36 hours in Riga: sights and tips

Our last European city trip in 2017 took us to Riga just before Christmas. I was already in the Latvian capital for one night in November 2016. I liked what I “picked up” from the car window so much that I decided to return to Riga with more time. No sooner said than done!

Traveled – Weekend trip

Air Baltic offers direct flights on the Zurich-Riga route. Unfortunately, the flight connections are not “optimal” for all those who like to make the most of a weekend for such a city trip. According to the current flight schedule, there will be a connection on Friday, which will land in Riga around 17:00. The return flight on Sunday departs at noon. So you only have Saturday as a full day. Analogous to the well-known New York Times Travel Guide, we had exactly 36 hours to explore Riga.

Done – Sightseeing in Riga

In my opinion, Riga offers a perfect size to roam through the city center on foot. In addition, a dense network of buses and trams connects the districts with each other. However, apart from the connection to the airport, we explored everything on foot.

Wander through the alleys of the old town |

I had secretly wished for a good pile of snow for our city trip to Riga. Last year I experienced the Latvian capital freshly snowed in November and it was simply magical. In terms of weather, Riga was less convincing this year. But that’s the well-known risk of city breaks in the winter months. Nevertheless, Riga also looks pretty good in grey. On the first morning, we strolled through the pretty alleys of the old town, which offer beautiful photo motifs with their colorful facades and magnificent Art Nouveau buildings at every corner. Since 2008, the old town has been one of the oldest and most traditional in the Baltic Sea region and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In addition to the numerous historical buildings, the cloister of Riga Cathedral (as it is officially called) is also worth seeing. The entrance fee is 3 euros per person (one can be divided on the topic of “entrance fees for churches”).

Another attraction and probably the most photographed building in the city is the House of the Blackheads on the Town Hall Square. The house in Gothic style was first mentioned in a document in the 14th century and served as a meeting place for merchants.

Riga’s Old Town not only convinces in daylight, but is also a feast for the eyes during the long Latvian winter nights.

Insight into Latvia’s past |

It was not until 1991 that Riga became the capital of the free, independent Latvian state again. Previously, the Baltic States belonged to the Soviet Union in the period after the Second World War. Background information and exciting insights into the multi-layered history between 1941 and 1991 are offered by the Latvian Occupation Museum. Due to renovation work, the museum is currently located in a temporary building at Raiņa bulvāris 7 (Google Maps will lead you to the wrong place). Also part of the museum is the exhibition in the “Corner House”, as the former headquarters of the Committee for State Security (KGB) was called. Visits to the two exhibitions are free of charge (“collection“). In the KGB building, there are also daily guided excursions to the basement rooms, which are not open to the public. The tour times and ticket prices can be found on the museum’s website.

Looking at art |

One of my highlights was a visit to the National Museum of Art – not so much for the art, but rather for the impressive architecture of the building. In summer, there is also a roof terrace with a view over the city centre (unfortunately it is closed in winter). The combined ticket with access to all exhibitions costs 6 euros per person.

Admire a book paradise |

Also worth seeing is the Latvian National Library, which is located opposite the old town on the western side of the Düna. We already noticed the striking building when we arrived by airport bus. After the friend received an additional tip on Instagram, we paid a visit to the library and were amazed! A magnificent “temple of books” that can also be visited as a visitor (with appropriate registration at the info desk).

Small & fine shopping happiness |

To prepare for the Riga city trip, I read through the Spotted by Locals recommendations, among other things. Among them, there are numerous shopping tips that are ideal for finding exclusive gifts or souvenirs, especially in the run-up to Christmas. I particularly liked the historic pedestrian passage “Bergs-Bazar” with chic boutiques, the Galerija Istaba, which combines the art gallery, shop and restaurant (and sells many great accessories) as well as the stationery Manille (a dream for all those who are looking for beautiful stationery and cards).

The Bold Concept Store is also casual, where you will find exquisite design products from the Baltic States.

Local Touch |

With the exception of St. John’s Day (24 June), Riga’s gigantic market halls are bustling with activity every day. When the halls opened in 1930, they were considered one of the most modern in the world. Even today, they still like to impress with their dimensions. But the visit is not only worthwhile because of the architecture. Here you will find Baltic specialties, such as birch sap and cranberries. We paid a visit to the market halls on Sunday morning, as most of the other attractions are still closed at this time.

Eaten – Restaurant Tips for Riga

I’m a fan of Nordic cuisine and found a handful of favorites within a very short time while researching great restaurants. With a time budget of 36 hours, we had to “pick out” some of them.

Brunch Eldorado | Innocent Cafe

If you’re looking for a café that opens at 8:00 a.m. and offers an excellent brunch buffet, you’ll find it at the Innocent Café (Blaumaņa iela 34).

Coffee Break | Miit Coffee

At Miit, freshly brewed coffee is served in “black” (without milk) and “white” (with milk) variations. In addition to homemade cakes and biscuits, Miit also offers hot dishes (vegetarian and vegan). The cards you see in the picture were bought in the above-mentioned stationery Manille.

Light Lunch | Riits

We stopped at Riits (Dzirnavu Iela 72) on Saturday afternoon and paid 23 euros for burgers and soup. The small restaurant convinces with a nice ambience and many fresh organic products. Until 12 o’clock there is also a special breakfast menu.

Taste of Lettland | Valtera

The Valtera restaurant serves seasonal Latvian creations. Perfect for those who want to get an insight into modern Latvian cuisine. We paid 68 euros each for an appetizer and a main course. As a tip: The “Forest Tartare” with elk meat is excellent. There is room for improvement in the operation, which in my opinion was rather inattentive and slow… (but maybe they were just having a bad day).

Fine Dining | Vincents

The culinary highlight followed on Saturday evening at Vincents. There are no Michelin-starred restaurants in Latvia, otherwise the Vincents restaurant would probably have been awarded a Michelin star. We paid 350 euros for the tasting menu including wine accompaniment. On the website it says that the tasting menu consists of 6 courses. If you include the amuse bouche and the intermediate courses, we were served a total of ten different courses. Tip for all those who enjoy a fine dining evening as much as we do.

Slept – sleep centrally in the hotel

We spent two nights at the Neiburgs Hotel, which is located in the middle of the old town in a beautiful Art Nouveau building. The rooms are all apartment size and include a small kitchenette. We were particularly impressed by the generous room size and the great location not far from the Schwarzhäupterhaus. For two nights we have 242 euros including breakfast (which somehow could not be booked without breakfast).

Practical tips for your city trip to Riga

 

• • Bus No. 22 connects Riga Airport with the city centre. The journey takes about 30 minutes and the ticket costs 1.80 euros if you buy it at the machine. If you buy the ticket directly on the bus, it costs 2 euros.

• • If you want to try a local drink, you can’t avoid the “Black Balsam”.

• • There is a beautiful view over the old town from the church tower of St. Peter’s Church.