Travel guide · Latvia
Riga travel guide
Art Nouveau boulevards, a Hanseatic old town and a market in zeppelin hangars
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states, set on the Daugava river a few kilometres from the Gulf of Riga. Its UNESCO-listed centre has two faces: the medieval Old Riga of church spires, guild houses and the rebuilt House of the Blackheads, and a 19th- and early 20th-century boulevard district with one of Europe's largest concentrations of Art Nouveau buildings. The Central Market fills five former zeppelin hangars, and the beaches of Jūrmala are 30 minutes away by train. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–September.
Key facts
- Country
- Latvia
- Best time to visit
- May–September
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- RIX
- Mid-range daily budget
- $110–$190 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Art Nouveau architecture, Old Riga, House of the Blackheads and Riga Central Market
Why visit Riga
- Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela are lined with Art Nouveau facades of masks, sphinxes and peacocks, many designed by Mikhail Eisenstein.
- The Central Market's five pavilions, built from First World War zeppelin hangars, sell smoked fish, rye bread and seasonal berries.
- Old Riga packs the House of the Blackheads, Riga Cathedral with its 1884 Walcker organ and the medieval Three Brothers houses into a few walkable streets.
- Restaurants, hotels and concerts generally cost less than in Western and Nordic capitals.
- Trains reach the long sandy beaches of Jūrmala in about 30 minutes and the castles of Sigulda in about 75 minutes.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 19 things to do.
Neighbourhood · Old Riga
Old Riga walk
The UNESCO-listed medieval core packs guild halls, churches and merchants' houses into narrow lanes between the Daugava and the city canal.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Architecture · Old Riga
House of the Blackheads
First mentioned in 1334 as a hall for merchants' guilds, the House of the Blackheads was named after the brotherhood of unmarried foreign merchants who rented it.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Riga
St Peter's Church
First mentioned in 1209, St Peter's is a Gothic brick church whose tall wooden spire has been rebuilt several times, most recently after a 1941 fire.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
Religious site · Old Riga
Riga Cathedral
Founded in 1211, the Dom is the largest medieval church in the Baltic states, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements around a peaceful cloister.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes, longer with a concert
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Street · Quiet Centre
Alberta iela and the Art Nouveau district
Built in a burst of prosperity around 1900, the streets north of the Esplanāde are lined with Art Nouveau apartment blocks.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Art
- Photo spot
Market · Moscow Suburb
Riga Central Market
Opened in 1930, Riga's Central Market occupies five enormous pavilions built from German zeppelin hangars of the First World War, each devoted to meat, fish, dairy, vegetables or gastronomy, with outdoor stalls of flowers, berries and mushrooms around them.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Where to stay
Old Riga is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and nightlife
Old Riga
Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava
$$$ · Best for couples, culture, quiet stays and luxury
Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs)
Embassy district of Art Nouveau apartment blocks around Alberta iela
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
City Centre
Boulevards, parks and shopping streets between the Freedom Monument and Vērmanes Garden
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and culture
Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri
Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market
What to eat
- Dark rye bread — Dense, sweet-sour rye bread, often baked with caraway, is eaten with every meal and is the base for snacks and desserts.
- Grey peas with bacon — Large grey field peas cooked with fried bacon and onion, often served with a glass of kefir.
- Riga Black Balsam — A dark, bitter herbal liqueur first produced in Riga in the 18th century from a recipe of herbs, roots and berries.
- Sklandrausis — A traditional open pie of rye dough filled with mashed potato and sweet carrot, spiced with cinnamon.
- Bacon buns — Soft, crescent-shaped yeast buns filled with chopped bacon and onion, eaten as a snack, with soup or at celebrations.
- Riga sprats — Small Baltic fish smoked over wood and packed in oil, eaten on rye bread with egg or onion.
When to go
The best time to visit Riga is May to September, when days are long, café terraces fill the Old Town and the Jūrmala beaches are within easy reach. Late June has Midsummer (Jāņi), though many locals leave the city for it. December is a good second season for Christmas markets, while January to March is cold but quiet and inexpensive.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Slushy March gives way to fresh, bright May days; quiet streets and moderate prices. |
| Summer | June–August | White nights, Midsummer, beach days at Jūrmala and festivals; busiest and most expensive, with heavy summer showers. |
| Autumn | September–November | Mild September and golden early October, then grey skies, national-holiday candles and the light festival in November. |
| Winter | December–February | Snow, Christmas markets and concerts in December; very cold and quiet after New Year, with the lowest prices. |
Getting there and around
Riga International Airport is about 10 km south-west of the centre. City bus 22 reaches the centre in about 25–30 minutes, and ride-hailing cars or taxis take around 20 minutes depending on traffic.
Old Riga is pedestrianised and compact, and the Art Nouveau district, Central Market and Moscow Suburb are within a 15-minute walk of it. Rīgas satiksme's trams, trolleybuses and buses cover the rest of the city on the same tickets.
Plan your days
Two days covers Old Riga, the Art Nouveau district and the Central Market. A third day adds the National Museum of Art, the Moscow Suburb or the Open-Air Museum; with four or five you can take day trips to Jūrmala, Sigulda or Rundāle Palace.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Latvian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water meets EU standards and is generally safe, though many locals prefer filtered or bottled water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (all emergencies)
- Tipping
- Tipping around 10% for good table service in restaurants is customary but not compulsory; check whether a service charge has been added.
Riga is generally low-risk for visitors, but pickpocketing occurs at the Central Market, the stations and crowded Old Town streets. Inflated-bill scams involving bars and strangers who invite visitors in have been widely reported in Old Riga, so choose your own venues and check prices.
Flights to Riga
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Riga?
Two days covers Old Riga, the Art Nouveau district and the Central Market. A third day adds the National Museum of Art, the Moscow Suburb or the Open-Air Museum; with four or five you can take day trips to Jūrmala, Sigulda or Rundāle Palace. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Riga?
The best time to visit Riga is May to September, when days are long, café terraces fill the Old Town and the Jūrmala beaches are within easy reach. Late June has Midsummer (Jāņi), though many locals leave the city for it. December is a good second season for Christmas markets, while January to March is cold but quiet and inexpensive.
+What is Riga known for?
Art Nouveau architecture, Old Riga, House of the Blackheads, Riga Central Market, Riga Black Balsam, Jūrmala beaches and Midsummer (Jāņi). Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela are lined with Art Nouveau facades of masks, sphinxes and peacocks, many designed by Mikhail Eisenstein.
+Is Riga expensive?
Riga is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $110–$190 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Riga?
No. The centre is walkable and suburban trains reach Jūrmala, Sigulda and Cēsis. A car helps for Rundāle Palace, Kuldīga and rural Latvia.