A little more than two decades ago, a writer named Arthur Philips published a novel about American expats in Central Europe titled Prague, but the story actually took place in . . . Budapest. I don’t know why Philips, or some sub-sub-editor at Random House, decided to use the Czech capital as its title.
The Czech capital does feature at the end of the book, but I think the reasons were (1) that the city was both the symbol and the primary destination, by far, of young Americans abroad after the Velvet Revolution and (2) the title would tell prospective readers what the story was about and, more important, have a much higher recognition factor than Budapest. (Ironically, a year later a novel titled Budapest was published, and though it was a much better book than Prague, it didn’t sell nearly as well. Maybe because it wasn’t about Americans.)
What I’m trying to say is that I also thought about titling this post Prague because it would definitely get more attention than Riga, since everybody has heard of Prague and knows where it is. (Okay, okay. Yes, Prague is in the heading. I compromised. Sue me.) But I doubt that most people know where Riga is and that at least half may not even have heard of it.
That’s a shame because Riga, the capital of Latvia, deserves a lot of attention. For one thing, it’s at least as cool as Prague, if not chiller. I mean, any city with a (very good) restaurant in its Old Town named Late Night Munchies has to be cool. And it is definitely cheaper, in every respect. It’s perfect for a long weekend – or even a week – and offers hip bars, affordable dining and an exciting nightlife.
But first a few facts, just to let you know in what direction you’ll be traveling. Latvia is bordered on the north and south by its fellow Baltic nations, Estonia and Lithuania, by the Baltic Sea on the west and Russia to the east. It has a population of about 1.88 million, just a little more than … Budapest.
Riga contains about one-third of the country’s population and is the most cosmopolitan of the Baltic capitals. For a small city, it really offers a great deal to the greedy-for-experience visitor. For example, its historic center, a UNESCO Heritage Sight has. . . .
I’m getting ahead of myself. First you should know how to get there.
How to Get There
Flights from almost anywhere in Europe take only a few hours and cost next to nothing. That’s it. What more do you need to know?
When to Go There
The city is in northern Europe and right on the appropriately named Gulf of Riga, which is just an extension of the chilly Baltic Sea. Which means that it doesn’t get very hot in summer, and is cold from November to March.
The low seasons are late autumn and early spring, when it tends to be damp and chilly, with temperatures from -3°C to about +5°C. If you don’t mind this kind of weather, you can benefit from cheaper rates and no crowds. And the locals are always welcoming, even if they don’t talk much. (That is how they are: friendly but introspective.)
If you want to swim, July is the best month because the water in the Gulf is warm, even warmer than the air sometimes, and the Jūrmalas pludmale beach is immense and offers a wide variety of sporting activities and even spas. But, generally speaking, Riga is a swell place to visit from April to September, and even during the Christmas holidays (if you like snow and bustling Christmas markets and don’t mind slush).
However, like much of northern Europe, Latvia is not in southern Europe. By which I mean that there are not many sunny days. So if the sun is as important to you as it is to me, you’ll want to go there between May and August. I’m sure you know the old saying, If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes and it will be different. This applies to the Baltics, where rain and wind can give way quite suddenly to bright sunshine and, unfortunately, back again.
What to See
Like Prague, Riga is a virtual museum of architecture, with buildings in the Old Town containing practically every architectural style from Romanesque to Modernist. So the Old Town should be your first stop. It’s quite lovely and has been tastefully renovated and reconstructed after suffering more than four decades of destructive Communist neglect. Have a look at the Dome Church and then climb the tower of St. Peter’s Church if you want a stunning panoramic view of the city. In fact, the city boasts many lovely old churches.
Like Prague (yes, again), Riga is well known for its Art Nouveau architecture. In fact, Art Nouveau comprises about a third of all the buildings in the center of the city, which makes Riga the city with the highest concentration of that style of architecture in the world. Many of these buildings can be seen on Alberta iela (Albert Street). And you should most definitely visit the city’s Art Nouveau Museum, which features modern digital exhibitions surrounded by authentic Art Nouveau furnishings.
The Old Town also has an astonishing variety of restaurants, cafés and bars, with food from practically all global cuisines available – and there’s always the Late Night Munchies restaurant if you get the late-afternoon walk-around munchies.
Street Art
Unlike Prague, Riga has some astounding street art. In the lively Sporta 2 quarter, at Sporta iela 2,about 40 artists got together to create a graffiti wall to illustrate their support for Ukraine. Or, for another example, at Čiekurkalna 1. līnija 12 in the Čiekurkalns district, artists have created an open-air “exhibition hall” under a bridge. Different street artworks are exhibited on pillars. But inform yourself about where to find the best works. Hint: They will not be in the Old Town, for obvious reasons.
Street Food
As long as we’re in the streets of Riga, we should have a brief conversation about the city’s street food. And all talk about that must begin with the Riga Central Market. Housed in five enormous former Zeppelin hangars, this is supposed to be the largest market in all of Europe and is a cornucopia of fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, pastries, breads, flowers, seafood, cheese and a lot more. If you’re there in late spring, summer or fall, when locally grown fruits and veggies are sold, you have hit the jackpot.
You can find all kinds of local delicacies to eat there, such as smoked fish and meat, pickled vegetables and local cheeses. Cheap open sandwiches on rye bread, called maizītes, can be had here with toppings that include pickled herrings, hard-boiled eggs with anchovies and smoked salmon.
There are a few bars around the site, including one that serves beer produced by the local Alus Darbnīca Labieti brewery. Also, the Rupnicas Veikals kiosk at the back of the market serves local beers, Kvass and big glasses of wine at remarkably low prices.
Also check out the Āgenskalns Market, which dates back to 1898. There’s a lot of street food on the first floor. Try the delicious Latvian cottage cheese pancakes, aka Biezpiena Placenisi, which go great with jam. On the second floor you’ll find some very inexpensive eateries, such as Ausmena Kebabs and the popular pizza joint Vīnkalni.
The Tallinn Street Quarter, at the intersection of Tallinnas and Miera streets, is a former ambulance garage that has been renovated, decorated with street art and turned into a hip place to eat and drink. Its spacious courtyard is the venue for some interesting musical and artistic events and there are cafés, bars and actual street vendors selling actual street food.
Traditional Latvian Dishes to Try
Kartupeļu pankūkas are Latvian potato pancakes made with grated potatoes, eggs, and flour, fried until golden brown and usually served with sour cream and lingonberry sauce. I’ve had them with just sugar sprinkled on top. Bad for the teeth, but great for feeding the inner child.
Ķiploku grauzdiņi is the Latvian version of garlic bread. It’s made from rye bread that is cut into slices and then pan-fried in butter or oil on both sides. The slices are then rubbed with garlic. Or they are baked in the oven with the oil or butter added afterwards. They go great with beer.
Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi is Latvia’s national dish and only for the brave and culinary adventurers. It is a stew is made with grey peas that resemble chickpeas, fried onions and diced cured ham. It is often served with kefir or a few slices of rye bread.
If you’re of the vegan or vegetarian persuasion, rest easy. Riga has a surprisingly large number of restaurants offering vegan food, such as Booch and Kozy Eats.
The Nightlife Is the Best Life
Night owls will not be disappointed by Riga. On the contrary, this is quite a swingin’ town.
The Old Town is teeming with bars and clubs, many of them sitting cheek to jowl on some streets. Here you’ll find everything from bars for brewmeister groupies (such as 2 more beers – yes, that’s the name of the place) and cocktail bars with live music (at Distillers Republic) to dance palaces (the Cuba Cafe) and dining spots with DJs (B Bārs Restorāns) – to name just a few of the available options.
For great clubs, go to the Teika district, which not only features Stalinist architecture but where you’ll also find the biggest club in the Baltics, Tower, which has a great sound and light system and an immense dance floor. Fans of alternative music can visit the Melnā Piektdiena club.
The Briāna quarter caters to those out of the mainstream, such as jazz freaks like me (at M/Darbnica), ravers like you (the OneOne club) or those looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly place (Skapis).
And, yes, the Tallinn Street Quarter is also a great place to go for late-night fun.
NB: Like the Czechs, the Latvians are very proud of their beers and so you will find a bar (or several bars) serving craft brewery brews in nearly every neighborhood that features bars. I am not a beer aficionado, but if you are, checking out the different craft beers in town should be a fun part of your visit, day or night.
And Finally . . .
If you’ve never thought about visiting the Baltics, maybe it’s time to do so. Yeah, the Baltic Sea is far from the Mediterranean and there aren’t many palaces or interesting local wines – well, there aren’t any. But that’s one great reason to go: because it’s not where you would usually go. It’s different. But, as the French say, Vive la difference.
You’ll go to Riga for a long weekend – or, what the heck, for a week – without expectations, unlike most of your other trips, when you have always known what to expect. You’ll be open to surprises – and you will often be surprised. Riga is a modern city with a modern soul and a unique history (read up on it). Yes, it’s not Prague, but it’s cheaper, less touristy and, unlike the Czech capital, it’s on the sea. So go and see for yourselves. Maybe it will even inspire you to check out the other Baltic capitals.