Day Trip To Riga
Going to Riga but only have a day to spend? This is a guide for you to know what to do in Riga with such a short span of time.
Riga was founded as a port town in 1201 and it was one of the key centres of the Hanseatic League in Eastern Europe from the 13th to the 15th century. Today, Latvia’s capital is the largest city in the Baltic States and is an exciting metropolis at the crossroads of eastern and northern Europe .
About Latvia
Latvia, the middle of the three Baltic States, is bordered by the other Baltic States (Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south). Latvia is also part of the Schengen Area where one can travel freely across borders without any passport.
The currency of Latvia is Euros.
Day 1 – Riga
Riga is famous for their vast Central Market and a medieval Old Town with St. Peter’s Church. Start your day by visiting the St Peter’s church as it offers an unobstructed 360° panoramic view of Riga. I like the St Peter Church Birdeye View as it shows my three favorite attractions of Riga: Daugava River, Old Town and the Central Market.
After visiting St Peter Church, it is time to make your move to the House of the Black Heads. The buildings were originally built for Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners in Riga. Today, the buildings is a museum that contains grand ballrooms and historical cabinets (former workspace for the President of Riga).
Another notable building is the Three Brothers. The Three Brothers is the oldest building complex of dwelling houses in Riga. It consists of three houses and each house represents various periods of development of dwelling house construction
If you are hungry, you might want to go to the Riga Central Market. The Riga Central Market is the Europe’s largest market and bazaar. There are a lot of shops and dining places for you to explore and try their local cuisine. After your meal, you can pop by to see the Freedom Monument which stands around 42m tall. It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia.
If you have time, you might want to visit the Nativity of Christ Cathedral. It has an eye-catching Neo-Byzantine style architecture which reminds me of Russia.
Ending Remarks
One day is definitely not enough to explore and experience Riga. The aforementioned attractions can only be covered within 1 day if you do not explore the interior of each attractions. There are certainly more attractions to see/do in Riga and I would advise you to add another day so that you have more time to immerse yourself into Riga and fully experience the vibrant city. In addition, you might want to visit Vilnius and Tallinn to experience the diverse delights of the Baltic States.