When we visited Riga in March, the weekend was filled with sightseeing, eating at fun restaurants and soaking up Latvian culture. The trip was planned very far in advance and as it was our first time in Latvia, we were determined to make the most of the experience and learn all about Latvian history and cuisine. We wanted to cover as many of the sights as possible, firstly because we wanted to see all that the Baltic gem has to offer, but secondly because admission prices are so affordable in Latvia: you can visit museums for as little as 2-3 euros! Therefore I can honestly say that we explored the ins and outs of the city, from the globally-renowned marketplace to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, and it certainly is a fascinating place. Here are 5 things to do in the Latvian capital.
1. Walk around the Central Market (Centrāltirgus).
Whilst we were in Riga, we stayed at the Opera Hotel and when we arrived, we noticed that the city market was right on our doorstep. The central market consists of 3 big warehouse-style buildings which are filled to the brim with local produce. There are meat, vegetable and fish halls, which are all located next to each other. If you are a foodie, you will adore walking along the aisles between the market stands and looking at all of the incredible food. The vegetable hall was my favourite, as you could smell homemade vinaigrette wherever you walked. Unfortunately it’s a bit difficult to bring the fresh produce home though, so you’ll have to settle on a Latvian box of chocolates, tea or sweets, which are also available at the market if you walk along the edges of the food halls. If you’re not used to big markets at home, you will find the Riga Central Market extremely interesting, as it really is so vast.
2. Take a trip up to the top of St Peter’s Church tower.
If you’ve read any of my other ‘Things to do in…’ posts, you will know that I really like to visit city viewpoints. In Munich I went up the top of the Town Hall clocktower, in Lisbon I looked out at the city from the castle grounds and in Berlin, I booked a tour of the Reichstag building so that I could see the whole city from the famous glass dome. St Peter’s Church isn’t as recognisable as those sights listed above, but the views from its tower are just as impressive. Latvia gets a lot of snow and if you visit during the Winter or early Spring, you are bound to see snowy rooftops from the top of St Peter’s Church tower.
3. Visit The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
Latvia has had a very turbulent history over the years and it is actually celebrating its 100th birthday in 2018. If you’re interesting in learning about the German and Soviet occupations of Latvia, the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is the place to visit. It is free and only a small museum, but you can learn a lot from a short visit.
4. Explore the Old Town.
Riga Old Town is full of colourful buildings, fun restaurants and cute independent shops. Make sure you spend some time walking the streets of the Old Town. It is such a peaceful and quiet part of the city.
5. Have a Medieval dinner at Rozengrāls restaurant.
If you’re looking for an entirely unique experience in Riga, head to Rozengrāls Medieval Restaurant in the heart of the Old Town. You get to take a step back in time for a couple of hours, eat Medieval Latvian cuisine in a cellar filled to the brim with historic decor and dine at one of Riga’s most popular tourist restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and seeing as the restaurant is like a tourist attract in itself, I had to include it in my must-do list.
Are you heading to Riga, Latvia anytime soon? I’d love to hear your plans.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
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