Service

BANKS & MONEY
Latvian currency is the Latvian lats (Ls or LVL) and santīms (1 Lats = 100 santīmi). Latvian currency is fully convertible.
There are no limits for exchanging money in Latvia. You can exchange your currency in banks. The usual opening hours for the banks is 8:00 –17.00, but they could vary a bit.
Three largest banks are Unibanka, Latvijas Krājbanka and Swedbanka, DnB Nord . You should easily see and find them all in your way from the dormitory to school.
If you have VISA or MasterCard, look for the ATM near the bank to withdraw your money.
There are shops that also accept cards, but you should look for VISA and EC/ MC stickers on the door or ask the shop assistant to be sure.

Location of main banks (and cash withdrawal machines):
Latvijas Krājbanka - Rīgas street 27 (Rīgas street 27, Stacijas street 11 (Shop “Top”))
SEB - Rīgas street 40 (Rīgas street 40, Rīgas street 4 (Trade centre "Valleta" (+ cash in)), Stacijas street 11 (Veikals "Top"), Tērbatas street 18 (Shop “Apaļais”))
Swedbank - Rīgas street 15 (Rīgas street 15, Rīgas street 4 (Trade centre "Valleta"), Rīgas street (Valmiera Olympic Centre), 31 Rīgas street 87 (Veikals "Tornis"), Stacijas street 11 (Veikals "Top"), Jumaras street 195 (Hospital (Vidzemes slimnīca)), Rubenes street 51(Shop "Supernetto"))
Parex Banka - Diakonāta street 6
DnB NORD Banka - Rīgas street 13 ( G.Apiņa 10a (Shop Maxima), Rīgas street 4 (Trade centre "Valleta"), Stacijas street 29 (Fuel station "Statoil")

Some currency rates:
1 LVL = 2.24 USD 1 USD = 0.49 LVL
1 LVL = 1.42 EUR 1 EUR = 0.70 LVL

TELEPHONE
You can find cardphones in all the buildings and dormitories of Vidzeme University College. There are also cardphones nearby trade center "Valleta” and in some other places in Valmiera. To find the cardphone, look for the cabin with the sign Lattelekom. To use cardphones you should buy the card in newsstand or Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. The card for 2 or 3 lats (LVL) should be enough for the beginning.
The numbers in Latvia usually consist of 7 digits for the phone and 8 digits for the mobile phone. Look for the instructions in the cabin of the cardphone.
It is possible to buy a prepaid card for the mobile phone. There are three companies that offer pre-paid cards: Amigo, OKarte(Latvian Mobile Phone), Zelta Zivtiņa (Tele 2), BiFri (BITE). The pre-paid cards can be bought in ‘’Narvessen’’ shops (in Valmiera - Rīgas 39, Rīgas 4 (Trade center „Valleta”), Cēsu 2), ‘’Plus Punkts’’ kiosks (opposite the bus station) and other places.


MAIL DELIVERIES
If you want to send a postcard or letter, place it in the yellow post boxes attached to the buildings on the streets. Mail is collected every day, except Sundays.

Post offices:
Valmiera Post Office Kurjerpasts (Express mail)
Rīgas street 34, Rīgas street 4
Open: Mon. – Fr. 8 – 18 Open: Mon. – Fr. 14:00 – 17:00
Sat. 8 – 16 Closed: Sat., Sun.
Closed: Sun.

Usually it takes up to three days for a letter to reach its addressee within territory of Latvia; a week for letter with addressee living somewhere else in Europe and up to two weeks if the destination is somewhere outside Europe. Postal services are reliable and you can be sure your letter/postcard will reach the goal.

Stamps:
Postcard: Letter:
within Latvia Ls 0, 15 Ls 0, 22
within Europe Ls 0, 36 Ls 0, 45
outside Europe Ls 0, 40 Ls 0, 50

If you want to have mail sent to you during the studies, then use the following address:
Your name
Baltic International Summer School
Vidzemes augstskola
Cēsu 4
LV-4200 Valmiera
LATVIA


CHURCHES
There are several churches in Valmiera:

Lutheran Church - Bruņinieku street 2, phone: 64200333
Roman Catholic Church - Stacijas street 24, phone: 64235645
Orthodox Church - Rīgas street 22, phone: 26585304
Nearby the Orthodox Church is also the Baptist church - G.Apiņa 4, phone 29287140


LIBRARY
The library of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences is situated in Cēsu street 4. It is the most modern library in Latvia with provided internet for free (and WiFi for laptops as well).
Print-outs costs 0,03 LVL per A4 sheet. You will receive the print-outs and pay at the counter.
Photocopying for individual purposes: 0,04 LVL per A4 sheet.
Literature in the library is mostly up to date and in English, but the most of periodicals and newspapers are in Latvian.
Open: Mon., Tue., Wed., Thu., Fr 10:00 – 19:00
Sat. 10:00- 16:00
Closed: Sun.

LAUNDRY
There are no washing machines in the VUC dormitories, but is possible to do your laundry by company SANO in Valmiera. Address: Rīgas street 45.


EATING OUT
Cafes:
Mellene - Cēsu street 4
Bastions - Bastiona street 24
Gaujas krasta pagrabiņi - Gaujas krasta pagrabiņi 2
Ieva - Rīgas street 26
Čili pica - G. Apiņa street 10a, www.cili.lv
(Indoor and also outdoor café in shop „Maxima”)
Jauna Saule- Rīgas Rīga street 10, www.jaunasaule.lv
Kafijas nams Elēna - Garā street 8
Kafejnīca, Kafijas nams „Elēna”- Garā iela 8
Kafejnīva „Vidzeme” - Ausekļa iela 31
Suzanna - Rīgas street 27
(Indoor and also outdoor café near bank “Latvijas Krājbanka”.)
Teātra kafejnīca „Ceturtais cēliens” - Lāčplēša street 4, www.ceturtaisceliens.lv
Agnese - Tērbatas street 16a, www.wolmar.lv
(Indoor and also outdoor café in hotel “Wolmar”.)

Bistros:
Rimants - Rīgas street 36
(On your way to the dorms. Fast food – fries, salads, potatoes, meat etc.)
„Hesburger” - Rīgas iela 4 (Trade center „Valleta”) www.hesburger.lv
“Karlienas ķēķis” - Cēsu street 11
(In a bus station. Varied food and pizzas. It is okey to eat there in daytime, but be carefull with this place at late evenings as it is very popular between people who love fights and alcohol.)

Restaurants:
Rātes vārti - Lāčplēša street 1
(Good service, good meal, restaurant-kind of café.)
Rossini - Bruņinieku street 3, www.rossini.lv
(In the same building as the Museum of Regional Studies.)

Food stores:
There are many small and big food stores in Valmiera. The biggest food stores are:
Top - Stacijas street 11
Austris - Rīgas street 24
Ķekavas Broileri - Cēsu street 11 (near bus station)
Tornis - Rīgas street 87 (near the dormitory)
Leader Price – Ausekļa street 29 (near the dormitory)
IKI- Rīgas street 4 (Trade center „Valleta”)

The 24 hour stores in Valmiera are two petrol stations: ‘’Statoil’’ Stacijas str. 29 and Ausekļa str. 26

It is possible to order pizzas in Valmiera:
’Štoka pica’’ – 64225335,
“Jauna saule” – 64224444, Rīgas street 10
“Čili pica” - 64228558, G.Apiņa street 10a
‘’Vērdiņš’’ – 64223808

NB! You can not buy any alcohol in shops after 22:00 in Latvia. It’s not allowed to be in public place with opened bottle of strong drinks (incl. beer).


MEDICAL SERVICE AND PHARMACY
Drugstores (in Latvian: “aptieka”):
Ausekļa aptieka - Ausekļa street 29 (near the dormitory)
Pilsētas aptieka - Rīgas street 16 (just opposite the Swedbanka).
Medpro aptieka – Rīgas street 33

If you have health problems, please contact BISS staff and they will help you to find an appropriate doctor.