What you need for a trip to Riga. What else to see in Riga? Free museums, attractions and activities

After the first trip with tourist group, there was a great desire to return to Latvia to see and visit places where there are usually no tourist routes or look again at something for which very little time is given. Considering that Latvia is almost a “second homeland” for me and I already have some experience in such trips, my wife and I decided to November holidays travel to this Baltic country.

The first question arises about obtaining a visa. This seems very difficult to many, but in reality everything is much simpler. We made an invitation through our friends in Latvia, for which they Thanks a lot(hello Ilona and Valera). Two days in small queues and three days of waiting and visas in our passports. Moreover, from the moment Latvia entered the EU, some surprises awaited us: the cost of a visa changed (35 euros) and it became mandatory to have a large color photograph on the visa. If it is not possible to obtain an invitation, you can also buy one from a travel agency; it will be cheaper than buying a ready-made visa.

I would like to draw your attention to insurance, because... A mandatory requirement for obtaining a visa is its availability. So, there are countless representatives of insurance companies hanging out near the embassy, ​​and their prices are ungodly. After driving a few blocks from the embassy, ​​we bought insurance at one of the insurance companies (accredited by the embassy) at three times cheaper!!!

When choosing transport, we chose the train, because... Remembering our last trip on ECOLINE buses, we remembered their breakdown on the road, being late to Riga, breakneck speed on a bad road, passing through customs at night with all our belongings and the inability to have a normal rest at night. In addition, the price for reserved seat tickets for train No. 4 is comparable to the price for express bus. The first thing that caught your eye when you got off the train was the unusual station, which houses a supermarket, a large number of small shops, exchange offices, cafe, etc. establishments. Those who come to Riga for the first time should wander around the station and its surroundings a little to get a little immersed in life here. We also changed money at the station, because there was the most favorable exchange rate. To quickly convert currencies, it is most convenient to calculate lats (Latvian currency) to the dollar, the ratio is approximately one to two.

I’ll say right away that in Riga our friends helped us in many ways, they met us at the station, took us by car to the hotel, showed us Riga and its surroundings and, of course, made up good company. We decided to live not in Riga, but in Jurmala, because... I wanted to escape from the bustle big city, and stay closer to the sea. Our friends also helped us with choosing a hotel; the choice fell on the EUROPE hotel, small but very comfortable. It is located very conveniently in the center of Jurmala. Everything is nearby: the central walking street “Jomas” with its shops and cafes, the sea, sand dunes with pine trees, as well as a railway station.

In the same hotel, as they say, one of best restaurants in Jurmala, but I won’t say anything about prices, because... We only had breakfast there, and breakfast, like everywhere else, is included in the price. I really liked the breakfast itself, the cultural service, pleasant calm music, unobtrusive service, and not to mention everything “ Buffet”, and service upon request….. In addition to the restaurant, the hotel also has a sauna, jacuzzi (for a fee) and Gym. Of all the above, we only used the sauna, which is also not bad.

To get from Riga to Jurmala there are three ways: train (frequently and on schedule, cheap, but long), minibus (more expensive and faster) and taxi (expensive, but quickly and to the hotel). The best way is a minibus, which is very different from ours. One of the must-see places in Latvia is Sigulda with its castle, Turaida nature reserve and cable car. But because We were already there last time, and the weather wasn’t sunny, so we decided not to go there.

Now a little about spending time.
The first day (Saturday) was entirely devoted to Jurmala, which we began to explore on the way to the hotel. “Jurmala” translated from Latvian means sea coast, which fully corresponds to its location. This city stretches for several kilometers along the Gulf of Riga, which allows all vacationers here to escape for a while from the noise, crowds and bustle of the city.

The walking tour begins, of course, from the central street “Jomas”. During this period of the year there are not many people and you can leisurely stroll along it, while visiting many of the shops and souvenir shops that interest us. They say that in summer you can meet many famous personalities on this street, especially from show business.

At the end of the street you can see the recently renovated Baltic Beach Hotel, formerly called " Riga seaside“and the entire elite of our party leaders once rested there. Now, as our friends told us, it is quite expensive to relax there, but there is nice pool. By the number of monuments and memorable places Jurmala is probably not inferior to Riga. Here you can find the “bronze turtle”, which is already decades old, the “famous globe” at the beginning of Jomas Street and, of course, the Dzintari concert hall.

We returned to the hotel along the embankment when it began to get dark. It’s quite pleasant to walk to the sounds of rolling waves and a slight sea wind. In the evening, after dinner, I decided to take a walk to the part of Jurmala where we rested last time, namely the Bulduri area. In this area, next to the Lielupe hotel, there is a fitness club with a good bowling alley, on which I spent an hour of my precious time. Then I went to a small store, bought dessert and flowers for my other half and, because... the hotel was far from this place, I decided to return by train.

Riga electric trains with all their infrastructure differ radically from our Ministry of Railways and, of course, for the better. Because their platform is at a height of 50-60 cm, no one is fencing anything, there are no turnstiles at the entrance or exit, everything is clean. The schedule is in Latvian, but you can understand when and which train arrives without any problems. When the train arrives, exit and entry are via steps, which is also unusual for us. Entering the carriage, there are also noticeable differences: firstly, cleanliness, and secondly, the conductor immediately approached me, stamped my ticket and left. In my opinion, here on electric trains there is one conductor per two cars (I could be wrong here). The cost of a ticket from the conductor is higher than a ticket purchased at the station. After getting off at Maiori station, I noticed that the weather had completely deteriorated, it started to rain a little and that was it leisure ended.

The next day (Sunday) we had a trip to Rundāle Palace. After having a hearty breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we went outside and saw complete fog (visibility was no more than fifteen meters), which we did not expect at all. After waiting for our friends for a while, taking pictures in front of the hotel, we got into their car and drove towards Rundale. The journey took about 1.5 hours, but... There was a dense fog, it was not possible to see much. The people live as poorly as ours; there are some well-kept houses and some not so well-kept ones. True, there is a significant difference from us, this is the cleanliness of the streets.

As a car enthusiast, the narrowed roads and their average condition immediately caught my eye. Moreover, in Latvia, as throughout Europe, you are supposed to drive with your headlights always on. All the signs were in Latvian, but you quickly get used to them. Therefore, there should be no problems when traveling independently by car. At first, our plans were to rent a car in Riga for independent travel, which is much easier here than here. The choice of cars ranges from an AUDI 80 from the early 90s (≈25 euros) to brand new Mercs (≈185 euros), and this is with all required insurance. But because our friends kindly agreed to go with us in their car; we refused to rent a car.

At the entrance to Rundāle Palace there is a parking area where about a dozen cars were parked quietly. An alley led to the palace itself, along which trees were carefully planted. The same fog gave it a special flavor. Having walked a little along the alley, we were greeted by a large wrought-iron fence of an ancient type, behind which we could see the palace. The palace itself is a work by Rastrelli, made according to the type of Petrodvorets (I could be wrong here). Restoration work is still being carried out there, and several exhibitions are dedicated to this. Interestingly, the restoration began back in Soviet time and is still ongoing, incl. with the money of Russian entrepreneurs. Around the palace there are lawns of various shapes and empty fountains (hence the similarity with Petrodvorets).

After seeing all the sights of this place, we headed back. The way home, as always, seemed shorter. The fog decreased a little, and this time we were able to see the castle near Bauska. Inside, as those who visited there said, there is nothing special to see, but from the outside it looks ancient and majestic. In general, as for castles, the locals said that most of them were rebuilt. I believe that if everything is done the same as in the old days and has at least a little relation to history, then it has a right to exist.

Arriving in Riga, it was impossible not to wander through the streets of the Old Town. There were few people, the fog accompanied us, and all this created a feeling of some kind of unreality. On the way out of the Old Town we managed to take a little look beautiful views to the Daugava. Immediately after the walk, our path lay to the restaurant national cuisine"LIDO", which is located near the Old Town.

A small digression, few visitors know that in Riga there is a whole chain of LIDO restaurants, and they are all different. One, big Entertainment Center, in the form of a wooden frame, the second is a restaurant of national Latvian cuisine, the third is a restaurant of Russian cuisine and the fourth is the “Beer House” restaurant. A lot of good things have already been said about LIDO before me, so I won’t repeat myself. I want to say one thing, McDonald's, etc. establishments relax here. Having had a good time with friends and a good meal at LIDO, we went to Jurmala. On the way, we decided to do a little shopping; for this we stopped at several supermarkets, of which there are many. Having made a specific purchase of purely Latvian goods, we finally went towards the hotel.

At the hotel, as always, a cleanly decorated room and a sauna were waiting for us. I especially liked the last one, because... It is prepared specifically for the client; all you have to do is call the reception. Before the sauna you are given robes and disposable slippers, and after you leave all this there and do not need to carry anything with you.

The next day (Monday) was the last, because... that day we were leaving. Having become accustomed to a measured, calm life, to the sea air and the smell of pine trees, I didn’t want to think about leaving at all. But the clock inexorably forced me back to reality. After breakfast, we decided to walk again through the already familiar Jurmala streets, souvenir shops and small shops. I advise those who want to bring Riga balsam or something similar from Latvia to buy it in company stores in Jurmala, everything will be cheaper here. The famous amber, it seems to me, is not worth the money that is being asked for it here. Therefore, it is better to look for it on the shore after a storm.

Having paid for our hotel stay, we headed towards Riga. First, our path was to the water park. It is located at the entrance to Jurmala, we got there by minibus in about 15 minutes. it was a weekday, and in the first half of the day, there weren’t many people there. In an hour and a half we managed to try all the entertainment and visit everywhere. The only drawback of the water park is that there is little necessary information. Only because of this we rated it 4 points.

After the session water procedures We had three hours left before the train. We decided to devote this time to visiting LIDO, the largest and most famous among tourists. The taxi ride took 25 minutes and we were there. On the street near the restaurant, preparations for Christmas were already noticeable: a large Christmas tree with burning lights, animal figures made from the same light bulbs. In the restaurant itself, all the staff were in national Latvian costumes, pleasant calm music, a large selection of dishes and desserts and, of course, freshly brewed beer. It's a pity that we don't have something like this in Moscow. An hour and a half flew by unnoticed and we, with a little sadness in our eyes, but full and satisfied, went to the station. There are special buses from Lido to the station free buses, and many passing buses also stop. There are always taxis standing in the parking lot, so there are no problems getting there and back.

The station was still the same as on the first day, filled with people hurrying somewhere. This time it looked more like a big store than a place where people leave. Having reached the platform, we saw a train waiting for us, in which we had to travel home for another 17 hours.

That's how we went to Latvia. Information from people living there, obtained through comments on reviews, was very useful. We will remember the Latvian friends with whom we spent time here, and the fresh sea wind, which we will miss in Moscow.

Pages 1

4,8 /5 (58 )

11 comments

    Interesting syllable...
    _Having made a specific purchase of purely Latvian goods_ :) I should have added -In kind!- :)

    Untitled
    And for me the most vivid impression from Jurmala - this is an exhibition of gladioli. In a large pavilion in a park near concert hall was not submitted less than a thousand varieties of all shades from transparent white to blue black. This exhibition is held by the Association of Amateur Gardeners in the last week of August. True, it was in 1987...

    hmm yes
    There is no Latvian language - there is LATVIAN!

    Untitled
    I join the previous speaker.

    Lexicology professors
    Once you make a correct remark, it can still be understood, but why assent. "ONLY ONE WHO DOES NOT MAKE A MISTAKE"

    Planning Guide independent travel to Riga.

    Preparing for your trip to Riga

    1. Tickets to Riga.
      We buy a ticket for a train, bus. First, we book/purchase transport tickets, since the dates of arrival and departure will serve as the determining dates for booking a hotel.
    2. Housing in Riga.
      . This is a secondary task compared to transport tickets, since there are many hotels in Riga and there is always plenty to choose from.
    3. Visa.
      You can get a visa to Latvia yourself (embassy, Visa Center), and with the help of special companies for an additional fee. We do the visa last, since upon receipt you may need to provide documentary evidence of the purpose of the trip, for example, in the case of tourism, a hotel reservation will be proof.
    4. Insurance.
      All types of insurance are available online, order.

    Planning a holiday in Riga

    • Arrival.(Airport)
    • Transport.(Bus | )
      • to travel outside Riga.
    • Excursions. At independent trip We recommend buying several inexpensive group ones.

    What to see / Where to go

    • , Museum, Bridge, Square, Street, Monument, Embankment. Meet interesting places Riga in advance, we described all the attractions and their locations.

    Auto tourism among Russians is becoming more and more popular every year. Traveling in your own car has many advantages.

    It is not surprising that many tourists prefer to get to the Baltic countries, which are quite close to Russia, by car.

    On such a trip, travelers do not depend on other people's schedules and prices - they can stop at any time and enjoy the place they like.

    To Riga by car

    Trip to Riga with your own transport has obvious advantages:

    • autotourists do not depend on the schedule of planes, trains and buses;
    • trip to own car, especially if 4-5 people are traveling in it, it is much cheaper than air travel and even train and bus travel;
    • opportunity to travel around the country own route, regardless of other tourists.

    In order for a trip from Moscow to Riga by car to go well, without any incidents, you need prepare your route in advance travel, familiarize yourself with the rules for crossing borders with Latvia and collect all the necessary documents.

    Documents for traveling to Latvia by car

    To enter Latvia by car, tourists need the following documents:

    • foreign passports for each of the tourists. Children under 14 years of age may be included in the foreign passport one (or both) of the parents traveling with the child;
    • If a child travels without parents, he must have his own passport, regardless of age. Moreover, in this case you need power of attorney from parents, certified by a notary;
    • children's birth certificates;
    • a valid Schengen visa affixed to the foreign passport;
    • medical insurance valid for the duration of the trip, issued in accordance with the requirements of EU countries, with the amount of coverage not less than 30,000 EUR;
    • for a car driver - a driver's license, which meet international standards(that is, the driver’s data must be written on the license in Latin letters);
    • car registration certificate;
    • Green card (motorist liability insurance), valid in Latvia.

    The green card is issued by the insurance company no earlier than 30 days before the start of the trip. The minimum validity period of a Green Card is 15 days.

    It is useful to read about what it is, because in Latvia they strictly monitor compliance with its rules.

    Read here what you need to apply for a visa to Latvia and get all the necessary information if you are going to apply for a visa to this country yourself.


    Travel routes

    You can enter Latvia by car either through Russia or Belarus. When traveling from Moscow, the difference in mileage between routes is about 90 km. On Russian territory (along the M9 highway) the route is shorter.

    Despite this, most of autotourists prefer to travel through Belarus (along the M1 highway). This is due to the fact that usually the checkpoints on the Latvian-Russian border are more heavily loaded, and motorists have to wait for several hours stand in lines at customs.

    In addition, many drivers were not satisfied with the quality of the road on the M9 highway. Until recently, the road in the Tver region and in the Rzhev area was badly damaged, but last year there was road repairs carried out.

    Route along the M9 highway on the map

    Distance from Moscow to Riga by federal highway M9 (“Baltic”) is about 950 kilometers. Travel time without stops is 11-12 hours.

    The route passes through Volokolamsk, Rzhev, Velikiye Luki to the automobile border checkpoints Burachki (on the Russian border) and Terekhovo (on the Latvian border). Further on the territory of Latvia the route passes through Ludza, Vilany and Ogre.

    Road after repair latest reviews motorists, really good. The exception is small areas near Rzhev. In the Tver region, where the worst section of the road was, new asphalt was laid and fresh markings were applied.

    The road on Latvian territory is slightly worse from Ludza to Vilana(all in patches), but there are practically no holes. In general, Latvian roads (A6, A12) are of fairly good quality.

    The advantages of this route include a small number settlements, where the driver has to reduce speed greatly. Therefore, you can get to Riga quite quickly.

    Among the disadvantages of this route, tourists note a small number of cafes and gas stations.

    On the Russian-Lithuanian border there are often queues in which you can stand from 2 to 6 hours. Point Burachki-Terekhovo considered the busiest of 4 automobile checkpoints located on the border of Russia and Latvia.

    Cars containing small children are allowed to pass without a queue. The customs inspection itself is quick. The main thing is that you have all the necessary documents.

    Latvian border guards are just about to introduce, following the example of their Estonian colleagues, electronic booking places in line at the border, so queues can rarely be avoided.

    The Burachki-Terekhovo point is open around the clock.

    Technological checkpoint breaks: 08:45 – 09:00 in the morning and 20:45 – 21:00 in the evening.

    Route along the M1 highway on the map

    There are two possible options here.

    • Option one: from Moscow, take the Minsk highway (M1 highway), and then, a little before reaching Smolensk, turn onto the road towards Velizh-Nevel, and in the Pustoshka area take the Baltic highway (M9). Then you can continue moving towards the Russian-Latvian border;
    • Option two (via Belarus): from Moscow take the M1 highway, after the Smolensk bypass you need to turn onto the road to Vitebsk. Continue on across Belarus along the P21 and P20 highways. Border crossing is carried out at the Urbany-Silene and Grigorovshchina-Paternieki checkpoints.

    The distance from Moscow to Riga is just over 1000 kilometers. Travel time is approximately 13-14 hours without stops. And although the route is a little longer than the M9 highway, you can get to Riga faster.

    This is due to the lower congestion at vehicle checkpoints on the border of Belarus and Latvia. Therefore, as a rule, there are no such queues as on the Russian-Latvian border.

    Works around the clock . The average waiting time in queues at the border with Latvia is approximately 1-2 hours.

    The Grigorovshchina-Paternieki checkpoint is also located in the Vitebsk region along the road R-20 Novopolotsk-Verkhnedvinsk-Riga.

    The point is open 24 hours a day from technological breaks: from 08:45 to 09:00 and from 20:45 to 21:00.

    There are more cafes and gas stations along the M1 than along the M9. However, the last gas station is located in the Polotsk area. The next gas station is in Latvia. Motorists should remember that in Gasoline is much more expensive in Latvia, so it’s better to fill the tank full before crossing the border.

    Duty free to the Republic of Latvia allowed to import:

    • one full tank of gasoline plus one 10 liter canister;
    • 40 cigarettes or 10 cigars;
    • 1 liter of strong alcohol or 2 liters of weak alcohol, or 4 liters of wine.

    It is prohibited to import dairy products and meat, including sausages, into Schengen countries.

    Motorists should also take into account that in Latvia You can't use a radar detector, so it is better to remove it before the border. Studded tires are allowed only in the autumn-winter period (from October 1 to May 1).

    Your car must have a warning triangle and a reflective vest.

    Riga today is one of the most popular and cheapest foreign destinations for weekend trips. If you have a strong desire to save money and have a Schengen visa, your travel budget will not exceed 6,200 rubles. Lenta.ru looked into the details.

    Riga is an inspiring city with all the attributes of civilized Europe: medieval streets, fascinating sights, delicious food not limited in range and quality by sanctions, filming locations known from Soviet films about Stirlitz and Sherlock Holmes, unique Riga modernity, excellent organ concerts and compactly located shopping spots. And a trip to Riga is cheaper than to other European cities. Largely due to its close location to Russia and especially hospitable attitude towards Russian tourists Mayor of the city Nil Ushakov.

    Visa, tickets, accommodation and meals

    Although the hospitality of the mayor does not greatly affect the availability of visas for Russians. The Latvian embassy, ​​as a rule, issues a visa only for the duration of the trip and without the possibility of multiple entries.

    Lifehack: It is much easier to obtain a visa at the French, Spanish or Italian visa centers. It lasts longer. In addition, it makes it possible to visit not only the country whose visa center you applied to, but also Latvia and any other states in the Schengen area.

    The fastest and most convenient way to get to Riga is by plane. The price for direct flights of the Latvian low-cost airline AirBaltic from Moscow and St. Petersburg is from 11 thousand rubles at the current exchange rate. The flight takes less than two hours. Aeroflot or UTair are a little more expensive. And of course, you should remember: the earlier you purchase tickets, the cheaper they are. If you have the opportunity to go not on weekends, but on weekdays, say, from Tuesday to Thursday, then this is even more profitable.

    You can also get to Riga from Moscow and St. Petersburg by train. This is a romantic adventure, but the trip will take almost 17 hours. And the price is about the same as for a flight. You can buy train tickets to Riga no earlier than two months before departure.

    The most budgetary way - Ecolines buses. A round-trip ticket costs 6,200 rubles. True, you will have to spend the night on the road. The buses are equipped with air conditioning and dry closets, but it is difficult to sleep on bus seats.

    Prices for a bed in a Riga hostel start from 1,200 rubles per night. But if tourists prefer to travel by couchsurfing, then they can find free accommodation.

    You can eat for free by trying food from vendors at Central market- dates, nuts, dried fruits, cheese, cottage cheese, sausage, even caviar. The market itself is an attraction. Set in five former Zeppelin airship hangars, it is considered one of the most distinctive in Europe. The hangars, which Kaiser Germany abandoned in Kurzeme during the First World War, were transported here in the twenties of the last century. They say to truly understand new town, you need to go to the main market: look at the townspeople buying vegetables and herbs, listen to conversations, taste local sweets.

    Photo: Jason Alden/Bloomberg/Getty Images

    On the TripAdvisor website you can filter restaurants by price and choose the most inexpensive, but good and recommended by other travelers. Many high-quality budget restaurants, including those with fresh seafood, are located right on the Central Market. For example, Taverna Kirbis. Open from 9am to 5.30pm. The average bill is five euros. Turkey and grilled vegetables are especially tasty here.

    Free museums, attractions and activities

    Educational tourism here does not require a penny. Wander around the Old Town with its Dome Cathedral, the House of the Blackheads and narrow cobbled streets where films about Stirlitz and Sherlock Holmes were once filmed. In the center there are entire blocks in the northern modern style. In addition, Riga has many free museums, excursions and other entertainment.

    The Dome Cathedral is the main attraction of the capital of Latvia, its symbol and the favorite “photo model” of all postcards, refrigerator magnets and tourist brochures. By the way, the largest religious building throughout the Baltic states. Inside is a unique organ as tall as a nine-story building, the largest in the former USSR. Franz Liszt and Max Reger wrote music specifically for performance in the Dome Cathedral.

    The Bell of St. Blaise in the Church of St. James is called the third miracle of Riga. Once upon a time it was the main city “alarm clock”, it rang when a river flooded or enemies entered the city, or during a fire, or when a “poor sinner” was being led from prison to the place of execution on Town Hall Square. According to legend, the bell rang every time a sinful woman passed by the Church of St. James. The townspeople were even happy when, in the 17th century, the Swedish conqueror king Gustav II Adolf took away the bell as a trophy, because previously the ringing continued day and night - there were too many unfaithful wives in Riga.

    St. Peter's Church is a symbol and one of the main attractions of Riga. This ancient temple first mentioned in 1209. Its spire is the most recognizable and integral element of the city's panorama. In summer the best toll gate is open at the top Observation deck Rigi.

    Jauniela iela is the most cinematic street in the capital of Latvia. It was London's Baker Street in the TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, and Bern's Flower Street in the film Seventeen Moments of Spring.

    Riga's Art Nouveau buildings are recognized by UNESCO as cultural monuments of world significance. Most of them are concentrated on three streets: Elizabetes, Strēlnieku and Alberta. Many of these houses were designed by the famous architect Mikhail Eisenstein, the father of the Soviet film reformer Sergei Eisenstein.

    The free Museum of Architecture of Latvia is located in the famous Riga architectural complex“Three brothers”, namely in the yellow “middle brother”. The white “big brother” is the oldest residential building in Riga; it was built in the 15th century. At the top of the green “younger brother” you can see a special hatch through which the products of its master craftsmen were previously unloaded from the house.

    The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, the Museum of the 1991 Barricades, and the Military Museum in the Powder Tower are also free. Chronicles first mention the Powder Tower in 1330 in connection with the conquest of Riga by the knights of the Livonian Order. Then, with a cannon salvo, a hole was punched in the fortress wall so that Master Eberhard von Monheim could solemnly enter the city he had conquered through it. Over the course of the tower's long history, it was either destroyed or rebuilt. In the 19th century, it was repaired by Riga students. They made up for the lack of funds in a very clever way: they sold pigeon droppings to Russian merchants for their gardens.

    If you want to hang out, it’s useful to keep in mind that you don’t have to pay for entry to the famous Riga clubs Nabaklab and Disco 21. You can also visit free excursions. In Russian - “Tour without cuts”, which takes place on weekends at 12.00. In English - Riga free tour daily at 12.00. Tips in both cases are welcome.

    There are three free viewing platforms in Riga. One is on the roof shopping center Galerija Centrs, whose glassed passage, by the way, even includes a piece of a medieval street. There is a restaurant on the seventh floor. It's worth visiting here, even just to admire the rooftops of the Old Town. Another observation deck is located at the Sky Line Bar in the hotel Radisson Blu Hotel Latvia. Entrance to the bar is free, but it’s still very nice to have a cup of coffee or tea in one of the most pretentious places in Riga. The third is in the Star Lounge bar at the Albert Hotel. There are parties held there at night, admission to which is usually free.

    On Wednesdays at 13.00, the Anglican Church of Our Savior gives free organ concerts. All the materials for the construction of this temple were brought by its parishioners from Great Britain in the 19th century. Not only sandstone and the characteristic bright red brick, but even the soil on which the foundation was built.

    So, provided you have an open Schengen visa, are ready to live by couchsurfing and eat at the Central Market, a trip to Riga will cost only 6,200 rubles, which is necessary to pay for a return bus ticket. And if you want to live and eat more comfortably, the capital of Latvia still has many options for a budget but unforgettable vacation.



    We recommend reading