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TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
Why travel to Riga: Find out the top 10 reasons to visit
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01
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A Sneak Peek into Riga
- More than a third of Latvia's population lives in Riga, the capital and largest city.
- The city is located on the Gulf of Riga, with the Daugava River running through it. It is one of the Baltics' most important administrative, financial, and cultural hubs.
- Throughout history, the city has been dominated by everyone from the Swedes and Poles to the Soviet Union due to its essential and scenic location.
- The former Hanseatic League member has a fascinating history to explore, with many beautiful historic sites to see.
- Aside from its gorgeous mediaeval Old Town, which houses many of the city's key tourist attractions, the city has the most Art Nouveau structures in the world.
- Including fashionable pubs, hip cafes, beautiful restaurants, and adjacent Jurmala beaches, there are many things to see.
- Capital - Riga
- International Airport - Riga International Airport (RIX)
- Population - 614,618
- Currency - the Euro
- Time - GMT+2
- Driving side - Right
- Main electricity - 230 V
- Official Language - Latvian
- Religion – Christianity
02
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Top Tourist Attractions in Riga
- Take a stroll through the Old Town.
- Take in the vista from St. Peter's Church.
- Pay a visit to the House of the Blackheads.
- Consider the Three Brothers.
- Visit the Latvian Occupation Museum.
- Visit the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ.
- Pay a visit to the Riga Ghetto Museum.
- Visit the Riga Central Market for lunch.
03
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
Best Months to Visit Riga
- Summers are relatively short (approximately mid-June to late August), and while there may be a run of hot, dry days, showers and cool nights are also possible.
- Remember to bring a waterproof jacket and a warm jumper in addition to your T-shirts.
- Temperatures begin to fall rapidly after mid-September. However, autumn may be a charming season to visit, with the golden-brown leaves of deciduous trees contrasting with the dark-green pines.
- The first snowfalls can occur as early as mid-November, and winter arrives with a vengeance by early to mid-December.
- Average daytime temperatures can remain below zero until March, with temperatures dropping to minus 15-20°C in freezing spells.
- Winter may be a magnificent period, with frozen lakes, rivers, vast swaths of the Baltic Sea, and crunchy snow cover providing an air of enchantment to mediaeval city centres.
- Rural places, on the other hand, can be challenging to reach without a four-wheel-drive car (only the main routes are showploughed), and you'll need to be well-prepared to withstand anything but the shortest of hikes. Wherever you are in the cold, a hat or head covering is an absolute must.
- Even after the spring thaw, the countryside might remain bleak and lifeless until late April (or even May in northern Estonia), when a burst of colour alters the landscape.
- The countryside turns verdant, luring cattle and horses out of their winter stalls while city inhabitants rush for the pavement cafés.
04
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
The Best Places to Visit in Riga
Old City
- The Old City, located right on the banks of the Daugava River, is home to Riga's oldest and most spectacular buildings, historic sights, and cultural landmarks.
- Locals call it Vecriga, and the tangle of little streets and cobblestone roads that lead to centuries-old cathedrals and churches, exquisite palaces, and pretty squares is fascinating to explore.
- While many structures were damaged or destroyed during WWII, most of them are still in good condition.
- There are charming tiny cafes, restaurants, and bars to discover within this captivating collection of mediaeval monuments.
- This makes Riga so enjoyable to visit, as old and new blend so well in the historic Hanseatic City.
House of the Black Heads
- The House of the Black Heads was bombed to smithereens by the Nazis during WWII and meticulously reconstructed between 1996 and 1999.
- It now appears much more beautiful, with magnificent statues and intricate ornamentation adorning its bright red exterior.
- The original structure was constructed in the 1330s and housed unwed business people and shipowners.
- As such, it was an important commerce and trade hub in the city. You may now tour its equally gorgeous interior, view its vast ballrooms, and learn about the guild's power and renown.
- The House of the Black Heads, located in Town Hall Square, is, without a doubt, Riga's most beautiful structure.
Central Market
- Riga's Central Market, housed in a vast series of pavilions that were previously German Zeppelin hangars, is alive with activity and a lot of fun to explore.
- Each part has its specialisation; one offers meat and fish, while another has rows and rows of fruit and vegetable stands.
- Furthermore, it is an excellent location for purchasing local delicacies or handcrafted souvenirs.
- Keep an eye out for the beautiful Art Deco and Neoclassist architecture on display while enjoying its numerous attractions.
- Riga's Central Market, which opened in 1930, is one of the largest and busiest in Europe.
05
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
Riga Off the Beaten Track
Town Hall Square
- Although it was damaged during WWII, it is difficult to tell because Town Hall Square has been painstakingly restored and now looks as it did years ago.
- The area is exceptionally spacious, dominated by the magnificent House of the Black Heads that lines one side of it.
- At its centre is a magnificent statue of Roland, the mythological knight.
- This figure can be found in many cities since, in mediaeval times, it denoted that a location was accessible and had particular privileges.
- While most of the square's buildings are charming, the Museum of Latvian Occupation sticks out because it is housed in an unsightly Soviet-era edifice.
- Aside from that, there is beautiful architecture and a lively atmosphere to enjoy.
KGB Building
- The KGB originally had its headquarters in this modest building, often known as 'the Corner House.'
- It was once a symbol of oppression, occupation, and horror, but today houses various exhibitions and displays about the terrible Soviet state system.
- Visitors can learn about the KGB's operations by touring its basement prison cells, where opponents of the regime were imprisoned, interrogated, and executed.
- While the content is unsettling, a visit to the KGB Building is essential for the priceless insight it provides into Latvia's complicated past.
06
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
Riga Culture and Traditions
- Riga is delighted to offer a rich cultural environment as one of the cities on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Riga has long been a cultural hub in the Baltic States, and its cultural scene is thriving like never before.
- All year long, the city offers art, music, theatre, and design experiences to suit every taste and a diverse spectrum of cultural activities.
- Their Music Festivals have a national reputation for their variety and excellent standard, and it provides cultural events for people of all ages! Every year, Riga holds huge international cultural festivals, the largest of which is the National Song and Folk Dance Festival, which attracts tourists from all over the world and is held every four years.
- Riga has many professional theatres, amateur theatre and theatre groups, the Latvia National Opera, the Latvia Philharmonic Orchestra, concert halls, and various art galleries that give you a sense of Latvia's cultural life.
- There are also over 40 museums, including the famous State Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, the Latvian Museum of Nature, the Museum of Decorative Applied Arts, and the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia.
07
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
Riga: Food, Fun & Fashion Guide
Restaurant 3
#Food
- Chefs Juris Dukalski and Eriks Dreibants manage their ultra-modern Old Town Riga restaurant, which focuses on food and service while paying homage to nature.
- Since opening the restaurant in 2015, the culinary duo has made a concerted effort to source local, seasonal items from nearby forests and farms, but their efforts do not end there.
- These nimble cooks produce dishes using cutting-edge techniques and a sense of flair after securing the best available ingredients.
- The Nordic White Guide has named Restaurant 3 as one of the top restaurants in Latvia, recognising the chefs' inventiveness and execution.
- The multi-course degustation lunch at Restaurant 3 seemed like a five-act live show.
- They waited between meals with bated breath to see what unusual ingredients and "cheftastic" techniques would appear next.
Annas Dārzs
#Food
- Annas Drzs provides a fantastic weekend breakfast on the other side of the Daugava River, proving that some of the best food in Riga can be found outside the touristic Old Town.
- The charming restaurant, Anna's Garden, is set in an old homey, wooden structure with a cosy porched front and has an outside garden (of course) and river view as well as an internal fireplace.
- Brunch at Annas Drzs is noteworthy for its gratifying selection of meal options that please hungry meat-eaters and vegans alike and the restaurant's quiet ambience.
- Though many appreciated Annas Drzs' breakfast buffet, which included brunch mainstays such as waffles, sliders, and caviar poppers, most were captivated by the brunch's traditional Latvian cuisine was unfamiliar to many.
Colonnade
#Food
- If location is your key consideration when choosing a restaurant, Kolonade will undoubtedly be at the top of your list in Riga.
- Colonnade serves modern Latvian cuisine in a sophisticated, window-bound, vaulted space with stunning views of the surrounding city park, located in a historic building near the city's Freedom Monument and not far from the Opera House.
- Colonnade served a multi-course dinner that began with goat cheese salad with salted beetroot, smoked cowberry powder, and hemp and ended with blackcurrant pastries.
- Both of these recipes used fresh ingredients and bold tastes.
Galerija Centrs
#Fashion
- The shopping centre Galerija Centrs, once known as the Army Economic Store but the Riga Central Department Store during the Soviet period, is housed in one of Riga's most magnificent historic buildings and has been a busy retail destination in Old Town since 1938.
- Galerija Centrs incorporated Rdzenes Street in 2006, where exhibitions on diverse themes are shown regularly, and there is a permanent exhibition of historical pictures in the stairwell.
- A supermarket dominates the first floor of Galerija Centrs; the second, third, and fourth floors house boutiques and restaurants such as Calvin Klein Jeans, Gabor, Gant, G-Star Raw, Karen Millen, List, Marco Polo, and Tommy Hilfiger, while the fifth-floor houses a healthcare centre, a beauty salon, and a fitness club.
- Galerija Centrs has 140 shops, cafes, restaurants, and service outlets.
- Those looking for unique clothing and accessories should go to Taste Latvia, where Latvian designers and brands such as Natlija Jansone, Keita, Baiba Ripa and others are represented.
- The Love Latvia shop sells Riga and Latvia souvenirs, Laima sells traditional Latvian sweets, Lauma Lingerie sells trendy undergarments, and the MDARA outlet sells Latvia-made organic products.
Origo Shopping Center
#Fashion
- There are superb shops, food for every taste, and a wide range of everyday services at the Origo Shopping Center.
- Because of the direct connection to Riga Central Station, this is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
- The Origo Shopping Center houses well-known stores such as Reserved, Lindex, Monton, Sinsay, Cropp, House, Sportland, NS King, Sketchers, Costa Coffee, Douglas, Euronics, the giant Rimi hypermarket in the city centre, and many others.
Elkor Plaza
#Fashion
Tarzans adventure park in Sigulda
#Fun
- Tarzns Sigulda Adventure Park is the Baltics' largest outdoor adventure park. Everyone who enjoys leisure activities will find something to their liking among the 100 distinct challenges.
- Tarzns Obstacle Park is made up of obstacles of varying severity that are put in trees up to 20 metres above the ground.
- It will appeal to both youngsters and adults. The world champion Martins Dukur's skeleton, Olympic champion Maris Stromberg's racing bicycle to ride on a rope at the height of more than 10 metres, and World and Olympic medalists brothers ics sleigh are the unique difficulties.
- The 1.5 km long Tyrolean rope lines may appeal to romantics, but the Youngsters' Park is intended for children as young as three.
Valium Pasaule
#Fun
- The "Valguma Pasaule" recreation centre offers barefoot relaxation in nature.
- You can stroll the Basque Trail here, eat well at the restaurant, and spend the night in one of the resort's rooms.
- Baskji trail: The most popular at the moment is the Baskji trail (2.6 km), which allows everyone to liberate their feet from shoe clamps during the warm season, allowing them to feel a variety of surfaces.
- The nature painting trail (4.5 km) invites you to gaze at nature because there are stop shots in the forest with the help of bright frames that inspire you to stop and watch the beauties of nature.
- The board game trail captivates both children and adults by offering more than 20 popular board games of varying difficulty in nature. Still, the Meditation Maze allows you to spend some time alone with yourself.
Livu Aquapark
#Fun
- Livu Aquapark in Jurmala, one of Northern Europe's largest wet amusement parks, is an exhilarating adventure and recreation facility for children, teens, and adults alike.
- Livu Aquapark is separated into three functional areas: active recreation, family recreation, and relaxation in the spa or sauna.
- Visitors can pick from various slides with varying degrees of difficulty (and excitement), soak in the pool, relax, or enjoy excellent drinks and nibbles at the floating bar and Zambezi café.
08
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
Riga: Natural Beauty & Safari Adventures
- Pape Nature Park is well recognised as the first area in Latvia to restore wild horses, naproxen, and bison into the wild.
- It's also a birdwatcher's delight because it's one of Latvia's central gathering spots for migrating birds.
- During your visit, you will encounter a variety of habitats, including those found surrounding the lake, in the meadows and dunes, and along the beach.
- To obtain a true sense of the park, walk along the established nature trails, such as the Wild Orchard Trail, and camp in permitted places.
- Visit the local chapter of the Ethnographic Open-air Museum of Latvia as well.
09
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
Riga Must-Attend Festivals and Events
- Almost three decades ago, the Riga Opera Festival set the groundwork for public music events in Latvia.
- It has become a part of the country's tradition, with events held yearly to encourage and promote Latvian singers and musicians to the rest of the globe.
- Every year, the opera is staged in Riga, Latvia's capital city, where thousands of Latvians and foreign melophiles converge in their millions to celebrate the art of music.
- One of the days will include the popular show The Flying Dutchman this year.
FAQs to Plan Your Best Riga Holiday
Places similar to Riga to visit
Places similar to Riga to visit
Places similar to Riga to visit