Riga

1905 Bloody Sunday Monument

This monument remembrance of the events of Bloody Sunday 13 January 1905.

All Saints Church

Orthodox church built in neo-Romanic style around 1880. Unlike other orthodox churches in Latvia, which are typically Russian in their style and nature, this one was designed by a Latvian architect.

Alus Arsenals

A nice, cozy restaurant in the Riga old town serving various meat and fish oriented dishes with quality local beer. Located right next to the Riga castle so it's easy to find. The actual interior of the restaurant is in a cellar, but in summertime, the restaurant features a spacious outdoor terrace.

12:00-22:00 mostly·Main courses €6-18

Alus Bārs

A very local bar, literally "the beer bar". Like going back in time to the turbulent 1990s. Open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to anytime in the evening from 19:00 to 23:00. A can of Cēsu €2.20 50 cl of Mītava €2.50 50 cl of Piebalgas €3 Sometimes also offer fries and small sandwiches.

Arena Riga

An indoor sports arena and concert venue. Notable as the home rink of the city's ice hockey team Dinamo Riga, playing in the KHL, the arena is also where the world's greatest pop and rock artists and bands hold their Riga concerts.

Arsenal Museum of Art

Arsenal Museum of Art is one of the largest exhibition halls in Riga. It is located in an important architectural monument – a customs warehouse or arsenal built at the beginning of the 19th century in the late Russian Classicism style. It was adapted for museum use in the second half of the 1980s.

Apr-Sep: Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00, Oct-Mar: Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00

Art Gallery Bastejs

Contemporary art from Baltic states. Solo and group exhibitions.

Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 11:00-17:00·Free

Art Museum Riga Bourse

The Art Museum Riga Bourse stores the largest collection of foreign art in the Baltic states.

Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00·Adults €6; students, seniors €3

Backpackers Pub

Riga’s first Aussie pub promises to provide plenty of authentic down under atmosphere, but thankfully without any stuffed koalas, Fosters beer posters or, God forbid, any portraits of Paul Hogan. Spread out across three floors, the pub offers 12 local beers on draught for affordable prices served from a bar that’s actually an old VW combi van. Live bands play frequently in the basement and if the cheap happy hour prices are too much for you to handle you can always crash at its hostel upstairs.

Thu-Sat 10:00-03:00; Sun-Wed 10:00-02:00·Beer: €2.50-3.00; Cocktails: €4.50-7.00

Baptist Church

A mix of cultures and styles. Built in 1913-16, this church had neither a tower nor a dome and resembled a simple residential building. The tower was added in 1936. Baptist services continued until 1961 and resumed shortly after Latvia re-gained its independence.

Baptist church

Light neo-Romanic building from 1867 looks completely alien to its dark industrial neighborhood.

Bastion Hill

A small, pleasant park surrounding Brivibas Bulvaris. Sites in the Bastejkalns include a Chinese and a Japanese building, and the Bridge of Love over the Pilsetas Canal. The Bridge of Love has several locks on the railings put up by recently married couples. There is also a memorial to the two people killed here in the tumultuous events of 1991.

Bergs

The restaurant of the hotel Bergs may be just about the best that Latvia has to offer. The food can be described as a fusion of Latvian and Western European cuisine. Menus are seasonal, and the ingredients always fresh - meaning sometimes not everything on the menu is available. With impeccable food and service, it is a wonder this place has not yet received the first Michelin star of any restaurant in Latvia.

Bergs Bazaar

The Bergs bazaar is a 19th-century courtyard passage with a number of fashion boutiques, restaurants and a farmers' and crafts market on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.

Black Magic

Righa Black Magic Bar

A very cool place with a decor that will remind you of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Very atmospheric. Perhaps the best place to try different types of black balsam, with flights and tastings here, lots of flavors to choose from. All of it is reasonably priced for the experience, and there are also chocolates and other delicacies for sale.

11:30AM-10PM daily

Bremen Town Musicians

Amazing sculpture based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.

Café Osiris

An artsy cafe with a cool interior, fireplace and pancakes worth killing for. While there, drop by Gallerija Istaba for another cup of coffee or beer, and make sure to check out some of the artwork sold downstairs.

Mon-Fri 08:00-23:00; Sat Sun 10:00-23:00

Choral Great Synagogue

Mostly in ruins since the Germans burned it down on July 4, 1941 with 600 people locked inside. There is a memorial to 400 Latvians who saved Jews during the Holocaust.

Church of John the Baptist

Construction started in 1913-14 but it was not finished before the Russian Revolution and continued in 1920s when Latvia became independent. This led to a strange mix of styles rendering the church a rare example of modernist architecture implemented in an Orthodox temple. The adjacent Ivanovskoe cemetery is the main Orthodox cemetery of Riga.

Church of Michael Archangel

Old Believers church from 1894-95, nice example of the Russian Revival style.

Church of Our Lady of Kazan

Another church on the same cemetery. Build of wood in 1812-15 in a somewhat awkward style with 5 small domes sitting on a massive drum.

Church of St. Albert

Baroque edifice from early 20th century. The interior of the church was partly designed in 1950s despite the official atheist propaganda that was widely imposed in the Soviet Union.

Ciemakukulis

A cozy café with a truly delicious selection of baked goods. Free wifi.

Convent Yard

A former convent courtyard that now contains several touristy shops.

Cuba Cafe

Cozy bar with DJs in the evenings. Salsa dancing on Tuesdays starting at 21:00. 2-for-1 drinks during happy hour (17:00-19:00).

Open now · closes 3 am tomorrow

Esplanade Park

Designed by Georg Kuphaldt, who was expelled by Germany in 1915 as a spy because he had a telescope in his garden.

FolkKlubs Ala Pagrabs

Huge beer selection with 28 beers on tap, folk dancing, live music performances, and great authentic food.

Open now · closes 1 am tomorrow·Beer: €2.50-3.00

Former KGB Building

The former KGB building is actually an attractive, ornate historic building at the corner of Brivibas and Stabu. It stood empty for years, but for the 2014 celebration of Riga becoming the European Capital of Culture it was revived with a number of artistic initiatives taking place there. It is now a branch of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, holding a general exhibition about the KGB activities, and guided tours of the cellar where interrogations took place.

Mon Tue Thu Fri 10:00-17:30, Wed 12:00-19:00, Sat Sun 10:00-16:00·exhibition free, €5 for a guided tour of the KGB cellar

Freedom Monument

One of Latvia's national symbols. It was erected during the first independence and surprisingly never taken down by the Soviets (although laying flowers at its feet was forbidden). The statue of a woman holding three stars at the top of the monument represents Freedom embracing Latvia's regions.

French Bar

One of the cheapest, smallest, and oldest bars in Riga. It is popular among foreigners and local students. TV shows international sports matches.

Sun-Wed 17:00-06:00; Thu-Sat 16:00-07:00·From 16:00-18:00: 0.5L beer €1.00; from 18:00-21:00: 0.5L beer €1.50