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Old Town: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mediaeval Old Town of Riga is a delightful maze of narrow, cobbled streets and beautiful little squares, buzzing with life all year round. There are more than 150 buildings of historical and architectural importance here, dating from the 13th to the 19th century, and a walk around the Old Town is a truly amazing journey back through time.
Riga Cathedral: The huge domed cathedral next to the main square in the Old Town dates from the 13th century, and is the largest in the Baltic countries. Since 1880 its interior has been dominated by one of the world’s largest organs, with no fewer than 6,768 pipes.
Address: Doma Laukums 1, LV-1050 Riga, www.doms.lv

St. Peter’s Church: The lofty Gothic St. Peter’s Church (1209) towers over the city of Riga, reaching a height of 123 metres. The famous Baroque campanile offers the best platform for incomparable views of the city.
Address: Skārnu 19, LV-1050 Riga, www.peterbaznica.riga.lv

Museum of the Occupation of Latvia 1940-1991: The Museum of the Occupation offers a comprehensive and impressive record of half a century of oppression of the Latvian people (1940-1991) by the Nazi and Soviet regimes.
Address: Strelnieku laukums 1, LV-1050 Riga, www.okupacijasmuzejs.lv

Freedom Monument: A symbol of the struggle of the Latvian people for freedom and independence, the lofty bronze statue of Freedom rises above the parks between the Old and New Towns. It was built in 1935, funded by public donations, and since then has been a place of commemoration and gathering point for rallies and demonstrations. The guard of honour is changed every hour of the day.
Address: Brivibas Bulvaris and Raina Bulvaris, LV-1050 Riga

House of the Blackheads: Built in 1344 to house meetings of the Blackheads’ guild (the unmarried merchants of that time), this exquisite architectural gem sustained repeated damage until finally being reconstructed in 2001 to mark the eight hundredth anniversary of the city.
Address: Rātslaukums 7, LV-1050 Riga, www.melngalvjunams.lv

Open-Air Ethnographic Museum: An exciting, living museum which re-creates with absolute authenticity the living conditions in four regions of Latvia during the 18th and 19th centuries, against the backdrop of a wooded park near the shore of Lake Jugla. The atmosphere of the period is revived through 100 timber constructions, from farms and windmills to churches, while the park employees wear the costumes and re-enact the daily activities of the local people of times gone by.
Address: Brīvības gatve 440, LV-1024 Riga, www.brivdabasmuzejs.lv

Pilsetas Canals: Known as the City Canal, the old defensive moat of mediaeval Riga now winds its way through an idyllic setting of green spaces and parks dividing the Old Town from the art nouveau district of the 19th century. This is one of the best itineraries to follow if you want a really delightful walk through the city.
Address: Centrāltirgus iela 5, LV-1050 Riga

Art Nouveau Museum: The jewel in the crown of Riga’s architecture is the art nouveau district, the largest and most attractive in Europe, sealed with the stamp of UNESCO approval. The apartment of the famous Latvian architect Konstantins Peksens is now an amazing museum, which re-creates in the smallest detail the style of the period, furnished entirely with items originating from the heyday of the art nouveau movement in the 19th century.
Address: Alberta iela 12, LV-1010 Riga, www.art-nouveau.riga.lv

Museum of the History of Riga & Navigation: The city’s oldest (1773) museum narrates the troubled history of Riga from ancient times to the present day, with particular emphasis on the era of its greatness as a maritime trading and shipping city.
Address: Palasta iela 4, www.rigamuz.lv

A shopping excursion in Riga can be an exciting experience, particularly if your interests lie in the area of local arts and crafts. The lively, noisy Central Market (Centraltirgus), next to the railway station, is a sight worth seeing in itself. It is the oldest in Europe and the locals refer to it aptly as the ‘stomach of the city’. Housed in five huge Zeppelin hangars you will find everything you can imagine, from fresh local foods and flowers to clothes, household appliances and CDs at giveaway prices. You can find superb examples of local art on the stalls outside Saint Peter’s Church, at Skarnu iela and the southern end of Valnu iela, where itinerant traders hawk their wares every day, everything from faux bijoux and woollen gloves to paintings, matrioshkas and hand-made children’s dolls. For brand goods and designer labels, head to Audeju iela, Riga’s main shopping street, where you will find lots of designer boutiques as well as the oldest (1930) mall, known as Centrs and recently renovated, which has more than 150 trendy stores and a range of leisure services. Other options are the modern Galleria Riga, the six-floor Stockmann department store and the aristocratic Berga Bazaars, with lots of exclusive boutiques selling international fashion labels.

Latvian cuisine is the product of cultural influences from Eastern Europe and Russia. Cabbage, potatoes, beef, pork and fish form the basis of many of the national dishes, invariably served in very generous portions. Apart from good Latvian cuisine, Riga also offers a wide range of international restaurants; you can embark on a culinary tour of the world, from the Caribbean and Italy to the Caucasus and Japan. Most of the restaurants are scattered around the atmospheric districts of the Old Town, where you will also find the best of the city’s nightlife. Most of the café bars and nightclubs are located around the main square, Doma laukums, and along Kalku iela. In summer there is a Mediterranean atmosphere, with chairs and tables laid out in the streets and local people strolling up and down with a beer, or the local drink Black Balsam, in their hands. At night there is all sorts of entertainment on offer, from lounge cocktail bars to dance clubs playing techno and house.

• International Baltic Ballet Festival: This leading festival, held every spring for the last twenty years (30 March – 30 April) hosts some of the best dance performances from the Baltic countries and around the world, featuring everything from classical ballet to the most avant-garde manifestations of contemporary dance.
• Riga Festival: Every June (30 May – 20 June) global stars of serious music and leading Latvian artists descend on the city for a major musical event. The programme ranges from classical music and opera to Portuguese fados.
• Riga Opera Festival: A well-established festival for opera-lovers in Latvia and beyond. The main feature of the programme is a series of highlights from the Latvian National Opera season, but there are also new productions of famous operas with top names in the casts. This year’s festival (5-18 June) will be dedicated to the work of Giacomo Puccini. 
• Positivus Festival: The biggest summer festival of contemporary music and culture held in the Baltic region is staged each year in Fishermen’s Park, in the market town of Salacgriva. Thousands of people come together against a backdrop of great natural beauty for three days of concerts (17-19 July 2015) featuring big names in world rock, pop, folk and electronic music. The impressive line-up includes such big names as Placebo, Robert Plant, Kasabian, Lamb, Basement Jaxx and many others.

Transport from the airport

Aegean Airlines flights land at Riga International Airport/Lidosta, 11km west of Riga. This is the biggest airport in the Baltic region, with many duty free stores, cafes, bars, restaurants, banks, ATMs, bureaus de change, a post office, chapel and internet stations. WiFi is available using a pre-paid card. The cheapest and easiest way into the city centre is to take bus 22, which runs from the airport to the centre of Riga (Line: Abrenes iela – Airport Lidosta). Buses run every 10-30 minutes and the journey takes about half an hour. There is also a minibus, no. 241, plying between the city centre and the airport.