For travellers, the best thing about Latvia is that it is so compact. Its 500 km of sandy beaches are easily reached from historical towns, where medieval hanseatic foundations support baroque and art nouveau buildings, that become venues for cultural festivals during the summer. Families of storks happily give their seal of approval to the unspoilt nature, fresh air and clean water around them. In addition to Riga, its spectacular gateway, there are 6 other UNESCO world heritage listed sites. A

Russian banya At first glance, the Russian banya looks like an extreme sport. Friends and strangers beat each other with branches from birch trees in a devilishly hot atmosphere. When this is finished, they  run for the exit to jump into an icy-cold pool. If you're alone, you can always hire an attendant to give you a beating. It is not only a wondrous feeling (trust me), but unbelievably good for you. You get a special burst of energy after taking a steam in a Russian bathhouse, because all

Hotel Astoria occupies an unrivalled setting in St Isaac's Square at the hub of St Petersburg's city centre. Complementing the beauty and heritage of St Petersburg, the 169 rooms at Hotel Astoria are carefully furnished with comfort and tranquility in mind. Contemporary facilities share a harmonious space with elegant decor, luxurious marble bathrooms. Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria is not only the ideal resting place for leisure visitors to this historic city. Business travelers are welcomed with

Modern and classic elegance is the restaurant Navalis located in the central part of Klaipeda. Every visit to this restaurant provides a unique possibility to open the gates into the world of cuisine together with the play of pleasant aroma and healthy natural food taste, revealing secrets and traditions of versatile cultures. Navalis offers you a fascinating, amazing and satisfying festivity, revealing unknown aspects of familiar things. This is a suggestion both to business lunch and evening