2024 Riga Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in November)

Riga from Above: A Stunning 360-Degree Cityscape

#cityscape #100waysoftravel #latvia #riga #stpeter On a hot summer afternoon, I visited the St. Peter's Church viewing platform to enjoy the 360-degree panoramic cityscape of Riga. Though it’s not free—adults pay 9 euros—the experience is worth every cent, offering the best view of the city. From the North-West side, the colorful, boxy buildings seem to be scattered haphazardly along the river Daugava, creating a unique urban landscape. Looking South, Riga Central Market and the TV tower dominate the skyline, while to the East, the Freedom Monument and the striking Nativity Cathedral come into view, showcasing the city’s blend of history and modernity from every angle.

Riga - is a real hidden gem in Eastern Europe

#myhiddengems I’ll share with you my spots for perfect pictures in Riga, the capital of Latvia. It is definitely worth to visit during summer time to get great weather and don’t spend much money 1. GO BUCK WILD IN OLD TOWN Out of all the picturesque things to do in Riga, walking around in Old Town takes the cake. Everywhere you turn, there are colorful shop fronts, intricate architecture and tiny streets. It's picture perfect overload, and overwhelment is inevitable. Prepare accordingly. 2. RIDE TO THE TOP OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH Not gonna lie, this is probably going to be your most expensive pic of the trip. It costs €9 to ride the elevator to the top of St. Peter's Church but it's a small price to pay for having the best photo on your friends' feeds and the best view of the city (but who cares about the latter.. am I right?). Circle around the tower for a 360° view of Riga and see everything from the Freedom Tower to the Central Market and of course, Old Town. PRO TIP: Visit just before the sun goes down for the the best light and hopefully a beautiful sunset backdrop. 3. WALK DOWN ALBERTA IELA Riga is known to have the finest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in the world. To get the most bang for your buck, head to Albert Street 4. TAKE A STROLL THROUGH VERMANES GARDEN I'm not usually the type to seek out parks when I travel but Vermanes Garden was especially beautiful. You can sit on the dock, walk along tree-lined paths, or even rent a small boat. 5. GET COZY AT ASPARA TEA HOUSE Apsara Tea House has the right ingredients for a perfect Instagram picture: 1. tea/coffee 2. floor pillows 3. a chandelier. The tea house also has floor to ceiling windows and is located right on the river which gives you a great backdrop.

Riga Motor Museum 🗺️

#myhiddengems During my summer vacation, I had a fantastic time at the Riga Motor Museum in Riga, Latvia. Located a bit outside the city center, the museum is easy to reach and well worth the trip. The entrance fee was around 15 EUR, which was a great deal considering the extensive collection and the high quality of the exhibits. The museum features an impressive array of vintage cars, including rare and unique models from the early 20th century. I was particularly impressed by the Soviet-era vehicles, which offered a fascinating glimpse into automotive history from a different perspective. The exhibits are well-organized, and the interactive displays make it fun for visitors of all ages. Nearby, you can visit the beautiful Mežaparks area or explore the picturesque surroundings of the city’s parks. The museum itself has a nice café where you can relax after exploring the exhibits. Overall, the Riga Motor Museum is a must-visit for car enthusiasts and history buffs alike. It’s a well-curated museum that provides an engaging look into the evolution of automobiles. #trip #RigaMotorMuseum #VintageCars #LatviaTravel #AutomotiveHistory #CulturalExperience

Trip to Latvia 🇱🇻

It was a trip to Latvia during the weekend. Upon arrival we explored around the Old Town Riga (Vecrīga).The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its medieval architecture and cobblestone streets. I would recommend you to visit house of the Blackheads, Riga Cathedral and St. Peter’s Church. 📍Riga, Latvia We then walked around the Art Nouveau District. Riga boasts one of the world's largest collections of Art Nouveau buildings. If you only have limited time. The “must see” one would be Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela. We also visited the famous restaurant, Vincents. A fine dining with a modern twist on Latvian cuisine. We had the Tasting menu, featuring local and seasonal ingredients. I just love it so much 😍😍😍 💰€50-100 per person 📍 Elizabetes iela 19, Riga, LV-1010, Latvia We also visited the Sigulda Medieval Castle. It was built in the early 13th century, the castle offers a glimpse into medieval Latvian history. 📍Address: Pils iela 18, Sigulda, LV-2150, Latvia We also spend sometimes to explore around the Gauja National Park. If you are there, you can do activities like hiking, exploring Gutmanis Cave and Bobsleigh track. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 📍Sigulda, Latvia We also explored the Cēsis Castle. A well-preserved medieval castle dating back to the 13th century 🏰 📍Pils iela 9, Cēsis, LV-4101, Latvia If you have extra time, I would the you to visit Hotel Cēsis Restaurant. It is a traditional Latvian and European cuisine. We ordered the Latvian pork ribs, Cabbage rolls which were very delicious ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💰€15-25 per person 📍Vienības laukums 1, Cēsis, LV-4101, Latvia We also walked around Cēsis Old Town. Walking through the historic streets, visiting St. John’s Church. 📍CCēsis, Latvia #weekendgetaways #trip #vacation

Riga central market is Europe's largest!

The Riga central market is a must visit for local Latvian delicacies and food. It is Europe's largest market by space and was built in 1930, making it nearly a century old! Inside you will find lots of vendors selling snacks and drinks, and the hangars are divided by food type, fish, meats, and gastronomy. It is a convenient location, situated next to the Riga bus station. #timetotravel #riga

Don’t miss the chance to visit Riga

Latvia, the country located in the center of the sandwich of the three small Baltic countries, is the same as Lithuania and Estonia. It has been ruled by many countries in history, forming a multi-ethnic fusion country today. Riga, the capital of Latvia, is the largest city among the three small countries. Although the reputation of the three small countries is not as loud as other European countries, you know that Riga's historical buildings are not inferior to Western European countries! Especially under the blue sky and white clouds in summer, people were deeply attracted by the scenery of Riga. Sites worth to visit The Freedom Monument: at the top of the monument is a Statue of Liberty facing west. The name of the goddess is Milda, the goddess of love in Lithuanian mythology. The goddess holds three golden stars in her hands, representing the three historical regions of Latvia, Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. St. Peter’s Church, Riga: There are quite a number of churches in Riga and their shapes are diverse. The most difficult to miss are the three churches with the towers of the Riga skyline, namely St. Peter's Church, Riga Cathedral and St. James' Cathedral. In the medieval map It is easy to see the pictures of the three of them. Riga Town Hall Square – Rātslaukums: Today's City Hall Square has become a must-see attraction for sightseeing. In addition to the famous Blackhead Palace, City Hall and Roland Statue, the square is also a place full of shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. There are also streets on the square from time to time. Artists perform, it is worth spending more time to stop and enjoy the good times in the square. #境外遊 #riga

Riga - The Biggest Baltic City

Location: Riga, capital city of Latvia. Getting there: Fly to Riga from most European cities. Or you can take the fast bus from Tallin or Vilnius as part of a Baltic state tour. Riga is the biggest city in the Baltic countries. Highlights include the old town. The old town has stunning soviet style architecture...especially House of the Blackheads. Also, go for a walk along the river to enjoy the cathedral spires peering over the water. #riga #latvia

Riga International Airport

Riga Airport located west side of city.You can go airport very easily by bus number 22. Tickets are affordable,same with full ticket price for public transport.It departs from city center,central bus station.Approximately arrives to airport in 45 minutes. Riga Airport is not very small.There are too many gates and biggest airport in country. Additional information- If you arrive to airport,after security check,if you want to drink wster for free or fill your empty bottles,you can go B7 gate and there is a filter. Thank you for reading! #tripblazers

Viesturdazs Park in Riga

In Riga parks are very important for people.They love to walk,meet and bring their children to play in parks.There are so many beautiful places with fresh oxygen surrounded by trees ,playgrounds for children and especially nature animals. I took the picture of ducks,they are swimming confidently in the river.There are 3 bridges in the park,it means you can take nice pictures on it. #tripblazers

Riga Galerija Centrs Shopping Mall

Riga is very famous with shopping center in the Region.You can find everything to buy and there are more than 6 huge shopping centers in the city. One of them is located in the middle of the city center. It is very old as you can see since 1937 Galerija Centrs open for people. I like the style of building and inside is very modern. My favorite shopping mall was Riga Plaza.#tripblazers

Winter in Riga

Riga is the capital of Latvia. Latvia Located middle of other two Baltic countries Lithuania and Estonia. Riga is one of the oldest city in Baltic region. Baltic sea normally has cold and continental flows that is why the weathers of Latvia always remains in Summer between 20-30 degrees (celsius), and in winter between -15 and 5 degrees. If you plan to come to Riga , prefer to take waterproof and warm clothes because it always raining or snowing. This post is about regional location and weather information. New travelers must know the conditions wel before visiting. Thank you for reading. #tripblazers

Art in Riga

Walking through the streets in Riga, you can see sculptures and samples of Fine Art in some places, in buildings. With this example, the city does not escape the eyes of tourists, they capture these images which add historicity to the city. And these give a person peace of mind, lead to enjoying the wonderful streets while walking in the city.

The hidden gem in Northern Europe ✨

Latvia. With hot summers and snowy winters, it’s a beautiful country on the coast of the Baltic Sea in the Northern Europe. Getting There - Fly into Riga International and be by the sea or city centre in minutes. Attractions - Look beyond Riga’s medieval charm and explore the beautiful castles and palaces around the country. Food & Restaurants - Staying on the coast, enjoy the wide variety of seafood for extremely affordable prices. Try the traditional smoked fish or visit the Central Market to see the full offering at once. Shopping - Take advantage of the duty-free shopping carrying your passport with you for eligibility. Make sure to file for a refund before crossing the border if you’re travelling within EU!

Not just books at this place!

While visiting Riga you might not think that a visit to the Library are a must- well I must stop you right there ! This place is a must stop on your next trip to Riga! The library lays next to the river across from old town. I want to it has like 9 floors . at the top you can see a beautiful view of the river and a big flag of Latvia. the even had a secret little place with some sofas on the top. About the other floors , you can find of course some books and some arts. on one floors that had a expedited about money and coins from Latvia. On the day a visit they had a celebration had a concert on. they have a lot of different activities so it’s with to check in there website to see what is going on at the moment. don’t miss this place!

Riga... what a lovely surprise! ❤️ Considering that we set off to explore the city without any expectations, we thoroughly enjoyed our time here 👍 The largest of the three Baltic capitals is home to a magnificent Old Town and beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, probably the largest food market in Europe and very affordable attractions. So glad I'll be coming back in a few days! 😁 #seafarerslife #tripblazers #balticship #foodie

#seafarerslife You never get tired of roaming around old, beautiful Riga! the best place to visit for now after stockholm. old city. nice to have this picture and walking around best for my vlog in youtube and walking tour. a lot of old buildings. Ended its a nice city.

Upscale, modern hotel

The Pullman Riga is located right on the edge of the Old Town. It's a good 5-10 mins on foot from most attractions. However, this also means it's a calmer property and won't be too affected by the noise and crowds. Staff are helpful and polite. The building's façade is an historic building but the interior is modern. It's location is quite good and the street outside it doesn't see heavy traffic. Further the double windows of the rooms facing the street provide for a comfortable and quiet stay. The rooms are lovely; high ceilings and modern amenities. The premium room is very spacious and there's plenty of water, coffee and teas. There's a pool, fitness center and a sauna also, which is a very nice touch. Get the buffet breakfast also, it includes a lovely selection of fresh foods, as well as mimosas! Overall, a wonderful property. Highly recommend if hou want something upscale, comfortable and premium without cutthroat prices! #travel #explore #hotel #riga #latvia

Our summer time in Riga, Latvia Riga is the capital city of Latvia and has one of the best medieval architecture in the world. The entire city has approximately 700.000 people, it's quiet and best for holiday getaway. The old buildings located in old town have unique charme makes you take off your camera and snap them. Latvians are kind people and very welcoming. You don't have to know their language in order to move around because most of their young people know how to speak English and they are always willing to help if you ask. #riga #latvia #medieval #summervacationtravel #summer #coupletrip #awesomepic #deliciousfood #mynovgetaway

Tie your shoelaces！ You still have long way to go🚶🏿 Btw I truely love Riga especially the old town area! I believe this is not a popular tourist place to Asian as I barely see an Asian face in the street. This is just too good taking a stroll on the street which is not crowded. Although I only spent one day there I walked almost everywhere. Literally, I enjoyed every moment there❤️ #beyondborders #beyondborders

This is the village museum of Latvia located in the forests of the surroundings of the capital - Riga. There are public city busses that goes there from the center of Riga and is easily accessible. It takes 20-30min by bus to reach it. #happynewyear

Riga, Latvia is place near Baltic sea with the best flight connections in the region. I really liked the skyline of the city, the bridges, the old town and the area around. It was very cold but they just prepared the Christmas markets so it was good bonus for me. #latvia #riga #happynewyear #happynewyear

One memorable place when I was in Riga, Latvia is when I visit newly built Latvia National Museum of Arts. This is one of the best art museum I have ever seen. Not only the architectural building is looking awesome at night, the arts are also fantastic. What an amazing place to be. #merrychristmas #merrychristmas

Not many people know about this little beautiful country. But this is Latvia. The capital city, Riga, offers an exceptional classical cotemporary architectural design. As local here, my friend took me to the city sightseeing and I can’t get enough of walking around the city. Absolutely a beautiful country indeed. #merrychristmas #merrychristmas

Located in Riga, Latvia, the Freedom Monument was built to commemorate the soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920) and is an important symbol of Latvia's freedom, independence and sovereignty. Its amazing all over the place.

Recommended walking and eating route in Riga Old Town.

Stop 1: House of the Blackheads (p1p2). The exterior wall is very recognizable. The basement mainly features historical pictures and text, as well as some cultural relics. The first and second floors mainly feature several halls. All the attractions in Riga are like those in Vilnius, with only English and no Chinese. You spend money, but you don't learn any interesting historical stories. It takes just an hour to visit. When you come out, you will see the Town Hall right in front of you. Stop 2: Riga Cathedral (p3p4). There are only two fixed times every day when you can climb the tower. Its biggest feature is that it is connected to a courtyard outside, and the cloister of the courtyard is filled with a large number of cannons. Stop 3: Art Museum Riga Bourse (p5p6). Because this building used to be a stock exchange, the exhibits inside are from all over the world. It feels like an imitation of the Louvre and the British Museum, but there are no treasures in the museum. It takes less than an hour to visit, and the experience is very good. There are ten times as many staff as tourists, because there are only two or three tourists [crying with laughter]. Take a picture of Riga Castle nearby. It is not a scenic spot, but the presidential residence, and you cannot enter. Stop 4: Cat House (p7). There are actually just two sculptures of black cats with arched backs on the pointed roofs on both sides. It is a scenic spot where you can take a picture and leave after spending a euro. After passing the square next to it, you will soon reach Stop 5: Freedom Monument (p8). It is said to have been given to Latvia by Lithuania. In the square not far in front of the monument, there is a pair of footprints on the ground, echoing the floor tile in front of Vilnius Cathedral yesterday, both commemorating the 600-kilometer human chain. St. Peter's Church, a Gothic church with a Baroque bell tower. Its bell tower is 123 meters high, standing out in Riga Old Town. I will come back in a few days to climb the tower and overlook Riga. There is a statue next to the church, featuring a rooster, cat, dog, and donkey standing on top of each other, inspired by the Brothers Grimm. The original is in Bremen, Germany. The church closes at 6:00 pm. I chose a tavern ranked third (p9), but it has a main course, and the key is that there is a platter, so you can try a variety of foods in one go.

Autumn in Riga

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Latvia: A blend of nature, history, and culture.

Latvia, a hidden gem in northeastern Europe, may be unfamiliar to many travelers, but it is becoming increasingly popular for its untouched natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and unique ethnic customs. If Croatia is a bright color in Europe, then Latvia is a quiet and deep blue, waiting for every traveler who yearns to explore the unknown and feel the pure beauty. Walking on the cobblestone streets of Riga, you will be immediately attracted by the historical charm of the city. As the capital of Latvia, Riga not only has one of the largest and best-preserved medieval old towns in Europe, but also has exquisite Baroque and Gothic buildings, which have been listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. During Christmas, the old city is decorated with bright lights and warm holiday decorations, making it dreamlike, as if walking into a fairy tale world, making people linger. The natural scenery of Latvia is even more breathtaking. Whether it is walking on the endless golden beach of the Curonian Spit, enjoying the comfort of the sea breeze, or driving through the green forest, visiting the small lakes and waterfalls hidden in the forest, every place is a sincere gift from nature. Here, you can put down the hustle and bustle of the city and let your soul relax and purify completely. For travelers who love adventure and outdoor activities, Latvia is also an ideal destination. From kayaking through tranquil lakes, to cycling through country lanes, to hiking to the top of the mountain, overlooking the magnificent scenery of this land, every experience will give you a deeper understanding and insight into the beauty of Latvia. What is even more surprising is that Latvia also has a rich ethnic culture and tradition. Here, you can participate in local folk festivals, taste authentic Latvian food, such as delicious smoked fish and traditional cheese, and feel the enthusiasm and hospitality of the Latvian people. Latvian music and dance are world-renowned, and an authentic ethnic music or dance performance will add more color and joy to your journey. Latvia, a country full of mystery and charm, invites every traveler who yearns to explore the unknown and find inner peace with its unique natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, and simple folk customs. Here, you will have an unforgettable journey, a profound experience about beauty, love, and life. Latvia is waiting for your arrival, to unveil its mystery together and write your own travel story.

How I spent 1 day in Sao Paulo

📍 Itinerary Overview 🚩 Sightseeing Route 🏖️ Must-Visit Attractions 🚇 Transportation 📷 Photo Spots 🍜 Local Cuisine 🏠 Accommodation 💡 Tips

The city is incredibly lovely and romantic 🇱🇻👫😎

#urbanwanderings Wandering through Riga, Latvia, is one of my favorite urban experiences. The city is incredibly lovely and romantic, with its charming streets and stunning architecture. From the medieval Old Town to the exquisite Art Nouveau buildings, every corner offers something captivating to admire. The cobblestone streets, lively squares, and beautifully preserved structures create a perfect blend of history and culture. The people in Riga are warm and welcoming, adding to the city’s inviting atmosphere. Whether exploring its rich heritage or relaxing in one of its cozy cafés, Riga offers a unique charm that makes it an unforgettable destination for urban wanderers like me.

Riga is one of my favorite urban explorations 🇱🇻👫

#urbanwanderings Wandering through the Art Nouveau district in Riga is one of my favorite urban explorations. The area is known for its incredible and unique architecture, featuring some of the most stunning Art Nouveau buildings in the world. Each building is a masterpiece, adorned with intricate details, flowing lines, and beautiful sculptures that capture the essence of the style. I love strolling through the streets, marveling at the creativity and craftsmanship that make this part of Riga so special. The combination of history, art, and architecture makes it an unforgettable experience. For anyone visiting Riga, exploring the Art Nouveau buildings is an absolute must, offering a glimpse into a truly unique cultural heritage.