We spent a couple of days in the Latvian capital of Riga at the start of our Baltic road trip. The cobbled streets of the old town are packed with interesting architecture and oozing with history. Take a wander through the old town on foot, cruise along the Daugava River, shop for picnic supplies in the Central Market. And when you’ve had enough of city life, the Baltic coast is just a few miles away. Here is my pick of the top 10 things to do on a visit to Riga.
How to get to Riga
We flew to Riga International Airport from London Gatwick. Unlike in many cities, the airport is conveniently located just 7 miles west of the Old Town. We picked up a hire car at the airport. Alternatively, the No 22 bus runs up to 6 times per hour and takes around 30 minutes. Tickets cost €1.50 (when bought in advance) or €1.81 (when bought from the driver). You can also reach Riga by bus, train or ferry from destinations across Europe and beyond.
Getting around Riga
The old town is cobbled and compact and best visited on foot. If you run out of energy or are travelling further afield, Riga has an extensive network of buses and trams.
Where to stay in Riga
We stayed at the Bellevue Park Hotel; a pleasant hotel situated on the edge of Usvaras Park, just across the river from the Old Town. The price includes free parking and a very substantial breakfast buffet. There is a tram stop just outside the hotel to get you into town, although we opted for the lovely scenic walk through the park and across the bridge.
Riga: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | See the unique National Library of Latvia |
| 2 | Learn more about Latvia’s past at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia |
| 3 | See the historic Three Brothers |
| 4 | View the imposing Riga Castle |
| 5 | Stroll past the Art Nouveau buildings on Alberta Iela |
| 6 | Admire some of Riga’s beautiful Churches |
| 7 | Take a selfie by the quirky Laima Clock |
| 8 | Enjoy a Daugava River Cruise |
| 9 | Go shopping in Riga Central Market |
| 10 | Head to the Baltic Coast for some beach time |
No 1 – See the unique National Library of Latvia
The rather unique National Library, which opened in 2014, is 68 metres high and has thirteen floors. The architect drew his inspiration from the Castle of Light and Glass Mountain from Latvian mythology.
The library opens (or partially opens) daily except Sunday. Exact times can be found here.
No 2 – Learn more about Latvia’s past at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia details Latvia’s Nazi and Soviet occupations between 1940 and 1991. The museum was closed when we visited, but has now reopened following a major renovation.
The museum is open daily from 10 am until 6 pm. Regular entry costs €8.
No 3 – See the historic Three Brothers
The Three Brothers is the name given to these three historical houses in Old Riga. Number 17 (on the right) was built in the 15th Century, making it the oldest dwelling in Riga. Numbers 19 and 21 date from the 17th Century.
No 4 – View the imposing Riga Castle
Riga Castle, standing proudly on the banks of the River Daugava, was originally built in the 14th Century as the headquarters of the Grand Master of the Livonian Order. It is now the official residence of the Latvian President.
No 5 – Stroll past the Art Nouveau buildings on Alberta Iela
Riga is famous for its Art Nouveau area, focused on the stunning Alberta Iela. Many of the houses in the street were designed by Mikhail Eisenstein upon the occasion of the city’s 700th anniversary. The scale and grandeur of this row of ornate buildings make them spectacular to look at, but hard to photograph.
No 6 – Admire some of Riga’s beautiful Churches
A little bit of a cheat – I wanted to include a church in my top 10, but Riga has so many beautiful old churches, so here are my favourites:
Riga Cathedral
The enormous 13th Century Riga Cathedral is the largest medieval church in the Baltics. As well as religious services, the cathedral also holds regular classical music concerts.
The cathedral is open daily from 10 am (2pm on Sundays) until 5 pm. Adult entry costs €5.
Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral
The Byzantine-style Orthodox Cathedral looks like it fell off a wedding cake onto the pavements of Riga.
The cathedral is open daily from 7 am until 7 pm.
Saint Peter’s Church
Equally hard to photograph, which its 72 metre high steeple towering above the narrow, cobbled streets, is Saint Peter’s Church. The 800 year old Gothic church is one of the oldest buildings in the Baltics. You can take a lift to a viewing platform in the tower.
The church is usually open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, although it is possible to go up the tower later at weekends. Adult entry to the church and tower costs €9 . You can visit just the church for €3.
Holy Trinity Church Orthodox Church
The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church it topped by stunning blue and gold cupolas which glisten in the afternoon sun.
No 7 – Take a Selfie by the quirky Laima Clock
The quirky Laima Clock was erected in 1924. It served the dual purpose of advertising chocolate and reminding people not to be late for work.
No 8 – Enjoy a Daugava River Cruise
There are a number of companies along the River Daugava which offer River Cruises, usually as far as the TV Tower. Situated on Zaķusala (Hare Island) in the middle of the river, the tower stands 368 metres tall, making it the tallest tower in the European Union.
Boat trips take approximately one hour and cost around €10-15.
No 9 – Go shopping in Riga Central Market
I could have spent hours wandering around Riga Central Market, admiring all the goodies on sale. The bulk of the huge market is housed in a series of old WWI Zeppelin hangars.
The market is open daily from 7 am until 6 pm (5 pm on Sundays).
No 10 – Head to the Baltic Coast for some beach time
Just a 9 mile drive north of the city are the public beaches of Ritabullu and Vakarbullu. If you don’t have a car, you can catch the No 30 bus to either beach. The water is pretty cold, but it’s a great have a picnic on the beach or to watch the sun set over the Baltic.
- Trip taken: September 2016
- Updated: July 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
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