Discovering Riga

Start with just exploring the city. Not many other capitals in Europe are as budget-friendly as Riga. Modernity rubs shoulders with the old, giving you a truly unique experience. Enjoy historic and beautiful sites, as well as culinary experiences of high standards, without emptying your wallet. Peaceful as it is, walking around or hiring a bike is probably the best way to get the most of your stay. Between the quaintness of the cobblestoned streets there are eateries of every kind sprinkling the city. The quality of the food is good and, compared with many other destinations, very cheap. Have you not yet had the pleasure of eating a good beet, this is definitely the place to try it. Imagine every way of preparing it, and then some – there’s definitely a beet that will make your taste buds do the tango too. A cosy bistro or a crazy restaurant that is hospital themed, that’s just a taste of Riga’s gastronomical gems.

One of the great things with European destinations is that almost every city has some fine architectural pieces. Latvia’s largest city is no exception, and it actually has the continent’s most extensive collection of Art Nouveau buildings. In this UNESCO World Heritage Site you can marvel at more than 800 buildings built in this characteristic style.

Whilst talking about places to visit in Riga, there’s one site every Latvian will expect you to have seen when visiting their capital. The 42 meter high Freedom Monument, or Brivibas Piemineklis which it is known locally, is a landmark with significance. Erected in 1935, it was raised to honour fallen soldiers of the Latvian war of independence. The three stars, held towards the sky by the statue on top, represent the three constitutional districts of Latvia. Inscribed on its base are the vigorous words “For Fatherland and Freedom”. The structure is one of the best known monuments in the Baltics and a symbol of pride.

Riga's White House — the Latvian National Opera on Aspazijas bulvāris was opened in 1923; an average of six new productions are presented each year, retaining balance between opera and ballet. In total, the opera sees over 200 performances and several symphonic and chamber music concerts a season.

The statue of St. Roland, Rīga’s patron saint, was erected in the centre of Town Hall Square in 1897, but was later moved to St. Peter’s after it was damaged in WWII. A replica now occupies its pedestal. Most of the medieval square was destroyed during the last war, but has now been rebuilt with mixed results. The reconstructed town hall on the northern side of the square is graced with a baroque tower and a postmodern roof and is now once again open for business. The modern building that obscures the view of the square from Kaļķu is simply too ugly for words and has no place in the historic old town.

Photo impression of the Riga Motor Museum. Music is from Russian singer Vladimir Kuzmin.

Alberta Iela is one of the most beautiful streets in Riga. Art Nouveau. It is easy to do sightseeing on your own, but if you want a private tour guide then you can send me a message! Check out my other videos from Riga as well

iga Art Nouveau Museum was opened on April 23rd, 2009. It is located in the apartment where the outstanding Latvian architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns (1859 – 1928) lived until 1907.
The building was constructed in 1903 as K. Pēkšēns' private house. The project for it is the work of K. Pēkšēns himself together with Eižens Laube, then a student of architecture. The building is notable for its extremely powerful dimensions and expressive silhouette. The ornamental reliefs, craftily incorporated in the architectonic shape, feature stylized motifs from the local flora and fauna – fir needles and cones and squirrels. The building has a spiral staircase with ornamental ceiling paintings, quite possibly sketched by the prominent Latvian artist Janis Rozentāls. This Art Nouveau staircase is among the most impressive not only in Riga but also the whole of Europe.

Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is an historic educational institution located in Riga, Latvia. It was established in 1993 to exhibit artifacts, archive documents, and educate the public about the 51-year period in the 20th century when Latvia was successively occupied by the USSR in 1940, then by Nazi Germany in 1941, and then again by the USSR in 1944.

Stay in downtown Riga at Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel Riga. With this convenient location you have shops, restaurants and nightlife in walking distance.