I flew from Copenhagen using Air Baltic
Date travelled: 12-14 June 2007
Tucked away in North Eastern Europe, and one of the Baltic states, is Latvia, and its captial city of Riga. Riga has emerged from its sometimes tragic Soviet past into a vibrant modern European city, a paradise for not only romantic weekend breaks, but for the alcohol fueled English Stag Parties.
From the airport, take bus 22 (slow service) or the 22a (direct service) to the centre. Tickets 0.30LVL (30p) or if you have luggage it's 0.90LVL (90p). I stayed at the Hotel Tia, which is a 10minutes walk from the centre, near the Orthadox cathedral, and is next to one of the bus stops from the airport.
As you enter Riga city centre, you will notice a tall statue dominating your walk. This statue is the Freedom Monument, built in 1935 as a symbol for Latvia's long struggle for independence from it's Soviet influences. During the Communist era, locals who attempted to place flowers at the base of the statue were prompty sent to Siberia as punishment.
The Freedom Monument.
The centre of Riga is quite compact, so it's easy enough to get around by foot. You will soon be emerged in cobbled streets, with its many bars, restaurants and boutiques. Here you will see a tall spire of a church, standing out from the rest. This is St. Peters Church. Visitors can take the lift to the top (2LVL) to see fine views over the city.
View of Riga from St. Peters Church.
If you walk right through the old town, you will arrive at the Old Town Square. Here is the House of the Blackheads, with its distinct and incredibly beautiful front wall. The Blackheads name is believed to come from the former merchants who used to reside here, and their black caps they used to wear as a sign of their membership. This buiding dates from the 14th century.
The House of the Blackheads.
From the Old Town Square, you will notice a dome shaped sprire. This is the spire of the Baltics biggest religious building, Riga Cathedral. The cathedral dates back to 1211.
Riga Cathedral.
Just outside the Cathedral is Dome Square, which is a nice place to spend an hour or so having a drink or a snack, and watching the world go by. If you're after a meal, prices are around 6LVL for a two course special.
As you continue your walk back through the old town, you will soon come across a building with an arch going through it. This is the Swedish gate, built in the 17th century by the then occupiers the Swedes, and was part of the city walls.
The Swedish Gate.
Riga also has many parks, which make a nice rest after all the walking, or just to chill out for a bit. In one of the parks you will notice many different small statues scattered amongst the trees. These statues are all linked to Riga's and indeed Latvia's traumatic past.
The Memorial Park of Riga.
Not too far from this memorial park is the strange cyclindrical tower known as the powder tower, which was once an ammunition storage facility.
Hiding within another or Riga's parks is the former castle of the city, which is now the residence of the Latvian president.
Riga Castle.
If you don't fancy walking during your visit, you could take on of the hop-on-hop-off tours. Prices are 10LVL (£10), valid for 48hours, and give you a view of Riga from a different perspective, including the lovely Art Nouveau district of the city.
The View of Riga from the other side of the Daugava River.
You may have heard in the media about English tourists getting conned out of thousands of pounds from dodgy nightclubs. If you make sure the places you are going to are fully licenced, and you know beforehand exactly how much you will be charged for drinks and other services, then you will have a cracking night here. In terms of the local drinks, Cesu, Piebalga and Aldaris are the beers, all around 5% volume, and have a light refreshing taste. The local drink of Latvia is the Black Balsam, which is a herbal mixture, similar to cough medicine, and certainly does have a kick!
For a cheap yet entertaining break, Riga is simply beautiful.
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