Ventas Rumba (Kuldīga Waterfall)
In a country that is acutely short of verticals but rich on horizontals, landscape features appear to be blatantly two-dimensional – even waterfalls. Spanning 240m, Ventas Rumba is branded Europes widest, but as it is hardly taller than a basketball player, it risks being dismissed
Pedvāle Open
Across the river from Sabile the road climbs to the not-to-be-missed Pedvāle Open-Air Art Museum, located about 1.5km south of the tourist office. Founded in 1991 by Ojars Feldbergs, a Latvian sculptor, the museum showcases over 100 jaw-dropping installations on 100 hectares of rol
St Peters Church
Forming the centrepiece of Rīga’s skyline, this Gothic church is thought to be around 800 years old, making it one of the oldest medieval buildings in the Baltic. Its soaring red-brick interior is relatively unadorned, except for heraldic shields mounted on the columns. A colourful
Karosta Prison
Gluttons for punishment will get a bellyful in this creepy old prison, which operated right up until 1997. Built in 1900 as an infirmary, it was quickly turned into a military prison, even before the building was completed. Tours depart on the hour, detailing the history of the pri
Pilsētas Kanāls (City Canal)
Pilsētas kanāls, the city’s old moat, once protected the medieval interior from invaders. Today, the snaking ravine has been incorporated into a thin belt of stunning parkland splitting Old and Central Rīga. Stately Raiņa bulvāris follows the rivulet on the north side, and used to
Dinaburg Fortress
Long-neglected in the post-independence years, the riverside citadel has recently undergone a thorough renovation and is now home to the excellent Mark Rothko Art Centre. Built on the orders of tzar Alexander I on the eve of Napoleonic wars, the fortress served as an imperial stron
Freedom Monument
Affectionately known as ‘Milda’, Rīga’s Freedom Monument towers above the city between Old and Central Rīga. Paid for by public donations, the monument was designed by Kārlis Zāle and erected in 1935 where a statue of Russian ruler Peter the Great once stood. At the base of the mon
Arsenāls Exhibition Hall
Behind a row of spooky granite heads depicting Latvias most prominent artists, the imperial arsenal, constructed in 1832 to store weapons for the Russian tzars army, is now a prime spot for international and local art exhibitions, which makes it worth a visit whenever you are in Rī
Art Museum Rīga Bourse
Rīga’s lavishly restored stock exchange building is a worthy showcase for the citys art treasures. The elaborate facade features a coterie of deities that dance between the windows, while inside, gilt chandeliers sparkle from ornately moulded ceilings. The Oriental section features
St Nicholas Maritime Cathedral
The stunning cathedral, with its bulbous cupolas, shines like a precious stone through the grey concrete of the decrepit Soviet apartment blocs that surround it on all sides. It was built in 1901 in the Russian revival style. During WWI the church was stripped of its intricate inte
Blackheads House
Built in 1344 as a veritable fraternity house for the Blackheads guild of unmarried German merchants, the original house was decimated in 1941 and flattened by the Soviets seven years later. Somehow the original blueprints survived and an exact replica of this fantastically ornate
Cēsis Castle
It is actually two castles in one. The first is the sorrowful dark-stone towers of the old Wenden castle. Founded by Livonian knights in 1214, it was sacked by Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1577, but only after its 300 defenders blew themselves up with gunpowder. The other is t
Rīga Cathedral
Founded in 1211 as the seat of the Rīga diocese, this enormous (once Catholic, now Evangelical Lutheran) cathedral is the largest medieval church in the Baltic. The architecture is an amalgam of styles from the 13th to the 18th centuries: the eastern end, the oldest portion, has Ro
Turaida Museum Reserve
Turaida means ‘God’s Garden’ in ancient Livonian, and this green knoll capped with a fairy-tale castle is certainly a heavenly place. The red-brick castle with its tall cylindrical tower was built in 1214 on the site of a Liv stronghold. A museum inside the castle’s 15th-century gr
Rīga Central Market
Haggle for your huckleberries at this vast market, housed in a series of WWI Zeppelin hangars and spilling outdoors as well. Its an essential Rīga experience, providing bountiful opportunities both for people-watching and to stock up for a picnic lunch. Although the number of trade
Alberta Iela
Its like a huge painting, which you can spend hours staring at, as your eye detects more and more intriguing details. But in fact this must-see Rīga sight is a rather functional street with residential houses, restaurants and shops. Art nouveau, otherwise known as Jugendstil, is th
Doing business & staying in touch while in Latvia
Latvia: Doing business & staying in touch
Latvia Weather, Climate and Geography
Latvia Weather, climate and geography
Latvia History, Language and Culture
Latvia History, Language and Culture
Latvia Travel Guide and Travel Information
Latvia Travel Guide
