Riga’s top ten

May 21, 2009
By Monika Hanley

RIGA - There are so many reasons to visit Riga that picking 10 would hardly do the city justice. Here’s a look at the cream of the crop of essential places to visit, as well as the reasons for visiting them.

1) Old Town- Riga boasts a number of interesting historic sites to visit, the oldest of which is the UNESCO heritage site of the cobbled Old Town. The Dome cathedral, built in the 13th century, dominates the skyline as visitors and locals alike crisscross alleys and pedestrian streets.

2) Hanseatic city- Though Riga is touted having been a member of the Hanseatic League, many visitors have no idea why. During the Middle Ages, Riga was the largest city and seaport in the Swedish Empire – evidence of which can be seen in the Grand and Small Guilds and the Blackheads House.

3) Art Nouveau- besides the Old Town, the most popular section of Riga is the Jugendstil or Art Nouveau area, which is mostly centered on Alberta Street. During the late 19th century, Riga was filthy rich and growing quickly, making it the prime location for the elaborate designs. The streets in this area are a mix of neglect and sparkling buildings with dragons, lions and ladies decorating the facade. 

4) Soviet Style - Though Riga would much rather keep the Soviet times in the past, several nostalgic history buffs enjoy Soviet style architecture such as The Academy of Sciences Building (or Stalin’s cake as it is commonly known). The Victory Park across the Daugava River also features typical Soviet style monuments.

5) The Music - Summer is a boom time for Riga as people from all over the world flock to the city for opera festivals, ballet festivals and, every five years, the Song and Dance festival. It’s no coincidence that the fight for freedom from the Soviets was called the Singing Revolution.

6) The Food - Pork and potato lovers unite in this city of hearty foods. One of the biggest markets in Europe, located in five old zeppelin hangers, hugs the bank of the Daugava, providing the city with the freshest fish and vegetables around.

7) The Nature - It’s impossible not to notice the amount of greenery and parks enveloping the city. Latvians are famous for being green and earthy. When the walls of Medieval Riga came down in the mid-19th century, the city fathers had the idea of creating parks and gardens in the area which used to feature the ramparts.

8) The Nightlife - Latvians love a party, with most clubs and bars open until 6 or 8 a.m. With only a few hours of darkness, the nightlife turns into daylife as party-goers turn to the open air beer gardens to nurse their hangovers. The midsummer holiday also gets the whole nation into the party and jumping-over-fires spirit.

9) The Art - The smattering of carts selling amber, mittens and jewelry are just the tip of the iceberg of the artist scene in Latvia. From regional variations on textiles in clothing and souvenir stores, to clever names for vodka in the Arsenals Gallery, Latvia has all the art bases covered.

10) The History- It is possible to see a touch of nearly every era of history in Riga. From the Riga Castle, the residence of the Livonian Order, to the gothic and medieval style of the famous and oldest residences in Riga, the “Three Brothers” houses on Maza Pils street, Riga has numerous examples of history from the last 800 years.

No matter what brings you to Riga, there is something for everyone on the bumpy narrow streets, in the blooming parks or in the myriad museums.

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