Why You’ll Fall in Love With Riga, Latvia in The Winter

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The Baltic states might not be the most obvious choice for a winter break. For one thing it’s cold. Known for harsh winters and bleak weather, I wasn’t sure what I would be getting myself in for. But I had planned to visit Tallinn in Estonia for the Christmas markets and then started to cast my net wider looking for other places I could visit out that way. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across the neighboring country of Latvia, and its capital Riga as well as Helsinki, Finland. Winter in Riga, Latvia! Would I live to regret this? Like Tallinn, Riga also had a Christmas market, although I couldn’t tell how much of one. But aside from that I knew nothing about the city, or the country of Latvia.

Where is Riga?

Riga is the capital city of Latvia, one of the three major Baltic states in Eastern Europe – along with Estonia and Lithuania. The city is on the Baltic Sea, somewhere I’ve only been close to when I visited Copenhagen, another beautiful city to visit in the winter. Latvia also borders Russia. The whole city has a very Soviet era look to it, and the city (if not the country) has had a tough time in the past. But the one thing I learned quickly was that the Latvian people are tough and resilient, impressively so. The city itself is not that large, with the majority of what you will want to see and do in the Old Town.

The Old Town of Riga, Latvia is a small labyrinth of cobbled streets and is very walk-able (check out this walking tour of Old Town Riga on Viator). Even to leave the Old Town is easy and I was able to walk my whole trip without any problems or needing transport. There are however buses around and trams should you need them. And hop on-hop off buses like this one. Thankfully they’re not open top buses at least.

How to get to Riga, Latvia

The majority of people will fly to Riga from wherever they are. From the airport it was a short 15 minute taxi ride to the Old Town which cost 20 Euros. There are taxis outside, very easy to figure out. My flight arrived at 10pm otherwise I might have looked at other options but after a day of traveling I was happy with just getting to the hotel quickly, and taxi driver was very nice and helped me with my bags.

When I came to leave Riga to go to Tallinn I took a Lux Express bus from the main coach station. If you’re visiting neighboring countries this is a really great way to get around, and much cheaper than flying (better for the environment too). The bus I took left the Riga coach station which, as luck would have it, was right across the street from my hotel (more on the hotel below). I had to navigate an underpass to get there with luggage and only stairs, but I was there in minutes. There are buses leaving there to other places in Latvia as well as major places in neighboring countries.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

Latvian of course. The language sounds a little like the Russian language or Polish. But unlike the Russian language at least the Latvian language uses the western alphabet. So even if you can’t speak Latvian you can hazard a guess at some words, and attempt to say them. I’m very adamant about making sure I at least learn a few words of the language for wherever I’m traveling to. For one thing it’s polite and courteous, and shows that you respect the culture. For another, I hate being the person who just talks in English and expects that others will have to figure out how to understand me because I’m not going to bother to learn their language. Even a few words will show you tried.

So I learned how to say yes, no, please and thank you. Hello I got the hang of, but goodbye was a bit of a mouthful. Therefore there was usually just a lot of smiling and waving as I exited restaurants and such. The majority of the people I met spoke English to varying degrees. Most enough to get by and some to a greater extent. In most of the tourist attractions I would visit they consistently spoke and advertised in the three languages: Latvian, English and Russian. It makes sense, Russia being one of the closest countries with a large population who no doubt visit.

How long a visit?

Since Estonia was my targeted destination I hadn’t really given much thought into Riga, treating it more as a bonus place to visit. For that reason I originally only booked two nights there, giving me one full day. I hoped to leave the UK on an early flight, arriving afternoon in Riga, Latvia. It looked like a small place, and I didn’t want a Luxembourg situation again where I would be struggling for things to do.

But after researching and talking to people it soon became clear that two nights was not going to be enough. In fact some people preferred Riga over Tallinn, a place I had heard only good things about. I changed my plans and decided to fly out one day earlier and added a third night to my stay. While still not a long time, it was all I could spare on my trip. Now having been to Riga, I don’t think any length of time would have been enough as there was a lot to see and do. I would however recommend nothing less than 3 nights, ideally 4 as a minimum because if you’re anything like me you will be heartbroken to leave.

Where to stay in Riga, Latvia

I had decided that I would likely stay in the Old Town. It looked very tourist friendly, walk-able and frankly it looked adorable. I started looking at hotels in the Old Town and soon came across one called Hotel Monte Kristo. A bit of a weird reference for Latvia, wasn’t the Count of Monte Cristo Italian? But the hotel was described as a boutique hotel, and the thing that sold me was the restaurant in the hotel was basically a cave. How cool is that?

All the rooms looked like some kind of royal palace with four poster beds and lots of red and gold. My room was on the first floor right next to reception. Handy yes, but sometimes a little loud. That said, I had a great sleep every night in my giant bed all to myself, and the room was delightful. I had a separate living area, bathroom and the bed took over the bedroom area. There was a fridge with mini bar items, but I used it to keep my own food in. The room was equipped with a hairdryer, kettle and more outlets than one can ever possibly need (there were 20, I counted).

Breakfast is included in the hotel rate which is around 50 Euros a night, cheap at half the price. Proof that you can do Riga, Latvia on a budget. Breakfast was a selection of hot and cold foods and perfect to start the day with and save on having to buy breakfast out. The restaurant serves meals throughout the day and drinks, and the menu is really good. The Hotel Monte Kristo was located only a few minutes walk from some of the most popular places to visit. Cannot recommend this place highly enough (and they didn’t even pay me to say all this).

A couple of quick observations about Riga

Before we get into all the wonderful things to do in Riga, Latvia I wanted to take time to share a couple of things I noticed from my time here.

The first is that everywhere seems to have a basement or cellar. You walk in somewhere (restaurant, church, shop) and instead of walking into the main building, you’ll likely have to follow some steps down into a basement, a lot of which are basically just big caves with exposed rock walls. It’s kind of cool but a little confusing at first. I guess it makes sense, since the city is so cold they want a barrier between the main door and the people inside.

The second observation is that because everyone is trying so damned hard to keep the cold out, the doors are not always marked very well and are big and heavy on a lot of buildings. A couple of the museums I went to I wasn’t sure if they were open because I couldn’t find a way in, or an obvious one at least. Persevere, you will get in.

The third observation is that Riga has some of the most stunningly beautiful buildings and churches that I’ve ever seen. Everything is ornate, and the architecture is just one on its own. I was happy to walk around and just look at buildings all day.

The last thing I will mention – blackcurrant is king. Everything seems to be blackcurrant flavored. Drinks especially. While it’s popular in the UK as a drink (Ribena anyone?) it doesn’t seem like it’s half as popular as in Riga where you’ll come across it every day.

What do do in Riga, Latvia in winter

Now we get to the good stuff, the whole reason you came here. What is there to do in the small Eastern European city of Riga? As it turns out there’s a ton of incredible things to do. But since the Baltics are cold in the winter, you’ll probably want to keep ducking in out of the cold. Therefore having a game plan will help you since it’ll be hard to keep taking your gloves off to use your phone. The winter really does make it a magical time to visit Riga though, despite the cold. On my second day there was a light snowfall that really just made it feel so Christmassy.

Christmas markets

It’s the big one. The main reason anyone in their right mind would be going to Latvia in the winter. The Christmas markets of Europe are some of the best, they are world renowned and they include some amazing Christmas markets in Eastern Europe. Having been to some of the most popular ones in Germany, France and Czech Republic before, I decided to keep going East for a change. To Latvia.

Riga Christmas market is small. Don’t get me wrong it was lovely, but please don’t make that the sole focus of your trip as you would be a little disappointed. The little wooden huts of the Christmas market are arranged in the square outside Riga Cathedral, which is just the perfect backdrop for the market. There’s a huge tree in the center of the market place and you can buy all sorts of trinkets and crafts.

I wouldn’t say a lot of them are repeated as with many markets, however since there are only a couple dozen stalls it won’t take long to look around. But for me I just kept going back. The food served there was really good, some nice local snacks and hot food as well as more usual fare such as crepes, gingerbread cookies and such. There are traditional Latvian barbecued foods and delicious baked goods. The market has singers at various times of the day who were just really spectacular to listen to.

I found another Christmas market, albeit smaller still, near the Riga Nativity of Christ Cathedral. The stalls were a little cheaper, and a little more sparse but worth a look if you’re there. Both markets had live animals there that you could pet. Bunnies, sheep and goats in pens with straw, and you can buy food to feed them.

Hot drinks in the cold weather

You’ll find lots of hot drinks at the market, and not just mulled wine. In fact my favorite thing there was a hot blackcurrant drink, a juice, with pieces of fruit in it. I had about 6 of those over two days so you might say I liked it. There are coffees and teas, but also hot alcoholic drinks like the famous Latvian Balsam.

You can’t go to Latvia and not get some Riga Balsam, a herbal spirit made with 24 ingredients. I thought it was just a touristy thing, but the Latvians really do drink this stuff. You can buy it anywhere and while I wouldn’t recommend it as a shot, you can have hot versions, cocktail versions and they even have fruit versions now like blackcurrant and cherry.

Since winter is cold it’s a great way to get in from outside by going somewhere to have a hot drink. There are lots of bars and restaurants but I noticed cafes were not as prevalent. Although there was the odd Starbucks or Costa Coffee.

Riga Dome Cathedral

If you’re at the Christmas market, then you might as well go for a look around the cathedral, I mean it’s right there. The beautiful building has an entrance just around the side from the Christmas market, and after getting through the heaviest door you’ve ever seen you walk down a few steps into the entrance to the cathedral. It’s 6 Euros to go around the cathedral.

The cathedral is beautiful inside, with lots of lovely stained glass windows, decorative carvings and rows upon rows of pews. More than I’ve ever seen in a cathedral. Out a side door (and into the cold) is the cloisters access where you can walk around and look at some of the items that were at one time part of the cathedral and now unfortunately look like a garage sale for broken items. Still, the history of the cathedral is obvious and it’s worth a visit. Even more so if you manage to get there for one of the often daily concerts, usually only about half an hour long and costing around 10 Euros.

St. Peter’s Church

Nearby to the Christmas market and the cathedral is St. Peter’s. An equally impressive building to the cathedral, the spire can be seen from all around. The church has a history of over 800 years, and for the small fee of 3 Euros you can look around inside. Pay 9 Euros and you can climb the tower to get views of the town. In hindsight I wish I’d done that but I had plans for another observation area and the next day it got cloudy so I didn’t end up going. The church was really nice although not too big, and perhaps a bit more simplistic than a lot of other big churches. The wooden alter is quite striking though and there are a couple of beautiful stained glass windows.

First Christmas tree marker

That’s right, the first Christmas tree ever. Decorated Christmas tree that is. Now this is still a bit of a hotly disputed claim as although Riga, Latvia has documented records attesting to a decorated Christmas tree in 1510, Tallinn, Estonia also claims they had the first Christmas tree.

But while Latvia and Estonia battle it out for this claim, it is still something that the city is proud of. And to show their pride they have put up a first Christmas tree marker in the town square to commemorate. This is also where they now put up the main town Christmas tree each year.

Museums

So many museums in Riga. They are everywhere. A number of them are free which is really good for people wanting to keep on a budget. Some, like the Latvian War Museum are really large and have more information than you’ll end up wanting to read despite how interesting it all is. But others are simply called a museum and are really just a room with not much in it. I’m looking at you Latvian Museum of Architecture. Wherever you go though you’ll find museums all around Riga and since a lot of them are free it’s not too much of a pain to find it’s not as good as you thought it might be.

House of the Blackheads

Speaking of overhyped. OK maybe that’s not too fair. But everywhere you go the House of the Blackheads is featured, with a history dating back to the 15th Century. It’s a striking building don’t get me wrong. Absolutely beautiful, ornate and colorful. So when I realized you could go inside I didn’t really hesitate. The problem I had was that until I went inside I didn’t realize that the damned thing was only built in 1999 after being leveled in the second world war.

While the museum in the basement offers an up close peek at some of the original foundations and tunnels, the rest of the oohing and aahing that everyone does is for a building effectively created 20 years ago. The basement part is well worth a look, but the only other thing to see is a couple of cabinet rooms telling you all the famous heads of state that have visited, and a big ballroom on the second floor. If you do want to go in for a look, it’s not going to break the bank at only 6 Euros.

Where to eat in Riga, Latvia

There are dozens of restaurants offering local Latvian cuisine as well as other food. There are a number of burger bars and pubs, and most of what you will find is more on the casual side in Riga I actually quite liked that. The food was generally reasonably priced and you get a good amount of it. There’s a no nonsense meat and potatoes feel to a lot of the menus, with a bit of a Russian influence here and there. If you have some time and want to get a little more of taste of Riga, check out this food tour. But here are a couple of restaurants I went to that I would recommend.

Hotel Monte Kristo restaurant

The hotel I stayed at has it’s own restaurant and unlike most hotel restaurants it is not overpriced but rather reasonable. The menu is diverse with plenty of options and the beer is cheap (starting at EUR 1.80). Also, I mentioned before that the restaurant is basically a cave. So there’s that. It gives it a cozy feeling, and how often can you say you’ve eaten in a cave? Well it’s Riga, so actually pretty often now.

Rozengrals medieval restaurant

I kid you not, this was the weirdest experience to stat with. I actually messaged my Mum and said “I’m in a weird restaurant. It’s medieval. Underground. I’m drinking mead. I’m confused but happy”. That basically sums it up. The restaurant lies behind a old wooden door to a building that looks like it’s stepped back in time (and surrounded by medieval gear to make the streets look old too). Upon entering I was greeted by a drummer in medieval costume who asked where I was from then proceeded to announce my arrival. At this point I was committed so off I went down the steps unsure what I would find. I entered a giant cave and was seated at a table.

All the staff were dressed up with medieval music playing. None of it was in a gimmicky way though, it was just like this was the era we were in now. The drinks were good, the food was amazing, and the service was on point. Go here, you won’t regret it. I had a honey beer and ordered the maize grits pie with tomatoes and cheese. That’s right, the food was all medieval too. Let’s call it “rustic”. But it was presented well and tasted even better. The meat was served usually on a mini sword like skewer over a plate. I kind of wish I ate meat so I could have gotten a picture of that.

Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs

This (also underground) pub caught my attention before I even got to Riga. It was recommended by someone and I checked out the menu and immediately knew I wanted to go. For one thing it was pretty cheap compared to a lot of places. Also, again, it was underground and therefore kind of cool. Little did I know that would be the norm. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the service. I was at my table a good 10 minutes before even being brought a menu. A further 5 minutes to order. Then I thought I would never see my food. Even the drink took forever. 30 minutes of being there and I was still without so much as a glass on my table. But the waiter was apologetic and I thought that would help the speed increase. It didn’t.

But I’d already ordered by this time, I was hungry and goddamn it I wanted to try this place. The food was really good, the beer also good. Extensive menu for both food and drinks. I have to note that other people seemed to be getting served in a timely manner, it just seemed to be my waiter. I had the filo pastry tart with mushrooms and goat cheese. It came on a bed of salad. I also had the potato and carrot pancakes with sour cream and house jam. Both were great, really flavorful. There were at least 4 other things on the menu I wanted to try which is not typical as a vegetarian. I would go back, but I’d find a different waiter.

Riga, Latvia in winter

And there you have it, a wonderful winter weekend in Riga. I honestly can’t say enough nice things about Riga. I absolutely adored the city, the people and everything I saw and did. In fact I was devastated to have to leave and only wished I’d been able to spend longer. Although I am sure I will be back, because Riga has been catapulted to the top of my list of favorite places to visit. The city was quiet and really had a lovely small town feel. It felt like home even after a few days. If I did go back I would stay in the same hotel again, the Hotel Monte Kristo. I loved it there.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you been to Riga, Latvia? What did you think of it? Where would you recommend someone visit in the city?