Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Budapest. All rather beloved destinations for city trips. Riga is not (yet) commonly mentioned in such lists of cities. That makes the capital of Latvia a hidden gem. Because any visitor to Riga can confirm that the city is on par or better than many of the other European capitals. Now, I cannot be cocky and claim that I invented visiting Riga, because it wasn’t my original idea to visit Latvia for a weekend trip. But perhaps this made my visit to the city such a surprise. I was a blank canvas when it comes to the Baltics. I had not visited any of them yet, nor did I know what to expect. A stereotype would be to expect an eastern European vibe that can’t match the cities in western Europe, but that is not the case. Yes, some parts of Riga do feel a bit run down and grimey, but doesn’t every capital city have such districts? It is especially the UNESCO World Hertige old town that will impress even the well-travelled.
That would be my first recommendation: book a hotel in the historical old town in Riga. Latvia’s capital is incredibly affordable, and a pretty 4 star hotel will not set you back a lot of money. Getting there from the airport is surprisingly easy with public transport or with a cheap taxi. Having a hotel in the old town allows easy exploring around its cozy streets. Riga has been Swedish, Polish and Russian throughout history, and you can see this in its architecture. Some streets look and feel typical Scandinavian, whereas a look at the churches clearly show a reference to an orthodox past. This unique heritage creates an old town that you want to roam around. Famous sights worth exploring include the St. Peter’s Church, the Nativity of Christ Orthodox Church (pictured here) and the Latvian food at the Riga Central Market.
Another beautiful place to see is the square home to the House of the Black Heads. Not only do you find your huge (touristy) RIGA letters here, the pretty building with its rather quirky name acts as a museum too. Any visitor to the old town of Riga will notice one thing: where is everyone? Compared to any other European capital, it is incredibly quiet here. I was in Riga on a random weekend in October, but I cannot imagine that the streets are usually packed. This makes exploring Riga even more enjoyable. No large lines for museums or restaurants, you can go and see whatever you want and be guaranteed to take the pictures you desire without having to photoshop tourists out of your pics.
Just like the hotels, the restaurants and bakeries are very affordable too. I managed to get a handful of pastries for around 3 euros, which is a crazy steal. Even the restaurants at Riga’s prime streets will not set you back more than €10 to €15 per person, which makes regularly dining out a guilt-free decision. You probably noticed how I keep raving about this old town, but that is because I think that this is Riga’s main attraction. This becomes clear when you walk across the bridge from the old town to the National Library of Riga, which gives off a completely different vibe. It is quite a lot more grimey and less pleasant in my opinion. So for my two cents, I would highly recommend a great weekend in the old town of Riga. Visit the beautiful churches, museums, local restaurants, and enjoy. Don’t forget to grab a bottle of ‘Riga Black’ on your way home. This is a popular liqour from Latvia and acts as a great souvenir or memory from your trip to Latvian capital.
