Riga was named EU’s 2014 Capital of Culture. I have to admit, when I booked my plane ticket to Riga, I didn’t know what to expect. Well, ok: to be honest, I thought I would find a city straight from a Soviet architectural book. However, what I found was unexpected. Riga’s cobblestoned streets seem lifted from a fairy tale. The city’s old town chronicles the city’s complicated history from Riga’s old days under Swedish rule to Soviet authoritarianism to democratic art-nouveau. The people are very friendly and welcoming. During the day, the streets are quiet, while at night the city comes alive. At dawn, the streets fill up with many fashionable people who come out to meet friends at wine bars, fine restaurants and open air patios with live music. 

Things to do in Riga:

1. Old City Riga / Vecriga

2. St. Peter’s Church

3. Freedom Monument

4. National Opera

5. Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

6. Bastejkalns Park

7. Academy of Sciences – this building is known more colloquially as ‘Stalin’s birthday cake’ since this was built in the Stalin era (1957).

8. House of Blackheads