Come visit Riga, Latvia – the Amber City! Throughout the centuries, Riga has had so many nicknames and a great many cultural influences – culminating in a city that is difficult to define. If anything, this is a city of change, found on the Daugava River in the middle of butterfly-shaped Latvia. With excellent connection to the Baltic Sea and the growing north hub of Riga International Airport (RIX), the city continues to serve as a window between east and west. In 2004, Riga joined the ranks of EU member country capital city. Today, not quite a million people call this city of famed filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, Black Balsams and phenomenal art nouveau architecture – home. Get cheap flight tickets to Riga with airBalticTravel and discover, firsthand, the Amber City.
Languages
The major language in Riga is Latvian, an Indo-European language whose only close relative is Lithuanian to the immediate south. You’ll find that Russian is almost equally in use, while English is becoming more and more popular every day. Yet, tourists should have little trouble exploring the city’s sights and making friends with the down to earth locals who know how to have fun, regardless of the language.
See and Do
At the heart of Riga is the beautiful Old Town, where towers climb up in green copper casings and cobblestoned streets wind about through a blend of traditional pubs and glitzy-faced upscale restaurants. From your cheap hotel in Riga, start off on a tour of the enormous Lutheran Dome Cathedral (the organ is among the largest in the world) or St. Peter’s Church with its museum inside. For an evening of entertainment, stop by the National Theatre or the elegant Opera House, which has an ongoing venue of classic and more modern shows to offer. Note the several interesting museums, including the president’s residence at Rigas Pils and the Museum of the Occupation in Strelnieki Square, where the impressive Melngalvju building glitters in blue and gold. Note the statue of the Teutonic Knight, a favourite spot for street musicians and buskers. The nights come alive in Līvu Square and Dome Square, where tourists will discover the action of beer gardens and plenty of live music to keep the evening young. Be sure to sample the trademark Black Balsams – a homespun herbal liqueur created by a doctor and once served to Catherine the Great – or some of the local beers: perhaps favourite among them is Užavas Alus. And while Old Riga is quite manageable on foot, you’ll want to rent a car in Riga in order to get around best in the city – and out, for pristine and beautiful nature or the resorts and spas at Jurmala on the Baltic Sea.
