Neiburgs Hotel
An Art Nouveau boutique hotel tucked into the medieval old town.
Riga
Funny Fox
A fun, high-energy cocktail bar in Riga’s Old Town, known for playful drinks, dancing and a buzzy weekend crowd. A reliable spot to kick off (or keep going) a night out in the centre.
Riga TV Tower
The 368-metre Riga TV Tower on an island in the Daugava is the tallest structure in the European Union, a striking tripod-legged landmark. Its observation deck has been undergoing long renovation, so check whether it’s open before making the trip.
Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs
A cavernous cellar folk club in the Old Town with the city’s biggest range of Latvian beer and cider on tap, hearty modern-traditional food, and live folk music five nights a week (plus folk dancing on Wednesdays). Rowdy, warm and thoroughly local.
Latvian Academy of Sciences (Panorama Riga)
Riga’s ‘Stalin’s birthday cake’ – the 1958 Soviet high-rise whose rooftop terrace is the city’s best observation deck, with sweeping skyline views (marketed today as Panorama Riga).
Gauja (Soviet-style bar)
A tiny bohemian bar styled like a 1960s-70s Soviet apartment – vintage furniture, board games and old magazines, going for 40+ years. A history lesson and a great bar in one, with local poems instead of a Lenin bust. Tip: try a Brengulu beer.
Parunasim kafe’teeka
Old Town’s hidden treasure – a cosy café tucked in the courtyard of St. James’s Cathedral, all carefully chosen vintage detail and famous for gorgeous home-baked cakes. Its name means ‘let’s talk’. Find it beside the Saeima (Parliament).
Latgale Market (Latgalite Flea Market)
Widely called the best flea market in the Baltics – a sprawling hunt for trash and treasure on Riga’s Latgale side: old books, Soviet records, cameras, tools, bikes, even phones. Haggle hard. Note: parts have been cleared and its long-term future is uncertain.
Rozena Street
One of Old Riga’s hidden gems – the shortest and narrowest street in the city (with long-enough arms you can touch both walls). Usually quiet, with a beer garden and a medieval-style restaurant at either end.