Where to stay · Riga · Latvia
Where to stay in Riga
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: David Holt uploaded and derivative work: MrPanyGoff, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Riga. Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava. Best alternatives — families: City Centre; budget: Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Riga
- Families
- City Centre
- Budget
- Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri
- Nightlife
- Old Riga
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Riga | Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava |
| Families | City Centre | Boulevards, parks and shopping streets between the Freedom Monument and Vērmanes Garden |
| Couples | Old Riga | Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava |
| Budget | Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri | Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market |
| Luxury | Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs) | Embassy district of Art Nouveau apartment blocks around Alberta iela |
| Nightlife | Old Riga | Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava |
| Food lovers | Miera iela and Tallinas kvartāls | Creative street of cafés, vintage shops and a chocolate museum north-east of the centre |
| Solo travellers | Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri | Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market |
| Shopping | City Centre | Boulevards, parks and shopping streets between the Freedom Monument and Vērmanes Garden |
| Quiet stays | Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs) | Embassy district of Art Nouveau apartment blocks around Alberta iela |
Riga neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and nightlife
Old Riga
Vecrīga is the walled medieval city, now without most of its walls but keeping its street plan, the Dome, St Peter's and St Jacob's churches, merchants' houses and the rebuilt House of the Blackheads on Town Hall Square. Staying here puts every historic sight within ten minutes on foot, but expect crowds on summer days and noise from bars on weekend nights.
- Good
- Historic sights on the doorstep; Atmospheric evenings; Walkable to the Central Market and station
- Watch out
- Restaurants on the main squares are pricier; Weekend noise and stag groups; Cobbles are hard work with luggage
- Nearby
- House of the Blackheads, Riga Cathedral, St Peter's Church, Three Brothers
$$$ · Best for couples, culture, quiet stays and luxury
Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs)
North of the Esplanāde park, the Quiet Centre holds the most elaborate Art Nouveau streets in Riga, including Alberta iela, Elizabetes iela and Strēlnieku iela, along with embassies, small hotels and neighbourhood restaurants. The Riga Art Nouveau Museum is here, and Old Riga is a 15-minute walk through the parks along the city canal.
- Good
- Beautiful architecture on every corner; Calm at night; Good restaurants away from tourist crowds
- Watch out
- Fewer large hotels; A walk to the Old Town and station
- Nearby
- Alberta iela, Riga Art Nouveau Museum, Latvian National Museum of Art, Esplanāde park
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
City Centre
The centre beyond the canal is laid out along wide 19th-century boulevards around Brīvības iela, with the Freedom Monument, the Bastejkalns and Esplanāde parks, Vērmanes Garden and the Nativity of Christ Cathedral. It has many mid-range and international hotels, theatres and shopping streets such as Tērbatas iela, and is a short walk from both Old Riga and the Quiet Centre.
- Good
- Central with parks nearby; Wide choice of hotels at fair prices; Easy airport bus access
- Watch out
- Busy roads along the boulevards; Less historic charm than Old Riga
- Nearby
- Freedom Monument, Vērmanes Garden, Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Latvian National Opera
$ · 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
$ · Best for solo travellers, food lovers, budget and nightlife
Miera iela and Tallinas kvartāls
Miera iela ('Peace Street') runs north-east from the centre past independent cafés, record shops and the Laima chocolate factory with its museum. Nearby, the Tallinas kvartāls creative quarter fills an old courtyard complex with bars, workshops and events. It is a 15–20 minute walk or short tram ride from the Freedom Monument.
- Good
- Local café and bar scene; Good value apartments; Tram links to the centre
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Not within walking distance of all sights
- Nearby
- Laima Chocolate Museum, Tallinas kvartāls, Ziedoņdārzs park
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and culture
Ķīpsala and Pārdaugava
Across the Daugava, Ķīpsala island has carefully restored 19th-century wooden houses, a riverside promenade and the best views back to the spires of Old Riga. Further south on the left bank, Pārdaugava holds the National Library of Latvia, the wooden houses of the Kalnciema Quarter with its Saturday market, and the renovated Āgenskalns market hall.
- Good
- Skyline views of Old Riga; Quiet residential streets; Short tram or walk across the bridges
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Windy bridge walks in winter
- Nearby
- National Library of Latvia, Kalnciema Quarter, Āgenskalns market, Vanšu Bridge
$$ · Best for families and quiet stays
Mežaparks
Mežaparks was laid out from 1902 as one of Europe's early garden cities, with villas among pine trees beside Lake Ķīšezers. It is home to Riga Zoo and the large open-air stage used for the national Song and Dance Festival, and tram 11 links it to the centre in about 25 minutes. It suits families and visitors who want greenery over nightlife.
- Good
- Forest, lake and zoo on the doorstep; Peaceful; Direct tram to the centre
- Watch out
- Far from Old Riga in the evenings; Very few places to stay
- Nearby
- Riga Zoo, Mežaparks Great Bandstand, Lake Ķīšezers
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Riga | $$$ | House of the Blackheads, Riga Cathedral, St Peter's Church, Three Brothers |
| Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs) | $$$ | Alberta iela, Riga Art Nouveau Museum, Latvian National Museum of Art, Esplanāde park |
| City Centre | $$ | Freedom Monument, Vērmanes Garden, Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Latvian National Opera |
| Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri | $ | Riga Central Market, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Spīķeri, Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum |
| Miera iela and Tallinas kvartāls | $ | Laima Chocolate Museum, Tallinas kvartāls, Ziedoņdārzs park |
| Ķīpsala and Pārdaugava | $$ | National Library of Latvia, Kalnciema Quarter, Āgenskalns market, Vanšu Bridge |
| Mežaparks | $$ | Riga Zoo, Mežaparks Great Bandstand, Lake Ķīšezers |
Getting to your hotel
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.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Riga for first-time visitors?
Old Riga. Vecrīga is the walled medieval city, now without most of its walls but keeping its street plan, the Dome, St Peter's and St Jacob's churches, merchants' houses and the rebuilt House of the Blackheads on Town Hall Square.
+Where should families stay in Riga?
City Centre: Central with parks nearby.
+Which area of Riga is best for a budget stay?
Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri ($): Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market.