Riga, Latvia: a look at the largest city in the Baltics
Riga Castle, Riga, Latvia (ISO 250, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 s)
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If you’re traveling through Europe and can’t figure out what region to see, you can be sure that traveling through the Baltic region is a good choice. Riga is the capital of Latvia and also the largest city in the Baltic states. It is split across the Daugava river and is separated into Old Riga and Paradaugava.
Riga can be reached by direct flight to the airport itself (Code RIX), by ferry from Stockholm, or by bus (LUX express or ECOlines) from cities like Tallinn, Vilnius, and St. Petersburg.
Riga is known for its Art Nouveau style of architecture, having the largest collection of these types of buildings in the world. This is due to Riga experiencing an economic boom during the peak of popularity of the Art Nouveau style. The city itself is easily walkable (You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post) and is charming both in the summer and the winter (wear layers!).
Starting in Old Riga or Vecriga, your first stop is the Riga Castle, which is residence of the Latvian president, and boasts a few museums inside. It has been destroyed several times over the years by a variety of different conflicts. It’s not as striking as other castles, but cool to see.
Vecriga, Riga, Latvia (ISO 1000, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 s)
Next is the Three Brothers. This housing complex is the oldest in Riga with each home representing different architectural features of the time periods they were constructed in. It’s best to swing by to see them in the morning as it’s a popular destination to see among tourists. Nearby is the Swedish Gate, which is a cultural monument, and is the last remaining portion of the city’s once fortified walls.
The Three Brothers, Riga, Latvia (ISO 1600, 16 mm, f/8, 1/640 s)
Just down the road is the House of the Blackheads, which started off as a guild for unmarried merchants in the 14th century. It was unfortunately demolished during WWII and only rebuilt in the 1990s. Nonetheless, these days its purpose is for hosting events, dinners, conferences, and concerts.
House of the Blackheads, Riga, Latvia (ISO 1000, 22 mm, f/9, 1/500 s)
For a view of the city from above, venture to St. Peter’s Church and get a ticket for the viewpoint up top. Here you get a 360 degree view of Riga. The interior nave of the church features vaulted ceilings. The church construction is interesting in itself since it was constructed and re-constructed during the Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque periods.
Do NOT miss Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs if you are in Riga. This is a tavern located in a cellar which serves traditional Latvian cuisine and plays Latvian folk music (among others). They have live music at least five nights a week and feature brews and wines with Latvian origins. Visiting this place is the best way to get to know Latvian culture.
Riga, Latvia (ISO 2000, 21 mm, f/8, 1/80 s)
The Riga Central Market is Europe’s largest market and bazaar located across 5 pavilions, some of which were old German hangars for Zeppelins. The market itself hosts more than 3000 stands. There is everything from pastries, vegetables, fruit, breads, fish, etc - at decent prices, and they also have souvenirs.
If the weather is nice, it’s a perfect idea to wind down your day at Bastejkalna Park nearby. It’s very peaceful and centrally located near the city center.
I highly recommend taking 2-3 days for this city and also combining it in one bigger trip to see the Estonian capital of Tallinn (blog post here) and the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius (blog post here). You can do all three in just about a week's time.
It is also interesting to see how each of these Baltic countries are ever so different from one another in one trip while each city is fresh on your mind.
