Riga, some say it’s the Pearl of the Baltic. We have concluded that it is true! It’s a wonderful city trip destination, even in the middle of the winter. In the magical time before Christmas, when all the squares are filled with little stalls, nativity scenes, and Christmas trees. And when the snow is falling, that’s when this cozy city is even cozier. 

Tip! – This city break destination is relatively unknown to the large crowd. This makes the city very pure and real. So, don’t wait too long. Let Riga’s charm surprise you, before this secret is revealed to the rest of the world.

Exploring Riga

We start our city trip by exploring the parks just outside of the old city center. It’s already getting dark, but the city stays light because of the snow on the ground. The park has a nice Christmas ambiance and invites us for a stroll through the winter landscape. After that, we experience the changing of the guard at the Freedom Monument. Later, in the evening, we enjoy a delicious dinner at our hotel.

The next day we start with a sightseeing bus tour through the city. (Yeah, what can I say? The tour is included in the trip…). The bus takes us to the other side of the Daugava river. Here, we drive through the neighborhood of Āgenskalns. The houses here are historically old and entirely made from wood. A tradition, that started already in the 17th century. We get off the bus in the city center of Riga. This old center, called Vecrīga, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city center is packed with history.

From charming little streets with beautiful art-nouveau buildings to giant churches and museums, Riga has it all. After a day full of culture, shopping, drinking hot chocolate in the many coffee shops, and another delicious dinner we return to our hotel. Riga surprised us!

The golden dome of this Russian Orthodox church stands out!

Walking through the romantic park

Colorful houses decorate the streets of the old city center

Merry Christmas!

The House of the Blackheads

Useful information

Money: Latvia has the Euro. You can pay with a debit/credit card at the ATM and in almost every restaurant and shop.
Time: Latvia is in the Eastern European Timezone, EET (UTC +2h).
Language: The official language is Latvian, and a lot of people also speak Russian. Furthermore, in the touristy areas, the locals speak sufficient English.
From and to the airport: Taxi (15-20 minutes, € 12,00 – 13,00), Bus nr 22 (30 minutes, €2,- pp.)

Have you visited Riga yet? Or are you planning a trip there? Let me know in the comments below.

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