How we spent three days in Riga

I went to Riga as part of a week-long trip to Estonia and Latvia. Instead of flying or taking the train or coach, we drove the 4.5 hours to Riga from Tallinn, stopping at a few sights along the way. There are tour groups that offer this kind of thing, but since Covid their teams have become smaller and they were unable to find a guide for us during our visit – even though we enquired about 4 months early. So, after driving through the beautiful Latvian countryside and stopping in the beautiful village of Cesis and ‘the Switzerland of Latvia, Sigulda, we arrived in Riga. 

How to get to Riga

You can easily get to Riga by plane from the UK, with direct flights running to and from London every day, and Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Edinburgh, and other British airports most days. I drove to Riga from Tallinn, but caught a direct flight back to Stansted with Ryanair for about £88 in July 2024. 

Where to stay in Riga?

We stayed in the Old Town of Riga, close to Doma laukums (Dome Square). Our loft was less than £50 per person for four people staying two nights, making it much cheaper than Tallinn. The central location meant we could walk pretty much everywhere, and were easily able to explore the nightlife without the need for long walks or cabs. There are plenty of hotels and Airbnbs for affordable prices in the city centre, with more expensive options if you want a luxury experience.

How long should I spend in Riga?

You could easily spend a long weekend in Riga, but we found that three days was ideal. We saw the main sights and even experienced a Latvian night out. If you want to take day trips further afield, 5-7 days would be perfect.

Is Riga cheap?

Riga is fairly cheap, and is definitely cheaper than Estonia. When we did catch Bolt taxis, they were always under €10. Main courses at dinner cost €12-18 (at nice but not luxury restaurants) and alcoholic drinks cost €5-10.

Is Riga safe?

Walking around Riga as a group of four women – and sometimes as a woman alone – always felt safe. The city is fairly small, the people are very friendly, and we didn’t see or experience anything that was threatening. Obviously, Riga is a capital city and there will be some crime happening so as tourists it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. But overall, it’s not a dangerous place to visit.

The best things to do in Riga

We were in Riga for three days in mid-July. There are many museums and galleries to see in the city, but we found that three days was enough to see everything on our to-do list. Our highlights were:

• The Corner House, KGB Headquarters 

• Riga Old Town

• Rigas Turists tour

• The House of the Blackheads

• Galleria Riga

• Doma laukums

• Bastejkalna Park

• Day trip to Cesis or Sigulda

• Eating out (find out where here)

For more information on what we did in Riga, check out our blog.

What to pack for a weekend in Riga

The weather in Riga in July is warm, but there were a few downpours during our visit and the evenings were cooler. During the day, the weather was in the low 20ºCs while the nights were more like 15ºC.

This is what I packed for a three days in Riga in July:

• One light jacket

• One shirt

• One t-shirt

• One knitted vest

• Two cami tops

• One pair of jeans

• One pair of light trousers

• A pair of shorts

• A day-to-night dress

• Sunglasses

• A pair of Converse

• A pair of sandals

• Regular daily toiletries, including SPF.