Latvia 2022

✈️ ARRIVAL

🚍 TRANSPORTATION

efficient access from the airport to the old town - Bus No. 22 - ticket in the machine 1.5 euro, or directly from the driver 2 euro (card only)
you can walk everywhere in the city
the vicinity of the station and the market are heavily dug up because they are building a new Baltic railway connection - it will be beautiful!
unfortunately it was raining quite hard - Uber doesn't work, but we used Bolt as needed 🙂

🏛 ATTRACTIONS

Free Walking Tour - 2-hour guided tour (in English) - great introduction to the history and the whole city - free, so we pay at the end with a tip - it's worth it!
churches - St. Peter's, Cathedral - admission 5-7 euros, towers 9 euros
Art Nouveau Museum (9 euros) and around ul. Alberta - beautiful Art Nouveau tenement houses!
interesting architecture scattered around the old town - Cat House, Blackhead house, Three Brothers House
Canal cruise (€15 - €12 when booked through the river cruises website - a super fun one hour cruise, first on the river, then on the canal
Church of the Nativity - an impressive building and beautiful decorations, you can enter for free
Central Market in the hangars where zeppelins used to be kept - soap and jam, fruit, vegetables and lots of woolen socks 🙂
there is a smaller Palace of Culture and Science next to the market (seriously, it looks the same) - it has a nice observation deck 6 euros

🥘🍷 FOOD

the most popular Lido - a gastro bar with local food, a bit like a restaurant in Ikea 😂 you take the trays and choose what you want - prices around 3-4 euros for a chop/schnitzel; you get extras for that
Black Magic Bar - iconic place, looks like an old pharmacy, delicious desserts, you must try Black Balsam (4.5 euro shot) - taste ... specific 😁
Black Balsam available in every store, the cheapest probably in the Rumi supermarket - 4 euros, and now a promotion of 7 euros for two 0.2l bottles
Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs" (Folk club ALA cellar) - an insane restaurant in the basement - live music and local dances at 8:00 pm; great food, large portions and reasonable prices - you must try the local bread with garlic - a revelation with beer 🙂
Zviedru vārti - small family restaurant, good options for lunch

Day 1 - 29.08.2022

Day 2 - 30.08.2022

Day 3 - 31.08.2022

Day 4 - 01.09.2022

explore Riga Old Town (Vecrīga)
enjoy amazing Art Nouveau Architecture around Albert Street
visit beautiful Art Nouveau Museum
visit the Town Hall Square
visit House of the Blackheads
find Three Brothers and the Cat House
visit Freedom Monument
shop at Riga Central Market
visit Riga Cathedral
walk through Swedish Gate
visit St Peter's Church
visit beautiful Nativity of Christ Cathedral
strock the heads of Town Musicians of Bremen
have a shoot of Riga Black Balsam in famous Black Magic Bar
enjoy traditional music and dance at Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs (Folk club ALA cellar)
enjoy a cruise on the Riga canal