Riga Travel Guide
Weather, best time to visit, and the best food, culture, nature and activities.
Typical prices
- Budget meal€8.00≈ $9.14
- Mid-range meal€20.00≈ $22.84
- Cappuccino€2.50≈ $2.86
- Domestic beer€4.00≈ $4.57
- Taxi (per km)€0.80≈ $0.91
- Public transport ticket€1.50≈ $1.71
- Museum entry€7.00≈ $7.99
- Mid-range hotel (night)€80.00≈ $91.37
Food & Drink
- 3 Pavaru RestoransModern Latvian · $$$
Restaurant run by three well-known Latvian chefs sharing one kitchen, each offering their own take on modern Latvian dishes.
- Lido Alus SetaLatvian traditional · $
Large, festive self-service restaurant complex serving traditional Latvian comfort food like pork with sauerkraut and grey peas, with its own small brewery.
- MildaLatvian traditional · $$
Cozy Old Town restaurant blending Soviet-era nostalgia decor with hearty Latvian home cooking.
- Riga Central MarketMarket food · $
Massive market housed in converted Zeppelin hangars, famous for smoked fish stalls, fresh produce, and cheap eats, one of Europe's largest markets.
- VincentsLatvian-French fine dining · $$$$
Upscale fine-dining restaurant favored by visiting dignitaries, known for Latvian ingredients presented with French technique.
- Skyline Bar
Rooftop bar atop the Radisson Blu Latvija hotel offering panoramic views over the Old Town and the Daugava river.
- Kaņepes Kultūras Centrs
Alternative cultural center and bar hosting live music, DJ nights, and community events in a converted building near the Freedom Monument.
Culture & History
- Latvian National Museum of Art
Beautifully restored neoclassical building housing the country's largest collection of Latvian fine art from the 18th century onward.
- Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
Documents the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia through the 20th century, housed near the Old Town.
- Art Nouveau Museum
Set in a genuine Art Nouveau apartment building on Alberta iela, recreating a wealthy Riga home from the early 1900s in a district famous for the architectural style.
- Splendid Palace
Riga's oldest surviving cinema, a beautifully restored 1923 Art Nouveau movie palace still screening films today.
- Forum Cinemas Riga Plaza
Modern multiplex inside the Riga Plaza shopping center showing current releases.
- Riga City Festival
Annual celebration of the capital with concerts, markets, and a fireworks display over the Daugava river.
- Positivus Festival
Major Baltic music festival, historically held near Salacgriva but drawing large numbers of Riga-based attendees and international acts.
Nature & Outdoors
- Jūrmala Beach
Long stretch of white sand along the Gulf of Riga in the resort town of Jūrmala, easily reached by commuter train, backed by pine forests and wooden villas.
Active & Fun
- MyFitness Riga
Popular Baltic fitness chain with several branches across Riga offering full gym equipment and classes.
- Riga Swimming Pool (Rīgas peldbaseins)
Public indoor pool used for both training and recreational swimming near the city center.
- Līvu Akvaparks
Large indoor water park in Jūrmala with slides and pools, one of the biggest in Northern Europe.