Riga
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Riga is the capital of Latvia, a major industrial, commercial, cultural and financial centre of the Baltics, and an important seaport, situated on the mouth of the Daugava. With 715,978 inhabitants (2009) it is the largest city of the Baltic states and third-largest in the Baltic region, behind Saint Petersburg and Stockholm (counting residents within the city limits).
Riga's historical centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) architecture, which UNESCO considers to be unparalleled anywhere in the world. More about history, geography, economics, culture, etc you will find on Wikipedia
 View of the industrial port from Andrejsala, photo by Zane |
 St.Peters church and view from the roof of Great Guild, photo by Zane |
 Typical sight by river Daugava, photo by Zane |
 Nice and quiet yard, photo by Zane |
 Autumn in Riga, view from Zemitanu bridge over railroad, photo by Zane |
 A cozy cafe and artistic shop "Istaba" on Barona str, photo by Zane |
 chilled place for lazy breakfasts or intellectual conversations "Meta-kafe", photo by Zane |
 one of the most famous cats in Riga, photo by Zane |
Contents |
CouchSurfing in Riga
Community
Events
Regular Tuesday meetings
Riga Good Times July 30-August 2 RGT
Main sights/attractions
Check out the Riga Tourism Portal for the history, more places to see, etc.
Tourism in Riga. Information is available in English, German, French, Latvian, and Russian.
In the oldtown
The BlackHeads House
The origins of this structure date back to the 14th century, when a building was put up for the needs of city officials and tradesmen. The so-called Blackheads Society, whose patron was St. Mauritius, took over the building in the 15th century, although the name “Blackheads House” dates back only to 1687. In 1713, the society won full ownership rights to the building. It once contained one of the world’s richest collections of silver objects. The building was destroyed during World War II, but on June 29, 1995, the foundations for the structure that is seen today were laid. A memorial capsule was inserted into the foundations. Work on the restoration was completed in 1999.
The Freedom Monument
The Freedom Monument is a symbol of Latvia’s freedom and independence, erected by the architects Kārlis Zāle and Ernests Štālbergs. People donated money for the project, which was completed in 1935. On the front wall of the monument is the inscription “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai”, or “For the Fatherland and Freedom” - an expression of the meaning of the monument.
The Riga Castle
The castle was built in 1330 as a residence for the master of the Livonian Order. The building was sacked in 1448, and in subsequent decades it was rebuilt a number of times. Eventually it lost its medieval appearance. The lead tower was put up in the early 16th century, while the so-called three star towers was erected in 1938. A new three-story addition was attached between 1785 and 1787 for the needs of the provincial institutions in the city. The White Hall was installed in 1818. In 1938 the architect Eižens Laube redesigned the interiors so that they could be used by the government for ceremonial occasions. The Red Hall was one of the results. The president of Latvia has offices and ceremonial facilities in the castle at this time but does not live there. The complex also contains several museums. www.president.lv/pk/content/?cat_id=11
The Three Brothers
The “three brothers” are an example of medieval residential structures in Rīga - three buildings that were put up on very narrow strips of land. The facades and interiors provide a textbook example of the development of architecture over the course of time. Mazā Pils iela 17 is the oldest stone residential building in Rīga (late 15th, early 16th century), and its distinctive chimney has been preserved. The facade is accepted with a step-type pediment and a Gothic niche. Number 19 was put up in 1646, while Number 21 took on its appearance in the late 17th century. One of the walls in the interior yard of the structure contains the oldest known city emblem of Rīga, along with some stone portals.
The Gunpowder Tower
This is one of the towers which helped to form the formerly walled city’s fortifications. Initially known as the Sand Tower, it dates back to 1330. It was rebuilt several times and took on its present identity in the 17th century – logically enough because gunpowder was stored in the tower. A military museum was installed in the tower in 1919. A new museum structure was attached between 1937 and 1939, and today there is an interesting and extensive exhibition at the facility.
The Great Guild
The Large Guild, for its part, was established in 1354 by tradesmen in Rīga, and the guild monopolized trade in the city until the 19th century. The patron saint of the guild is St. Mary. Fragments of the building’s original, 14th-century interiors can still be seen in the form of an ancient column. The present-day structure was put up between 1854 and 1857. Today the building is the home of the Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Small Guild
The Large Guild, for its part, was established in 1354 by tradesmen in Rīga, and the guild monopolized trade in the city until the 19th century. The patron saint of the guild is St. Mary. Fragments of the building’s original, 14th-century interiors can still be seen in the form of an ancient column. The present-day structure was put up between 1854 and 1857. Today the building is the home of the Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra.
St. James’s Catholic Cathedral
Work on this Early Gothic structure began around 1226, according to written documents. This period of construction is represented in the interior of the church by its arches. The Late Gothic period was the time when the attached St. Cross chapel was built. For a time it housed a lyceum - one of the first educational institutions of its kind in Rīga. The steeple was installed in 1756. There is a clock in its base, and a bell to ring alarms was installed in the upper portion of the structure. This cathedral is often mistakenly called "St Jacob's". The confusion arises because Latvian, like many other languages, uses the same name for "James" and "Jacob".
St. John’s Lutheran Church The church began its life as a chapel for a Dominican cloister that was established in 1234. It became a church in the late 13th century, and in 1582 it became the first Latvian church in Rīga. The architecture of the church features a step-type pediment and magnificent arches inside. Major works of sacral art can be seen inside the church.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
One of the most ancient examples of Medieval churches in the Baltic region, St. Peter’s was first built in the 13th century, although since then it has gone through a number of building periods. A Baroque wooden steeple was installed in 1690 - the highest in the world at the time. The church was burned down during World War II and restored only in 1973. The metal steeple is 123.25 meters high. The interior of the church contains ancient epitaphs and burial plaques.
The Dome Cathedral
The cornerstone for the Dome Cathedral, which is the seat of the archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, was laid on 1211. The architecture of the church includes elements of Early Gothic, Baroque and other styles, but the main building and the attached cloister form a harmonic ensemble nevertheless. This is the largest church building in Latvia, and inside one can find many art treasures.
Brothers' Cemetery (Brāļu kapi) A military cemetery and national monument. The cemetery is a memorial to and burial ground for thousands of Latvian soldiers who were killed between 1915 and 1920 in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence. It was built as an integrated combination of sculpture and landscaping between 1924 and 1936, to designs by the sculptor Kārlis Zāle.
Off the beaten track
Another Travel Guide has a great selection of tips for not the average traveler visiting Riga. Some of the places might be a bit too fancy, but some might be a surprise even for locals. Do check it for some nice "off the track" places and insider's view.
Couchsurfer James or his colleagues make sure you see what should be seen in Riga (most of the below mentioned places) on their Riga free tours. Check also Eat Riga walking and bicycle tours for some more info on Riga and possibilities to see it in groups either on foot or by bike.
Central market
Berga bazārs
Ķīpsala
Flea market Latgalīte
Spīķeri district
 Spīķeri was the busiest place in Riga on the Museum night with an open air party in the yard of Meta-kafe, photo by Zane |
 A new tradition has started in autumn, 2009 - to have Open Air Vintage festival. a picture from first event at Dirty Deal Cafe yard, photo by Zane |
Maskavas (Maskačka) district
Kalnciema str
 Some enthusiasts sell renovated, fully functional Soviet time cars at Kalnciema district, photo by Zane |
 Kalnciema district hosts open air markets with nice design thingies, ecological products and family activities, but on a regular day simply a nice place where to see renovated old wooden architecture, photo by Zane |
Old cemetery/park on Miera str
Mežaparks recreational area
Events
Lacplesa day 11th November
Staro Riga light festival 14th - 18th November
Light festival STARO RIGA tradition started on 2008, in 2009 festival takes place from 14th to 18th November. During the festival Riga's face changes and you can find lots of beautifully light up facades of buildings, light art objects on the streets or in the parks, some interactive objects of light art and experience the 18th November Independence day fireworks on the Daugava riverside.
Latvia Independence day
18th November
Restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs
Accommodation
The best way is to stay with CS people, but in case you need some other kind of accommodation, here are some suggestions.
Hostels
Funky Hostel price - 3 lats (with special couch surfer discount)
The Hostel is managed by a Couch Surfer River, and offers a special 3lvl CS deal on dorm beds. This small, quiet, clean and friendly hostel is only 5-10 minutes walk from EVERYTHING (that's worth seeing) in Riga. Because we only have a maximum of 25 guests at any time you get much more personal attention than you would in larger hostels and we're happy to spend some time giving directions and passing on our local knowledge of places to go and things to see. Our reception staff is always available to help make sure you enjoy your stay in Riga and have the perfect day of sightseeing and night of partying. This is not a "party hostel" but we do have a HUGE fridge full of cheap beer/drinks. So feel free to hang out on the couches, watch the big screen TV (movies available) and have a few (and maybe a few more) pre-party drinks with the other guests. As the night gets going the staff will be heading out to find (or start) the party elsewhere so come along for some good times, or just ask for tips about where to go. Riga's night life is amazing when you know the right places!
Riga Hostel
Riga Hostel is owned by couchsurfers. Riga Hostel is situated in the heart of the Old Town, which means that you are in centre of Riga’s cultural life. The price includes simple breakfast, as well as free tea and coffee at any time of day/night. Riga Hostel has a kitchen with common room where you can cook your favorite meals, watch TV or DVD, use waterpipe and a book exchange corner. Riga Hostel has free Internet access, Wi-Fi in most rooms, and you can wash your clothes for a small fee (yeah, we know that sometimes being on the road for long time we really need that). In the hostel we have quite a big movie collection for cold and rainy days when you don't want to go out, we organize film evenings, Latvian food tasting and even hangover breakfast. Most of the staff are couchsurfing members so you can trust their advice where to go, what to see and how to escape touristic Old Town. Riga Hostel is a second home for fun and social travelers from all over the world.
Central Hostel
Central Hostel is Riga Hostel's younger sister owned by the same friendly couchsurfers. Central Hostel waits you in a quiet street in the centre of Riga with candies on pillows. The true and interesting things in Riga are just a reach away from Central Hostel, it takes just 5 minutes to go to train or bus station and in 15 minutes you will be in Old Town. Central Hostel is aimed towards people who prefer privacy and comfort with cheap prices while living inside a real Latvian environment, not the isolation of the touristic and crowded old town. If you are travelling with car to Riga you can leave in Central Hostel's parking place, if not maybe you want to rent a vintage style Volkswagen Beetle? The price includes breakfast, as well as free tea, coffee, cocoa at any time. Central Hostel has a kitchen where you can cook, a common room with TV and DVD, waterpipe and a book exchange corner, free Internet access, Wi-Fi in most rooms, and you can wash your clothes for a small fee. Central Hostel also has second common room where you are allowed to smoke and can have a sauna. The staff are local couchsurfing members and, as you know, they always give the best recommendations about the city.
Riga Out There Hostel
Riga Old Town Hostel
Hotels and B&B
Apartments
Getting here
By plane
Airlines
airBaltic destinations: Aalesund; Almaty; Athens; Baku; Barcelona; Bergen; Berlin; Billund; Brussels; Chisinau; Copenhagen; Dublin; Dubai; Dusseldorf; Dushanbe; Frankfurt; Geneva; Gothenburg; Hannover; Hamburg; Helsinki; Hurghada; Istanbul; Kaunas; Kaliningrad; Kiev; Kuopio; Kishinev; Linköping; London; Milan; Minsk; Moscow; Munich; Nice; Odessa; Oslo; Oulu; Palanga; Paris; Pskov; Riga; Rome; Sharm El Sheikh; Simferopol; Stavanger; Stockholm; St Petersburg; Tallinn; Tashkent; Tbilisi; Tel Aviv;; Tartu; Tromsø; Turku; Yerevan; Venice; Vienna; Vilnius; Warsaw; Zurich. airBaltic
Ryanair destinations: Bremen; Bristol; Brussels; Dublin; Dusseldorf; East Midlands; Frankfurt; Glasgow; Liverpool; London; Milan; Stockholm; Tampere. Ryanair
Czech Airlines destination: Prague. Czech Airlines
Finnair destination: Helsinki. Finnair
LOT destination: Warsaw. LOT
Lufthansa destination: Frankfurt. Luftansa
Norwegian destinations: Oslo; Trondheim. Norwegian
Turkish Airlines destination: Istanbul. Turkish Airlines
Uzbekistan Airways destinations: Tashkent; New York. Uzbekistan Airways
Wind Jet destination: Forli. Wind Jet
Aeroflot destination: Moscow. Aeroflot
Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air
By bus
Ecolines Ecolines
Eurolines Eurolines
By ferry
Tallink destination: Stockholm Tallink
By train
By car
Getting around
Public transportation
There are 3 kinds of public transportation in Riga: trams, buses, and trolley-buses. It's also possible to use trains for some destinations in Riga and also (if crazy enough) you can use mini buses. Most of public transportation operates from 5-6am to midnight. Some useful routes:
- tram 6 - gets you to Jugla, if you want to hitchhike to Vidzeme region
- tram 11 - gets you to Mezaparks - Zoo, lake Kisezers, park for bicycling, rollerskating and walking
E-ticket
As of May 2009, there is an e-ticket system working for public transport payment. You can buy e-tickets at ticket vending machines and press trade outlets (Narvesen, Plus punkts, etc). If you're in a hurry and can't find a ticket vending machine, you can buy a paper ticket for a single journey from the driver (it costs 0,60 lats).
Prices:
- standard ticket 1 way - 0,40 lats;
- 5 trips - 2 lats;
- 10 trips - 3,80 lats;
- 20 trips - 7,20 lats;
- 24h ticket - 1,50 lats;
- 3 day ticket - 4,60 lats;
- 5 day ticket (for all transports) - 7,60;
It's also possible to buy a 5 day ticket only for one route (3,40 lats), 1 kind of transport, for example, tram (4,80 lats). For those who stay in Riga longer and would use public transport on daily basis - it's also possible to buy a personalized e-ticket or reloadable plastic e-ticket
Tickets for luggage and pets are sold by public transport drivers only (price - LVL 0.80). NB! you don't have to pay for luggage, if driving to airport with bus Nr 22.
Local train
Riga has quite good train connections to many places in Latvia, starting off with Jūrmala (beach resort), Sigulda (touristic sightseeing town) and ending with Liepāja (coastal town on the west) and Daugavpils (one of the largest cities, close to Russian border). Interactive Local Train Traffic Timetable with prices For example, Riga - Bulduri (Jūrmala & beach) - 0,80 lats one way
It's possible to get a discount for group of more than 10 people.
Taxi service
If you're staying out late, taxi is a convenient way to get home (if it's not within walkable distance). Sometimes they tend to rip-off tourists, so the best way is to go from a party with a local person that can call a taxi for you or share the drive.
Recommended taxi companies:
Red Cab
(Red taxis with 8000 13 13 phone nr on it) - this is said to be the most reliable by many people we know
phone: (+371) 80 00 13 13
Smile taxi
(yellow cabs with smileys)
phone: (+371) 67 26 25 25
Lady taxi
(for girls - only female drivers, taxis with red roses on the sides of the car)
phone: (+371) 27 80 09 00 [! recheck !]
Avois taxi
(cheapest taxi in Riga, but has to be prebooked and usually drivers/dispatchers don't speak English, have heard that they charge foreigners more)
phone: (+371) 67 60 74 77
Baltic taxi
(light green taxis, drivers have nice hats on) this is the newest taxi company, partly belongs to airBaltic airlines, positions itself as especially friendly to foreigners - drivers should speak either English or German and treat you right (for example drive to airport has fixed price of 9 lats).
phone: (+371) 20 00 85 00
Average prices:
- Entrance fee - 1,50 lats;
- Distance fee - 0,60 lats/km;
- To/from airport (Riga center) - 7 to 10 lats
Bicycles
Riga is not a very bicycle friendly city due to 2 reasons: no special lanes on the streets (and drivers not too used to respect bicycles on the streets) and bikes being stolen daily. However, having bicycle is a nice way to see Riga city. So if you choose to do it - be careful when driving and make sure to lock the bike in a place where it's visible to you or where someone can look after it. There are only 2 official bicycle routes in Riga:
- from Ķīpsala (you have to cross Vanšu bridge to get there) to the beach - Jūrmala;
- from center (Hanza/Skanstes street corner) to Mežaparks - nice recreational green area with a lake nearby.
Bicycle rentals Bicycle tours
Going out
Shot Bar – a cosy place with delicious cocktails and killing shots. Next to the Powder tower. Happy hours from 16-17, 20-21 and 1-2.
French Bar – official name „La Belle Epoque“, commonly known as the Erasmus bar, located east from Blackheads house. Cheep beer.
Cuba cafe - located in Dome square
Skyline bar is known for its cocktails and a nice view, located on the upper floor of Hotel Reval Latvia – the high building that you see behind Freedom monument
Radio bar – area for drinking, chatting, as well as a lot of place for dancing.
Clubs
Cinema
Shopping
Shopping malls
Household objects
Chocolate and sweets
Why: Because for several decades we are proud of and really love Laima. Where: in different shops, but also in the chain of Laima shops; e.g.: Audeju 15 (next to Galerija Centrs).
Why: Hand made truffles, hot chocolate and much more. Where: only in the chain of Emihls Gustavs boutiques/cafes; e.g.: in Galerija Centrs.
Another Travel Guide on Emihls Gustavs
Looking for something different?
"Istaba"
Address: 31a Kr. Barona Street
Small shop on the first floor that offers funky hand made jewelery, postcards and all sorts of artistic small things that would make a perfect gift, for example, old-school matches with funny soviet time pictures on the boxes. Second floor hosts a small cozy cafe/bar that is famous for chefs preparing food not according to the menu, but the customers wishes. Good place for original souvenirs, cup of coffee or glass of wine. In summer time has a nice outside cafe right on the busy Barona str.
Another Travel Guide on Istaba
"Tejas roze"
Address: Šķūņu iela 6
If you're around the old town and want to have a souvenir gift or cute accessories made by Latvian designers, probably one the best places to got to. Earrings, scarves, funky gloves, badges, even children clothing. A bit pricey, but real eye-candy.
"Otra elpa"
Address: Marijas iela 13, Berga Bazārs, 2nd floor
Charity shop with a character, where you can find all sorts of things starting from clothing and ending with books, vinyls and DVDs donated by people. Among others - there are things that have come from well known Latvian people such as ex-president or lead singer of most popular pop-band "Brainstorm" (might be sold already). All income is used for different charity purposes. Every once in a while events are held at these premises such as literary nights or acoustic concerts.
Another Travel Guide on Otra elpa
"Retro Spectro"
Address: A. Briāna iela 10
Alternative and a bit hidden vintage store that is created in an old apartment and owned by two vintage enthusiasts Linda and Mareks. Clothes, boots, shoes, earrings and all sorts of other things from 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, and even vintage wedding dress, some pieces of underwear and lots of nice hats. In a tiny chill-out room possible to sip coffee or a wine and play with the owner's dog Sparta.
Another Travel Guide on Retro Spectro
"Perle"
Address: Tērbatas iela 65
Vintage clothing store that offers clothes, shoes, accessories, as well as interior objects and funny things with history (mostly 80s). The place is owned by a young couple, girl is ex MTV dj. It's possible to have a cup of coffee or tea during daytime and chat with the friendly owners, but later at night the place transforms into a bar with dj. Not a big selection of drinks, but reasonable prices and good mood.
"Madara"
Madara Cosmetics is a recent success story of a Latvian origin eco cosmetics brand. It's quite highly priced, but taking into account the nice design and ecological origins it could be a good present for a lady. Madara shops are located at 3 shopping malls - Galerija Centrs, Alfa and Spice, but their products are also available in most of eco stores.
"Alternative shop"
Address: Elizabetes iela 25
A place where to look for bio-cosmetics, also locally produced and eco-design. Situated in a very nice neighborhood near Alberta street.
Another Travel Guide on Alternative shop
Different practical info
Wi-Fi
Riga is generally wi-fi friendly city - you can find it in many coffee shops and other places for free. If you don't see the sign "wi-fi" somewhere, you can still ask if they happen to have it, as sometimes there are no designation. There should be free wi-fi available around Reval Hotels.
Map with free wi-fi places (some of them not coffe shops, but simply unsecured networks, unfortunately descriptions mostly in Latvian and Russian)
You can also purchase Lattelecom wi-fi access that works in more than 400 places including Riga airport (look for orange sticker with Lattelecom logo on it). You can either purchase it on the webpage via creditcard or send an sms to number 1188
SMS 1188 prices:
- 24h – sms text WIFI1. Price Ls 1.95
- 1 week – sms text WIFI2. Price Ls 2.95
- 1 month – sms text WIFI3. Price Ls 5.00
list of Lattelecom wi-fi places
Emergencies
112 - Emergency nr
