Riga Latvia

manor

Going in two weeks time for 4 nights, any suggestions on things to do.
Thanks.

L1011

Do the Skyline Bar, just avoid the nights they charge in (its always free if you've got a physical Radisson loyalty card)

The Centrs area to the north/east of the parks is basically R4 - high end shops and hotels; prices for food/drink match. There are cheaper places basically everywhere else. The old city can be a bit stag night riddled still though.

The markets are worth going to see just for the buildings they in - re-purposed airship hangars - but they are working food markets still so not much to buy unless you're self-catering.

Virtually everyone speaks quite good English but it's always a good idea to ask rather than just assume. There's an inordinate amount of Indian restaurants and very few places doing actual Latvian food from what I noticed.

The bus service from the airport is awful, definitely the worst of any capital city I've been to, so maybe consider taxis.

Fitz*

I got a taxi from the airport, found it the easiest.

I didn't go there to do the tour but I have heard the Black Magic chocolate shop is good.

House of the Blackheads is worth checking out, and some cool pictures to be taken there.

Markets are small, but interesting. They look very nice.

Old town as a whole is very nice with the cobble streets, with loads of cool pictures spots, my favourite being outside 1221!

grimm2005

L1011 wrote: »

The bus service from the airport is awful, definitely the worst of any capital city I've been to, so maybe consider taxis.

Really? I found the bus service perfectly fine, stop was 3 minute walk from my hostel in the old town and regular enough, ticket was only about 80c from a nearby booth iirc and only took about 20ish mins to the airport. Certainly no worse than many cities I've been to (that don't have a train connection) and better than a good few. Personally I'd have no problem recommending the bus if you're not keen on spending taxi money.

I'd recommend going up to Sigulda if you have time, it's a nice mountainous area about an hour from Riga by train or bus and you can get a cable car and enjoy the views.

spurious

The 'Lido' buffet style restaurants are kind of interesting. Potatoes every way you can think of, lots of fish and local stuff.

The one in the airport is probably the worst of them. There's a big one a short taxi or bus ride from the markets.

I quite like Bolderaja beach and the nearby forest for a wander. It's not at all touristy. In Bolderaja (in Diva bar) you can get a 'kompleks' meal - starter, main course and a fruit compote drink for €3.80. Bit of a blast from the old Soviet past.

Nigel Fairservice

The 2 buildings that house the market are impressive. My hotel overlooked them. The market is well worth a stroll around. There's an observation deck on top of the Latvian Academy of Sciences building. It's a Soviet style skyscraper. You can get a nice view of the city from up there. You can also get the train out to Jurmala. I think it was only something like €2/€3 return trip, very cheap anyway. Jurmala is a Latvian seaside resort. You could do a half day trip there. Walk the (nice) beach, walk around the town and go for lunch.

spurious

+1 on Jurmala. Very nice in late Spring or Autumn. In Summer it gets packed with Russian millionaires and has some eye-watering prices. Quite good value to be got in spas in Jurmala, if facials/massages etc. are your thing.

mynamejeff

Old town is the center of most things , bit like temple bar , there are a few decent clean and cheap hotels nearby

It might be very cold there , I was there in Feb a few years ago and it was -20 at night

few good spots , CUBA (cocktails ) and Rock bar(modern music venue) are fine spots , Folk bar i think its called is good too , German beer hall/cellar type spot.
Theres is a oz backpackers bar full of English speakers american service personal etc . Big US/NATO army base just out side town

the jockey club for more late night entertainment.

there are some clubs in and around old town that are very shady , they will pull you in give you a few drinks and then demand large payments and the usual dodgy street dealers selling crap as coke or Russian streetwalker girls to be avoided.

there a auto museum which is quite good and a short taxi spin away. ( the white taxis are the safer and cheaper )
there is a war museum and a museum of occupation which are very interesting and vast and within walking distance of old town,
A word of warning Latvians take the history of occupation very seriously and will not find any jokes funny. There is tales of tourists pissing on the war memorable near old town getting the ass kicking of a life time from the permanent MP there.

Not a very cheap country and Riga especially , expect to pay about 2/3s of Irish prices or more for most things.


skyline bar and markets are good too as said above