Page 338 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

336 TRA VELLERS ’ NEEDS

SHOPPING IN LATVIA

Numerous supermarkets and shopping normally good places to pick up interesting
centres have opened in major towns and cities mementos when a town or village lacks a
throughout the country since 1991. However, dedicated souvenir retailer. Several workshops
Rīga undoubtedly has the country’s largest across the country allow visitors to watch
range of shopping options. This is particularly artisans at work and even make their own
true when it comes to items likely to be of pottery, woodwork and other items to take
interest to visitors, although outside the home. Latvian markets cater mostly to local
capital it is usually possible to find typical people, but can still be fascinating places to
handicraft items such as amber jewellery and visit. Local honey, chocolate, beer or a bottle of
embroidered knitwear. Museum gift shops are Black Balsam can make excellent gifts.

Opening Hours
in the airport or the land at tourists and are most useful
Most shops in Latvia open borders with Russia, at for everyday food purchases.
around 10am. Small shops close Terehova and Grebņeva. However, some markets are
around 6 or 7pm, while bigger For departures from other extremely atmospheric, such
malls and shopping centres locations, the receipt should as Petertirgus in the covered
usually stay open until 10pm. be stamped and sent to Global market hall in Liepāja (see
Many small shops remain closed Blue Latvia (see p339), along pp184–5), which is a real throw-
on Sundays. with the visitor’s bank details, back to the Soviet era. In the
within six months. summer months, some
markets, like the ones in
How to Pay Jūrmala, sell souvenirs as
Sales
In cities and large towns, it is well as fresh produce.
possible to pay with debit Although locally made items
cards and major credit cards are fairly cheap compared to
such as MasterCard or VISA. those in other EU countries, Department Stores and
Some places will also accept prices for imported goods tend Shopping Malls
American Express and Diners to be high in Latvia, a situation Most sizeable towns have at
Club. In smaller towns and which has not been helped by least one department store or
villages cash payment in the regular bouts of high inflation. supermarket. Several malls and
local currency, the euro, may One way of picking up a shopping centres have been
be the only option. bargain is to visit the end-of- built in important cities such
It is rare for traveller’s season sales, when shops as Rīga, Ventspils, Liepāja and
cheques to be accepted as reduce their prices. Daugavpils. Some of these
payment outside Rīga, the malls are loca ted in the
capital city, although those outskirts of the cities, while
issued by major companies Markets others are more central and
can usually be exchanged at Most Latvian towns have easy to access. The larger
most banks. regular or even daily markets, retailers include Rimi, Maxima
although they are rarely aimed and Mego.
VAT Exemption
Visitors from non-EU countries
are entitled to a VAT refund of
up to 12 per cent, provided
that the items were purchased
in a shop displaying the “Tax
Free” logo and the total price
of purchases made from the
shop was at least 50 euros.
Identification must be shown
at the point of purchase, and a
Global Refund receipt com-
pleted. Purchased items
cannot be used until the
receipt is stamped by a
customs official when leaving
the country. The VAT can be
reclaimed at the customs zone Collection of fresh produce for sale at the Central Market, Rīga