Riga


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Riga is the capital of Latvia.

Contents

[edit] Understand

It is useful to understand that although from 1940 to 1991 Latvia was a constituent republic of the USSR, the official language is Latvian. However, a significant minority (up to 40% nationwide and possibly just over 50% in the capital Riga) is Russian speaking. The majority of ethnic Latvians living in the city, especially those old enough to have attended school during Soviet times, can also speak and understand Russian. However, they greatly prefer to converse in Latvian as Russian is seen as a language of oppression of the Soviet years. English and also German are widely understood at places regularly visited by tourists and foreigners but you may be out of luck when leaving the city centre or visiting places off the beaten track.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By Plane

  • Riga International Airport, [1]. Arrivals from and departures to various European (London, Munich, Oslo, etc) and Middle Eastern (Tel Aviv) cities as well as New York City. Bus 22 and 22A links the airport (Lidosta) with downtown. Tickets are purchased from the conductor. Have small change ready. The bus to the airport runs until late at night. Bus 22 goes to the central station south of Old Riga, the fare is 30 santimi. Bus 22A is an express bus to the cathedral between the freedom monument and Reval Hotel Latvija, the fare is 30 santimi.

[edit] By Ferry

Tallink, [19], operates a daily ferry service between Stockholm and Riga.

[edit] Get around

  • Taxis can be cheap but you must be careful, as sometimes they try to get more money than they should and they don't care about giving a long tour through the city to arrive where you want. This must be stressed. Taxi drivers will try to rip you off. Some drivers speak a few words in English. The Red Taxis 8001313 are the only taxi company that can be trusted in Riga and that is why they have the contract with the Airport and with the most professional hotels.
  • There are trams, buses and trolley buses which are pretty easy to use. At each stop, the conductor goes to each person who boarded and sells them a ticket for that ride. Each ride costs 30 santims (35 for some buses, e.g. the express service bus from the city to the airport 22 and 22A). You don't need to buy tickets in advance - a conductor on the bus will sell the ticket. It's also possible to buy the Riga Card, which you can use in all kind of public transports and includes discounts for museums and some tourist attractions.
  • There is a train service that extends to all parts of the country as well as other big cities like Saint Petersburg. However, the tickets do not include information about the time and place to catch the train, that information must be looked up on the train departures info table.
  • Buses (Eurolines, Ecolines) are used to travel between Tallinn and Vilnius as the train links are irregular to Vilnius and do not exist to Tallinn.

[edit] See

Riga has several districts. The most popular among travellers is the Old Town (Vecriga), German influenced architecture and magnificent Doma Cathedral with the world famous organ inside, along with vivid nightlife, makes Vecriga the most interesting spot. You will need approximately half a day to walk around Vecriga.

The area around Vecriga is mostly built in 18-19 centuries are has many buildings that resemble the ones in Paris or Rome. Many movies about "foreign life" were filmed here during Soviet times, as it was considerably easier to film here than to go overseas.

The mostly residential areas outside Riga centre are largely filled with grey cement apartment blocks built in the typically ugly Soviet style. These areas are nearly identical to those all over the former USSR. However, they do give an idea of how the vast majority of the people in Riga live and of the history of the area.

  • Wander round the old town -- lots of beautiful buildings.
  • During Christmas season there is a small market which offers lots of festive fare.
  • The three brothers are the oldest houses in Riga.
  • The Occupation Museum is a must for understanding Latvia's history. It is in gloomy box-like building that was previously a museum dedicated to Soviet heroes. In front of the building stands a controversial occupation-era statue of the Riga Red (Soviet) Riflemen. There is a tram circle in front of the statue.
  • The Jugendstil architecture in Alberta and Elizabetes streets are one of the better places to see the creations of Art Nouveau artists like Eisenstein.
  • Mezaparks is a pleasant park area on the outskirts of Riga. There are large, gorgeous residential houses once inhabited by Riga's pre-war elite during the summers. They were largely let go during Soviet times but many are now being refurbished, repainted, and brought back to their original glory. The Riga Zoo is also here, along with an attraction park.
  • The TV Tower, a 368 metre high tower built of concrete standing on three legs. It has an observation deck in a height of 97 metres.
  • St. Peters Church has an elevator to the top from where you can see all of Riga.
  • The Central Market (Centrāltirgus) near the central train station is an excellent place to buy fresh produce, meat, dairy, and the occasional counterfeit goods, though these have been mostly eradicated.
  • Take the train that goes to Tukums until the stop called Majori and go to the Latvian Baltic Coast. In snowy days it's amazing!
  • Riga is full of different parks, many of them extremely picturesque.
  • There are a lot of sightseeing just off the center, such as Maskavas forstate (district with old wooden houses) or Andrejsala (artist's island behind the passengers port) that are usually not listed on tourist guides. [20]

[edit] Do

Sit outside in the summer months and enjoy the day. Go to the river and take a walk during summer days to see the sunset, just perfect.

Go to the beautiful opera house and see top class opera and ballet.

Go to the Skyline Bar at the top (26th floor) of Reval Hotel near the Peace Monument. Views are great and drinks are reasonably priced (beer 2 Lats Cocktail 4-5 Lats). Finding a table might be difficult.

Go on a trip to the east of Riga. You will find a large band of parks and gardens dating back to the 19th Century. Almost 20% of Riga's city area is devoted to these well-kept gardens and they should certainly be visited.

[edit] Buy

The markets next to International Bus Terminal are full of people selling their wares at stalls, both inside the large halls and around the outside. The market is actually quite non-touristy with more emphasis on selling things like second-hand clothing, food, furniture or kitchen supplies. In here you can buy almost anything... Very good for souvenirs.

Don't go to the souvenir shops, instead buy items like amber and wool mittens and socks in the central market or throughout Old Riga in little stands. You might haggle and get good prices for souvenirs.

If you are looking for Soviet era items, such as hats, medals, pins, or complete uniforms, go to a street market like the one held on Saturday and Sunday mornings in Sadovnikova iela (iela means street in Latvian). To get there just take Gogola iela near the central market.

On the way there you will see old buildings that aren't exactly well conserved, but there are some that are breathtaking.

There is a Stockmann department store next the Riga Central Train Station (Centrālstacija)

[edit] Eat

Riga as the most vibrant and cosmopolitan city of the Baltics offers countless opportunities to sample both local cuisine and international favorites. Latvian food can be hearty, using a lot of potato, cabbage, beef, pork and fish. A diversity of foreign cuisines is also available -- sushi restaurants in particular are currently in vogue.

If you want to eat cheap, try "Čili Pica" (pronounced "chili pizza"). They have several restaurants. One is on the ground floor of Stockman shopping mall near central station. Another is next to the freedom monument. You'll get nice pizzas for a very good price!

If you want to try some Latvian type of food go to "Smilsu Pulkstenis" in Kalku iela #7 ;) Still cheap and tasy!

There are plenty of of restaurants (called 'Restorans') and cafés around the old town, many of which serve food until midnight, some later.

Lido is another chain of restaurants, where you can get lots of food for good prices simply by pointing at it. The Lido Entertainment Center operates a bus to and from Riga; the center itself provides buffet-style dining, live music and other amusements.

Alus Seta (literally Beer Yard), serves huge portions of excellent meat and two veg from a grill at the front of the tavern, as well as an excellent choice of Beer. Probably the best value place in town.

If you want to try good food for student prices during the school year (from September until June) try finding the student cafeteria on Ķīpsala island at Āzenes 22. Several sets of home-like food are offered in a cosy atmosphere.

  • <eat name="Vincents" address="Elizabetes 19" phone="+371 733 26 34" hours="M. - F.: Noon-11PM, Sat: 6PM-11PM, Su: Closed" price="20 Ls" url="">If you're splashing out try Vincents Restuarant which compares favourably to any up market western restaurant at half the price.</eat>

[edit] Drink

Latvia produces a number of excellent and award-winning beers (alus), which are widely available. Aldaris is a major brewery with several kinds of beer. Tērvetes beer is considered the best Latvian beer, also Užavas and Piebalgas beers are exceptional. Cesu alus is a safe bet, euro lager style. Avoid Livu alus, it's bad.

Latvia is also Europe's northernmost winegrowing region, and local wines and even sparkling wines can be bought in supermarkets and restaurants. Expect neither the grandeur nor the pricetag of a Bordeaux.

Pulkvedis is a trendy place, 3 Lats on popular days, free on others. The basement offers technoish and/or alternative sounds. Beware of extremely high prices for taking care of bags (2.5 Lats per bag), thieves who steal bags, and last but not least, entrance personnel not giving back sufficient money, calling very aggressive security on complaints, with possible bloody nose as a consequence.

Also try Riga Balsam. It's available almost everywhere and I guarantee that if you're cold... you won't be after a shot of it! ;) It will also clear out your bowels.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Budget

  • Argonaut Hostel, [21]. They opened the first hostel in Riga. Australian owned in the Old Town and remains the hostel that other hostels try to keep up with.
  • Barons Hostel, [22]. For the Mature Traveller as they do not accept stag or bucks parties. Is also the HQ for the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Latvia [23]. In the centre of town.
  • Riga City Camping, [24]. A nice place in the center of town.
  • Elizabeth's Youth Hostel, [25]. Affordable and friendly hostel in the centre of town with free internet access. Just outside the Old Town near the main train station but within easy walking distance of everywhere.
  • Riga Hostel, Marstalu iela 12, tel 00371 7224520, [26]. Friendly, multilingual staff with a location in the old town center. 62 beds in various hostel configurations.
  • The Old Town Hostel, [27], also has a nice bar which is always open, and is somehow also a hospitality exchange hang-out.
  • The BaltHostel, Markela iela 1, tel 00371 7224258, [28]. Friendly, multilingual staff just over the road from the central station and a five minute walk from the old town.
  • Central Hostel, [29]. New hostel, bed & breakfast or whatever with many nice double rooms and one 4 beds room. Located near the train station and with all the things you need to spend some days in Riga

[edit] Mid-range

Apartment rental is a fairly popular option.

[edit] Splurge

  • Hotel Bergs, 83 Elizabetes Street, 371 777 09 00, fax 371 777 09 40, [30]. An internationally regarded hotel that opened in 2003 located in the heart of Riga. Rooms from LVL 164.

[edit] Get out

From here you might wander west, to see Liepaja , a wonderful city on the Western coast of Latvia, (and the famous former military town of Karosta with its Soviet Prison for tourists is also in Liepaja), or north through Valka to Tartu or Tallinn through Parnu in Estonia, or south to Vilnius or Klaipeda in Lithuania. Or drive the 40 kilometers to the National Park at Sigulda. You can even take a ferry to Sweden.

If you have more than just a couple of days in Riga, take a local train from the main Railway station to Jūrmala. Jurmala is a famous seaside resort and was a popular resort amongst citizens of the USSR. It only takes 25 minutes to get there from Riga by train. Get out in Dzintari Station and walk down the main street to the Concert Hall. The Concert Hall stages international singing competitions once a year and if you come at the right time it is the one not to be missed. You can also get out Majori Station with its long pedestrian-only main street. Great crowds wander the streets in the summertime. Try Cafe Leonora on the main street. It has amazing hot chocolate, cakes and sweets!

In Jūrmala, there is also a big aquapark Livu Akvaparks http://www.akvaparks.lv/. Viestura iela 24. It is excellent by any standards and has activities for all ages, from young children to the elderly.

Walk down the beach and try to find a piece of amber that is often washed by the waves from the Baltic sea, thus the name Dzintari - The Amber.

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