Riga

A few years ago I wrote an article on how to buy a used car in Georgia, now it is time to write about our experience buying a used car in Riga Latvia. For the past couple of years, we were using mostly car rentals and enjoyed it a lot - I mean no headaches about servicing the car, someone brings your car to the airport, you drop it at the airport. Quite nice, also quite expensive. It was agreed we could buy some used car and use it for some two years to come and then let's see what happens. …

The Latvian National Opera and Ballet is an opera house and opera company at Aspazijas boulevard 3 in Riga. Its repertoire includes performances of opera and ballet presented during the season which lasts from mid-September to the end of May. During a typical season, LNOB presents almost 200 performances, including, on average, 6 new productions. The largest is the Great Hall which houses 946 seats, while the smaller ones – the New Hall, the Dress Circle Hall (Beletāžas zāle) and the Red Hall…

The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia is an open-air museum located just outside Riga, the capital of Latvia, on the lightly wooded shores of Jugla Lake. The museum currently occupies 87 hectares and displays 118 buildings, as well as more than 3,000 items. Most of Latvia's historical ethnic groups are represented in the museum. The museum's collection holds approximately 150,000 artifacts. Despite being a native of Riga, I first visited this place back in the Summer of 2021 In 1924, the…

Andrejsala is an area located in the Pētersala-Andrejsala neighborhood of Riga, Latvia within a former territory of an industrial port next to the city center. Andrejsala is a chich, urban place to visit.  It is currently developed into a significant art, culture, and entertainment center featuring exhibition halls, clubs, workshops, studios, a cafe, and a hotel. As the Riga passenger port is in a close proximity, Andrejsala is popular destination for alko tourists, as there are several liquor…

Kronvalda Park (originally Strēlnieku dārzs) is a part of the greenery of the Old Riga canal bank. The total area of the park is 11.92 ha. Kronvalda park which borders Elizabetes and Kr. Valdemāra Street, as well as Kronvalda and Kalpaka Boulevards. The city canal divides the park into two parts. Kronvalda park in Riga I spent a good hour with our toddler baby girl and DJI Mavic Air 2 drone to capture some nice aerial photography of Riga. Canal at Kronvalda park in Riga Best for…

The National Library of Latvia, also known as Castle of Light is located on Mūkusalas iela 3, Riga - on the left side of river Daugava, opposite to Old Riga The current building was designed in 1989 by noted Latvian-American architect Gunnar Birkerts (1925-2017), who emigrated to the United States and made his career there. It was constructed in the early 21st century and opened in 2014. Today the Library plays an important role in the development of Latvia's information society, providing…

Located opposite a park in the historical centre of Riga on Hospitāļu street. Aparthotel Autosole offers to its guests 10 comfortable apartments and studios. We have been staying at this hotel several times, with the first stay being back in 2017 while the latest stay was at the end of 2019. In total, we paid USD 86 for a 2-night stay. That's one of the cheapest stays you can find in Riga. There is one more Autosole Economy motel located in the other side of Riga, see Autosole Economy Motel…

Cabo cafe is a cafe with a unique charm, located in Mežaparks, on the very shore of lake Ķīšezers. Cabo cafe serves burgers, french fries, and delicious shashlik. First discovered by a recommendation from a friend. Now visited pretty regular once in Riga. Grilled meat at Cabo cafe Cabo cafe neat Ķīšezers in Riga

Built in 2016, Park Inn by Radisson Riga Valdemara invites its guests to stay on the western side of Daugava River with good connections to the Old Town, Riga International Airport and main sights. Guests can enjoy a meal at the onsite restaurant, enjoy views from terrace and exercise in the fitness centre. We stayed at this hotel at the start of September 2017. By now I have an extensive list of Riga hotels, and I must admit that Park Hotel by Radisson, has been one of the pleasant stays so…

The 107-meter tall building is considered the first high-rise in Latvia. It has been a prominent fixture of the Riga cityscape since the 1950s. There are a total of 766 rooms on the 23 floors, occupied by scientists, researchers, historians, and various companies.  It was in May 2018, when I first visited the observation deck located in Latvian Academy of Sciences building) and I was really impressed. So impressed that I would call this place actually the Empire State Building of Riga.…