A local's guide to Riga
Getting around Riga
To and from the airport
1 Bus (nr22) Takes you just outside the old town and the central marketplace.
You can buy tickets that work for all kinds of public transport in a news agent chain Narvesen
90 minutes - €1.50 (1 use) -- you can buy more than 1 ride at a time.
24 hour ticket - €5 (no limit) (comes also with 3 and 5 days worth of rides as an option)
Taxi from the airport to city centre will cost €20-25. You can take Air Baltic taxis from the airport safely.
OR download Bolt App and get a potentially cheaper taxi rides (equivalent to Uber) - but as with uber, the taxi prices range depending on demand.
You can get around the city quickly by using Scooters that are literally everywhere. The same app Bolt that you can use for taxis can be used for scooters as well (scooters labelled with Bolt green colors, which are the majority of the ones that can be found).
You can trust the google maps! There's even CityMapper that works with public transport.
Places to Eat
1) Folkclub ALA - Located in the Old town, super good selection of local beers and traditional Latvian food. Looks like a dungeon. Can get busy in the evenings, but does a lot of live music and dancing evenings. Fair prices.
2) hipster chain pub-ish Ezītis Miglā (hedgehog in the mist) - Good selection of cheap food and drink, chill atmosphere, has multiple locations (the coolest being the one in Kalnciems)
3) Tallinas Kvartāls (Street Food Angārs) - collection of different popup bars and eateries inside an industrial square. A bit outside the city centre, but its loved by the locals and its within a good walkable distance.
4) Labietis pub (only beer) - A pagan brewery, hipster beer, strong beer, locals.
5) Around the corner from Labietis - You will find A Rock/Metal Bar Nemiers (unrest). All black interior, rockmusic, decent selection of affordable drinks.
6) If you are feeling fancy - There are 2 really good restaurants to dine in.
Fabrikas Restorāns - High end food, expensive by Latvian standards (but very reasonable for the London folk) Right by the river, over the bridge.
The other one is closer to the old town - C.O.D : robata grill restaurant. Again, great quality and expensive for Latvians.
7) Herbārijs - amazing rooftop terrace cocktail bar (with some decent food options)
8) For the late night munchies - HESBURGER (a Finnish burger chain, way better than McDonalds) Same price too.
9) 90s Latvian fast food chain - LIDO. The most known one is Lido Krastmala. Its like a buffet, family friendly restaurant.
10) If you want to experience modern Soviet vibes, go to the pub Leningrad. Just outside old town. Some food, very cool vibes. A bust of Lenin.
11) My personal favourite - Gauja. Cheap eats. big portions and a good drink selection. Very lively and beloved by locals.
Things to do
1) Zoo - Riga Zoo is quite sizeable, with a good selection of happy animals. Nearby a is lake, that is safe to swim in, if you fancy. You can get a tram from the city centre directly to there.
2) Different Museums - Etnographic Open Air museum (this ones huge and outside the city), National Art Museum, Natural History Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts, the KGB house, Occupation Museum.
3) Have a walk through the Bastejkalns (a park right in the heart of Riga centre), see the Opera House and the Opera Park, Old town streets and buildings, For Art Deco - Alberta Street is the place to go. Take a boat ride along the canal.
4) Take a walk to the Academy of Art, if you're feeling a tad gothic (super close to the National Art museum)
5) The Central Market - filled with local and neighbouring food, drink and old school feeling of a proper market. Its on the UNESCO heritage list. Resides inside and around 4 huge zeppelin hangars that were repurposed.
Things to Try:
1) Garlic Bread - only made from Dark Rye bread, you will find it in most places.
2) Local Beer of all sorts (try to find and try Cranberry beer)
3) Smoked Salmon bellies are great (marketplace)
4) Old school style donuts (deep fried in front of you by an old babushka) (also central market)
5) Our pride and national love - Karbonāde (a layered pork cutlet covered in veggies and cheese)
6) Blood sausages (Asinsdesa) - different from the UK ones
7) Potato Pancakes - I can't endorse this food enough!
8) Local pastries (ignore your beloved croissants, and go for something Latvian)
Pastries with Eggs, Berries, Apples, Cottage Cheese, Cherries, Blackcurrant, Chocolate etc.
Best Bakery Chains - Mārtiņa Beķereja, Sala, Lage and Lāči (bears)
Cheese biscuits and Caraway biscuit sticks are a MUST on the try list.
9) For the daring - Ryebread Layered dessert Rupjmaizes Kārtojums that can be washed down with ryebread drink - Kvass
The Don'ts in Riga
1) Don't be offended if the service person/shopkeeper does not greet you or smile at you (or even look you in the eye). We are grumpy folk generally. We don't do smalltalk.
2) Tipping - not required, but very much appreciated. 10% is the typical amount, if you enjoyed the service.
3) Watch out for pickpockets, as in any larger city. Otherwise, its safe to walk around.
4) Younger folk will pretty much all know at least basic English/ Older folk may or may not.
5) Try not to wander on the South East side of the city Just past the Central Station/Central Market. While not particularly dangerous, it is the poorest part of the city and Theres not much to do.
6) If you are having a night out in the Old Town - Do keep an eye out for bars that really REALLY want you to come in. Take my advice - DONT, Theres plenty of good and safe bars in the old town, but if theres a pretty girl outside ushering you in, just ignore it ;)
7) You can drink tap water, but just to be safe - buy bottled still water. Or drink beer :D
AS a general rule of thumb - 5-10 euros for a main is normal.
€1-4 for a drink. But if you're in the centre square expect to pay more.
