Formerly part of the soviet bloc, Latvia has plenty to offer tourists \u2013 from its elegant art nouveau architecture and ancient castles to the sprawling forests of its National Parks.<\/p>
Most retailers, hotels and restaurants in its capital city of Riga will accept credit card payments using Visa or Mastercard. Smaller credit card networks aren\u2019t as commonly accepted, but you may still be able to use them here and there. The main exception is the famous local markets (which are a destination in themselves) \u2013 you\u2019ll most likely spend euros in cash when buying your souvenirs or meat-based snacks.<\/p>
In smaller Latvian towns, credit card payment isn\u2019t as widely accepted, especially in rural parts of the country. As you might expect, Riga is better set up with ATMs than other parts of the country, but most machines across the country will charge a fee \u2013 so it\u2019s well worth withdrawing some euros before you head out to the Baltic nation.<\/p>
As you\u2019d expect, there are a few potential fees to watch out for when you\u2019re paying with plastic in Latvia.<\/p>
It\u2019s also worth noting that when it comes to cash advances and non-sterling transactions, many card issuers will start charging interest on the day your account is debited, rather than the customary \u201cup to 55 days interest-free<\/a>\u201d that usually applies provided you clear your balance in full each month.<\/p>\n