By air
Riga (RIX), ~10 km from the centre
Europe · Latvia
Riga, Latvia
Art Nouveau facades and a medieval old town on the Baltic
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September for long, mild days; December for the Christmas markets
Don't miss
Riga Old Town
House of the Blackheads
Riga Cathedral
Alberta iela
Riga Central Market
St Peter's Church
Freedom Monument
Kalnciema Quarter
Things to do
Walking the Old Town
The Art Nouveau streets of Alberta iela
The Central Market
A climb up St Peter's tower
An evening at the opera
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Steven1991 · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes for cobbles, a warm layer even in summer, an umbrella
A quieter corner
The wooden houses and galleries of Kalnciema Quarter across the river, with a Saturday market
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Riga?
May to September for long, mild days; December for the Christmas markets. What to pack: Comfortable shoes for cobbles, a warm layer even in summer, an umbrella.
How do I get to Riga?
Fly into Riga (RIX), ~10 km from the centre.
What is there to do in Riga?
Walking the Old Town, the Art Nouveau streets of Alberta iela, the Central Market, a climb up St Peter's tower, an evening at the opera. A quieter find: The wooden houses and galleries of Kalnciema Quarter across the river, with a Saturday market.
What should I eat in Riga?
Rye bread, smoked fish, grey peas with bacon, Riga Black Balsam, craft beer.
About Riga
- Riverside
- Coastal
Where it is
Riga is the capital of Latvia, on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava River, in the centre of the country's Baltic coast.
History
Founded by German crusaders and merchants in the early thirteenth century, Riga became a leading Hanseatic port and passed through Polish, Swedish and Russian rule before Latvia's independence in the twentieth century. A building boom around 1900 gave it one of the largest collections of Art Nouveau architecture anywhere, and its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
People
Rigans are reserved at first and warm once you talk; Latvian and Russian are both heard on the streets, song festivals are a national passion, and the summer solstice is celebrated with flower crowns and bonfires.
Known for
- Art Nouveau architecture
- The medieval Old Town
- The Central Market in old Zeppelin hangars
- Riga Black Balsam
Did you know?
The Central Market occupies five hangars built for German Zeppelins and is among the largest markets in Europe.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.