Discover Riga -Best Things to Do

Do you need ideas for things to do in Riga?

You may anticipate a beautiful medieval Old Town, cobblestone streets, a wealth of history, and delectable cuisine when visiting Riga. The best thing, though? There are less tourists in the capital of Latvia than in many Western European capitals because it hasn’t yet caught everyone’s attention.

Making a decision can be difficult because there are so many things to do in Riga. We have personally seen Riga’s highlights, saving you hours of time-consuming independent research. You may discover everything there is to know about what to do in this wonderful city by continuing to read.

#1 Walk through the Old Town

The Old Town in Riga is one of the nicest places to visit. Keep an open mind and take in the various architectural styles. Due to its extensive historical significance, Unesco designated Riga’s Old Town as a World Heritage Site.

Walking around the Old Town and finding its cobblestone streets, cafes, restaurants, and historic homes might take hours. It demonstrates that Riga belonged to the Hanseatic League and many examples of that era’s typical architecture may be seen.

The Cat House is one of the Old Town’s features. Although the structure has some Art Nouveau architectural features, its cat statues are its most well-known feature. Check the roofs for them. The cats have become so well-known around the city that they are now considered one of Riga’s icons and are even depicted on trinkets.

We advise you to see the Swedish Gate in addition to the Cat House. According to legend, it was first built during the time when bringing goods into the city required payment of taxes. To avoid paying those taxes, a wise merchant decided to construct a gate across his residence.

The real tale is a little more plausible. The Swedish Gate, which once connected the town to the barracks beyond the city walls, was once a section of the city wall. The gate is currently a well-known sight in Riga that you should visit.

#2 Enjoy the view from St Peter’s Church

We suggest the view from St. Peter’s Church to anyone who asks what to see in Riga. Its tower has an elevator that will take you to the top, where you can see the entire city. You will undoubtedly get a view of Riga’s layout because the structure is more than 130 meters high.

You can see the Old Town sprawling out below you if you look down. The tangle of cobblestone streets and the limits of the city center are easily discernible from here. For the soft light of the golden hour, one of the greatest times to travel is right before sunset.

#3 Visit the House of the Blackheads

The House of the Blackheads museum should be your sole museum stop while in Riga.

One of the most well-known sights in Riga is the House of the Blackheads, which lies nearby St. Peter’s Church. The Brotherhood of the Blackheads constructed it for gatherings and festivities in 1334.

You will keep hearing about this guild if you visit Latvia and Estonia. Unmarried businessmen, ship owners, and craftspeople formed the Brotherhood of the Blackheads. The majority of them were foreigners—mostly Germans—who had banded together to trade exotic commodities while defending their ships and caravans from threats.

They gathered in the House of the Blackheads in Riga to hold discussions as well as to rejoice. Those parties must have been wild, based on the written records (which include the house rules indicating that no one is permitted to leave till all the alcohol is gone)!

The House of the Blackheads was bombed by Germany during World War II, and the Soviets afterwards destroyed what was left of the building. Fortunately, the basement was almost completely subterranean and unharmed. In the 1990s, the remainder of the home was rebuilt. You will therefore be able to see the contrast between the basement’s medieval architecture and the building’s more modern upper floors during your visit.

#4 See the Three Brothers

The Three Brothers will eventually be encountered when you stroll around Riga’s Old Town. Those three homes are some of the city’s oldest and a favorite photo location.

The buildings are said to have been constructed by three men from the same family, but as they date from several eras, it is clear that these individuals were not brothers.

The oldest Brother was founded in 1490, and since that time, its appearance has not changed. There may be a Dutch influence in the building if you’ve gone to the Netherlands. That’s because Latvia and Dutch traders conducted a lot of business at the time.

When the family was well off, in 1646, the middle brother was constructed. This is the reason why it is the richest of the three households. The youngest brother was born in the second half of the seventeenth century. This house is so little that you nearly wonder how a room could fit inside.

The Inspectorate for Heritage Protection and the Latvian Museum of Architecture can both be found in the Three Brothers today.

#5 See the Nativity of Christ Cathedral

You may reach the Nativity of Christ Cathedral if you leave Old Town and head north, past the Freedom Monument. With its golden domes, the structure is difficult to overlook, so you may have already noticed it from the top of St. Peter’s.

The largest cathedral in the entire Baltic region is this one. Enter to view the ornately designed inside, but keep in mind that taking photos is not permitted.

The cathedral was closed, its bells and crucifixes were demolished, and the structure was converted into a planetarium by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. The Republic House of Knowledge was the name given to it at the time. Thankfully, the church was never demolished by the Soviets. It was renovated following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it is once more a magnificent Orthodox Cathedral.

#6 Visit the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

Visit the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia if you’re interested in learning more about Latvian history. This tiny nation has been invaded three times in the last century, twice by the Soviet Union and once by Germany.

Learn about each of these professions and their significance to the local population at this museum. To better comprehend what the nation went through, you can also listen to audio recordings of witnesses from that era.

In order to learn more about the terrors of the Soviet rule during the initial years of occupation, you should go to the Corner House, a former KGB building.

#7 Eat at the Riga Central Market

The Riga Central Market is located halfway between the Old Town and the Riga Ghetto Museum. Not only is this one of Eastern Europe’s largest markets, but it’s also one of the busiest. Every day, up to 100,000 people come here to shop.

The Central Market ought to be your first port of call if you wish to purchase fresh goods from Latvia. Additionally, you may obtain fresh fish that has been smoked from the Baltic Sea here, as well as stock up on sandthorn syrup. The market has five hangars, each of which is devoted to a different category.

You’re in luck if you’re hungry. In Riga’s Central Market, there is a Central Gastro Market where customers can eat and experience both traditional Latvian cuisine and far-flung international cuisine.

The various cuisines at the market, however, are among the nicest things to see in Riga even if you only come to look around. You’ll also gain some insight into the local food culture here.

#8 Visit the Riga Ghetto Museum

The Riga Ghetto and Holocaust in Latvia Museum is in the Maskavas Vorstadt neighborhood, which is to the west of the Old Town. The cobblestones you can see on the ground came from the main street in the original ghetto, even though this wasn’t the site of the Jewish ghetto.

You may find outdoor exhibits in this museum that will teach you more about the Holocaust in Latvia. Its focal point is a wall bearing more than 70,000 names of those who perished at that period.

You can also go inside a house that was formerly located in the ghetto. Each of the cramped rooms could, at worst, house up to thirteen people. Many of the residents were either shot in Rumbula’s woods or transferred to detention camps.

Make careful to place cash in the contribution boxes you can find on the grounds if you want to enter the museum; it operates on a donation basis.

Although the Ghetto Museum is one of Riga’s less well-known tourist attractions, we strongly suggest visiting in order to gain knowledge about the city’s past.

#9 Walk around the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia

latvian ethnographic open air museum windmill

A great venue to learn more about Latvian history and rural life is the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia. It was one of my favorite spots to visit in Riga because I enjoyed it so much.

Historic farmhouses from all over the nation can be found here, on the outskirts of the city.

The museum has gathered 118 traditional homes in total, and has arranged them according to areas. You will be given a map when you arrive so you can see where the various buildings are located. Be sure to walk inside and learn more about life then if any are accessible to tourists.

Spend at least a couple hours here if you want to see everything the museum has to offer. We advise you to at least go down to the shore to see the fishermen’s homes if you’re short on time. And don’t forget to look at the enormous windmill that is located in the center of the compound.

At the museum during the summer, you may watch craftspeople like blacksmiths or weavers at work.

Take bus number 1, 28, or 29 and get off at Brvdabas muzejs to go to this location.

#10 Try traditional Latvian food

You must try traditional Latvian cuisine before leaving Riga. Although Latvian food may not be well-known outside of the country, it offers numerous unique and delectable meals that are unique to Latvia.

You may expect to find dark bread everywhere in Latvia since Latvians adore their rye bread. They actually use rye bread in desserts because they like it so much. It provides a pleasant contrast when paired with cream and jam after being toasted and then crushed. Or perhaps you like your bread topped with cheese sauce and cooked with garlic?

There are numerous eateries in the Old Town that provide traditional Latvian cuisine. We gave a lot of them a try and always had delicious dinners. Ask the server for recommendations if you’re not sure what to have, and they can show you the most popular items.

Oh, and while you’re here, try the Riga Black Balsam as well. This herbal bitter is available all around the city. Only the master distiller and his apprentices are aware of the precise recipe, which was created in 1752.