Normally, I would travel to the Baltics in the spring/summer weather but I had a deadline to meet and Latvia was last on my EU list…so here we are. It is 0 to -1C during the day and drops to -1 to -3C at night-Super.

But despite the freezing temperatures, Riga is delightfully charming. As it was my first time to Riga, I chose my hotel from booking.com to narrow results from price, location, cuteness, etc… I chose Semarah Metropole Hotel and boy was I pleased when I arrived! You never know how the websites portray a hotel as compared to real life but this one was just superb. I took a taxi from the airport (about 20 euro) mainly because my flight landed in Riga after 10pm and I was not in the mindset to figure out the bus system. However, my hotel was right next to the bus station, tram station, whatever public transport station so the travel back to the airport will be via this method…and for one euro!

When I asked the receptionist what I should see in Riga, her immediate response was “You haven’t been to Riga until you see the Freedom Monument.” The people of Latvia have a strong sense of pride when talking about their independence. This monument was erected to honor those who fell in order to provide independence and freedom as well as to symbolize national unity. Located around the edge of the old town, it is quite arguably the most impressive landmark of the city.

I absolutely loved walking around Riga. Loved it. However, I am quite sure it is more lively with people moving around, terraces open outside and outdoor markets in the warmer seasons. But look how precious… just look!

So after I did this for four hours, I decided it was time to actually go and see something. There are several cathedrals that make up the skyline of Riga but three really spoke out to me.

St Jacob’s Church

This cathedral is one of the oldest in Riga, dating back to 1225. If you can see the top of the spire, there is a small rooster. Almost every cathedral is topped with this rooster, not a cross. There is actually a religious reason behind this; the rooster is a vigilant defender against evil and according to tradition, can drive away evil with his morning song. The rooster sits on the highest peaks of the city so its song can be heard from far away.

Riga Cathedral

The Riga Cathedral is the oldest in Riga and one of the oldest in Latvia, dating back to 1211. I used this as a central landmark as it can be seen from anywhere and is directly in the center of the old town.

Saint Peter’s Church

This gorgeous cathedral has seen its fare share of misfortune over the years; fires, world war destruction and other natural disasters. What is so special about this cathedral is visitors can climb to the top for a gorgeous view of Riga from 72 meters high.

Across the street from Saint Peter’s Church is, and I am not joking, the House of Blackheads. If anyone out there shares the same obsession with dermatology as my family and me, then you’ll appreciate the humor. But it’s just the super cool building that was built for unmarried German merchants in the 14th century.

 

So what is the food like? Riga had many restaurants highlighting their fish cuisines but since it was freeze balls cold outside all I wanted was soup. I stumbled upon this precious tavern, 1221, and ordered the elk goulash soup with traditional Latvian rye bread. The local beer (on tap) tasted more like a sparkling cider. Not terrible but definitely not award worthy. For my entire meal,  I paid 10 euros. Welcome to the Baltics 🙂

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There is a also a super cute central market where you can find local fruit, souvenirs and amber items for sale. Amber is a huge export of Latvia and most of the souvenirs you can find have these little stones. I didn’t stay so long as this market is outside and well, it was just too cold!

Riga is widely known for its cheap and lively nightlife. But if you know me and my travel lifestyle, I am not stupid and tend to take extra precautions when traveling alone 🙂 However,  I did not leave this city without getting a small taste of the nightlife. Cuba House is a little bar next to the Riga Cathedral that serves the best cocktails for super reasonable prices. They offer either live music or a super fun Cuban DJ accompanied by salsa dancing. I had a mojito (4 euros) and nachos con pollo y queso (because I can never say no to nachos) and had a great time mingling with the locals and learning some new salsa moves.

All in all, my 48 hours in Riga were very cold but insanely fantastic. This is definitely a place I want to come back when it is warmer but I can not deny it has a certain charm in the cold winter.