Return flights from Gatwick to Riga = £135, but can be cheaper when bought at last minute.
We decided to stay in Riga's old town for a few days before moving on to Russia.
The Currency; very easy to deal with, Lats, which one Lat is about equal to the sum of one Pound, makes it easy to keep track of your money and there are also plenty of places to exchange currency.
Prices; our accomodation was £7 per night, we stayed in the Dome Hostel, a reasonable, clean place to reside, with a selection of mixed, or single sex dorms, however no en suites. Free water is provided, free internet and free television. The accomodation is right next to the old square and on the main street for nightlife, which can be a little noisy but is bearable.
Nightlife, bars, resturants; reasonable but by far not the cheapest, aim to pay about £3 per glass of wine, and £4 per main course. These appeared to be about average but obviously vary depending on the end of the market you chose. If on a food budget there is a supermarket ajoined to the train station which is very cheap and about 15 minutes walk from the old town. The markets and bakerys are also very reasonable. The bars at night are always busy and service is good, usually very friendly, There are usually many stag and hen nights milling around.
Shopping; Riga appears quite good for shopping with an average shopping centre, however i would not reccoment it for a shopping journey as you could do that in any city. As Riga is situated on the Baltic sea, you will find a huge array of very cheap amber in all shapes and sizes, amber is their national stone and there are many gift stalls.
Beauty, history and things to do; Riga's old town is beautiful and very very clean. There is a museum of the occuptation of Riga, it is hardgoing with vast amounts of reading but is very interesting and does provide english audio. They were occupied by the Soviet and the Nazi's. Close to the town centre is a park with things like pedal boats for romantic trips on the river. Latvians are very proud of their romantic culture, a bridge is covered in padlocks engraved with the nmes of married couples. There is allegedly a historical tour of Riga, however we waited twice in a row and it never showed up, very quizzical. There are plenty of churches and chathedrals to visit, most of which you have to pay to gain entry but the spires can provide beautiful views of the city.
Weather; we visited in June and July and the weather reached the 30's and not a drop of rain.
Transport; expect to pay a minimum of £5 for each journey, the trip from the airport was £9 for 15km which I found a little too expensive so be prepared to haggle a little. Also, provided you have a visa, overnight trains are available to Russia for about £30.
Latvians; generally very friendly, go out for their way to help you, drivers always stop at pedestrian crossings, service can be a little slow but always friendly. The nightlife often displays a little drunkeness, but where doesnt? They are very accomodating to the increasing number of tourists.
Riga is a great place for a weekend break or a stop off whilst touring baltic countries or eastern Europe. If you are looking for a lot to do however I would only reccomend a two day break there and not much longer.
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Advantages: Cheap, friendly place to visit, interesting architecture. Disadvantages: Might not last too long in its current state. Freezing cold in winter.
TheDuke 10.03.2006 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Riga (Latvia)
Advantages: Lots to do and see, snow in the winter, fairly cheap to eat/drink, cheap flights available from RyanAir. Disadvantages: Very very very very cold in the winter, Things are Difficult to Find.
HannahBoo 17.03.2006 (17.03.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Riga (Latvia)
Advantages: Cheap, friendly place to visit, interesting architecture. Disadvantages: Might not last too long in its current state. Freezing cold in winter.
TheDuke 10.03.2006 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Riga (Latvia)
Advantages: Lots to do and see, snow in the winter, fairly cheap to eat/drink, cheap flights available from RyanAir. Disadvantages: Very very very very cold in the winter, Things are Difficult to Find.
HannahBoo 17.03.2006 (17.03.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Riga (Latvia)
Jul 7th, 2006
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