Destination Overview
The enchanting city of Riga, capital of Latvia and the biggest
city in the Baltic States, has emerged from behind the Iron Curtain
and is slowly coming into its own as a tourist destination.
Picturesquely split in two by the River Daugava, on the
south-western coast of the country, Riga served as a major trading
port and a crossroads between Western Europe and the East. The
modern founding of the city dates back to the 12th century with the
arrival of German traders, mercenaries and missionaries, while its
older roots date back to a settlement of the ancient Finnic tribe,
the Livs.The city, and Latvia as a whole, was long caught in a tug of war
between the Germans and the Russians, and suffered greatly in World
War II when roughly a third of the country's population was
exterminated, displaced or fled Nazi persecution. Despite this,
Riga boasts a collection of exquisite Art Nouveau buildings that
rival those in Vienna, Barcelona and St Petersburg, and the
fairytale historic city centre is a delight to explore.As the cultural and economic centre of the country, Riga is home
to plenty of top-class museums, galleries and performing arts
centres, as well as a range of sophisticated bars, clubs and
restaurants. The city is fast gaining a reputation as a party
capital, and its vibrant nightlife draws hundreds of weekenders
from all over Europe.For a more traditional Latvian experience, it is well worth
braving the winter cold to enjoy a spot of ice fishing, ice skating
on the frozen Daugava River or a
, a rigorous sauna that involves being beaten with dried
birch branches. With over 800 years of history, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site listed historic city centre and a modern buzz, Riga
remains a largely undiscovered gem with plenty to delight and
enchant the visitor.
