Trip highlights
- 1Art Nouveau district
- 2Riga Central Market
- 3Old Riga (UNESCO)
- 4Jūrmala beach day trip
- 5St. Peter's Church tower view
Daily spend
Where you're going
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In pictures
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Old Riga
Monday, June 7
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Riga International Airport (RIX)
Riga International Airport
Bus 22 runs directly from the airport to the city centre in about 30 minutes.
Buy an e-talons transport card at the airport kiosk for cheaper fares than paying the driver.
☀️ Afternoon
Old Riga and the Three Brothers
Vecrīga, Riga
Wander Riga's UNESCO-listed Old Town, including the Three Brothers houses, the Riga Cathedral, and the colourful Swedish Gate.
Climb St. Peter's Church tower for the best panoramic view over the Old Town's red rooftops and the Daugava River.
🌙 Evening
Dinner at Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs
Peldu iela 19, Riga
A lively cellar restaurant in a former medieval storage vault, serving hearty Latvian dishes alongside live folk music some evenings.
Try the grey peas with bacon, a classic Latvian comfort dish.
🍽️ Meals
Airport café breakfast
Latvian · $8
Old Town lunch
Latvian · $13
Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs dinner
Latvian · $28
Art Nouveau District & Central Market
Tuesday, June 8
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Riga Art Nouveau district
Alberta iela, Riga
Riga has one of Europe's largest concentrations of Art Nouveau architecture — walk Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela to see ornate facades dating to the early 1900s.
The Riga Art Nouveau Centre museum recreates a period apartment interior if you want to go inside one.
☀️ Afternoon
Riga Central Market
Nēģu iela 7, Riga
A massive early-20th-century market housed in converted zeppelin hangars, selling smoked fish, local cheeses, honey, and Latvian crafts.
Try the smoked sprats or rye bread — both Latvian staples sold fresh throughout the market.
🌙 Evening
Dinner along the Daugava riverfront
Daugava riverfront, Riga
An evening riverside walk followed by dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Daugava River and the Old Town skyline.
🍽️ Meals
Café breakfast
Latvian · $9
Central Market food stalls lunch
Latvian · $12
Riverfront dinner
Latvian/European · $30
Jūrmala Beach Day Trip
Wednesday, June 9
Est. spend
$110
per person
🌅 Morning
Train to Jūrmala
Jūrmala, Latvia
A 30-minute train ride from Riga Central Station to Majori, the heart of Jūrmala, Latvia's premier seaside resort town along the Gulf of Riga.
Trains run frequently from Riga's central station — no need to book ahead.
☀️ Afternoon
Jūrmala beach and Jomas Street
Jomas iela, Jūrmala
Relax on Jūrmala's wide sandy beach, then stroll Jomas Street, a pedestrian promenade lined with wooden villas, cafés, and ice cream stands.
The wooden architecture along Jomas Street dates to Jūrmala's heyday as a Soviet-era resort town — worth a slow walk.
🌙 Evening
Seaside dinner and return to Riga
Jūrmala, Latvia
Dinner at a beachfront restaurant before the short train ride back to Riga in the evening.
🍽️ Meals
Riga station breakfast
Latvian · $8
Jūrmala beach café lunch
Latvian/Seafood · $16
Jūrmala dinner
Seafood · $32
Museums & Departure
Thursday, June 10
Est. spend
$70
per person
🌅 Morning
Latvian National Museum of Art
Jaņa Rozentāla laukums 1, Riga
A beautifully restored neoclassical building housing the country's finest collection of Latvian painting and sculpture from the 18th century to today.
☀️ Afternoon
Final Old Town shopping
Vecrīga, Riga
Browse amber jewellery, Latvian linen, and local crafts in Old Riga before departure.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Riga Airport
Riga International Airport
Bus 22 returns directly to the airport from the city centre.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Latvian · $9
Old Town lunch
Latvian · $14
Airport snack
International · $10
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
May to September brings warm temperatures and makes the Jūrmala beach day trip worthwhile. Christmas markets in December are charming but cold.
🛂 Visas
Latvia is part of the Schengen Area. Travellers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most Western countries can stay visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across Schengen.
💱 Currency
Latvia uses the Euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted in Riga; carry some cash for the Central Market stalls and smaller Jūrmala vendors.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 112
ambulance: 112
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- St. Peter's Church tower offers the best panoramic photo of Old Riga's rooftops — go on a clear day.
- Riga Central Market is one of the largest and oldest markets in Europe — arrive hungry and explore each hangar.
- Jūrmala is an easy half-day or full-day trip by train and makes a relaxed counterpoint to Riga's city sightseeing.
- Latvians are generally understated and reserved — a polite, low-key approach is appreciated.
- The Art Nouveau Centre museum apartment is worth booking ahead in peak summer as space is limited.
One thing worth not skipping
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