Latvia
Rīga
Around Rīga
Jūrmala
Ķemeri
Western Latvia (Kurzeme)
Kurzeme Gulf Coast
Cape Kolka (Kolkasrags)
Northern Baltic Coast
Ventspils
Pāvilosta
Liepāja
Kuldīga
Alsunga
Sabile
Southern Latvia (Zemgale)
Bauska
Rundāle Palace
Dobele
Around Dobele
Daugava River Valley
Northeastern Latvia (Vidzeme)
Vidzeme Coast
Gauja National Park
Southeastern Latvia (Latgale)
Daugavpils
Around Daugavpils
Rēzekne
Around Rēzekne
Understand Latvia
Survival Guide
Latvia
%371 / Pop 1.95 million
Why Go?
A tapestry of sea, lakes and woods, Latvia is best described as a vast, unspoiled parkland with just one real city – its cosmopolitan capital, Rīga. The country might be small, but the amount of personal space it provides is enormous. You can always secure a chunk of pristine nature all for yourself, be it for trekking, cycling, berry-picking or dreaming away on a white-sand beach amid pine-covered dunes. But should you desire something urban, then Rīga, with its legendary art nouveau architecture and round-the-clock diversions, will delight in every way.
Having been invaded by every regional power, Latvia has more cultural layers and a less homogenous population than its neighbours. People here fancy themselves to be the least pragmatic and the most artistic of the Baltic lot. They prove the point with myriad festivals and a merry, devil-may-care attitude – well, a subdued Nordic version of it.
When to Go
A In June, the all-night solstice sends locals flocking to coastal cottages for midnight sun. Latvians shake off their winter doldrums with a vengeance as they take full advantage of the long days to live life outdoors.
A Refusing to let summer go, Rīgans sip lattes under outdoor heat lamps at the season’s last alfresco cafes in September and October. At the beaches, parkas are the outerwear of choice.
A Spend the winter holidays in the birthplace of the Christmas tree in Rīga’s Old Town. Expect plenty of warming hot drinks at the various outdoor seasonal markets.
Latvia Highlights
1 Rīga Gawking at the menagerie of devilish gargoyles that inhabit the city’s art nouveau treasures.
2 Old Rīga Losing yourself in the Unesco-protected maze of cobblestones, church spires and gingerbread trim.
3 Cape Kolka Listening to the waves pound this awesomely remote cape, which crowns the lonely Kurzeme coast.
4 Cēsis Peering from the walls of the medieval castle, then plunging into nearby Gauja National Park.
5 Kuldīga Weaving among historic buildings before feeling the spray from Europe’s widest – and maybe shortest – waterfall.
6 Rundāle Palace Sneaking away from the capital and reliving aristocratic decadence.
7 Liepāja Walking the fascinating Port Promenade before getting lost in the vastness of a great Baltic beach.
8 Jūrmala Lazing away long summer nights on a legendary white-sand beach.
Rīga
POP 641,400
The Gothic spires that dominate Rīga’s Old Town might suggest austerity, but it is the flamboyant art nouveau that forms the flesh and the spirit of this vibrant cosmopolitan city, the largest of all three Baltic capitals. While medieval Old Rīga echoes to the rumble of year-round tourist feet, the neighbourhoods just outside the canal ring echo to the sounds of hustle and bustle. Here the convivial laughs of good times can be heard in cool cafes, cutting-edge restaurants and a whole collection of welcoming bars and pubs.
While Rīga at first seems to share the northern attributes for quiet and reserve, you’ll soon find that there’s some powerful energy here as Rīgans enjoy their city.
Standing next to its namesake gulf, Rīga is a short ride from toney seaside resort, Jūrmala, which comes with a stunning white-sand beach. And it’s only a little further to uncrowded Saulkrasti. If you are craving solitude and a pristine environment, gorgeous sea dunes and blueberry-filled forests begin right outside the city boundaries.
History
If Rīga were a human, it would be keeping a stack of expired passports issued in its name by a dozen states and empires.
It was born German in 1201. Bishop Albert von Buxhoevden (say that fast three times) founded Rīga as a bridgehead for the crusade against the northern ‘heathens’ – the Balts, the Slavs and Finno-Ugric people. Thus Rīga became a stronghold for the Knights of the Sword and the newest trading junction between proto-Russia and the West. When Sweden snagged the city in 1621, it grew into the largest holding of the Swedish Empire (even bigger than Stockholm!). Then the Russians snatched Latvia from Sweden’s grip and added an industrial element to the bustling burg. By the mid-1860s Rīga was the world’s biggest timber port and Russia’s third city after Moscow and St Petersburg.
The 20th century saw the birth of cafes, salons, dance clubs and a thriving intellectual culture, which acquired a distinct Latvian flavour after the country became independent in 1918. All of that ended with the Soviet occupation in 1940. WWII left the city bombed and without its two largest communities – the Germans, who resettled into Germany, and the Jews, who were slaughtered in the Holocaust. But somehow, Rīga’s indelible international flavour managed to rise up from the rubble, and even as a part of the USSR, Rīga was known for its forward thinking and thriving cultural life.
Today, Rīga’s cosmopolitan past makes it one of the cornerstones of the Baltic and the heart of Latvia.
LATVIA AT A GLANCE
Currency euro (€)
Language Latvian, also Russian and English (unofficial)
Capital Rīga
Area 64,589 sq km
1Sights
Rīga sits along the Daugava River, which flows another 15km north before dumping into the Gulf of Rīga. Old Rīga (Vecrīga), the historic heart of the city, stretches 1km along the river’s eastern side and 600m back from its banks. This medieval section of town is mostly pedestrian, with curving cobbled streets and alleys.
Kaļķu iela heads away from the river and turns into Brīvības bulvāris (Freedom Blvd) when it hits the picturesque ring of parkland that insulates the medieval centre from the gridiron of grand boulevards just beyond. The copper-topped Freedom Monument, in the middle of Brīvības bulvāris, is the unofficial gateway into Central Rīga. This part of the city, constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries, sports wide avenues, imposing apartment blocks and plenty of art nouveau architecture. At the outer edges of the city centre, European grandeur begins to fade into Soviet block housing and microrajons (suburbs).
Old Rīga (Vecrīga)
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
1Old Rīga (Vecrīga)
The curving cobbled streets of Rīga’s medieval core are best explored at random. Once you’re sufficiently lost amid the tangle of gabled roofs, church spires and crooked alleyways, you will begin to uncover a stunning, World Heritage–listed realm of soaring cathedrals, gaping city squares, crumbling castle walls and, yes, many, many fellow tourists.
Rātslaukums
Rātslaukums is a fine place to start one’s exploration of the old city. Stop by the tourist information centre, located in Blackheads House, for useful brochures and maps.
Blackheads HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(Melngalvju nams; map Google map; %6704 3678; www.melngalvjunams.lv; Rātslaukums 7; adult/child €6/3; 
h10am-6pm)
Built in 1344, the original house was bombed in 1941 and flattened by the Soviets seven years later. Somehow the original blueprints survived and an exact replica of this fantastically ornate structure was completed in 2001 for Rīga’s 800th birthday.
Town HallHISTORIC BUILDING
(map Google map; Rātslaukums)
Rīga’s historic town hall was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt from scratch in 2003. A statue of St Roland (map Google map), the city’s patron, takes pride of place on the square in front of it. It, too, is a replica of the original, erected in 1897, which now stands in St Peter’s Church.
Latvian Riflemen MonumentMONUMENT
(map Google map; Latviešu Strēlnieku laukums)
Latvian Riflemen Sq, on the west side of the future home of the Occupation Museum, is dominated by the imposing and controversial statue honouring Latvia’s Riflemen, who formed the core of Russia’s Red Army in 1918. Some of them served as Lenin’s personal bodyguards, and yet most returned to the newly independent Latvia.
Mentzendorff’s HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(Mencendorfa nams; map Google map; %6721 2951; www.mencendorfanams.com; Grēcinieku iela 18; adult/child €6/2; h10am-5pm May-Sep, 11am-5pm Wed-Sun Oct-Apr)
Built in 1695 as the home of a wealthy German glazier, this sparsely furnished house offers insight into everyday life for Rīga’s successful merchants. There’s a permanent exhibition of contemporary glass art downstairs and temporary exhibitions are held in the attic. Note the intricate leaded glass windows.
OH CHRISTMAS TREE
Rīga’s Blackheads House was once known for its wild parties; it was, after all, a clubhouse for the Blackheads guild of unmarried German merchants. On a cold Christmas Eve in 1510, the squad of bachelors, full of holiday spirit (of all kinds), hauled a huge pine tree up to their clubhouse and smothered it with flowers. At the end of the evening they burned the tree in an impressive blaze. From then on, decorating the ‘Christmas tree’ became an annual tradition, which eventually spread across the globe (it’s probably for the best that the burning part never really caught on).
An octagonal commemorative plaque, inlaid in cobbled Rātslaukums, marks the spot where the original tree stood.
Pēterbaznīca Laukums
oSt Peter’s ChurchCHURCH
(Sv Pētera baznīca; map Google map; %67181 941; www.peterbaznica.riga.lv; Skārņu iela 19; adult/child €9/3; h10am-7pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Apr)
Forming the centrepiece of Rīga’s skyline, this Gothic church is thought to be around 800 years old, making it one of the oldest medieval buildings in the Baltic. Its soaring red-brick interior is relatively unadorned, except for heraldic shields mounted on the columns. A colourful contrast is provided by the art exhibitions staged in the side aisles. At the rear of the church, a lift whisks visitors to a viewing platform 72m up the copper-clad steeple.
The church’s austere Gothic outlook is softened by baroque sculptures, added in the 17th century, along with the spire that instantly became a signature element of Rīga’s skyline. In 1721 the spire was destroyed in a blaze, despite Russian emperor Peter I personally rushing to the scene to extinguish the fire. A legend says that when it was re-erected in 1746, builders threw glass from the top to see how long the spire would last; a greater number of shards meant a very long life. The glass ended up landing on a pile of straw and broke into just two pieces. The spire ended up being destroyed again in WWII. When it was resurrected again, the ceremonial glass chucking was repeated, and this time it was a smash hit. Today St Peter’s is garlanded by stylish restaurants and cafes.
Museum of Decorative Arts & DesignMUSEUM
(Dekoratīvi lietisķās mākslas muzejs; map Google map; %6732 4461; www.lnmm.lv; Skārņu iela 10/20; adult/child €5/2.50; h11am-5pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 7pm Wed)
The former St George’s Church houses a museum devoted to applied art from the art nouveau period to the present, including an impressive collection of furniture, woodcuts, tapestries and ceramics. The building’s foundations date back to 1207, when the Livonian Brothers of the Sword erected their castle here. Since the rest of the original knights’ castle was levelled by rioting citizens at the end of the same century, it is the only building that remains intact from the birth of Rīga.
St John’s ChurchCHURCH
(Jāņa baznīca; map Google map; %2563 5565; www.janabaznica.lv; Skārņu iela 24; h10am-6pm Fri-Sun)
A 13th- to 19th-century amalgam of Gothic and baroque styles, the church was first mentioned when the citizens installed catapults on its roof and successfully dispersed attacking Livonian knights. Initially run by Dominican monks, it was pillaged during the reformation. After a stint as stables and granary, it was handed over to the Lutherans, who remain in control. Next to the church, an archway leads into Jāņa sēta (St John’s courtyard), which contains the preserved remains of a 13th-century monastery wall.
It was here that Bishop Albert von Buxhoevden, who founded Rīga in 1201, set up his residence. So if you are looking for the city’s exact birthplace, it is about the first spot that comes to mind. Note the curving lines above the red-brick gates – they are said to depict the back of the donkey that drove Jesus into Jerusalem. The gist of it is – follow the Christ.
Rīga Porcelain MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %6701 2944; http://porcelanamuzejs.riga.lv; Kalēju iela 9/11; adult/student €2.50/1; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun)
This quirky museum houses a collection of porcelain assembled in now-defunct local porcelain factories from Soviet times. One was run by Russians hailing from the famous Gzhel factory near Moscow, the other by local Germans. As a result, the Rīga style of porcelain-making grew as a fusion of these two schools.
Kalēju Iela & Mārstaļu Iela
Zigzagging Kalēju iela and Mārstaļu iela are dotted with ornate reminders of the city’s legacy as a wealthy northern European trading centre. Several of the old merchants’ manors have been transformed into museums.
Latvian Photography MuseumMUSEUM
(Latvijas fotogrāfijas muzejs; map Google map; %6722 2713; www.fotomuzejs.lv; Mārstaļu iela 8; adult/child €4/2; h10am-5pm Wed & Fri-Sun, noon-7pm Thu)
Occupying a historic merchant’s house from 1500, this little museum displays early images from Rīga along with changing exhibitions of contemporary photography. There’s also a camera obscura and an interesting display on local lad Valters Caps (1905–2003), the inventor of the miniature Minox camera so beloved by Cold War spies.
Rīga SynagogueSYNAGOGUE
(map Google map; %6721 4507; www.jews.lv; Peitavas iela 6/8; h10am-5pm Sun-Fri)
Built in 1905, this art nouveau–style synagogue was the only one to survive the Nazi occupation – to torch it in the tightly packed Old Town would have put neighbouring buildings at risk. It reopened for worship during the Soviet period but was damaged by bomb attacks by neo-Nazis in the 1990s, following independence. It was fully restored in 2009 and is now protected by police 24/7. Inside, there is beautiful ornamentation modelled on ancient Egyptian and Assyrian-Babylonian styles.
Popular Front MuseumMUSEUM
(Tautas frontes muzejs; map Google map; %6722 4502; http://lnvm.lv; Vecpilsētas iela 13-15; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat) 
F
A branch of the National History Museum, this exhibition involving interactive multimedia technology covers the period of the third Atmoda (national awakening): the struggle for independence in the years of Soviet perestroika. Led by environmental campaigner Dainis Ivans, Latvian People’s Front was an umbrella organisation that united pro-democracy forces and was responsible for such poignant actions as the Baltic Chain, when Latvians, Estonians and Lithuanians built a human chain that went through all three countries.
Livu Laukums
Lively Livu laukums is near the busiest entrance to Old Rīga along Kaļķu iela. A colourful row of 18th-century buildings lines the square – most of which house cafes and restaurants.
Cat HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(Kaķu māja; map Google map; Miestaru iela 10/12)
The spooked black cats mounted on the turrets of this 1909 art nouveau–influenced building have become symbols of Rīga and Instagram stars. On any tour, you’ll likely hear a tale about how the building’s owner had the cats’ butts aimed at the neighbouring Great Guild across the street after he was rejected for membership. The tale is completely false but thanks to guides in need of a good story it now has nine lives.
Doma Laukums
oRīga CathedralCHURCH
(Rīgas Doms, The Dome Church; map Google map; %6722 7573; www.doms.lv; Doma laukums 1; €3; h10am-5pm daily May-Sep, 11am-5pm Wed-Sat Oct-Apr)
Founded in 1211 as the seat of the Rīga diocese, this enormous (once Catholic, now Evangelical Lutheran) cathedral is the largest medieval church in the Baltic. The architecture is an amalgam of styles from the 13th to the 18th centuries: the eastern end, the oldest portion, has Romanesque features; the tower is 18th-century baroque; and much of the rest dates from a 15th-century Gothic rebuild. The glazed black bricks are a symbol of the Hanseatic architecture.
During Soviet times services were forbidden, but the building, along with its huge 6768-pipe organ, built in 1884, underwent a careful reconstruction in 1983. It was used as a classical-music venue, which it very much remains now, although services are held again and it’s the home of the Lutheran archbishop of Latvia.
The floor and walls of the huge interior are dotted with old stone tombs – note the carved symbols denoting the rank or post of the occupant. Eminent citizens would pay to be buried as close to the altar as possible. In 1709 the cholera and typhoid outbreak that killed a third of Rīga’s population was blamed on a flood that inundated the tombs, whereupon new burials were banned. The serene cloisters provide a breather from the tourist-mobbed streets of Rīga.
Rīga History & Navigation MuseumMUSEUM
(Rīgas vēstures un kuģniecības muzejs; map Google map; %6735 6676; www.rigamuz.lv; Palasta iela 4; adult/child €5/1; h10am-5pm Wed-Sun May-Sep, 11am-5pm Tue-Sat Oct-Apr)
Founded in 1773 and situated in the old Rīga Cathedral monastery, this engaging museum presents the sweep of local history, from the Bronze Age all the way to WWII. Artefacts, including lovely pre-Christian jewellery and beautiful furnishings and clothing from the art nouveau period, help tell the story. A highlight is the beautiful neoclassical Column Hall, built when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire. Kids of all ages love the rooms full of ship models.
oArt Museum Rīga BourseMUSEUM
(Mākslas muzejs Rīgas Birža; map Google map; %6732 4461; www.lnmm.lv; Doma laukums 6; adult/child €3/0.50; h10am-6pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun, to 8pm Fri)
Rīga’s lavishly restored 1852 stock exchange building is a worthy showcase for the city’s art treasures. The elaborate facade features a coterie of deities that dance between the windows, while inside, gilt chandeliers sparkle from ornately moulded ceilings. The Asian section features beautiful Chinese and Japanese ceramics and an Egyptian mummy, while the main halls are devoted to Western art, including a Monet painting and a scaled-down cast of Rodin’s The Kiss.
oMuseum of the Barricades of 1991MUSEUM
(1991 gada barikāžu muzejs; map Google map; %6721 3525; http://barikades.lv; Krāmu iela 3; admission by donation; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat)
Latvia’s independence came after enormous struggles. One of the most remarkable stories involves the barricades built by thousands of citizens around important public buildings in Rīga. In January 1991, Latvians from every walk of life came together to prevent the Soviets from taking over the capital, a stunning display of heartfelt commitment to a greater cause. This excellent museum is run by the organisation of barricade veterans. It’s a moving – and professionally curated – account of this pivotal time.
Three BrothersHISTORIC BUILDING
(Trīs brāļi; map Google map; %museum 6722 0779; www.archmuseum.lv; Mazā Pils iela 17, 19 & 21; hmuseum 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) F
Tallinn has its Three Sisters, so Rīga has dubbed three of its old stone houses the Three Brothers. These architectural gems conveniently line up in a photogenic row and exemplify Old Rīga’s diverse collection of architectural styles. No 17 is over 600 years old, making it the oldest dwelling in town. Note the tiny windows on the upper levels – Rīga’s property taxes during the Middle Ages were based on window size.
The 17th-century No 19 houses the Latvian Museum of Architecture, which offers temporary exhibitions about the capital’s extraordinary buildings and shows decorations from lost Old Town buildings in the hidden courtyard.
St James’ CathedralCATHEDRAL
(Sv Jēkaba katedrāle; map Google map; %2999 1637; www.jekabakatedrale.lv; Klostera iela; h7am-1pm & 2.30-6pm Mon-Sat, to 7.30pm Sun)
Built in 1225, this church has ping-ponged many times between Catholic and Protestant, and has been home to many languages and communities, including Germans, Swedes, Poles and Estonians. Most notably, it was here that Latvians first heard a mass in their own tongue during its Lutheran stint in 1523. Exactly 400 years later it was handed back to the Catholics to be used as their cathedral.
Pils Laukums
Rīga CastleCASTLE
(Rīgas pils; map Google map; Pils laukums 3)
Built in 1330 as the headquarters of the grand master of the Livonian Order, this building has been much mutated over the years and now only looks properly castley from certain angles. It was badly damaged in a 2013 fire, but after a massive renovation it is once again the official residence of the Latvian president. Peer past the ceremonial guards out front for a peek at the inner sanctum.
Arsenāls Exhibition HallGALLERY
(map Google map; %6735 7527; www.lnmm.lv; Torņa iela 1; adult/child €4/2; h11am-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 8pm Thu, noon-5pm Sat & Sun)
Behind a row of granite heads depicting Latvia’s most prominent artists, the imperial arsenal, constructed in 1832 to store weapons for the Russian tsar’s army, is now a prime spot for international and Latvian art exhibitions.
Torņa Iela
From Pils laukums, photogenic Torņa iela makes a beeline for City Canal (Pilsētas kanāls) at the other end of Old Rīga. Almost the entire north side of the street is flanked by the custard-coloured Jacob’s Barracks (Jēkaba Kazarmas; map Google map; Torņa iela 4), built as an enormous warehouse in the 16th century. A few cafes and boutiques now inhabit the refurbished building.
Swedish GateGATE
(Zviedru vārti; map Google map; Torņa iela 11)
Built into the city’s medieval walls in 1698 while the Swedes were in power, this arched gate is the only one left in Old Rīga. Set in the largest surviving section of the town walls, it leads into Trokšnu iela, Old Rīga’s narrowest and most atmospheric street.
Latvian War MuseumMUSEUM
(Latvijas kara muzejs; map Google map; %6722 3743; www.karamuzejs.lv; Smilšu iela 20; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar) F
The round Powder Tower dates back to the 14th century and is the only survivor of the 18 original towers that punctuated the old city walls. Nine Russian cannonballs from 17th- and 18th-century assaults are embedded in its walls. In the past the museum has served as a gunpowder store, a prison, a torture chamber and a frat house. The museum details the political and military history of Latvia from medieval times to NATO and the present day.
Central Rīga (Centrs)
1Top Sights
1Sights
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
1Central Rīga (Centrs)
As Kaļķu iela breaks free from the centuries-old jumble of turrets and towers, it turns into Brīvības bulvāris (Freedom Blvd), and continues to neatly cut the city centre into two equal parts. An emerald necklace of lush parks acts as a buffer between the medieval walls and the large-scale gridiron of stately boulevards. Central Rīga’s memorable sights include the flamboyant art nouveau district, the sprawling Central Market housed in mammoth zeppelin hangars and the iconic Freedom Monument.
Along City Canal
Pilsētas Kanāls (City Canal)PARK
Pilsētas kanāls, the city’s old moat, once protected the medieval walls from invaders. Today the snaking ravine has been incorporated into a thin belt of stunning parkland splitting Old and Central Rīga. Stately Raiņa bulvāris follows the rivulet on the north side, and used to be known as ‘Embassy Row’ during Latvia’s independence between the world wars.
Raiņa has once again assumed its dignified status, with the bleu blanc rouge fluttering at No 9. Additional diplomatic estates face the central park and moat on Kronvalda bulvāris and Kalpaka bulvāris.
Bastion Hill (Bastejkalns; map Google map) lies along the banks of Pilsētas kanāls near Brīvības, and is the last remnant of medieval Rīga’s sand bulwark fortifications. People love to climb the circling path.
North of Bastejkalns across the canal are poignant reminders of Latvia’s tragic last century. Five red stone slabs lie as memorials to the victims of 20 January 1991 (map); they were killed here when Soviet troops stormed the nearby Interior Ministry. Nearby is the 1929 Statue of Rūdolfs Blaumanis (map Google map; 1863–1908). One of Latvia’s greatest writers, the short story In the Shadow of Death is one of his most famous works. In 1941 after Nazis occupied the city, Jews were chased and beaten on this now-serene spot.
On 18 November 1918 Latvia declared its independence at the baroque National Theatre (Nacionālais teātris; map Google map), at the junction of the canal and K Valdemāra iela. The beloved Latvian National Opera, which resembles Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, sits at the other end of the park near K Barona iela.
Freedom MonumentMONUMENT
(Brīvības piemineklis; map Google map; Brīvības bulvāris)
Affectionately known as ‘Milda’, Rīga’s Freedom Monument towers above the city between Old and Central Rīga. Paid for by public donations, the monument was designed by Kārlis Zāle and erected in 1935 where a statue of Russian ruler Peter the Great once stood.
At the base of the monument there is an inscription that reads ‘Tēvzemei un Brīvībai’ (For Fatherland and Freedom), accompanied by granite friezes of Latvians singing and fighting for their freedom. Among the figurines, you may recognise that of Lāčplēsis – the half-man, half-bear who symbolises Latvians’ struggle for independence.
A copper female Liberty tops the soaring monument, holding three gold stars in her hands (‘Milda’ was once a common girls’ name in Latvia, hence the monument’s moniker). The three stars represent the three original cultural regions of Latvia: Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale (Latvia’s fourth cultural region, Zemgale, is dismissed as a part of Kurzeme).
Surprisingly, during the Soviet years the Freedom Monument was never demolished. It helped that one of its authors, Ernests Štālbergs, designed Rīga’s main Lenin statue, which stood further up Brivibas until it was removed in 1991. However, all through the Soviet period, Milda was strictly off limits to Latvians, and people trying to place flowers at the base were persecuted.
Two soldiers stand guard at the monument throughout the day and perform a modest changing of the guards every hour on the hour from 9am to 6pm.
RīGA IN…
Two Days
Start your adventure in the heart of the city at Blackheads House in Rātslaukums. Spend the rest of the morning wandering among the twisting cobbled lanes that snake through medieval Old Rīga. Stop into Rīga Cathedral and learn the city’s history at the enjoyable Rīga History & Navigation Museum. After a leisurely lunch, wander beyond the ancient walls, passing the Freedom Monument as you make your way to the grand boulevards that radiate away from the city’s core. Head to the Quiet Centre, where you’ll find some of Rīga’s finest examples of art nouveau architecture on Alberta iela. Don’t miss the Rīga Art Nouveau Museum.
On your second day, browse the bounty of the Latvian countryside at Rīga Central Market, and buy some smoked fish, berries or cheese as a snack. Next ride the elevator to the Latvian Academy of Science Observation Deck. Then take a relaxing boat ride along the Daugava and the city’s inner canals. Head up to Central Rīga for drinks and a meal. In the evening, if the opera is in season, treat yourself to some of the finest classical music in Europe.
Four Days
After completing the two-day itinerary above, spend day three in your swimsuit along the silky sands in Jūrmala, Latvia’s uber-resort town. Rent a bike in the afternoon and explore Ķemeri, where spa relics coexist with natural beauty in the national park. Back in Rīga, head up to Miera iela to enjoy the city’s best pubs.
Your fourth day can be spent exploring some of Rīga’s lesser-known nooks, or you can make tracks to Gauja National Park for an action-packed day of castle-ogling mixed with natural beauty. Start in Sigulda to get the blood rushing on the Olympic bobsled track, swing through Turaida, then make your way to the fortress ruins and walkable streets of Cēsis before returning to the capital.
Park Belt
EsplanādePARK
The expansive Esplanāde is a large park dotted with tall trees, wooden benches and open-air cafes. The Latvian National Museum of Art graces it on one side, while the cupolas of the Russian Orthodox cathedral majestically rise on the other. The park used to be teeming with Soviet-era sculpture; the Rainis Statue (map Google map; Esplanāde) is the only vestige of that era.
Latvian National Museum of ArtGALLERY
(Latvijas Nacionālā mākslas muzeja; map Google map; %6732 4461; www.lnmm.lv; K Valdemāra iela 10a; adult/child €6/3; h10am-6pm Tue-Thu, to 8pm Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun)
Latvia’s main gallery, sitting on the edge of the Esplanāde’s leafy grounds, is an impressive building that was purpose-built in a baroque-classical style in 1905. The paintings form a who’s-who of Latvian art from the 18th to late 20th centuries. Watch for temporary exhibitions.
Nativity of Christ CathedralCHURCH
(Kristus Piedzimšanas katedrāle; map Google map; %6721 1207; www.pravoslavie.lv; Brīvības bulvāris 23; h7am-7pm)
Its polished gilded cupolas gleaming through the trees, this Byzantine-styled Orthodox cathedral (1883) adds a dazzling dash of Russian bling to the skyline. During the Soviet period the church was converted into a planetarium, but it’s since been restored to its former use. Mind the dress code – definitely no shorts; women are asked to cover their heads.
Vērmanes dārzs (Vērmanes Garden)PARK
From Brīvības, pass the swirls of colour at the 24-hour flower market along Tērbatas iela to find the inviting Vērmanes dārzs. During the summer months, local bands perform in the small outdoor amphitheatre, and artisans set up shop along the brick walkways, amidst the chess matches, cafes and inviting benches.
Museum of the Occupation of LatviaMUSEUM
(Latvijas Okupācijas muzejs; map Google map; %6721 1030; www.omf.lv; Raiņa bulvāris 7; admission by donation; h11am-6pm)
This museum colourfully details Latvia’s Soviet and Nazi occupations between 1940 and 1991. Some of the exhibits are disturbing, including first-hand accounts of the murder of Rīga’s once-substantial Jewish population, a re-creation of a gulag cell and many photographs that detail the atrocities. Latvia’s active resistance of the 1950s, the passive resistance of the 1970s and the pivotal popular resistance of the early 1990s are fully detailed. There are daily tours in English at 2pm and 4pm (€3).
The museum is currently in the former US embassy. It was previously in the stark Soviet-era building on Rātslaukums in Old Rīga and is meant to return there when renovations are complete after 2021.
Just when you thought that Old Rīga was the most beautiful neighbourhood in town, the city’s magnificent art nouveau district (focused around Alberta iela, Strēlnieku iela and Elizabetes iela) swoops in to vie for the prize. Rīga boasts over 750 art nouveau buildings, making it the city with the most art nouveau architecture in the world.
ART NOUVEAU 101
Ask a Rīgan where to find the city’s world-famous art nouveau architecture and you’ll likely get this answer: ‘Look up!’ More than 750 buildings in Rīga (more than any other city in Europe) boast this flamboyant and haunting style of decor. Art nouveau, also known as Jugendstil, meaning ‘Youth Style’, is named after a Munich-based magazine called Die Jugend, which popularised the design in its pages.
Art nouveau’s early influence was Japanese print art disseminated throughout Western Europe, but as the movement gained momentum, the style became more ostentatious and free-form – design schemes started to feature mythical beasts, screaming masks, twisting flora, goddesses and goblins. The turn of the 20th century marked the height of the art nouveau movement as it swept through every major European city.
The art nouveau movement in Rīga can be divided into three pronounced phases:
Eclectic Decorative Art Nouveau The first phase occurred from 1900 to 1905. The primary focus was the facade rather than the interior, as highly ornate patterns were imported from Germany by the local architects who studied there. The intricate sculpture work was also locally designed, mostly by August Volz, who did his apprenticeship in Germany.
National Romanticism After the failed Russian revolution of 1905, local architects developed designs with nationalistic flair. Styles reflected Latvian ethnographic motifs. An affinity for natural materials flourished as urban facades were left unpainted to show the greys and browns of the building materials. Although this rather un-art-nouveau style was only popular for four years, it coincided with a boom in the city’s wealth, and thus a lot of structures exhibit this style.
Perpendicular Art Nouveau The final phase flourished from around 1908 to 1912. The style was a hybrid design between the existing art nouveau traits and a return to classical motifs (presented in a heavily stylised fashion). An accentuation on verticality was pronounced, with soaring lines past a profusion of balconies and bay windows that draw your eyes right up to the sky.
In Rīga, the most noted Jugendstil architect was Mikhail Eisenstein, who flexed his artistic muscles on Alberta iela. Another prolific contributor was Eižens Laube, whose wooden house on Ķīpsala still amazes.
oAlberta IelaARCHITECTURE
Like a huge painting that you can spend hours staring at, as your eye detects more and more intriguing details, this must-see Rīga sight is in fact a rather functional street with residential houses, restaurants and shops. Art nouveau, otherwise known as Jugendstil, is the style, and the architect responsible for many of the buildings is Mikhail Eisenstein (father of filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein).
Named after the founder of Rīga, Bishop Albert von Buxhoevden, the street was Eisenstein’s gift to Rīga on its 700th anniversary. A jolly man, his bon vivant personality comes through in his exuberant work. See the full range of his talents on display in five adjoining buildings he designed from No 2a to No 8.
In particular, note Alberta iela 2a, constructed in 1906: serene faces with chevalier helmets stand guard atop the facade, which noticeably extends far beyond the actual roof of the structure. Screaming masks and horrible goblins adorn the lower sections amid clean lines and surprising robot-like shapes. Most noticeable are the two stone satyr phoenix-women that stand guard at the front.
The three heads on Alberta iela 4 are, well, head-turners. If you look carefully, you’ll see a nest of snakes slithering around their heads, evoking Medusa. All six eyes seem transfixed on some unseen horror, but only two of the faces are screaming in shock and fear. Two elaborate reliefs near the entrance feature majestic griffins, while ferocious lions with erect, fist-like tails keep watch on the roof. The enigmatic woman’s face over the entrance may be the most-photographed image in Rīga.
Further down the street, the Rīga Graduate School of Law at Alberta iela 13 attracts photographers like a starlet at Cannes. Another Eisenstein, it mixes Jugendstil with the Italian Renaissance – the facade has far too much texture: true art nouveau gives facades the flatness of a theatre backdrop. Peacocks, tangled shrubs and bare-breasted heroines abound, while cheery pastoral scenes are depicted in relief on Erykah Badu–like turbans atop the giant yawning masks. The triangular summit is a mishmash of nightmarish imagery: lion heads taper off into snake tails (like Chimera), sobbing faces weep in agony and a strange futuristic mask stoically stares out over the city from the apex.
2City Walk
Rīga’s Art Nouveau
START Latvian National Opera
END Alberta iela
Distance 2.6km; two hours
This walk covers the best art nouveau architecture in Rīga. Start at the 1Latvian National Opera and enter the city’s medieval core on Teātra iela; pause at 2Teātra iela 9, the Italian Embassy, to admire the facade’s pantheon of Greek figures – two ragged older men (Prometheus perhaps) frantically clutch their necks while supporting the convoluted wrought-iron balcony above. Look up high to spot Atlas with the world on his shoulders.
Further south, get a coffee to fuel your walk at 3Chez Olivier, the entrance of which is under a Jugendstil tree. Walk up Kalēju iela to 4Kaļķu iela 14: from the fox at the top, see how many critters you can count on this 1907 building. Turn northwest to find seemingly restrained 5Šķūņu iela 6, but look closely at the entrance and you’ll find some strong infants and plenty of stained glass. Next, at 1902 6Šķūņu iela 12/14 you’ll spot a variety of Ds hidden on the plant-covered front – the initial of the original owner. You can barely see the dog standing guard at the top.
Now head to one of Old Rīga’s most popular sites, the 7Cat House. Leave the selfie-snapping crowds for 8Smilšu iela 3. A number of topless figures decorate the exterior here; some are obviously women, but others are less definitive.
At 1902’s 9Smilšu iela 8, two women stand atop a protruding bay carrying an elaborate crown of leaves. A large mask of a melancholy woman with her eyes shut hovers over the entrance – a common theme in the Eclectic Decorative art nouveau.
Considered to be one of the finest examples of Jugendstil in Old Rīga is aSmilšu iela 2. The 1902 exterior features hybrid creatures including intertwining vines that morph, like a mermaid’s tail, into the torso of two caryatids. The architect of this masterpiece was the undisputed Jugendstil king, Konstantīns Pēkšēns, who designed over 250 art nouveau buildings in Rīga.
Across the street, bSmilšu iela 1/3 is a pastiche of contrasting styles reflective of the building’s use as shops (floors one and two), offices (three and four) and apartments (the rest).
Walk north on Jēkaba iela and exit Old Rīga. Cross K Valdemāra iela and head towards the pleasant cKronvalda parks, wasting no time on the yawning Soviet piazza in between. Follow the canal, then walk through the park to the Quiet Centre art nouveau district.
Turn west to dElizabetes iela 13, a 1904 Eclectic Decorative apartment building (note the typically asynchronous window styles). Across the street, eRūpniecības iela 1 (1903) mixes Florentine (the ground floor), Greek and other styles; note the woman with the lyre. The 1908 fRūpniecības iela 3 is the work of Pēkšēns and is an early example of the Perpendicular art nouveau style. Symmetry was the thing, as you can see from the bay windows set on a grid.
gVīlandes iela 16 is another Pēkšēns’ Perpendicular-style with a corner turret that rockets up to the sky and plenty of Latvian symbols in the detailing between floors two and three. Heading south, it’s Pēkšēns again at hVīlandes iela 10. A good example of National Romanticism art nouveau, it has numerous female figures depicted in ways that recall a Greek frieze (flowing robes, garlands of flowers). See if you can find the satyr. The street’s last stop is iVīlandes iela 2. If you think you’ve seen it before, you have: this is the mirror-image backside of Rūpniecības iela 1.
From here, head east along Elizabetes iela and turn northeast, walking to jStrēlnieku iela 4a. Here, art nouveau’s crown prince, Mikhail Eisenstein, has run amok: just too many styles to count compete for attention on this 1905 building. Still, you’re just steps away from the best work of Eisenstein, who only designed 20 buildings in Rīga, a fraction of the prolific Pēkšēns.
At kAlberta iela, turn the corner. You’re now in the middle of the much-acclaimed Rīga art nouveau line-up. Take your time savouring the masterpieces on this street, then retire to one of several appealing cafes and decompress from all the flamboyance over a refreshing beverage.
Rīga Art Nouveau MuseumMUSEUM
(Rīgas jūgendstila muzejs; map Google map; %6718 1465; www.jugendstils.riga.lv; Alberta iela 12; adult/child €9/5; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
If you’re curious about what lurks behind Rīga’s imaginative art nouveau facades, stop by here to see the restored apartment of Konstantīns Pēkšēns (a local architect responsible for over 250 of the city’s art nouveau buildings). The interiors depict a middle-class apartment from the 1920s, right down to the dark and tiny maid’s room. In the basement there are multimedia exhibits about art nouveau. Enter from Strēlnieku iela; push No 12 on the doorbell.
Note the spectacular staircase, geometric stencils, rounded furniture, original stained glass in the dining room and the still-functioning stove in the kitchen. There’s also a free 10-minute video detailing the city’s distinct decor.
Check out the centre’s website for details about art nouveau walking routes around town.
Janis Rozentāls & Rūdolfs Blaumanis MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %6733 1641; http://memorialiemuzeji.lv; Alberta iela 12; €1.50; h11am-6pm Wed-Sun)
Surmount the wonderfully lavish stairwell up to the 5th floor to find the former apartment of Janis Rozentāls, one of Latvia’s most celebrated painters, who lived here with his wife, Elli Forssell (a famous Finnish singer), and his friend Rūdolfs Blaumanis (the famous Latvian writer). Enter from Strēlnieku iela; push No 9 on the doorbell.
Jews in Latvia MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %6728 3484; www.jewishmuseum.lv; Skolas iela 6, 3rd flr; h11am-5pm Sun-Thu year-round, plus Fri May-Sep) F
This small and rather informal space briefly recounts the city’s history of Jewish life until 1945 through artefacts and photography. Rīga’s Jewish population (unlike that of Vilnius) was very much integrated into the rest of society. You’ll find a teeny kosher cafe in the basement (entrance on Dzirnavu iela) selling traditional treats like challa bread and gefilte fish.
oCorner HouseMUSEUM
(Former KGB compound; Stūra Māja; map Google map; %6615 4276; http://okupacijasmuzejs.lv/en/kgb-building; Brīvības iela 61; adult/student €10/4; h10am-5.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, noon-7pm Wed, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun)
A real-life house of horrors, this imposing fin de siècle building is remembered by generations of Latvians as the local headquarters of the notorious Soviet secret police – NKVD/KGB. Arbitrary arrests, torture, executions – it all happened here. It’s now an exhibition dedicated to victims and perpetrators of political repression. A sign outside reads ‘KGB imprisoned, tortured, executed and humiliated its victims’. English-language tours are usually in the mornings, but confirm in advance.
Older Rīgans remember the lines of people who would form along the grey street outside the building hoping to get word about their missing loved ones. On the building at Brīvības iela 70, you can still see the metal brackets used for KGB cameras that recorded the faces of anyone who ventured near the Corner House.
Latvian National Museum of HistoryMUSEUM
(Latvijas Nacionālais vēstures muzejs; map Google map; %6722 1357; www.lnvm.lv; Brīvības bulvāris 32; adult/student €3/1.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun)
St Gertrude ChurchCHRISTIAN SITE
(Svētās Ģertrūdes baznīca; map Google map; %6727 5707; www.gertrude.lv; Ģertrūdes iela 8; h9am-6pm) F
This gracious red-brick neo-Gothic church is dedicated to St Gertrude, the patron saint of travellers. Surrounded by flamboyant art nouveau architecture, its austere 19th-century interior is a stark counterpoint. St Gertrude’s is also a musical venue. Its organ, built in 1906, is one of the city’s best and classical-music concerts take place regularly.
Note the art nouveau gem at Ģertrūdes iela 10. Try to count the panoply of faces on the 1903 facade.
Miera Iela
Miera iela is the hip and happening main street of Rīga’s creative tribes. A former industrial district, it has a charming assortment of cafes, craft shops and bookstores. Head down side streets and alleys for industrial chic drinking spaces and nightspots. It’s easily reached by tram 11.
Laima Chocolate MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; www.laimasokoladesmuzejs.lv; Miera iela 22; adult/child €7/5; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
Your sweet tooth might come to life blocks away from the historic Laima chocolate factory as the sweet cocoa smell permeates the entire area. Founded in 1921 by Vilhelms Kuze, it turned the entire nation into chocolate addicts. The modest on-site museum is mostly geared to children, who learn the process of chocolate-making and then blackmail their parents in the adjacent chocolate shop, where you can scoop up all the popularly priced chocolates you can carry.
You can also book a class where you’ll learn to make your own box of chocolates (adult/child €16/14).
Maskavas Forštate
Separated from Old Town by the Central Railway Station, Rīga’s ‘Moscow Suburb’ is one of its oldest central districts, though, unlike the rest of the centre, it looks like it never quite got over the economic hardships of the Soviet era. The place also feels haunted because of its dark history – it was the site of the Jewish ghetto during the Nazi occupation of Latvia. One bright spot is Rīga’s lovely Central Market.
oRīga Central MarketMARKET
(Rīgas Centrāltirgus; map Google map; %6722 9985; www.rct.lv; Nēǵu iela 7; h7.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun)
Haggle for your huckleberries at this vast market, housed in a series of WWI Zeppelin hangars and spilling outdoors as well. It’s an essential Rīga experience, providing bountiful opportunities both for people-watching and to stock up for a picnic lunch. Although the number of traders is shrinking, the colourful abundance here activates visitor’s foraging instincts. The best way to enjoy the market is to simply do your best to get lost amidst the bounty and browse away the day.
In operation since 1570, the riverside market flourished during the mid-1600s when the city outgrew Stockholm to become the largest stronghold of the Swedish Empire. Laden with goods, boats travelling down the Daugava would meet those traversing the Baltic Sea for a mutually beneficial exchange.
In 1930 the market moved to its current location on the border of Central Rīga and the Russified Maskavas neighbourhood to make use of the railway, which replaced the river as the principal trade route. Confronted with the market’s ever-growing size, the city of Rīga decided to bring in five enormous 35m-high German-built Zeppelin hangars from the town of Vainode in western Latvia.
Today you’ll find a hip food court and lots of Latvian foods. Look for all manner of pickled treats, unusual cheeses, luxurious smoked fish, wild berries, unusual mushrooms and much more.
oRīga Ghetto & Latvian Holocaust MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %6799 1784; www.rgm.lv; Maskavas iela 14a; suggested donation adult/child €5/2; h10am-6pm Sun-Thu, to 2pm Fri)
The centrepiece of this arresting and challenging museum is a wooden house with a reconstructed flat, like those that Jews had to move into when the Nazis established a ghetto in this area of Rīga in 1941. The central courtyard has a railway wagon similar to the kind that brought Jews from Germany to Rīga to be killed. Nearby, there is a photographic exhibition detailing the Holocaust in Latvia with the faces of those killed.
Elsewhere, well-curated exhibitions explore the Holocaust across Europe. A tiny on-site cafe offers kosher refreshments.
Latvian Academy of Science Observation DeckHISTORIC BUILDING
(map Google map; %2008 8097; www.panoramariga.lv; Akadēmijas laukums 1; adult/child €6/free; h10am-10pm Apr-Nov)
This Stalinesque tower is a not-so-welcome Soviet-era present from Moscow, which has seven towers just like it, only bigger. Construction of what is often dubbed ‘Stalin’s birthday cake’ commenced in 1951 but wasn’t completed until 1961, by which time Stalin had run out of birthdays. Overall it has 21 storeys and is 107m tall. But the best feature is on floor 15, where you can enjoy sweeping views of all of Rīga from a vantage point 65m up on the viewing terrace.
Once back on the ground, those with an eagle eye will spot hammers and sickles hidden in the convoluted facade. There is an excellent little bookshop on the ground floor with many interesting academic titles.
SpīķeriAREA
(map Google map; Maskavas iela 6)
The shipping yard behind the Central Market is the latest district to benefit from a generous dose of gentrification. These crumbling brick warehouses were once filled with swinging slabs of hanger meat; these days you’ll find start-up companies.
Jēzus BaznīcaCHURCH
(map Google map; %6722 4123; www.jezusdraudze.lv; Elijas iela 18; h9am-noon Sun, 2-8pm Tue, 9.30am-3pm Wed, noon-6pm Thu) F
It would be a classical-style Lutheran church like many others if it wasn’t made entirely of wood, which makes it a unique architectural gem that dominates the quiet and pretty square.
Holocaust MemorialMONUMENT
(map Google map; Dzirnavu iela 124)
This moving Holocaust Memorial is on the site of a large 1871 synagogue that was burned to the ground on 4 July, 1941 during WWII, with the entire congregation locked inside. No one survived and all that remains today is the foundation. A concrete monument is dedicated to the Latvians who risked their lives to help hide Jews during the war.
1Outlying Neighbourhoods
Those who venture beyond Rīga’s inner sphere of cobbled alleyways and over-the-top art nouveau will uncover burgeoning neighbourhoods, some excellent sights and a handful of other areas that help paint a fuller picture of this varied capital.
Ķīpsala
Just a quick 10-minute walk west over Vanšu Bridge from Old Rīga, quiet Ķīpsala is Rīga’s own little island. Gentrification has restored the beautiful old wooden houses that were once homes to fishing families. Abandoned factories have been turned into trendy loft apartments. The tree-lined riverside along Balasta dambis (note the restored wooden houses at Nos 60 to 66) is a great spot for a languid stroll and to take photos of the city centre across the Daugava River. On a balmy day, pause at the large beach (Balasta dambis 24) and hope for a passing freighter to provide some surf.
oŽanis Lipke MemorialMUSEUM
(%6720 2539; www.lipke.lv; Mazais Balasta dambis 8; hnoon-6pm Tue-Fri & Sun, noon-6pm Sat) F
There is hardly a place in Latvia that can tell such a poignant and optimistic story as this quietly stunning memorial. Žanis Lipke saved over 50 Jews from certain death during the Nazi occupation: he found a job with the German air force, which allowed him to smuggle people out of the Rīga ghetto under the pretext of using them as labourers. He hid them in a bunker under the woodpile next to his house – now the site of this memorial.
Lipke was helped by his wife and a whole network of volunteers, some of whom played with death by walking into the ghetto to pose as the runaways during the headcount. The memorial building is a masterpiece of understated design that amplifies the details of the story as it unfolds. Lipke’s descendants still live next door.
Laube’s HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(Zvejnieku iela 14a)
A rare example of an all-wood art nouveau building, this 1909 four-storey apartment house was built as worker housing. Now renovated for the better-heeled, originally it had scores of tiny three-room flats for families. It was the work of the prolific art nouveau architect Eižens Laube.
Pārdaugava
Beyond the river, Rīga becomes markedly lower and quieter. Old wooden houses mix with newer ones, made of stone.
oKalnciema KvartālsAREA
(%6761 4322; www.kalnciemaiela.lv; Kalnciema iela 35; h10am-4pm Sat year-round, plus Sun Dec)
A lovingly restored courtyard with several vintage wooden buildings is home to creative cafes, shops and restaurants. It’s also home to a fantastic Saturday market that attracts some of the top food and produce vendors from across the region. Browse smoked meats, cheeses, vegetables, pastries and even spirits. The baked goods are extraordinary. At other times there are concerts, performances, art exhibitions and street food festivals. The airport bus (22) passes right outside.
Latvian National LibraryLIBRARY
(Castle of Light; map Google map; %2202 2920; www.lnb.lv; Mūkusalas iela 3; h9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun) F
Looking like a ski-jump ramp designed by Swarovski, this recent Rīga landmark is a prophesy fulfilled. A feature of many Latvian fairy tales, the Castle of Light was drowned when the age of darkness came, but it would rise again from the waters of the Daugava in the new golden age of enlightenment and freedom. Architect Gunnars Bikkerts made it happen in 2014. The library has regular worthwhile special exhibitions.
Victory MonumentMEMORIAL
(Okupācijas piemineklis; %6718 1696; Uzvaras bulvāris 15; h24hr) F
This sprawling green space (now mostly used as a soccer field) is home to the Victory Monument, which was built by the Soviets to commemorate the heroism of their soldiers in WWII. This is a divisive symbol, with members of the Russian community gathering here in the tens of thousands every 9 May to celebrate what they see as the victory over fascism. But for most ethnic Latvians, it is the symbol of Soviet occupation. Tram 10 stops here.
TOP DAY TRIPS FROM RīGA
Leave Rīga’s jumble of art nouveau goblins and swirling church spires behind and explore Latvia’s other gems: flaxen shorelines, rambling palaces, quaint provincial villages and forests full of shady trees.
Jūrmala A top summer beach destination for decades, with genteel restaurants and historic charm. Take a suburban train on the Tukums line, get off at Majori station, and you’ll be smack in the middle of the white sand in 30 minutes flat.
Saulkrasti Untouched beaches, dunes and forests, with just enough life to find a cafe. This spectacular coast is only an hour by train on the Skulte line to the Pabaži stop on the Vidzeme Coast.
Sigulda It’s hard not to be enchanted by the castles here, hidden within the pine forests of Gauja National Park. Adrenaline junkies will get their fix with an endless array of activities, such as bobsledding and zip-lining. Sigulda is only 1¼ hours away by bus or train (the Valmiera line).
Cēsis Latvia’s most appealing medieval town has a fabulous castle and great places to eat. It’s only two hours by train on the Valmiera line.
Rundāle Palace Latvia’s miniature version of Versailles (but without the crowds) is a stunning homage to aristocratic ostentatiousness. Drive yourself or book a bus tour for the 75km jaunt. (Public buses are too complex for a quick trip.)
Mežaparks
Woodsy Mežaparks (literally ‘Forest Park’ in Latvian), along Lake Ķīšezers, 7km north of the centre, is Europe’s oldest planned suburb. Built by the Germans in the 20th century, this ‘garden city’, originally called Kaiserwald, was the go-to neighbourhood for wealthy merchants looking to escape the city’s grimy industrial core. The atmosphere hasn’t changed all that much over the last 100 years – tourists will find prim country homes, gorgeous art nouveau facades and lazy sailboats gliding along the lake.
The park itself is a huge woodsy area crisscrossed by cycling paths. A large lake invites swimming and all forms of procrastination on the beach.
To reach Mežaparks, take tram 11 to the ‘Mežaparks’ stop; get off at the ‘Brāļu Kapi’ stop for the Brothers’ Cemetery.
Rīga National ZooZOO
(Zoologiskais dārz; %6751 8409; www.rigazoo.lv; Meža prospekts 1; adult/child €7/5; h10am-7pm Jun-Aug, to 5pm Sep-May)
Set in a hilly pine forest in Mežaparks, Rīga National Zoo has a modest collection of animals, including an assortment of tropical fauna, as well as the usual cast of Noah’s ark. Tram 11 stops at the zoo.
Rīga Brethren CemeteryCEMETERY
(Rīgas Brāļu kapi; %6718 1692; http://en.rigasbralukapi.lv; Aizsaules iela 1b; h8am-8pm) F
The Brothers’ Cemetery features a monument by Kārlis Zāle (the designer of the Freedom Monument) dedicated to the Latvian soldiers who died during WWI and the battles for independence between 1915 and 1920. It’s a vast, mournful spot that, when combined with the larger parks area around it, makes for a thoughtful stroll on an autumn day. Tram 11 stops nearby.
Northern Neighbourhoods
The Rīga Motor Museum and the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum orbit Rīga’s central core several kilometres out.
Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air MuseumMUSEUM
(map; Latvijas etnogrāfiskais brīvdabas muzejs; %6799 4106; www.brivdabasmuzejs.lv; Brīvības iela 21; adult/child €4/1.40; h10am-8pm May-Oct, 10am-5pm Nov-Jan, Apr & May, closed Mon & Tue Feb & Mar)
If you don’t have time to visit the Latvian countryside, a stop at this open-air museum is a must. Sitting along the shores of Lake Jugla just northeast of the city limits, this stretch of forest contains more than 100 wooden buildings (churches, windmills, farmhouses etc) from each of Latvia’s four cultural regions. Take bus 1 to the ‘Brīvdabas muzejs’ stop.
Rīga Motor MuseumMUSEUM
(map; Rīgas Motormuzejs; %6702 5888; www.motormuzejs.lv; S Eizenšteina iela 8; adult/child €10/5; h10am-6pm May-Oct, closed Mon Nov-Apr)
The stars of the collection at this surprisingly well-funded and engrossing museum are cars that once belonged to Soviet luminaries such as Gorky, Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev, complete with irreverent life-sized figures of the men themselves. Stalin’s armoured limousine drank a litre of petrol every 2.5km. Also worthwhile is the hall on the lives of Soviet citizens and their cars. Takes buses 5 and 15.
RīGA FOR CHILDREN
The Unesco-protected streets of Old Rīga can feel like a magical time warp for the 12-and-under bunch. Chill out at the playground in the Pilsētas kanāls (City Canal) parks. Take the tykes to the zoo in forested Mežaparks or, in summer, let the little ones cool off on the beach in nearby Jūrmala. Here, between spirited sessions of wave-jumping and sandcastle-building, try Līvu Akvaparks, Latvia’s largest indoor water park, which features a wave pool and a tangle of water slides.