Riga is the capital of Latvia and with 700,000 inhabitants it is also the largest city in the Baltics.
Riga is more than 800 years old. Each century has left its marks upon the architecture in the Old Town and City Centre. The capital of Latvia is a place where the cultural heritage co-exists with the quick pace of modern living.
The architecture of Riga is beautiful and diverse. It has the heritage of 800-year-old Gothic churches alongside medieval buildings in the Old Town, exquisite Art Nouveau, and century-old wooden buildings that make Riga a true pearl of architecture.
Riga offers dynamic cultural life with the Latvian National Opera bringing together world-renowned performers. Concert halls regularly offer classic and popular music concerts, whilst exhibition halls present works of world renowned classical and contemporary artists. The cultural life of Riga is generous in various manifestations.
Riga is already a venue for cultural events on an international scale and in 2014 Riga was the cultural epicenter of Europe. During its year as European Capital of Culture, hundreds of special events took place, promoting culture in the broadest sense for all 365 days in the year, delivering a new understanding of culture as a positive force in the changing of peoples' lives.
Visit restaurants that offer fusion cuisine, where one can taste Latvian traditional meals as well as original meals offering an astonishing combination of tastes that take you on an exciting gastronomic journey. The best chefs specialize in modern Latvian cuisine, cooking only locally grown products bought from local farmers.
Enjoy SPA treatments and beauty procedures. Day SPAs in the city centre offer high-quality procedures for reasonable prices. When being in Riga, one must also enjoy a traditional Latvian bath.
The Old Town is cut out for leisurely shopping - little shops offering souvenirs, art galleries are settled in the narrow streets of the Old Town and shopping centers offer items both of foreign and local brands.