Best Things To Do in Riga

The capital of Latvia is a city where testimonies of the medieval and modernist periods, as well as of the Nazi occupation and the Soviet Union remain. After suffering severe damage during World War II, the city has dedicated itself to restoring its historical and cultural heritage, becoming part of the World Heritage.

In this article you will find information on the most interesting things to see and do in Riga, an eclectic city located on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Vecrīga, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is an ideal place to get lost in its streets and be transported to another era. There you can admire buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries, museums, ancient churches, remains of walls and numerous Art Nouveau buildings.

You can start your tour at the Town Hall Square and then visit the Casa de las Cabezas Negras (House of the Black Heads), which is located across the street. It is one of the most emblematic buildings of Riga that, like many others in the city, was rebuilt. In Gothic and Baroque style, it belonged to the Brotherhood of the Black Heads, a group of young unmarried merchants who would have adopted St. Maurice, a dark-skinned soldier, as their patron, from which it derives its name. There you can see medieval cellars and luxurious restored rooms, as well as listen to live music, see historical and art exhibits and participate in various cultural events.

Other buildings you can visit in the historic center are:

• St. Peter's Church, a Lutheran temple built in the early 13th century and predominantly Gothic in style. In its tower you can admire the views of Riga from 72 meters high.
• Riga Cathedral, which began to be built in 1211. It is considered the largest medieval church in the Baltic States and in it you can see a fusion of styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, etc.).
• Riga Castle, a 14th century fortress built by the Knights of the Sword. It is the current official residence of the President of Latvia and also houses the National Museum of History.
• The Cat House, built in the early 20th century. It is one of the most visited buildings due to the legend told about its two sculptures of black cats, which would have been built by a craftsman when he was not accepted in the Great Guild.

One way to explore Riga's historic center and other emblematic neighborhoods in depth is to take a guided tour with a local expert, who will be able to provide you with information about each site you visit and about the history and culture of the city.

The Daugava is a river that originates in Russia and flows into the Gulf of Riga, where its waters converge into the Baltic Sea. About 1000 km long, it is the most important river in the Latvian region. Sailing on its waters will take you to discover the city from another angle while enjoying a relaxing ride that combines nature and culture.

From the calm waters of the Daugava you can see some of the main buildings of the city, such as the Riga Cathedral and Castle, the Freedom Monument, the modern building of the National Library and the bridges that cross the river. Without a doubt, it is a great opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the city from a panoramic viewpoint.

You can hire a boat tour of Riga at any time of the year, as they usually take place both in boats with open-air deck and covered boats. Many depart from Riga harbor or a nearby point.

Riga is considered the capital of Art Nouveau, so one of the best things you can do in this city is to see these amazing Art Nouveau buildings. They are mainly located in the Art Nouveau Quarter, but you can also find them scattered all over the city. In total, Riga has about 750 modernist buildings, which is why it has been declared a World Heritage Site.

Art Nouveau or Modernism is an artistic style that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leaving its mark in Riga when it was under the rule of the Russian Empire. The movement, which encompassed all the arts, was inspired by nature, Greek and Roman mythology and art considered exotic (e.g. oriental), among others.

The Art Nouveau quarter is located northeast of Riga's historic center and Albert Street, about 250 meters long, is where a large number of Art Nouveau buildings are concentrated, so it is best to walk it leisurely. If you are an architecture enthusiast, do not forget to bring binoculars to appreciate the details located in the heights.

In this street you will also find the Art Nouveau Museum, an exponent of this style that you can know inside, designed by Pēkšēns and Eižens Laube. There you can consult audiovisual material and tour the rooms with furniture, ornamentation and modernist objects. Another way to get to know these buildings is to join a guided tour with a local expert, as they usually include a visit to this neighborhood. Segway tours, a two-wheeled vehicle that is very comfortable to move through the streets of Riga, are very interesting.

You don't know a city completely if you don't try the dishes that make it unique, so one of the best things to do in Riga is to sample Latvian cuisine. Whether you try it on your own or hire a gastronomic tour with a local expert, you will find culinary options for all tastes.

The gastronomy of the city of Riga and Latvia has influences of Russian, German and Polish gastronomy, and stands out for the dishes with local river fish. One of the places you cannot miss in your tour is the Central Market, where you can get fish, fruits, fresh vegetables and local specialties. It is also a place where gastronomic tours are guided by the wide variety of local ingredients it offers.

Among the typical dishes you can try in Riga are beet soup, smoked fish, Jānis cheese, sklandrausis or stuffed rye bread, skaba putra or cold barley soup and rasols or potato salad. You can also try black balsam, a 260-year-old spiced liqueur made from vodka with a high alcohol content.

One of the most photographed corners of Riga is on Mazā Pils Street, where the three "twin" buildings known as Three Brothers rise. The three buildings are said to have been built by men belonging to the same family at different times between the 15th and 17th centuries. A variety of different styles can be seen in them, including Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque.

The first of the Three Brothers is the oldest stone building in the city, built around 1490 and still retaining its original one-room layout. The third, built in the second half of the 17th century, is notable for a mask on the façade that apparently protected the home from spirits. As for the second, it was built in 1646.

One of these buildings houses the Riga Museum of Architecture, which is dedicated to the dissemination of the work of Latvia's great architects. All three buildings have been restored several times, one of them after World War II. In this sense, Three Brothers have become a symbol of the preservation of cultural heritage in Latvia and in Europe.

A convenient way to reach these buildings is by boarding the Riga tourist bus, which has free stops near major sites in the city, such as Riga Castle, the House of Black Heads and the National Library.

Interesting facts

• Location: Mazā Pils iela 17, 19 and 21, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia.
• Hours: the museum is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to approximately 5:00 pm.

One of the most interesting neighborhoods to explore in Riga is Kalnciema, a very picturesque area on the outskirts of the city where you can see old wooden houses in neoclassical style of the eighteenth century, which have been restored preserving their original features. This is a unique and little-known area of Riga on the left bank of the Daugava River.

Kalnciema is also noted for its lively open-air market held on Saturdays, where you can get fresh produce, handicrafts and taste typical Latvian food. In summer, there are often open-air concerts, screenings and cultural events, making it an ideal neighborhood to disconnect outside the historic center of Riga.

The buildings of Kalnciema or Kalnciema Quarter are located at the intersection of Kalnciema and Melnsila streets. To get to this quarter, you can either take a streetcar from the historic center (about 12 minutes) or walk, which will take about an hour.

If you are looking for a green space for a walk in Riga, you can go to Bastejkalna Park, which is located northeast of the historic center. The park is crossed by a canal where you can take a ride in small boats, an ideal plan to relax after a historical and cultural tour of the historic center.

The park is home to the famous Freedom Monument, an icon of the city that was built in honor of the soldiers who fought for Latvia's freedom; and the Latvian National Opera, a 19th-century neoclassical building that is the home of the National Opera and Ballet.

Bastejkalna, built in the 19th century, is also a site of historical importance to the city, as this is where its defensive bastions used to be. During restoration, the former moat was turned into the Pilsētas Canal, and trees and shrubs were planted along the banks, providing the current appearance of the park.

A site of historical and cultural importance that you can visit in this city is the Latvian Occupation Museum, where you can see exhibits about the two totalitarian regimes that marked the city, the invasion of the German National Socialist Regime and the Soviet Union.

As part of the collection, you will find artifacts and documents that bear witness to this 51-year period of occupation, spanning from 1940 to 1991. There is also information about the work done by the local resistance.

The museum, founded in 1993, is located on Rātslaukums Square in the historic center, next to the House of the Black Heads, so you can add it to your itinerary through this part of the city. If you're interested in historical tours, you can also visit Corner House, Latvia's former KGB headquarters, which is also located in downtown Riga.

Interesting facts

• Location: Latviešu strēlnieku laukums 1, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, except Wednesdays when it opens from 10:00 am.
• Price: from €15 for adults and about €5 for children under 12.

To visit the Salaspils memorial complex is to enter a dark chapter in the history of Riga and the world: the Nazi occupation during World War II. In Salaspils, a village on the outskirts of Riga, a concentration camp operated between 1941 and 1944, and it is here that this ensemble has been erected to commemorate the victims.

The memorial consists of a large open space, where you can see large sculptures depicting the sufferings of the victims of the Nazi occupation, such as the moving sculpture of the mother protecting her children. There are also memorial plaques and an exhibition where testimonies of the victims can be read.

Salaspis is located about 22 km from Riga and is accessible both by car and bus (28 minutes). Another interesting option is to hire a guided tour to Salaspis with round trip transportation from Riga, as they are conducted with an expert guide who can convey to you the deep historical and cultural significance of this memorial.

Interesting facts

• Location: Salaspils novads, Salaspils pilsēta, Salaspils municipality, LV-2117, Latvia.
• Opening hours: from April to October daily from 10:00 to 17:00. From November to March daily from 10:00 to 15:00.

Another popular spot for locals looking for a nature getaway is Jurmala Beach, located about 25 km from Riga. It is the closest beach to the city and the largest on the Baltic Sea, about 33 km long. The white sand, the calm waters of the Baltic Sea and the surrounding forest make this place the perfect choice to disconnect from urban life.

If you decide to visit this beach, before returning to Riga you can take the opportunity to walk along the main street of the village of Jurmala, where there are historic wooden houses, fashion and craft stores and cafes. You can also walk through a pine forest where several bike paths converge or climb a panoramic tower 33 meters high to enjoy the panoramic views.

To get there you can take a train from Riga station to Majori station, which is located in the center of Jurmala. And if you are interested in seeing more natural treasures near Riga, you can book a tour to Gauja National Park, the most important national park in Latvia.