Solo travel · Riga · Latvia
Solo travel in Riga
How to enjoy Riga at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andrijko Z., CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Riga is affordable and easy for solo travellers, with good hostels, a walkable centre and plenty of bars, cafés and free sights. English is widely spoken among younger people and in the hospitality trade. Many solo travellers base themselves in Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri.
Key facts
- Base
- Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri
- Getting around
- Walking
- Emergency number
- 112 (all emergencies)
- Language
- Latvian
Solo travel tips
- Stay in the City Centre or Old Riga for hostels within walking distance of everything.
- Join a free walking tour of Old Riga or the Art Nouveau district to meet other travellers.
- Eat at Lido buffets or market stalls for inexpensive solo meals.
- Be wary of overly friendly strangers inviting you to bars, a known scam in Old Riga.
- Day trips to Jūrmala and Sigulda are easy by train on your own.
Where to stay
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and culture
Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri
The Latgale suburb, better known as the Moscow Suburb (Maskavas forštate), spreads south-east from the Central Market with 19th-century brick warehouses at Spīķeri, now cafés and galleries, the Stalinist Academy of Sciences tower and streets of old wooden houses. It holds important sites of Riga's Jewish history, including the ruins of the Great Choral Synagogue, and is the most affordable area near the centre.
- Good
- Low prices close to the centre; Authentic, unpolished character; Near the Central Market and bus station
- Watch out
- Some run-down streets; Feels empty at night away from Spīķeri
- Nearby
- Riga Central Market, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Spīķeri, Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum
Great on your own
Neighbourhood · Old Riga
Old Riga walk
Walk early in the morning or in the evening, and follow Jēkaba iela and Mazā Pils iela for quieter lanes.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Architecture · Old Riga
House of the Blackheads
Look for the plaque in the square marking the spot where Riga claims the first decorated Christmas tree stood in 1510.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Riga
St Peter's Church
Check that the tower platform is open before you go, and choose a clear day.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
Religious site · Old Riga
Riga Cathedral
Time your visit for an organ concert; the instrument is the reason to go inside.
- 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
Bring binoculars or zoom in with your phone; the best details are high on the upper storeys.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Art
- Photo spot
Market · Moscow Suburb
Riga Central Market
Visit in the morning, try the smoked fish in the fish pavilion and keep valuables zipped away in the crowds.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Meeting people
- Central Market grazing — Walk through the fish, dairy and gastronomy pavilions tasting smoked eel and sprats, sauerkraut, honey and rye bread, then take a seat at one of the street-food stalls in the market area.
- Lido buffet lunch — Lido's self-service restaurants serve Latvian classics such as grey peas, potato pancakes and pork dishes at low prices, making them an easy way to try local food.
- Old Riga — Dense with pubs, cocktail bars, beer halls and clubs around Kaļķu iela and the squares; busiest at weekends.
- Miera iela and Tallinas kvartāls — Cafés that turn into bars, craft beer and courtyard events with a local crowd.
Sensible precautions
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.
- Emergency number
- 112 (all emergencies)
- Staying connected
- Mobile coverage and data speeds are good, free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, and card payments are accepted almost everywhere.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Riga good for solo travellers?
Riga is affordable and easy for solo travellers, with good hostels, a walkable centre and plenty of bars, cafés and free sights. English is widely spoken among younger people and in the hospitality trade.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Riga?
Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri: Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market.