Riga - A Baltic City Worth Visiting
Latvia’s capital, Riga, is well worth visiting! It is the
biggest city in the Baltic Countries by its population (almost 700 000) and its
long and varied history has left its mark on the city. Latvia has belonged
under Polish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule and even these days about 39% of
the population is Russian. Riga’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site and its Art Nouveau architecture is world-renowned.
Unlike most people destined for Riga, we traveled there on a bus, not on a budget airline. The bus from Tallinn took four hours but it was quite all right when the travel company was as great as mine was. It was surprisingly noticeable when we had wandered over the border from Estonia to Latvia; the houses on the way became derelict and not well looked after, the roads were partly in horrendous condition and when we got into Riga the slum-like areas with most terrible blocks of flats were a truly depressing sight. For some reason I hadn’t expected such. The bus left us next to the old Zeppelin Halls, which these days host a variety of market stalls. One hall is dedicated for vegetables, one for meat, etc.
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| Bastejkalna Park |
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| Art Academy |
We walked into the Old Town for a quick lunch (chicken soup
and waffles) and then headed for the National Museum of Arts. We came across a
gorgeous Gothic building, like a proper ghost castle, and obviously took it for
the Museum. After all there was a gleaming silver statue of a fat lady in front
of it. But it turned out to be an Art Academy. Now, if I could have studied in a building like that instead of the horrid metal box in
Lemminkäisenkatu in Turku I would have been so much more motivated and inspired
with my University studies than I was!
So, the Museum building turned out to be the more classic building behind the Gothic castle. We opted for the permanent collection (Adults 2€, Students 0,50€) but what we were most interested in was the main staircase in the hall. Oh my lord if one day I could have a house where I could fit such a beauty! There was a rooftop platform on the 5th floor but we were denied entry… Because obviously cloudy equals “Bad weather”. The exhibition was quick to go through, the building is not quite the same size as Louvre or Tate in London, so it was a perfect stop for a day-trip. Most of the time we spent ogling the staircase from the top, below and in the middle. It felt so wrong to walk down the steps without a shiny, flowing dress!
Next stop was the Radisson Hotel and their Sky Bar on the 27th
floor. They have one in Tallinn as well but this is two stories higher and
Tallinn doesn’t have a panoramic elevator. So cool! We got there just when the
Sunday brunch was finishing but we had a quick look at what they had on offer.
And if you are ever in Riga book a table from that brunch! It’s quite expensive
but by the looks of it, it’s worth every cent. We had a glass of bubbly and
enjoyed the view until it was time to go and familiarize ourselves with the Old
Town.
There is sooo much to see in the Old Town of Riga! So many interesting, quirky buildings and little alleys. The only minus side was that even churches had an entrance fee. Somehow it felt very wrong. So no visits to the churches, but if you don’t mind paying then you should go to the top of the tower of St. Peter’s Church. Riga Cathedral was also an impressive building and more so when I learned that it had been built already in 1211. It’s the biggest church in the Baltic Countries. Probably the most interesting building architecture-wise was the House of Blackheads. It was built in the 1300s and belonged to the Great Guild in Riga until foreign merchants, the Blackheads Guild, took over it. The Riga Castle is on the bank of the Daugava River, but we didn’t venture there because there is a very limited area inside that you can see and it’s not one of the most interesting ones in the building. Getting lost in the Old Town is not a serious thing; it is so small and you can always find your way according to the many church towers. There are not too many steps required to find yourself wherever you need to be.
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| House of the Blackheads |
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| Riga Cathedral |
We had booked a table in a restaurant called Dominicanes
before the return journey. It was situated right at the foot of the St. Peter’s
church and the interior was absolutely lovely as was the staff. I went for a summery
goat cheese salad with beetroot for a starter and a beef steak with vegetables
for main. Ever since Bratislava I have been a bit anxious to order a steak because if it’s not perfectly done it’s such a
disappointment. But this steak was cooked to perfection and the roasted
vegetables were wonderfully seasoned. I got a starter, main course, a glass of
wine and a bottle of water for a price of cheap steak in Finland. I left the
restaurant a happy girl.
There was a rumour that Fazer Blue chocolate was cheaper in
Latvia than in Estonia so before returning to the bus we went to a local Rimi
to see if they had Fazer in their selection. And we left the store with no
Fazer. Not because they didn’t have it but because it cost half more than in
Estonia or in Finland. Overall I was very surprised at the prices in the store:
vegetables, bread and candy was a lot more expensive than in Tallinn.
Presumably Latvians still don’t earn as much as Estonians do so either these
were only center area prices or the people of Latvia must be starving.
Despite the high prices the trip was absolutely brilliant! One day was quite enough to see all the main attractions in the city but if you are staying for several days I would recommend a trip out of the center as well, for example to Jurmala by the Baltic Sea. Apparently they have some great beaches to offer! I am just so happy I finally got to visit Riga, after one and a half years of living in Tallinn. It was about time!
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