the revered national team plays at the 12,500-seat Arena Rīga (Skanstes 21, t6738 8200, wwww.arenariga.com). You’ll need to book in advance for important games.

Outside Rīga there is plenty of scope for outdoor pursuits. A number of beautiful national parks, best visited in the summer and home to dozens of protected species, offer extensive hiking and biking trails ripe for exploration. Canoeing, rafting and extreme sports such as mountain boarding, quad biking and bungee jumping are on offer around Cēsis and Sigulda in the Gauja Valley. Skiing and snowmobiling take over in winter while the port of Ventspils attracts kitesufrers.