Thinking of taking a Riga city break?
As the capital city of Latvia, Riga boasts a rich tapestry of influences – from its medieval origins and Hanseatic legacy to its Soviet past and modern European flair.
A Riga city break offers an unforgettable escape into a world where cobblestone streets wind through centuries-old neighborhoods, where majestic cathedrals and Art Nouveau facades vie for attention.
Read on to discover what makes this Baltic jewel a must-visit destination for seekers of history, beauty, and adventure.
Is Riga A Good City Break?
It’s amazing! There is a wonderful old town with historic buildings and cute cafes. The Art Nouveau district has fabulous architecture. Riga is also home to the largest food market in Europe.
1. Riga City Break – How to Get to Riga from the UK
Riga is easy to reach from the United Kingdom.
Flight time is around 2 hours and 40 minutes from London.
Check out the flight options below. The year calendar gives an idea of prices from London to Riga for the year.
The flight schedule gives an idea of how many flights and flight timings each day.
Want to Check Flights Now?
Riga City Break
2. When Is It Best To Visit Riga?
As you can see the summer months are clearly the best time to visit.
I visited in October and Riga was covered in a blanket of snow which was rather lovely.
In terms of visitors, Riga is a city with a population of 690,000 and it gets around 3.5 million visitors a year.
May and September are likely to mean fewer tourists and better value prices.
The current weather in Riga is;
3. Riga City Break – Getting to Riga City Centre from the Riga Airport
There is a bus that runs from outside the airport to reach the centre of Riga. To reach the bus you follow the sign for ‘public transport’. There is a waymarked path which will lead you across the car park where you will see the bus stop. You can buy a ticket at the bus stop.
The bus number is 22. The fare is 1.15 Euros if you buy in advance, and 2 Euros if you buy from the driver.
You can find all the information about bus and taxi transfers on the Riga Airport website.
The bus can be quite busy as locals use it too so you may have to stand for most of the way.
It takes around 30 minutes to reach the centre of Riga. On the way in you will pass the Riga library, which is a large modern building set beside the river.
When you cross the river you know you are coming closer to the city centre.
Riga City Break
4. Where to Stay in Riga
Riga has a great choice of hotels with options in the old town, around the city centre and near the river.
There is something to suit every budget.
Check out the map view below to quickly find hotels in the area and price range you want. Hover over a hotel price to see a picture, along with the guest rating. Click to view more details and check prices for your dates of travel.
Check below to find the best hotel deals in Riga. Just click view hotel to see more information and check prices for your dates of travel.
Riga City Break
Hotel Opera
I stayed in the Hotel Opera and Spa on a previous visit to Riga. It was very handy for the airport bus and close to one of the drop off points.
The rooms were nice and comfortable despite it being absolutely freezing and snowing outside.
The bathrooms had a strange feature with a glass panel in the door. The bathroom window was frosted but had no blind which meant the bedroom was quite light during the night as a result.
Whilst the evening meal in the restaurant was quite good the breakfast was quite sparse with a poor selection by the time I arrived.
However, for the price I paid it was OK.
I stayed in October and it was £33 for one night including breakfast.
Riga City Break
Other Hotels Near the Hotel Opera
Ibis Riga Centre
Metropole Hotel
Wellton Riga Hotel & Spa
Riga City Break
Radisson Blu
On a previous visit to Riga on a tour we stayed in the Radisson Blu. This hotel has a great location, it overlooks one of the park areas and looks down towards the Freedom Monument.
This means that exploring the city from this hotel is very easy on foot.
There are also lots of cafes, restaurants and shops in the streets behind the hotel too.
The buffet meal we had is one of the best I have had on a tour anywhere, both for breakfast and dinner.
Guests thought the hotel rooms were small but I thought the location more than made up for it.
Riga City Break
Hotels Close to the Radisson Blu
Grand Poet Hotel and Spa
Radisson Blu Elizabete
Riga City Break
5. Things to Do in Riga
The Old Town of Riga is definitely worth a wander around. There are cute squares with lovely cafes and different types of architecture to enjoy too.
Riga City Break
6. The Freedom Monument
The Freedom Monument is a beautiful monument dedicated to the Latvian soldiers who died in the fight for Liberation from 1918 – 1920.
The monument is 138′ or 42 metres tall. It is worth stopping by for a closer look because around the base there are scenes depicting Latvian culture and history.
Amazingly the monument survived during the Soviet occupation of Latvia and became a symbol of the independence movement. It was a visible reminder and something that gave hope to the campaign.
Riga City Break
7. Canal Boat Trip
There are lovely small boat trips that run from the centre of Riga, not too far away from the Freedom Monument. These boat trips are a great way to see the city from another angle.
The trips are operated by Riga by Canal. The boats are lovely wooden boats which give good views.
The trips last 1 hour long and cost around £15 per person.
Check availability for your visit
Riga City Break
8. The Central Market
Riga is home to the largest market in Europe. Five huge buildings house various pavillions – meat, fish, vegetable and produce. It is a fantastic place to visit and experience a bit of everyday Latvian life. Around 80,000 people a day visit the market.
Like most markets, there are also little cafes tucked in an around the market itself.
Try some Latvian specialities including Lampreys and Knauss which is a non-alcoholic brewed drink.
Check availability for your travel dates
Why not take a walking tour of the amazing Art Nouveau district and learn the stories behind these amazing buildings?
Check availability for your travel dates here
Riga City Break
9. KGB Museum
This museum is well worth a visit. It is located within easy walking distance from the city centre Freedom Monument area.
The museum is located in the ‘Corner House’. This building was used as an interrogation centre when Russia occupied Latvia. There is an exhibition area giving more information on display boards. The exhibition is free to enter, with donations much appreciated.
I would highly recommend taking one of the tours. They have 4 tours guided in English running each day. The cost of these tours, which last about an hour, is 10 Euros per person.
The tour takes you through the building and gives you a much better understanding of this grim, but important to know about, chapter in Latvian history.
The guide who took the tour I was on had been questioned in the building but thankfully never detained. I found the tour a really great insight into Latvia too, their worries about Russia and their support for NATO.
The only downside to the tour was the eagerness of some of the other guests to role play the interrogations that took place, or to snap photos of bullet holes where people were shot in a small cell.
Find out more about more about this museum
Riga City Break
10. Apsara Tea House, Riga
On my first visit to Riga, I spotted this gorgeous building when taking a trip on the canal through Riga. I vowed to go back and one of the reasons I chose the Opera Hotel (see above) to stay in was it was close to this teahouse.
The building is a glass pagoda style pavilion. It is run by Aspara Tea, a local company.
The super cute building has a welcoming and friendly interior, with equally welcoming and friendly staff.
Upstairs the floor is covered with cushions enabling you to lounge with your cup of gorgeousness and enjoy the quirkiness of this building. There are views over the canal too making it a peaceful and relaxing experience.
11. Is Riga Safe for Solo Female Travellers?
I’ve visited Riga twice. Once with a group and once on my own. I have felt quite safe exploring anywhere in the city, including walking at night.
However, I did have a bit of an unpleasant experience when using an underpass to get from the airport bus to the Hotel Opera. I was carrying a medium size case which was a bit awkward to get up the steps. The steps were quite narrow. I had an over-shoulder bag too.
As I climbed up the steps a man walked up beside me and managed to get his hand inside my shoulder bag.
Thankfully there was nothing valuable in the central compartment. I shouted at him and he scurried off.
When checking in at the hotel I told them of the experience and they said it was quite common when using the underpass!
I will cross the road another way next time.
Riga City Break Video
12. Riga Frequently Asked Questions
Is Riga Worth Visiting?
Definitely. It’s got such a lot of variety in a fairly compact city. The food is great, there are some great attractions and the food market is worth going for on it’s own. It’s a great place to visit.
What is Riga Popular For?
It has amazing art nouvea architecture – one of the best collections anywhere. Did I mention it’s got the biggest food market in Europe too!
Is Riga Friendly?
On my two trips, I found Riga friendly, despite someone trying to pickpocket my bag. The locals on the buses were also friendly and helpful, as was everyone I spoke to in the market.
Do They Speak English in Riga?
English is very widely spoken. I didn’t have any problems and nor did any of my guests when I was there with a coach group.
13. Riga Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to access from the UK with cheap flights
- Very easy to get around the city centre area on foot
- Good bus service to and from the airport
- Lots of attractions – something for everyone
- Friendly relaxed city
- Christmas market in the winter months
Cons
- Can be cold in winter with night time temperatures of -7 and daytime temperatures -1
Further Reading
If you have found this Riga City Break article useful you might also like;
Istanbul City Break – review as a solo female traveller
Valencia City Break – 4 night stay in this great value Spanish city
Baku Holiday – solo female trip to this quirky city
Or for more general ideas head to my Travel Inspiration page
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