First acquaintance with Riga or ten main attractions of the city with a map and photographs. Sights of Riga: Old Town Walking route through the old town in Riga

It doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced traveler or this is your first time in Europe, you are quite capable of organizing a trip to Riga on your own. Without dwelling on the advantages of the city, which we have written about more than once, we will present five stages of planning a trip on your own.

Planning time for a trip to Riga

Riga is a very popular city among tourists; more than a million guests visit it every year, and the mayor’s office plans to increase this figure to 1.5 million tourists per year. And this is with a population of 700 thousand inhabitants, that is, there are 1.5 tourists per Riga resident.

But still, we hasten to reassure you, even during the peak periods, tourists disperse throughout Riga and Jurmala in such a way that for Muscovites the city may seem deserted.

The best period to visit Riga is from May to August, as well as during the Christmas and New Year holidays. If you are planning a trip at this time, make sure to reserve your hotel and transport tickets 2-3 months in advance.

If you prefer a calm atmosphere, then we recommend coming in the second half of April, or from September to mid-October.

The tourist flow is subsiding, but the weather often gives warm sunny days. Plus, hotels at this time reduce their prices for accommodation, so you can save up to 30-50% of the summer room rate. Below we will share the secret of how to book a hotel in Riga at the most profit.

Applying for an entry visa to Latvia

Latvia is a member of the Schengen zone, which means that if you have a Schengen visa in your passport, then you can skip this point - the road to Riga is open to you.

If you don’t have a visa, you will have to apply for one.

We described this process in sufficient detail on our website in the ““ section, here you can read about the necessary documents, the procedure for filling out the questionnaire, etc.

Book a hotel in Riga

Yes, let's start with the hotel.

There are several reasons for this - you can get to Riga by various means of transport, the number of flights per day alone reaches five (Aeroflot, Transaero, Utair and Airbaltic). But there is also a train, a bus, a personal car, finally. There are also a lot of hotels in Riga (about 200), however, in the high season, occupancy reaches 100%. Finally, you can refuse a hotel reservation, but plane tickets are problematic.

With booking, everything is very simple; without further ado, you just need to go to one of the on-line hotel booking services.

The risk at this stage is minimal, because no one prohibits it later.

We are planning how we will get to Riga

We have already reviewed the most economical ways to travel, which you can read by following this link ().

In our understanding, the best solution is an airplane. At completely reasonable prices, you don’t waste a night on the train (with the obligatory rise at three in the morning for customs control), don’t waste your nerves crossing the border by car, and don’t sit on a bus for fifteen hours.

Getting ready and dreaming about the trip

The troubles are behind us, it's time to plan your trip. First, we look for guides to Riga on the Internet.

It doesn’t work, there are websites, but how can I download it to my phone? If you don’t want to buy books, then carry them with you around the city?

Well, it’s a completely reasonable desire, which we are meeting halfway - on our website you can download (and freely) four parts of the guide to Riga -

There are no copyright violations - the guide was prepared by the site and we give you all rights to use and distribute it! (just don’t change anything in the text) The fourth part will be released soon - “Riga - the pearl of Art Nouveau”. We can promise that it will not be the last.

Finally, we have available advice on where and how to pay for parking... oh, it’s not good to praise yourself, so we’ll stop there and want to wish you an unforgettable vacation in the most beautiful city of the Baltics!

A guide to planning an independent trip to Riga.

Preparing for your trip to Riga

1. Tickets to Riga.
   We buy a ticket for a train, bus. First, we book/purchase transport tickets, since the dates of arrival and departure will serve as the determining dates for booking a hotel.
2. Housing in Riga.
   . This is a secondary task compared to transport tickets, since there are many hotels in Riga and there is always plenty to choose from.
3. Visa.
   You can obtain a visa to Latvia either independently (embassy, ​​visa center) or with the help of special companies for an additional fee. We do the visa last, since upon receipt you may need to provide documentary evidence of the purpose of the trip, for example, in the case of tourism, a hotel reservation will be proof.
4. Insurance.
   All types of insurance are available online, order.

Planning a holiday in Riga

• Arrival.(Airport)
• Transport.(Bus | )
  • to travel outside Riga.
• Excursions. When traveling on your own, we recommend purchasing several inexpensive group tickets.

What to see / Where to go

• , Museum, Bridge, Square, Street, Monument, Embankment. Get to know the interesting places of Riga in advance, we have described all the attractions and their locations.

The capital of Latvia, Riga, despite everything, remains to this day one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. And although prices rise year after year, the population decreases and the pace of life slows down, architectural monuments and beautiful panoramas continue to please the eye and attract everyone who wants to travel to Riga. If you have enough money and want to see an ancient, deserted city on the river, you are welcome to the Latvian capital. Here we will give you some tips for visiting this city.

Nuances of traveling to Riga

If you are coming from Russia (for example, from St. Petersburg or Moscow), then it makes sense to take either a flight directly to Riga or buy a ticket for an intercity bus. The latter is more convenient, because Riga airport is located near the city limits and you will have to hire a taxi or catch a minibus, which will be very expensive. There are two types of buses - standard or luxury. The route, for example, from St. Petersburg runs through Estonia, so along the way you can visit the cities of Narva and Tartu.

The flight lasts 11-12 hours (taking into account the time zone shift), costs about 1000 rubles one way, discounts are available. In addition, ferries travel to Riga from St. Petersburg, the countries of Scandinavia and Central Europe, and from other Baltic capitals, carrying not only people, but also cars. If you plan to travel to Riga in your own car through Pskov and Estonia, then remember that since 2012 you must pay a fee for entering Estonia in the amount of 3.80 euros. The road to Riga from Moscow, although more picturesque, is difficult, and on the western border of Latvia you can get into a long queue of resellers of gasoline, Russian products, and fuel.

First impression of the city

No matter which direction you enter Riga, the first thing that will surprise you is that there are relatively few cars, people, and generally a rather slow pace of life. Riga has been targeting tourists lately, so don’t be surprised if libraries, archives or other places of intellectual relaxation are closed to you. The Latvian capital is remarkable solely for its Old Town (Vecriga in Latvian), shopping centers where you can buy clothes, accessories, shoes, markets with souvenirs, traditional cuisine and beautiful panoramas.

Don't judge Riga harshly if this is your first time coming to this city. If you wish, you can have a great rest here. And one more thing: if you came here by intercity bus, then do not rush to order a taxi, catch a bus or minibus to immediately get to the historical center of the city. Riga is a small city, everything is nearby, so take a walk to the Old Town without spending extra money.

The entire cozy Old Town is paved with cobblestones, and you can feel the breath of a medieval city in it. There are very small and narrow streets, pleasant nooks and crannies, squares, parks, and many secluded places. When visiting Riga, you should look at the Dome Cathedral, you can go into it and listen to an organ concert, visit the House of the Blackheads, the House with graceful black cats on the roof, the Presidential Palace on the banks of the Daugava River (aka Riga Castle), the Arsenal, Bastion Hill, Powder Tower, where the Military Museum of Latvia is now located. Worth a visit are the Church of St. Peter, the Church of St. Gertrude, three bright houses - “Three Brothers”, which have “relatives” in Tallinn - “Three Sisters”.

A curious tourist will not pass by the tall Statue of Liberty holding three stars in her hands, the miniature monument to the Bremen Town Musicians and the three main squares of Riga - Dome, Castle and Town Hall. Quite interesting places are the Riga Zoo, which has access to the bay, the Museum of Foreign Art and the Central Art Museum, the Latvian National Opera and the park with fountains, located along the banks of the canal and directly next to the Opera. Riga is rich in buildings made in “Jugendstil” - that’s what the Northern Art Nouveau style is called here. These are the main attractions; if you wish and have enough time to travel to Riga, their number can be significantly increased.

Few people know that it was in Riga that many Soviet films were shot, recreating the architecture and spirit of Europe. Here is the famous Baker Street, where the Soviet Sherlock Holmes lived, the royal musketeers, the heroes of the play “An Ideal Husband”, the film “Seventeen Moments of Spring”, “Theater” and many others walked here. In addition, the central tower offers an amazing view of the whole of Riga; access to this panorama is allowed. Tourists will be able to see from there not only the entire Old Town, but also the most distant areas of Riga. Finally, this city still has a port at the point where the Daugava flows into the Gulf of Riga.

Traditional Latvian cuisine – in every restaurant in Old Riga

In the capital of Latvia, especially in the Old Town, there are many restaurants, cafes, bars, coffee shops and bakeries, where visitors are offered dishes of traditional Latvian cuisine. What is it? This is, first of all, bread soup with whipped cream, hard cheese with cumin, sweet and sour bread, pea soup with milk, small cookies with pepper “piparkukas”. In addition, dishes from smoked fish, seaweed, delicious and unique buns with poppy seeds, rabarbar, warm cream, marmalade, cinnamon, traditional beer and kvass from rye bread are offered. Most restaurants in the center of Riga are quite expensive, but on the outskirts of the city and away from the center you can find many suitable quiet bakeries where you will be pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the products and the speed of service. For example, one of these is located on the corner of Bruninieku (Knight) street and Brivibas (Freedom) street - the main street of the city.

Shopping in Riga – where, how and why?

Why not combine a trip to Riga with a visit to shopping centers? When you are already tired of Riga's attractions, then feel free to head to the shopping centers. For example, in “Olympia”, “Spice”, “Mols”, “Riga Plaza”, “Domina” or “Alpha”. Here you will take a break from the city streets, sit in a cafe, combine the purchase of groceries with the purchase of clothes, shoes, jewelry, sports goods and other things. Children in each complex can be left in a playroom, in a room for developing fine motor skills, as well as at a kind of “station”, from where store employees will take children on a special steam locomotive through the entire shopping center. Here you can also buy natural cosmetics from the Dzintars company, see souvenirs, ceramics, gifts, sweet products, and traditional baked goods. At the Central Market of Riga there is a huge selection of meat products, and at the former Matveevsky (now Vidzeme) market you can buy very beautiful and inexpensive ceramics, pottery and colorful dishes.

Remember that every year Riga is opening up more and more to tourists, especially Russian ones. Although Latvians are known for the fact that they can not behave quite correctly with Russians, now they are more involved in the service sector and behave very well, always friendly and helpful. Therefore, do not be afraid of an accidental manifestation of national hostility, because the residents of Riga are truly happy to see you on the streets of their city!

.
Of course, Riga did not begin with Town Hall Square and we were not the first to admire its architectural ensemble. So I'll limit myself to a couple of pictures.

Noticed this building

which does not flaunt its modernity, does not shout about it, but tactfully complements the ensemble of Town Hall Square.Between this building and the Blackheads' house there is another building - the Blue Guard Warehouse.

The city contained various kinds of armed detachments already from the middle of the 13th century, which from the 14th century received the name guard. The Blue Guard was founded in the 1st quarter of the 18th century by clerks of Riga merchants and was named after the color of their uniforms. The Blue Guard had a glorious military history and participated in all significant military campaigns. The Blue Guard existed until the end of the 19th century, but its Warehouse still occupies a worthy place even with such masters of Riga as the House of the Blackheads. Here is another photo of this house, which at one time housed the Riga Fire Society.

The public building acquired this modern look in 1999.
Tirgonu street, the merchants' street, departs from the Town Hall Square and adjoins the Town Hall Square, the shopping square. Traders settled there and there were merchant shops.

On the corner of Maza Monetu and Maza Jaunielu - Flower House. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a pharmacy in it, probably a homeopathic one, judging by the coloring.

The former pharmacy is located on the corner of an ordinary street, the kind that is a dime a dozen in old European cities.

And isn’t it about Maza Moneta (Malaya Monetnaya) V. Klopotovsky, a journalist, wrote - LIKE A CUT IN A PIGGY BANK A ALLEY, CROVEY AND NARROW - OLD!…
And this street was listed in my Riga program as No. 1 - Jauniela.

She is Flower, she is Baker Street, the heroine of Soviet cinema.

Almost everything abroad was then filmed in Riga. Tallinn too, although they got the roles. There was a pet store in this house, where Professor Pleischner came.

The one that is one-story, covered with snow.
And he jumped out of the window of this house.

Although the house is not only remarkable for this - it is another example of a combination of eclecticism and modernity.

The decoration of the portal is a charming mascaron against the backdrop of the sun. The entire building is completely asymmetrical, although somewhat heavy, especially compared to the surrounding buildings.

As in the whole city, there is an endless stream of visitors on Jaunielu-Flower-Baker Street. Despite the winter, non-tourist time

Riga guides work hard. They have something to tell and show. For example, this house where Peter I stayed.

Or this building. Charming! Wasn’t the chimney sweep sitting down to rest on the ridge of the roof?

Of course, it is inappropriate to attach Moscow names to foreign streets, but Kalkyu Street reminded Arbat. Pedestrian. Noisy. Ludna. Beautiful.

The Kalei-Kuznechnaya branch departs from it; the fire-hazardous forges were moved here in the 17th century. Essentially Kaleju is the Ridzene embankment.

And it repeats the path of its flow through Old Riga. Unfortunately, the river no longer exists; its bed was filled up long ago.

The building of the Russian theater was built for the Third Riga Mutual Credit Society. A careful look in the previous photo will notice the corner of this building with the inscription in the medallion. This is the most outstanding building on this street. Heavily rebuilt during Soviet times, it blocked the neighboring Kaleya-Kuznechnaya street. That glass gallery connecting the two buildings and hanging over Kaleju Street is just the remnant of the extension.

The recent renovation cleared up the street and gave the theater such a respectable look.

There is a horseshoe attached to the window of the 2nd floor. She was lost while galloping, either by the horse of Peter I, or

Charles XII. It is interesting that the Latvian guidebook about Petreni, not in spirit, tells a legend about Karl. In the book “Russian Riga” (a wonderful publication, easy, pleasant and interesting to read), Ilya Dimenstein says that it was the Russian emperor’s horse that lost a horseshoe and is indignant that modern guides have transferred the emphasis to the Swedish Charles. They probably owe more to Karl than to Peter! Here is the horseshoe itself (I confess, the photo is not great.)

Perpendicular to Kalki, it goes to Meistar (Masters) - this is a continuation of Kaley, which was once the embankment of the Ridzene River

Medieval buildings have been preserved on it. Probably, the cow brought considerable income to the owners if they erected its sculpture above the entrance.

There is no way to pass by the Small Guild building! The Union of Riga Craftsmen erected such a palace. Now within the walls of the Small Guild there is a museum and at the gate there is a barker dressed in the costume of a medieval artisan.

The building acquired a modern façade at the end of the 19th century. designed by I.D. Felsko in the style of eclectic English Gothic.
Amatu Street separates the Small and Large Guilds, hiding from the eyes of the curious another wonderful house, which has a turret

trying to imitate his famous brothers. Or compete with them!
There is no shortage of turrets!

And these cats on spiers are famous for the fact that the customer of the house turned them either with their muzzle or with their tail

to the Great Guild building. He was not accepted into its membership - and the cat turned its tail towards the Guild, they changed their decision - and the cat nobly turned its muzzle towards the building. It doesn’t take much intelligence to guess that the house is called that, the Cat’s House.

From this perspective, it is noticeable that there are two cats, on both turrets. We missed the dog, there is a dog somewhere nearby on the ridge of the building, right opposite the cats. But we paid attention to the decoration of the building’s portal.

The mascaron above the entrance is a personal monogram of that short era, 1907-1914. The clever book says that such masks express the significance of work in the life of every person.
And here is the Great Guild - the building of the union of traders and merchants. Rebuilt after the fire in 1963. its interior hall was refurbished

to the concert hall of the Riga Philharmonic.

It seems that the houses on Kenya Street simply parted, moved away for a while to clear the passage

and give an inquisitive eye the opportunity to examine all the details of the big puzzle called Riga.

We stopped at a simple house on the street. Smilsha 8, not included in any guidebook.

And how can it compete with the brilliance of its neighbors? Of course, it is inferior to the decoration and surroundings of No. 12 on Valnu Street - a street of shops and institutions.

The opera was both a German and a Russian theater. Is it really a matter of nationality?

The main thing is art, and let it be eternal!
Riga doesn't give you any time to rest. Like pictures in a kaleidoscope - one brighter than the other!

Is it not about these Atlanteans that the poet wrote that WITHOUT DRINK AND BREAD, FORGOTTEN FOR CENTURIES, THE ATLANTEANS HOLD THE SKY ON STONE SHOULDERS.

The globe at the top is made of glass and zinc and is illuminated very effectively at night.

Did the occupation of its owner, an antiques dealer, influence the choice of decor? The balcony is supported by statues of Athena and Hermes, trying to help the Atlanteans support the weight of the structure.
Valnu street - 21. Probably, of all the best things in the architecture of the turn of the century, Riga has collected a dazzling collection,

putting bright exhibits on public display, boasting and being proud of them.
For connoisseurs, she saved her treasures in narrow and cramped streets.

And, as in a real museum, it does not always allow you to remove artifacts. But even from this perspective, the originality of the house can be discerned. The Lantern of Happiness is installed on it, and it is signed under it, so that it would not be interpreted otherwise. Gleznotaju street.

Probably, under Bishop Albert, the same crows circled over St. John's Cathedral, although it looked completely different then.

Of course, as often happens, people noticed the birds when they were looking through the pictures. The temple acquired its famous star-shaped vaults at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries.

But once you enter the cathedral, it is no longer possible to take your eyes off this vault. At first the temple was Catholic. Belonged to the Dominican monks, cat. in 1523 a large religious procession was organized throughout Riga and its suburbs. If only they knew what a rash step they were taking! The townspeople, who were very hostile towards Catholics, locked the city gates and did not let the monks back. For many decades the cathedral became Lutheran. It was returned to the Catholics by Stefan Batory when Poland took possession of the city. We were lucky enough to listen to a magnificent organ concert in the cathedral. There were so many listeners there that there was nowhere for an apple to fall. Before the concert, the pastor delivered a short sermon... in Russian!
The cathedral vault was so mesmerizing that I wanted to photograph it again and again.

The winter day is short. Dusk was already falling on Riga, enveloping the city in its mysterious light. It seems that if you stand on Skarnu Street a little longer, the front door and the hostess, dressed in a casual suit, will creak. the dress will let the cat out and rattle the bolt, closing the doors more tightly.

And in St. Peter's Cathedral the evening service will begin and God-fearing townspeople will flow in a stream to its carved portals, fearing to be late for the start of the mass:

And from around the corner of house 4 on Marstal Street a horseman will jump out and spur his horse. You never know what else can happen on New Year's Eve!

It was not planned to be a festive lunch at all, it was a gift from Riga!

In the cozy Province cafe on Kungu Street we were the last admitted visitors and the meal turned out to be truly festive!

Beautiful Riga makes you fall in love from the first minutes: a wide river, green parks, picturesque streets - an ideal combination for walking. The city's eventful history can be traced through its architecture: from the monumental Duomo and medieval monuments to Art Nouveau masterpieces and modern buildings.

Today Riga is a large city where life is in full swing day and night, and there is always something to do. Music festivals, concerts, exhibitions of contemporary art and classical painting and much more are constantly held here. In 2014, Riga has the proud status of the cultural capital of Europe, which means there will be even more interesting and exciting events.

A little history

Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes have lived on the site of modern Riga since ancient times, but the city was founded by the knights of the Teutonic Order at the end of the 12th century: in order to bring Christianity to the pagans, they needed a reliable fortification. In 1199, construction of the Dome Cathedral began here, and soon stone walls began to be erected around the city. In addition, the Pope granted forgiveness of sins to everyone who moved to Riga.

The geographical position - at the intersection of the most important land routes and with access to the Baltic Sea - turned out to be very advantageous for both trade and warfare. It not only made Riga one of the prosperous merchant cities of the Hanseatic League and a major Baltic port, but also became the reason for constant attacks on the city. In 1581 it was captured by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in 1621 by Sweden, and in 1711 by the Russian Empire.

In 1861, the construction of the railway made Riga an even more significant trade and transport hub, and the development of industry strengthened the prosperity and well-being of the city. A construction boom began, and delightful examples of Art Nouveau appeared in the center.

During World War I, the front line passed through the city, destroying and ravaging it. After Latvia declared independence in 1918, Riga became the capital, but was unable to fully recover from the consequences of the war. In 1940, Latvia became part of the Soviet Union and was included in the industrialization program.

During World War II, the city suffered even more severe damage, but enormous resources were then directed toward its restoration: money and people flowed here like a river. Industry was actively developing - from light and food to military. The number of inhabitants in the period from 1950 to 1990 increased from 400 to 900 thousand people. In 1991, Riga again became the capital of independent Latvia, its economic, political and cultural center.

It is important to know:

• Official language- Latvian.
• City area- 304 sq. km.
• Population- about 700 thousand people. Latvians - 42%, Russians - 41%.
• Visa- Schengen, cost - 35 euros.
• Currency- euro.
• Time difference with Moscow:-1 hour in summer, -2 hours in winter.
• Climate: temperate marine. Summers are warm and humid, winters are snowy, with alternating thaws and frosts.
• Annual events, holidays and non-working days:

Good Friday, Easter and Easter Monday

50th day after Easter - Trinity

Independent trip to Riga

How to get from Riga airport to the city

Riga International Airport (Rīgas starptautiskā autoosta) located 13 km from the city. Buses No. 22 and 241 They run every 10-30 minutes, travel time to the center is about half an hour. You can buy a ticket from the driver for one trip (1 euro) or for 24 hours (2.7 euros). AirBaltic Airport Express minibuses will take you to the city center in 20 minutes with several stops at popular hotels. Ticket price - 5 euros.

Riga city transport

Riga has well-developed ground public transport - buses, trams and trolleybuses. You can pay for travel in any of them using an E-ticket, which you just need to attach to the reader. A ticket for one trip is sold from the driver for 1 euro. When purchased at ticket offices and vending machines, the same ticket will cost 0.7 euros, for 4 trips - 2.85 euros, for 10 - 6.76 euros, for 20 - 12.8 euros. There are also tickets for 5 days: for one type of transport for 8.5 euros, for two - for 10 euros, for three - 13.5 euros. A pass for all types of transport for 24 hours will cost 2.7 euros, for 3 days - 8 euros.

Mobile communications and Internet in Latvia

Free Wi-Fi is widely available: in cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, bus stations, etc. By purchasing a SIM card from one of the local telecom operators, you can activate options for inexpensive calls, free SMS or inexpensive mobile Internet. Prepaid SIM cards ( Okarte, Amigo, Zelta zivtiņa) cost 5-10 euros and are sold at newsstands, post offices, gas stations and shops.

Shopping in Riga

The famous black balsam is usually brought from Riga ( Rīgas Melnais balzams), chocolate candy factories Laima and cosmetics Dzintars. Buy as souvenirs handicrafts made of amber, ceramics, wood and linen. Clothes and shoes of popular European brands can be bought on the streets Brivibas and Terbatas.

Shops are usually open from 10:00 to 19:00, closed on Sundays. Supermarkets are open from 8:00 to 22:00-23:00. Sales here last all winter- from late December to early March. There are also quite a few stock centers in Riga, where items from previous seasons are sold at very affordable prices.

Local kitchen

Latvian cuisine very actively uses fish, especially herring - pickled, fried, stewed, smoked. Soups are very diverse: milk, beet, bread, beer, pea, spinach and sorrel, rhubarb, etc. Pork cutlets, carbonade (fried bread-crumb-crusted pork) or klops (steak with onion sauce) with a variety of potato side dishes are popular.

Original national dishes- putra (a kind of puree of cereals and vegetables with milk or cottage cheese) and putels (sour pea or oatmeal jelly with yogurt). A variety of jelly and homemade cheeses, as well as unusual desserts - cold strawberry soup and bouberts (semolina porridge with whipped cream and nuts) deserve special mention.