About Germany

Being the largest country in Central Europe, Germany offers even a casual visitor a wealth of sights and sounds from hyper modern and fashionable cities to the sublime southern regions that border the Alps. Beautiful, vibrant cities display some of the very best of what the country has to offer, while in the quieter corners of the country, the landscape is filled with significant UNESCO World Heritage sites and unspoiled treasures. With its prime position in the Baltic Sea, Germany is the perfect gateway to mainland Europe with ferries arriving from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Russia. The ports of Kiel, Rostock and Travemunde are the more popular destinations and can be reached from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Norway. The port of Sassnitz is another option for those coming from Sweden and also provides a link from the island of Bornholm while Lubeck is destination for ferries departing on the long trip from Russia. The shortest and most frequently operated route to Germany is the 12 mile ferry link between Rødby (Lolland,Denmark) and Puttgarden, a village on the island of Fehmarn. The trip takes around 45 minutes and there are up to 2 sailings an hour. Poland is also a good alternative entry point for those travelling to Germany. Though some of the of the departure ports are the same as those used for the crossings to Germany, the schedule and duration at sea may be a better fit for your plans. If you're travelling from the UK to Germany, as the direct link from Harwich to Cuxhaven ceased many years ago, you'll need to travel via France, Belgium or Holland and drive across. Whether the country is your final destination or you’re just passing through, all of Germany's major towns and cities are well connected by major infrastructure, and offer many options for onward travel. The German motorway network covers some 7,500 miles ranking it among the most dense and longest highway systems in the world. For those that aren't travelling by vehicle, the German railway network is modern, comprehensive and very efficient, not just domestically but also for onward travel to countries all over Europe.

About Latvia

Latvia is a Baltic Nation in northern Europe, sandwiched between Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. With its turbulent Soviet rule now in the distant past, Latvia has thrived as one of Europe’s up and coming tourist destinations. Seemingly endless nature makes up the majority of the landscape, with unspoilt forests and sparkling lakes offering mouth-watering backdrops to any hike or bike ride. Latvia’s capital and primary cultural attraction, Riga is a cosmopolitan, cobblestoned city with a UNESCO World Heritage Site decorated old town. Straddling the Daugava River, it offers a mix of historical splendour and contemporary entertainment, boasting some excellent nightclubs alongside some wonderful, wooden architecture. For a relatively small country, Latvia has a few ports along its five hundred kilometre coastline, so it’s easy to reach by ferry. Across the Baltic Sea, there are numerous routes from countries in northern Europe and Scandinavia.