Have you ever thought about visiting Old Town Riga? If not, I hope I will convince you to do it. Riga is one of the Baltic state pearls. It is very well known for its architecture and medieval streets. It's a great weekend getaway destination and a beautiful place to enjoy. In the old town, you will find not only beautiful pedestrian streets and medieval city walls but also wonderful restaurants and outside terraces with traditional Latvian food, cozy pubs, and many opportunities to view Riga from the above! Do you want to see more? Then let's go!
How to get there
Even if you had never heard of Riga before, there shouldn't be any problems getting there. Going by car, bus, train, airplane, or ferry, you can get to Riga from almost any country in the world.
There are direct flights to Riga from more than 80 places all around the world. Despite that, from Riga Airport to the Old Town it takes only 20 minutes drive. Just take a bus or catch a taxi and let the adventures begin!
If you decide to travel by bus, you will arrive at Riga Central Bus Terminal. It is located just five minutes from the Old Town.
Train and ferry connections at this moment are the least developed. By ferry, Riga is connected only with Stockholm, but by train – Moscow, St.Petersburg, and Pskov in Russia. Nevertheless, the government is actively working on new and better ways to connect Riga with the whole of Europe. In the near or distant future, Riga must be reachable also with a newly built train line from Berlin.
Best time to visit Riga
Summer, autumn, and winter. Everything depends on your wishes and expectations!
Riga in summer is always a good idea! Green nature, sun, +25 degrees, and restaurants all around. Don't forget that Riga is also situated by the sea and is surrounded by several smaller towns, which are great for a one-day trip! For sea lovers, I recommend visiting Jurmala. It is the largest resort city in Latvia, located just 20minutes from Riga!
Overall autumn isn't a pretty warm and cozy season, nevertheless, Riga in October looks especially beautiful. In Latvia, there is golden autumn every year. Then leaves turn into the most different colors - from light yellow and bright orange to dark red.
It's an especially beautiful time to walk through Riga's parks and drink tea in small cafes. If you are also not afraid of little rain, wind and some clouds in the sky, then autumn could be one of the most beautiful times when visiting the Old Town.
Wintertime in Latvia overall is pretty challenging. If you are lucky enough, you can easily experience -30 degree cold weather, frost, and snow! Nevertheless, Old Town Riga looks magical at this time!
About Old Town Riga
There is a lot to tell about the Old Town Riga, cause this part of the city is very special! Riga was established in 1201 and is very well known for its well-preserved churches, cathedrals, city walls, medieval streets, and architecture. In 1282, Riga became a member of the Hanseatic League and started to play a bigger and bigger role in international trade and transit. Old Town Riga (in Latvian - Vecrīga) is also a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed as Historic Centre of Riga).
Most streets in the Old Town are made from cobblestones, but buildings from stones and bricks. You can see there many well-preserved buildings with architectural styles such as Gothic, Baroque, and Modernism. Nevertheless, Riga is known as a city with one of the highest concentrations of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture in the world. Old Town Riga is a real treasure for architecture, history, and medieval time lovers!
15 Things to see
1. Riga Castle
2. Our Lady of Sorrows Church
3. Three Brothers
4. Riga Dome Square
5. Riga Cathedral
6. Rozena street
7. House of the Blackheads
8. Latvian Rifleman Square and Monument
9. Saint Peter's Church and Town Musicians of Bremen
10. Līvu Square
11. Cat House
12. Freedom Monument
13. Bastejkalna Parks
14. Riga Powder Tower and Jacob's Barracks building
15. Old City Walls and the Ghost Sculpture
1. Riga Castle
Riga Castle is one of the largest medieval castles in Latvia. It was founded in 1330 and had a very rich history. Nowadays, it is an official residence of the President of Latvia and a home to several museums.
I like to begin my Old Town trip with the Riga Castle because of the free and convenient parking on Eksporta street.
2. Our Lady of Sorrows Church
Our Lady of Sorrows Church differs from the other churches in the center, so I find it especially lovely. It is a stone church built in 1785 in the classicism style. It is small but has its unique charm.
3. Three Brothers
The Three Brothers are the oldest dwelling houses in Riga built between the 15th and 17th centuries. The name for this building complex was given a very, very long time ago and no one knows why and how exactly. Nevertheless, according to the legend, these three historical houses were built by three men from one family. Nowadays, Three Brothers are one of the Old Town Riga symbols and houses the Latvian Museum of Architecture and the State of Inspectorate for Heritage Protection.
4. Riga Dome Square
The Riga Dome Square is the largest square in the Old Town and one of the most favorite places in the center for public events, Christmas markets, and open-air restaurants. The Dome Square houses also several no less important buildings and architectural monuments such as Riga Bourse House, the Latvian Radio building, and the Cathedral.
5. Riga Cathedral
Riga Cathedral is one of the Latvian pearls. It has several titles and is one of the most famous buildings in the country. It was founded in 1211 and despite many renovations and changes, it has always been an amazing building! Old, large, stunning. Riga Cathedral needs to be on your must-see list.
6. Rozena street
Rozena Street is one of Riga's hidden gems. It looks so small and uninteresting, that most tourists pass it by, but exactly that's where its value lies. Rozena street is the shortest and narrowest medieval street in Riga. For many people, it is even possible to touch the opposite walls at once.
7. House of the Blackheads
House of the Blackheads was built in 1334 and designed for meetings and banquets for young, unmarried merchants. Organizing various events and celebrations, they brought to life the city center. Still today, House of Blackheads offers a wide range of concerts, celebratory dinners, conferences, and other cultural events. But the Statue of Roland in the front of the guild symbolizes the Medieval Hanseatic cities.
8. Latvian Rifleman Square and Monument
Just right next to Town Hall Square, you can find Latvian Rifleman Square, where are located the Latvian Rifleman Monument and the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. This part of the Old Town Riga is the saddest because the Occupation Museum (that looks like a large, dark box) has collections with the worst moments and memories of the history of Latvia and Latvians overall.
9. Saint Peter's Church and Town Musicians of Bremen
The Saint Peter's Church was built in 1209 and is one of the oldest medieval monuments in the Baltic States. The church is especially known and beloved for its 130 meters high tower. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Nevertheless, nowadays, the tower offers a spectacular view of the Riga City and Daugava River.
Just right next to the church, you can find a unique sculpture – the Town Musicians of Bremen. It was gifted by Bremen (a city in Germany) in 1990.
10. Līvu Square
The Līvu Square is a great place for a lunch break. It is a pretty small but one of the liveliest squares in Riga! There are many indoor and outdoor restaurants and cafes, pubs and clubs for nightlife lovers, and also several noteworthy buildings such as Small Guild, Riga Russian Drama Theater, and Cat House.
11. Cat House
Did you know that a black cat is one of Riga's unofficial symbols? And it's not without a reason! There is a very interesting story about the revenge and achievement of goals, about the Cat House and cats on its roof.
In short, the story tells about the Cat House's owner. After he was excluded from the powerful Great Guild across the road, he built 2 angry cat sculptures on his roof. Cats were facing the Guild with their asses as an insult to the enemy.
Members of the Guil hated sculptures. Nevertheless, after a long battle in the court, they needed to accept the house owner in the Guild. Only then cats have been turned away. Nowadays, they point to nowhere.
12. Freedom Monument
The Freedom Monument is located just near the Old Town and is a must-see object. It symbolizes Latvian unity, strength, and independence. The Freedom Monument was set up in 1935 and is about 43 meters high. It consists of a young woman (called Milda) holding 3 stars.
13. Bastejkalna Park
Bastejkalns Park is situated in the center of the city and includes a city canal, many small bridges, Bastion Hill, fountains, and flower-lined pathways. Take a seat on a bench, do a nice walk next to the water, or have a sightseeing tour by a small canal boat and enjoy your day in Riga!
14. Riga Powder Tower and Jacob's Barracks building
Two impressive buildings in one shot! Riga Powder Tower was built in 1330 and was first known as the Sand Tower, the part of the old town's fortification system. Later it was transformed into a gunpowder store and renamed as Powder Tower. Now it houses a Latvian War and Military museum.
Jacob's Barracks building right next to the tower is a very long, yellow building, housing numerous bars and restaurants. On the facade at the end of the building, you can see all the coats of arms of Latvian cities and towns, which makes this building so interesting.
15. Old City Walls
Like many medieval towns, also Riga had defensive walls. Till nowadays there aren't left many from the walls. What still exists is a section on Torņa street, where you can also find the Swedish Gate (the only left city gate that was built by Swedes in the 17th century) and the Ghost Sculpture.
Tips for a trip to the Old Town Riga
- If you travel by car, park your car near the Old Town, not inside. In the center, there can be pretty narrow streets and expensive parking spaces. That's why I like to park my car somewhere on Eksporta street. It is only about 5-minutes from the Old Town.
- Wear only comfy shoes. Forget about high heels. All streets in the Old Town are made from different size and form cobblestones.
- As Riga's center isn't very large, it is possible to explore the Old Town in only one day. Attention - you need to start your trip early in the morning.
- While visiting Riga, trying traditional Latvian food is a must! There are many restaurants and cafes to choose from! My favorite is Lido, but you can also find other cozy places.
- If you stay in Riga for a longer time and decide to explore more, then I have good news - in Riga, there are many more interesting places and activities waiting for you! Have you ever tried drifting tricycles, participated in a rally through Riga's streets, or booked a boat tour to the Baltic sea? Riga has something for everyone.
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