I awaken (ideally it would have been a little bit later, more like 10 a.m.), and come down to the café on the ground floor of the hotel. They prepare an excellent cappuccino. Latvia is the second country in the world where you always get a good coffee; the first is Italy. I turn on my tablet PC (free Wi-Fi is everywhere), check my mailbox, Google+, websites, and blog. I place comments on one or another, and write down some of my impressions of the art-quarter of Riga with its Art Nouveau buildings visited yesterday.
It’s time for a second breakfast. Then I walk along the pavement of Riga’s old, quiet streets. I am just spending my time, having a calm relaxing rest. One more café. I come in and take some sweet things. Coffee, liqueurs–Moka, Vana Tallinn, Riga Balsam or Black Balsam–everything is great. A cat “came in” with me like “I am also a real European, and I can afford a cup of coffee.”
By the way, you can buy the liqueur, Moka, only in Latvia; it is not exported. This is the most delicious coffee liqueur I ever tasted. Especially good is the kind with truffles. We have brought five bottles with us. The Riga Black Balsam was not so lucky. Its ancient recipe, which Catherine II The Great liked, and which Goethe called “the elixir of youth,” was lost. The modern recipe was recreated from the words of one of the former factory workers.
I stroll around the medieval squares and lanes, watch the tourists, and drink some great local beer. Yes, they actually start to drink early here; however, beer is pretty light.
Well, it’s time to listen to the Dome Cathedral organ. Every day there is a concert from 12:00 till 12:20. What a sound! It is beautiful enough to bring on tears! All my life, I have heard about the Riga Dome Cathedral organ, and now I am listening it.
Then, I can take a leisurely lunch in the expensive restaurant Le Crab, or in the budget Lido, and rest in my room in the hotel. I wake up again and go to watch a football game on a big screen at the Dome Square. A cup of coffee, a cigar, and probably dinner, but a bit later.
If you like this style of vacation, Riga is for you. It is quiet and calm. There are medieval towers, cathedrals, basilicas, winding streets, and the peaceful atmosphere in the Old City. Car traffic is almost fully prohibited. European tourists are all around. They are a little bit ceremonious, but funny at the same time. The culture. There are no international migrant workers, ragamuffins in flip-flops, or any other of the usual afflictions of European capitals. That’s so nice. You are surrounded by the different European languages and feel at home.
All the things here are connected with the old times and the Middle Ages. No surprise–how else to attract tourists? However, there is one more attractive thing–amber. Amber, a resin solidified a couple of million years ago, is rarely found in the world. But one place it is found, is on the coast of the Baltic Sea, including Latvia.
Many cafes are stylized medieval; some look like taverns for the poor, some for the rich. This restaurant is located in an old wine cellar and called Rozengrals. People say it is expensive. We’ll verify.
It has ancient stony vaults, candles, oak tables, coarse dishes, and some kind of old-fashioned cuisine, for example, venison flavored with juniper twigs. The red wine is poured out into huge thick glasses. There is no elegance and delicacy–the real Middle Ages. The Renaissance is yet to come. Waiters wear medieval dress.
Venison with wild mushrooms and juniper sauce.
Yes, the toilet is the «medieval» as well
They bring your bill in this little chest.
Our bill was about US$120 for the food and wine for two, but this is probably the most expensive restaurant in Riga. In most cases, you can get a tasty and hearty meal for much less money, for example, in the restaurant Pelmeni XL, Kalku Street 7. There, the portion of dumplings with soup or salad costs not more than US$6. The same with the restaurant, Šefpavārs Vilhelms, Skunu Street, 6, which invites you to enjoy delicious pancakes and dishes with cheese and meat.
In fact, the Riga service staff are worth a separate discussion. They are pretty, young, and speak at least three foreign languages–English, German, and Russian. I guess some of them also speak French, although this is just conjecture. Bravo!
Let’s go into this bar called Black Magic. The proper interior and girls wearing ancient dresses make a special atmosphere. There is a great variety of different coffee cocktails, several kinds of Riga Black Balsam, and a whole counter of handmade candies (although they can’t compare with the candies in Carcassonne). The walls, the ceilings, the floors, everything is renovated, but it looks like as if they brought them right from the Middle Ages.
We stay in a small hotel near the Dome Cathedral, almost in the Cathedral itself, or in its annex. One of the hotel’s walls was at one time part of the church outbuilding of the Dome Cathedral.
An unplastered wall is left in front of the elevator. The masonry is antique and grained.
The staircase in the hotel. It is not so old, but there is the complete illusion that it is.
This is probably the smallest house in Riga. The view from the window of the Hotel Justus.
Old Riga is small. It takes a couple of days or maybe even just a day to become acquainted quickly with every tiny street, but here, you don’t want to hurry.
However, there is another Riga–the modernist one. I always considered that Barcelona is the modernist capital. Nothing of the sort! It is the citizens of Barcelona who think so and spread this opinion all over the world. Indeed, there are some splendid modernist buildings in Barcelona, but just turn the corner, and all the modernism disappears. In Riga, you can spend hours strolling along streets full of different architectural surprises.
However, I wrote a separate post about the Art Nouveau architecture of Riga.
Hey you, the sailor’s soul. What is so special behind this window? Was this your home when you were alive? Then the sea demanded your life. Maybe now, your offspring lives there? Are you trying to see your great-grandson?
Don’t be sad. Life is taking its course, and you are not a human anymore, but a beautiful bird with a plaintive voice. No one knows which is better. Although… now, you can compare.
Hey you, don’t tell me there’s no hope at all.
Together we stand, divided we fall.
– Pink Floyd
However, we keep walking along Old Riga. What remarkable architectural models are around.
I felt like buying this dilapidated house and converting it to a hotel.
It is possible, but not profitable. The tourist season in Riga lasts only three summer months. The rest of the year, the city is empty and gloomy. The weather does not indulge Latvians.
You might think this is a castle or a residence? Nope. This is a simple hospital.
The last, but bright spot on our stay in Riga
We had to book a taxi for six o’clock of Monday morning. It was decided to order it right in the hotel the day before rather than spend our time trying to catch somebody in the early morning. No problem–ten Latvian Lats, something around 18 dollars. It is twice as expensive as the usual street taxi, a small white-green Toyota Corolla.
Next morning. Six o’clock. We are checking out. A couple of guys stand at the reception together with a tall German-looking blonde of a modelling type. She is all in black and on high heels. A tiny cup of black coffee is in her hands. Apparently, she is a tourist. Guten morgen.
“Here is your driver,” says one guy pointing to the blonde.
“?!… Wow! Please, don’t tell me that enormous black limousine outside is our taxi!”
“Precisely.”
A sparkling new BMW of the seven series. What a surprise! We were waiting for a tiny Toyota Corolla. Later it turned out that it is the cheapest transfer offer of the Hotel Justus. Guess, which is the most expensive? Maybach! 🙂 I love you, Riga!
P.S. People say Riga sprats are the best in the world. Maybe. But we do not really like canned fish, so we have not tried it.
More about Latvia:
A Walk Along the Jugendstil Quarter: Mikhail Eisenstein—the Gaudi of Riga.
May 6, 2013 at 9:45 am
Great images as usual, Victor. Latvia and Lithuania are on my lists, so I appreciate the info. I love amber…those necklaces are amazing!
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May 6, 2013 at 11:50 am
I am not sure about Lithuania. I have been there some years ago, and I cannot say I liked it very much, and I cannot write something special about this country, but Riga is another world. I don’t know why, but Riga is very different. My recommendation is to start from Riga. This is marvelous European capital which is much more better than Brussels, for example.
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May 6, 2013 at 10:02 am
Looking at the photos of the buildings, two words came to mind: clean and crisp.
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May 6, 2013 at 11:56 am
Crisp?! Hm… I don’t know. It is old and some times very old. I think this city is badly needs money.
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May 6, 2013 at 2:21 pm
It doesn’t show on the photos. The colours and the cleanliness struck me.
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May 6, 2013 at 10:26 pm
I just wanted to show the best sides of Riga.
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May 6, 2013 at 10:44 am
What a truly delightful tour. The smallest house is such cute architecture.
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May 6, 2013 at 11:56 am
Yes, yes, it is like a toy:-)
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May 6, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Fabulous post Victor! Quaint and modern at the same time, isn’t it?
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May 6, 2013 at 10:04 pm
We have not been to very modern quarters. We were more interesting in the old city and Art Nouveau, and we had only one weekend for it.
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May 6, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Stunning pics! You have a real gift for capturing the essence of a city. Just beautiful.
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May 6, 2013 at 9:05 pm
I agree!!
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May 6, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Thank you Pam. I try to study constantly. Have you been to Riga?
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May 6, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Not yet. But obviously I need to go. And I need some of that amber – wow! Love the seagull looking in the window.
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May 6, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Oh, everything is all right with amber there, and with seagulls 🙂
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May 7, 2013 at 4:51 am
Great post. You made me hop on skyscanner right away 🙂
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May 7, 2013 at 5:24 am
Ha-ha. That was my goal. 🙂
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May 7, 2013 at 8:34 am
Hi Victor,
Never knew Latvia was so beautiful. Your snaps and writing makes it even more alive. Thoroughly enjoyed the post.
Cheers
Amrita
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May 7, 2013 at 8:46 am
Thank you Amrita. Now you know 🙂 And not all Latvia, but only Riga.
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May 8, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Where would you say is the best area to stay in Riga?
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May 8, 2013 at 1:59 pm
I think you want to stay in the old city, but it is more expensive than somewhere on the edge of of the city.
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May 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm
What wonderful photos.
I see here the same atmosphere of Tallinn. I wasn’t able to give it a name, until you said it: medieval.
That’s the kind of atmosphere that make Baltic towns a little different than others town in Eastern Europe, which have a more baroque or neoclassical architecture.
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May 9, 2013 at 3:20 pm
Maybe you’re right, but Tallinn is a bit richer then Riga, it is noticeable. In addition, the crowd of Scandinavian teenagers arrives in Tallinn for weekend. They get drunk all night long, and then float away again. Riga has no such a “luck”.
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May 9, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Yeah they’re from Helsinki I guess, two hours away by ferry. They and Estonians also speak a similar language.
Apart from being richer, I understand that you prefer Riga to Tallin, right?
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May 9, 2013 at 3:46 pm
No. I’ll say I love them both, but differently.
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May 10, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Great post! Thanks for sharing.
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November 6, 2014 at 1:48 am
Thank you for visit.
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May 27, 2013 at 6:50 pm
It looks wonderfully civilised, Victor, and that liqueur would do me fine. I love those old stone vaulted buildings. Your photography is superb. 🙂
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May 27, 2013 at 10:34 pm
I say, this is the real Europe on the edge of Europe 🙂 Thank you, Johanna.
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August 3, 2013 at 1:03 am
Reblogged this on Sherry's Space.
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August 19, 2013 at 12:13 pm
beautiful, beautiful place…it’s like turning the pages of a storybook. stunning photographs. would love to spend a vacation there if only i have the funds to do so ;).
and i’d like to thank you too for dropping by at my blog and liking my post. I appreciate it very much.
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August 19, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Thank you very much.
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December 23, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Victor: another excellent post! I decided to comment on this one because, next year, we will visit Riga (and Tallinn) during a trip lasting about 10 days. This post (and the one about Tallinn) gives us many ideas for things to see and do!
Oh yes: I also liked the post about Segovia – and I’m glad you like Denver in Colorado. Denver has a lot going for it!
I am glad you still like “!n search of unusual destinations”. Best wishes for Christmas and 2014. Phil.
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December 24, 2013 at 7:19 am
Thank you, Phill. The same to you. Be healthy and happy.
You will enjoy with these two cities.
If you have any questions about Tallinn or Riga, don’t hesitate to ask me.
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February 13, 2015 at 2:52 am
A wonderful description Victor. I’ll be going to Riga in a few months and I’ve booked to stay at your hotel, as a small boutique hotel in the wall of a historical building is very much my type of world LOL!
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February 13, 2015 at 1:33 pm
It’s great, Victoria. You will compare Riga with other capitals, Berlin and London.
Please, try different dumplings in the cafe “Pelmeni” in the old center.
And thank you for retweet.
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February 17, 2015 at 12:53 am
I will Victor & you’re very welcome. I’m very excited to be visiting Latvia for the first time. 🙂
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November 28, 2015 at 3:49 am
Dear Victor,
my friend and I were really thankful to find your blog when we prepared for our 4 day trip to Riga/Jurmala this summer. It was a real joy to go through your text, read about your observations and build an understanding of the Latvian culture and priorities to see from there. If you’d like to see how our trip went, you can check it out here: https://mintandcopper.wordpress.com/2015/10/11/sheer-beauty-4-days-in-riga/
We had 4 days on a budget and we really felt like we made the best out of it – such a beautiful city! One of the nicest trips I’ve experienced so far. Would love to come back some time, maybe also for a longer period. Thanks again!
All the best
P.S. Love your photos!
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November 28, 2015 at 5:21 am
Thank you, Deborah. This is a best compliment that every travel blogger can get.
If you liked Riga, you will definitely like another Baltic capital, Tallinn. Read, please, https://victortravelblog.com/category/estonia/
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November 28, 2015 at 5:44 am
Yay, thank you so much for that recommendation. Tallinn is definitely on my bucket list, and I will let you know once we’ve been there!
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November 28, 2015 at 5:47 am
OK. Happy travel.
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January 15, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Riga really is a nice city for a weekend. We were there last time last summer and I hope to be able to go back soon. Also the other two Baltic capitals is really worth a visit. 🙂
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January 16, 2016 at 12:45 am
I am glad that my opinion is confirmed. Thank you, Jesper.
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February 17, 2016 at 6:06 am
Lovely photos, Riga is really an under-rated city, beautiful and full of energy. Sigulda nearby is an excellent day trip to take in some green landscape and castles too. Loved Riga even though we got tangled up in fishing lines whilst kayaking! http://whatwaytoday.com/2016/02/17/tangled-up-inthings-to-do-in-riga-latvia/
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February 18, 2016 at 10:35 pm
The idea with an excursion by kayaks is very interesting. Thank you.
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April 12, 2016 at 9:29 am
I try to figure out, what i can do in Latvia, is there cheap or expensive to have a tour, but now i am ready, your blog and especially this post gave me really a good kick to visit this country.
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April 12, 2016 at 10:05 am
Thank you for the comment, but judging by your nick (Tours in Latvia), you are already in Latvia.
It seems me you should conduct your publicity more intelligently.
Good luck.
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November 19, 2016 at 6:52 am
Great post and photos! I recently visited Riga for the first time and I absolutely loved the city, the Old Town is one of the best medieval examples that I’ve ever seen!
I actually wrote a post for my blog about the 48 that I spent there. Please feel free to take a look and let me know what you think! 🙂
https://www.arwtravels.com/blog/48-hours-riga-latvia
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November 19, 2016 at 2:08 pm
Thank you, Alberto.
I will read your post later.
If you liked Riga, I am sure you will like Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Its old part is not worse.
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July 15, 2019 at 6:11 am
In my 20s, I became acquanted with an ex-pat Lativan in NY and since then have always been curious about visiting one day. History, great coffee and reasonable prices? I think I would love a long weekend to enjoy it at the slowest and decadent pace possible.
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July 19, 2019 at 12:29 pm
Riga and Tallinn are gems of Baltic. I have visited them a million times, but I am not tired of them. It will be interesting to read about your impressions of these cities.
Thanks a lot, Lissette.
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