Riga has the finest Art Nouveau architecture in Europe, a cobbled old town, a huge Central Market in zeppelin hangars and a Baltic beach scene at Jurmala nearby. It is affordable and lively.
Good to know
- Alberta Street is the best Art Nouveau stretch.
- Central Market is open early; go for breakfast.
- Jurmala is 25 minutes by train.
Eat this
Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Medieval squares, the House of the Blackheads and cathedral.
Lift to the viewing platform of the church tower for a sweeping panorama of the Old Town, the Daugava and the Art Nouveau quarter.
Sober, well-curated museum on the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia, told through personal stories and objects.
Sample the bittersweet herbal liqueur Riga Black Balsam neat, in cocktails or poured over ice cream in an Old Town bar.
Hearty Latvian dinner of grey peas with bacon, smoked fish and rye bread, washed down with a local craft beer.
Streets of extravagant facades by Mikhail Eisenstein.
One of Europe's largest markets in 1920s hangars.
Wide white-sand Baltic beach lined with pines and wooden villas, an easy train ride from the city for a seaside afternoon.
Saturday market of wooden houses and local producers.
Day trip to Gauja National Park with medieval castles, sandstone caves and a cable car over the valley, about an hour by train.
Neoclassical opera house with affordable tickets.