Travel tips for Riga, Latvia

I have a friend who lives in Riga, Latvia and has invited me to come over during Christmas-New years. As I have been meaning to go out somewhere myself, I am seriously considering his proposal. What I don’t know is anything about either Riga or Latvia. I am henceforth looking forward to any first hand experiences of people who have been there.

How is it? Is it worth travelling to, considering the limited opportunity and money I usually I have for a vacation. What are highlights and the drawbacks? What’s the best means to travel?

Needing ur feedback

Its gorgeous! I loved it there... great food, nice people, okay, all the women are beautiful!

I used Lonely Planet Baltic States- a great book for information and such, did a trip out to the mountians there, and hiked some, plus a ferry to Sweden.

For travel try Air Baltic. They seem cheap, but I have never used them.

Check about a Visa for you! Some of the former Eastern Countries have very strict visa requirments, and sometimes require a invite from a Lativian! (Happened to me when I wanted to go to Estonia a few years ago).

Fella, my ex comes from Riga and if you wanna really find out what Riga's like, the Latvians have their stammtisch next on DEC 1st in Papatakis in Leopold str. Go along and find out.

What she told me it sounds really great. Really old city with loads of history and things to do. A lot of stag weekends these days which are beginning to ruin it (and the reputation of the brits of course) due to cheap flights from the UK. If you have a chance to go, do it!

My girlfriend and I were in Riga this past July.

Don't know about visas, but I'm Canadian and I didn't need one.

We flew Air Baltic, but I forgot how much we paid. The airport is a ways away and if the flight schedule (for Air Baltic) hasn't changed, you'll be arriving at like 1:30am. We had a wicked time there. Everybody was real friendly, the food is dirt cheap and it's small enough to get around.

Watch yourself around the flea market near the train station; my girlfriend nearly got pick-pocketed there! Also, take out money there. We found the exchange rate cheaper.

I think Riga's one of those not-yet-popular destinations. Go visit before it becomes another Prague.

And oh yeah, almost forgot: the women are pretty hot there

Regards,
JumpmanPro

defintely go. I have to second Carm on the beautiful women there. Absolutly amazing! Also the people are really friendly. There are plently of places you will find for food as well. Just have a walk around the city. If you have a friend that lives there, he or she will be able to show you round. It's probably going to be cold.

Loads of beautiful women. I envy you , in a good way, for going there :-)

G.

Anybody have recs on accommodation and restaurants in Riga? I'm getting the Lonely Planet in a few days but I'd also like some non LP advice. Is getting around in English difficult?
Thanks

In Riga there are sort of like Cafeteria places, without the sterility of a cafeteria, where you pick your food out and pay at the cash desk.

I had no problems in English, only when we went out into the country, but I have some basic slavic, so we were able to eat and find our way.

I'd recommend reading cityspy maps over any lonely planet books. Their advice for interesting things to see and do in Riga and the other cities seems spot on. The owner of one hostel in Riga was ranting and raving one night about how lonelyplanet and all those other books are just crap. And would tell people to burn their travel books because they're crap. Maybe he was a bit extreme, but he said the writer for lets go travel books, would come by and say ok give me $100-200 and we can put your hostel in my book. But his hostel had enough business as is so he'd just laugh at them. I stayed at the Argonaut and it was nice enough.

Also people did tell me that the women walking around Riga were all beautiful, and I didn't believe them. People say the same thing about Sweden blah blah blah. But yeah it was true. There's quite a bit of tension in all the Baltic countries between the locals and the Russians who were born there but still think they're living in Russia.

I found this NYT travel article on Riga to be a pretty good starting point. It must be tough for some of the locals to see their city changing so much, I can understand where the old guy is coming from.

36 Hours in Riga

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/travel/21hours.html

I recommend a day trip by train out to Sigulda where you can have a go on the bobsleigh course.
We went down in a padded bobsleigh. It was great fun and a cost very small fraction of what you pay for the same experience in Germany/Switzerland.

Hi TT

I'm goin to Riga this weekend - wondered had anyone been there and could recommend anything?

Looking for cool places to party Fri and Sat, the top 5 sights to see, and some chilled things to do on Sunday.

Any accommodation tips appreciated also...

Cheers

Topics merged by admin

Here is a tip...

ended up staying at the radi & draugi in old town
www.draugi.lv

which was really good. breakfast was delicious and featured latvian dishes. downside is that old town can be a bit loud and rowdy with the stag parties but well .. there you go.

the central market on the weekend is lots of fun - especially people watching. Check the Riga city guide for concerts and events - we ended up at a really cool folk festival near the train station.

art nouveau district is lovely. go on a sunday morning and you will be totally alone. Russian orthodox church is also worth a visit.

Must say that Riga is experiencing some serious inflation and going out is not that cheap.