LATVIA
Architecture, bogs, and beaches
Although it is not well-known, Latvia's capital is one of the very best destinations in Europe for those interested in architecture. Other features in this small republic include a unique cuisine, Baltic sea beach resort towns, bog national parks, and medieval castles. It is also a surprisingly easy place to travel, presenting very few challenges for tourists.
Our visit here was short. We had planned a trip to neighboring Lithuania. Air Baltic, with its hub in Riga, was the best choice for traveling to Lithuania. We decided to spend two days in Riga before returning to the United States. The city dramatically exceeded our expectations, and we plan to return to Latvia in the future.
Travel Tips:
Baltic Netcar Car Rental offers very economic one-way car rentals in the Baltic countries. It is a Latvian-based business. They delivered a car to where we were staying in Vilnius, and they picked it up from us in Riga. You cannot beat their service or prices. https://balticnetcar.eu/EN/carclasses/EUR/autonoma
If you are coming to Riga by car, be aware that driving in the Old Town area is very complicated. It can also be time-consuming finding a place to park near the Old Town.
Latvian War of Independence Memorial
Riga
We booked an apartment next to Riga Town Hall Square. The Old Town (Vecriga) is the ideal place to stay. We spent our entire time there and in the areas immediately adjacent, without the need for taxis or public transportation.
Rather than booking formal tours, with the help of a guidebook, we made self-guided walking tours. We started at St. Peter's Church, which dates back to 1209. You can go up the tower for a nice view of the city, although the tickets are pricy. The Historic Center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Exploring the cobble-stoned narrow streets of the Old Town is likely to entertain adults longer than kids, but a well-timed ice cream break in one of the squares can remedy the situation.
Two days was enough to see the most significant places in the city. For those with more time to spend, Riga has several unique museums worth visiting. Other activities we would have considered include a cruise on the Daugava River (bordering Vecriga to the west) and a show at the Latvian National Opera.
Riga Town Hall Square
The most memorable (and amusing) sight of our walking tour in Vecriga was the Cat House of Riga. After being refused membership by the Great Guild, a wealthy tradesman hired an architect to build this house across from the Great Guild house. It had two angry cat sculptures on the roof with their tails facing the Guild. The statues were later turned around after an agreement.
We took a break from our walking tours and rented a pedal boat on the Riga Canal. The canal runs through Bastejkalna Park, which borders the old town to the east.
The Central Market is just across the canal at the southern edge of the old town. We bought both sweet and sour cherries for snacks. The vendor advised that we may not want the sour cherries, which are usually "for cooking." She did not know the English translations. She told us the two very distinct names in Latvian (a language that has nothing in common with other European languages!)
The afternoon of our second day, we headed north of the Old Town. We first visited Kronvalda Park. Afterward, we walked to two streets famous for Art Noveau architecture: Elizabeth (pictured right) and Albert. Riga has the highest concentration of art nouveau buildings in the world. The first nine photos of the "architecture" photo collection below are among the most famous of these buildings.
Architecture of Riga
Food and Restaurants
The food in Latvia is quite good. Latvian cuisine is very distinct, and it is not widespread outside of their country. Many restaurants in Riga offer standard European dishes for visitors who are not adventurous eaters. However, we steered toward restaurants that specialized in local food.
Among the restaurants we went to, Province Restaurant at Kalku Street 2 was the most memorable. The menu posted on their website shows a good sample of Latvian dishes. http://www.provincija.lv/en/province-restaurant They serve the national dish gray peas with bacon. It may not seem unusual from its title. However, gray peas have a specific flavor, different from the commonly grown smaller green peas. Gray peas were diet staples in Latvia before the introduction of potatoes. They are relatively difficult to cultivate, and they are rare outside of the region.
There is a lot of competition in Riga among restaurants that specialize in Latvian cuisine. It is worth exploring all the options. We were also happy with our choice to dine at Kalku Varti, at Jauniela 20. It is a high-quality restaurant with creative international-style dishes. They also have an online menu. http://www.kalkuvarti.lv