Eager for Riga
We spent 36 hours in Riga over Independence Weekend in November. The city centre is fairly compact and easy to explore with mostly cobbled streets (comfy shoes required), and a range of beautiful architecture influenced by its Russian and German history and also with a hint of Scandi - style.
We were also surprised to find several modern shopping malls discretely hidden in side streets so you are never far away from modern comforts, but they are not glaring at you either.
Places of interest include the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, House of the Blackheads, the Freedom Monument and St Peter's Church. The Central Market is an amazing building and is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list along with the Old Town. The Riga railway bridge which stands over the Daugava River has a turbulent history like the rest of the country and having been rebuilt several times, now looks great illuminated at night.
With it being Independence Weekend and the Festival of Light, we saw several art installations around the city. The park was lit with candle lamps and we celebrated with the locals during the evenings’ firework display.
The following day we could have easily spent more time in the city centre but instead we visited Jurmala, a coastal resort on the Gulf of Riga approximately 35 minutes away, which is known for its wooden art nouveau seaside villas. A bit cold on the beach but a good dose of fresh air to blow away the cobwebs!
We ate well over the weekend, from a Viennese style coffee shop to a Belgian brasserie and a traditional Latvian style buffet brunch. All was good value for money with four coffees, three soft drinks and three cakes for €20 and meals being good value too.
City breaks are great fun and you can pack a lot into a short space of time. Our family will definitely be planning more soon! If I can arrange a short getaway for you, please do contact me!