Moscow Suburb: don't go there in Riga. Or better - do it!

If there is a district in Riga locals are telling tourists to stay away - it's Moscow Suburb - that shady place with old wooden buildings, black market and every second house selling illegal drugs. And now it's time to be honest - I live there. I've been walking around there at daylight hours and totally alone at nights as well. Nothing ever happened to me. Nobody even tried to harm me or my street-walking peace there. I'm sharing apartment with two other people and nothing bad ever happened to them as well. My intuition is whispering that this district is not that bad. 

 

Ok, here is something not so nice - you will see old haunted wooden houses, drunk people on streets, some stray dogs, you will probably witness drug dealing, someone might ask you a cigarette and the main language spoken there is not Latvian, you will hear Russian. If it sounds scary to you - don't go there. 

So called Moscow Suburb is the oldest district in Riga (right after the medieval Old Town) and its history starts dated back to 14th century. So, Russian district, then Jewish district, the poorest district in Riga... If you are interested in history of this part of Riga (and some more pictures), check here: Russians of Latvia

Talking about nowadays: as I mentioned before - I can perfectly deal with this district where haunted houses are displayed to view but private palaces are hiding behind high fences. I even find it somehow romantic place... Start your tour with Riga Central Market, then head to the Soviet skyscraper The Academy of Sciences and "dive" into Moscow Suburb with   Jewish memorial places, Grebenshchikov Church - one of the largest congregations of Old Believers in the world, independent theater, small shops and other things to wonder about.

Oh, you can find there the most amazing flea market I've seen - Latgalīte - it's just awful at a first glimpse, but definitely a place where you could find even Devil if you were looking for it - you can find there everything. As we joke - if you have lost something in Riga, you can buy your things at this flea market.  (Note: it won't hurt to watch your pockets and bags if you go there).

Posh and shine is staying away from Moscow Suburb- it still is the poorest district in Riga. Well, probably this district looks also a bit sad and depressive in rainy days, but it has it's own atmosphere and historical breath. And shiny, colorful autumn seems the most suitable season for this district. That's something you don't get to see at the city center.

P.s. You can click on pictures to enlarge them.

Discovering Nature without Going Into The Wild

There are people always keen on visiting museums, but if it is not some really famous museum or something you have a special interest in, would you go there on a sunny summer day if it is not an open-air museum? Majority of us would say  - noooo.... But autumn/winter season is just perfect for visiting museums!

I remember myself as a child: I didn’t live in Riga, but my grandmother was living close to Riga.  Natural History museum was a place where my grandmother took me almost every time when I visited her on school holidays. I’m not so sure about the correctness of my own childhood memories to remember how many times she took me there, but I was never bored there and always happy that I’ll go there again. Natural History museum of Latvia is a place for people in all ages and just perfect for visiting it together with the children. It is located right in the centre of Riga, close to the Old Town & Railway station on K. Barona Street 4. 

Their website says: „The Natural History Museum of Latvia is the largest and one of the oldest complex museums of natural history and sciences in the Baltic States.”

Entrance fee: pupils (7 – 18 years old) 0,50Ls, students & seniors 0,80Ls, adults 1,50Ls, family ticket (1-2 adults with 1-2 children under 18) - 20 % off admission (proof required - student card, senior card etc.) For temporary exhibitions there will be extra charge, but half an hour just before the closing time you can visit for free permanent exhibitions! Working hours: Monday & Tuesday – closed, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10AM – 5PM, Thursday  - 10AM – 19.AM (with 2 happy free admission hours from 5PM – 7PM).

Try virtual tour in the Natural History museum of Latvia http://www.dabasmuzejs.gov.lv/media/360/index.html

Check out also these articles and places: Winter in Riga: What to do? , The Town Hall Square: Blackheads House & The Museum of The Occupation, Wonders of Art Nouveau, Botanic Garden: For Family Holiday and Nature Lovers.

Winter in Riga: What to Do?

Winter is not just about Christmas, although that’s what we all think starting from November till first weeks of December. Till the middle of December majority of us  is already tired of Christmas on every corner. For those, coming to catch Christmas mood in Riga, see previous post about Christmas Markets and the Nutcracker.

But!

What  about other winter activities in Riga? Ok, it’s cold here, so you walk around get into some cafe to warm up, walk again and get again in some random cafe. Nope, it doesn’t have to be like this. Here are some options  for you to enjoy winter in Riga:

Day of Museums! The best time to visit museums is winter, for sure! Art lovers, you have a lot to see here – huge collection of Latvian Art history in a permanent exposition you will find at the  Latvian National Museum of Art (K.Valdemāra Street 10a) and walking through the Old Town, you will find a lot of small art galleries. History lovers, check the Occupation Museum at the Town Hall square and War Museum at Torņa street with impressive medieval Powder Tower or huge Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation at Palasta street 4 (Old Town). The sunniest place in Riga is Sun Museum at the Old Town – different Sun items from different places in the world, the most playful place – Doll Museum,  the hottest museum (just opened in Riga) – Museum of Erotic. Maybe Art Nouveau museum?

Skating! (Skating rinks are not opened yet, but will surely be there as soon as real winter is here). It’s a great  option to warm up in winter! You will find one skating-rink at the Old Town, one in the last stop of the Tram nr. 11 – Mežaparks (with natural ice) and many more. The most pompous shopping centre in Riga  - Galleria Riga - invites to the skating-rink on the top of the building! On the 7th floor above the roofs of Riga city center you can skate while enjoying panorama of Riga! /I’ll let you know as soon as winter is here and open-air skating-rinks open/

Some other winter sports? Take a day trip out of Riga - to Sigulda (around 1 hour drive from Riga) and get to know bobsleigh! Get to know it closer – not just watching, but also putting yourself into the place of a  bobsleigh sportsman! Bobsleigh season has already started! You can go there on your own, with your friends or join organized tours – almost all travel agencies are oranizing  tours to Sigulda, or ask at your hotel or hostel – a lot of them are really keen on it and glad to take Riga’s visitors to bobsleigh in Sigulda. By the way, Sigulda is also famous with its' beautiful nature and castles.

Nightlife in Riga? No changes there: Riga’s nightlife in winter is as active as in summer. Some cozy places for dancing and getting to know local people see here:  Where Locals Have Fun I, Where Locals Have Fun II

Picture:  The Entrance of the  Latvian National Museum of Art

Red, Yellow, Gold - Must See in Latvia.

Your friend in Riga has been silent for some time. It doesn't mean that there was nothing happening in Riga. First and the most important things - Golden Autumn is here with all it's colors and cold. And yesterday finally even my house got central heating on. If we talk about enjoying colors of autumn I can not keep this secret - there is a must-visit place in Latvia to enjoy this season - and this place is called Sigulda.

53 kms away from Riga is "outdoor activity capital of Latvia and home to a Olympic standard bobsleigh track". As soon as people see first yellow/red/orange leaves on trees they are hedding to Sigulda. If you check the map, you will see that we have no mountains here and our highest point in the country is so "high" that I'm even afraid to mention it here, but it's located in Sigulda: the main reason for going to Sigulda is it's picturesque landscpes. Every step there can become a picture: medieval castles, river Gauja, nature paths, caves and hills - this place has inspired a lot of painters and makes you to take marvelous photos.

Why Sigulda is in my heart? Actually not because of autumn, but spring: I stayed a night at the river Gauja some years ago first days of June. And the early morning: was amazing: first sunlight,  fog, birds flying low over the water, roes on the other side of the river and these landscapes... It felt like in a fairytale. These really are fairytale views. And autumn makes this all to shine in gold.

This video will let you to see pictures of autumn in different places in Latvia: Riga, Sigulda and more. Song by Latvian band "Brainstorm", language  - Latvian.

 Start your trip here with 360 degrees virtual tours in Sigulda

Previously on blog about Sigulda: The Dream of Flying

Where VIPs from Europe had wild parties?

The House of Blackheads built in 1344, is a stunning example of gothic architecture. The original house was the headquarters of unmarried local merchants, known as the Blackheads. This was a place which played an important role in the society life and traditions, VIPs from all over the Europe often were guests there and not only for official meetings and cultural events... It was a place for wild secret parties of rich people! A German merchant club the Brotherhood of Blackheads existed here until the middle of XX century. On the top of the building you see blue astronomical clock, inside the building on the basement you can see the exposition about the history of the building, it’s rooms and halls are rich with golden decorations, fireplaces, furniture from 19^th century, paintings, sculptures, Latvian State highest award - the Three Star Order - and the medal collection, House of Blackheads new silver collection – and even more you can see here. Rooms of the building are also rented for cultural and private events/celebrations, different concerts and exhibitions are organized here.

Address: Rātslaukums 7, Riga, LV-1050

Opening hours: Monday – closed, Tu – Su 10.00 – 17.00 (May 1 – September 30)
and11.00 - 17.00 (October 1–April 30). During the cultural events part of the house is closed or not available for visitors.

Entrance fee: 2Ls, students - 1Ls,

Read more about history of the House of Blackheads: http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/Riga_architecture/Old_Riga/MelngalvjuNams.htm

Other places to see at the Old Town:  Pictures of Riga Old Town I, The Town Hall Square

Bohemian Street - Away From Touristic Riga

 The Street of Peace (Miera iela) is like a little Riga's secret out of the touristic centre, - new born  bohemian paradise, but still in the centre of the city 20 - 30 min walk away from The Old Town. No drunk crowds, no screaming party-people, but special places to celebrate the life everyday. My heart belongs there and it's not because I was born there.  It's also not because already more than one year I see how the sun goes down and how it's rising on mornings over the roofs of this street through my window.  

 The street long time ago was made as the road to cemeteries out of the city. Close to the main street in Riga - Freedom street, close to the one of the biggest theatres in Riga "Dailes Teātris". On this street you will find the factory of the best Latvian chocolate "Laima". (Yes, sometimes the smell of chocolate is really impossible to avaoid, because it comes in over the opened windows and takes over the street). You will find here houses where 200 years ago lived aristocrats and you will see beautiful wooden architecture. 

One of the reasons to come here is it's bohemian atmosphere. DAD cafe - on Miera iela 17 - piano, jazz, vintage furniture, poetry, photograpy... TAKA on Miera iela 10 - colorfull  place with origami birds in windows & comfortable sofas, home-made wine from Latvia, sometimes tasty smell of soup makes you to stop passing by this place... Tea-room "ILLUSEUM" on Miera iela 19 - to collect your thoughts over the cup of tea: exceptional collection of teas from all over the world... Vintage shops and high quality handicrafts. People with bicycles, the tram nr. 11, cobbled streets... It's like peacefull Sunday mood or evening talks over the cup of tea are living right on this street.

If you keep walking this street 5 more minutes the direction away from the Freedom Street (Brīvības iela) you will see in front park - cemetery called The Great Graveyard: one of the most interesting cemeteries I have seen. See some pictures here: The Lost World Cemetery With The Soul

From Zeppelins to Food - Riga Central Market

This is definitely a very special place - located betwean The Old Town and Riga’s own ‘Moscow suburbs’, right next to the Central train terminal and bus station. Even if you are not planning to shop, there are a lot of reasons to visit this market.

 

The buildings here, today used as market pavilions, were initially built as hangars for the German army’s zeppelins. Now next to the imported food you will find here delicious, fresh, ecological food from the countryside of Latvia, and it’s cheaper than in any shop. The meat pavilion, grocery, greengrocery and fish pavilions, the open air market area. And there  are a lot of opportunities to taste the food before buying it! If you look at clothes/shoes – it’s „Made in China” paradise, but betwean that all you can find here also high quality stuff. It is the second biggest market–place in Europe.

 

On my free weekends I take my shopping bag and go to the Central Market to get the best (fresh & cheap) food in the city. It’s not only market-place, it also holds cultural events and shows a little different face of Riga than you will see in The Old Town.

Get to the Central Market to feel the sell & buy atmosphere! 

You might also like:  

Riga Central Market on Travellers blog

The Old Town - Heart of Riga

What to do when it's too hot in Riga?

Riga which you don't find in tourist guides

Preili Town - Find Your Own Little Wonderland!

Preili is a small town (south-eastern part of Latvia) within 200 km from Riga which slowly becomes more and more popular place for tourists to visit. One of the main reasons to visit this town is miniature castles. There is also neo-gothic manor house that once belonged to the count Borch family of German descent and used to be a wonderful dwelling-place surrounded by a romantic ancient park. 
 

And of course - it's located 25 km from the most famous church in Latvia - Aglona Basilica. 

This town is peacefull, artsy, romantic and small... Sculptures in honor of the cheese, miniature realm, the smallest church in Latvia...

Look at these pictures! Looks cute, no?

Your Guided Tour in Riga: professional, walking, bus tour, friendly and free

You are coming to Riga. You want to take an excursion to get to know the city? You will have problems to choose the best one or the most suitable for you because there are so many! Normally price for an excursion in Riga starts from 10Ls (15Euros) per person – one hour walking tour, but you can also find free tours! Here are 4 options for you.

Bus Tour:

The fastest and easiest way is to take Riga Bus tour – sightseeing tour by bus through all city. No walking, no bad weather can bother you, audioguide in 10 languages... http://www.riga-sightseeing.lv/ . Sightseeing tour buses departs daily every hour from the Latvian National Opera, Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums) and Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija. Bus tour duration is 90 minutes. Ticket price 10Ls (15 Eur). You can also get Hop-on Hop-off ticket which is valid for two days and costs 14Ls (20 Eur)

Professional Guide:

Next one comes agency SmileLine – walking tours – aslo very easy, you find them in The Old Town near the Occupation Museum under yellow umbrella. Just got stright to them and get your excursion – well planned walking tour. You can also check Riga Guides register: http://www.rigaguides.lv/en/excursions. and book your excursion before coming. And you can find hundreds of other agencies offering excursions. Starting from 10Ls per person.

Free Tour:

Escape the Old Town and discover stories of Riga from the past and present in a 3 hour walking tour. Starting point – in front of the entrance of the St. Peter’s church every day at 12.00. As a youth project the Free Tour operates for tips only so if you like the tour you can give your part to support the cause. http://freetour.traveller.ee/?page_id=5&lang=ri

Free "Your Friend in Riga Tour" is also possible if you contact me via e-mail: friendinriga@gmail.com and want to meet a local friend in Riga. You are welcome to tell me your interests or whatever comes into your mind you would like to see/to do/to feel in Riga. I’m not a professional guide – just living here, working and partying, going to events and walking around. I have some knowledge in history, literature, music, I know the cultural life and values of Riga, I can take you to the places where professional guides don’t go and I will honestly share my experience about living here. I will be glad to meet you here! :)

The Old Town - Heart of Riga

Last Saturday I took the camera and went for a walk at the Old Town. I'm not a professional photographer, but I hope at least some little part of the atmosphere here you will see. 

It’s in the heart of Riga near the river called Daugava. The official year of foundation of Riga is 1201, the beginnings of the city was build by German bishop Albert. Small streets will lead you to gothic churches, medieval buildings – it really has some special aura. At the same time it’s also the centre of sparkling nightlife which usually gets it’s highlights starting form Wednesday’s evening and getting again more peacefull just on Sunday mornings. This part of Riga never sleeps. 

During the day time you will find here great variety of shopping opportunities from expensive chich to street markets with souvniers, hand-made crafts and paintings etc, museums and art galleries. At summers The Old Town gets filled with all kinds of open-air cafes and beer gardens, street performances, live music and celebrations. And when the night comes over The Old Town it’s streets are filled with cheerfull people for active night life: bars, pubs, clubs for taste of everyone. 

For visitors of Riga you will find here variety of hostels and 5 star hotels. Different guides/exursions on summer you can get here right on the street – no need to book your excursions before coming if you don’t have any specific interests. This place is more than enjoyable not only to Rigans, but also visitors of the city. Even for me – when I get there inside, it’s hard to leave.

Daugavpils – Different City: Russia, Fortress, White Swan & Culture

Last weekend I was there. It was a great, sunny day with a lot of activities on the streets. Daugavpils (previously called Dinaburgh) is the second biggest city in Latvia, the city near the banks of river Daugava – called The River of Destiny (the same river you will see all the way from Riga to Daugavpils) It’s multicultural city (I would actually say it’s totally Russian city), the city of many fates. It’s located around 270 km from Riga, close to the borders of Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. Ancient stones of the fortress and splendid art nouveau in the heart of the city, low-rise wooden houses... It’s another Latvia. Last week there was the City Festival and, believe me, Russian songs are still in my head sung by kids and adults.

The historical centre of Daugavpils presents itself a specific monument of urban construction, but here are some interesting things you shoul see here. Rigas Street: one of the first streets in Latvia with the pedestrian traffic. Currently it is the liveliest street in the city with a wide range of shops, cafes, banks and offices.

Fortress of Daugavpils is considered one of the most significant symbols of Daugavpils. The fortress is an architectural monument of state importance and a unique object of the cultural and historical heritage of the city. The history of the fortress begins in 1772, when the council of War of the Russian Empire made a decision to begin the construction of the fortress. It is the only model of the fortress in Eastern Europe dated back to the first half of the 19^th century, that has been preserved unchanged. 

Church Hill. Every traveller, who wants to see the sights of Daugavpils, should visit Church Hill this unique place where churches of four different confessions are situated. You will find in this city big, impressive churches not only at the church hill.

And I think you will have a question „what’s that?” once you see a huge, white bulding entering the city if you come from Riga. It’s a prison (people call it The White Swan). No worries, it’s not a criminal city and people there are very nice. If you take a train from Riga to Daugavpils you will already be prepared for Russian community. :) Oh, and I forgot to mention – it’s also students' city: a lot of higher education opportunities are offered in this city – music, law, languages etc.

See more pictures of Daugavpils here 

Find the bell from Daugavpils in this collection 

The Lost World Cemetery with The Soul

About the Great Graveyard I have told you a little before. It really is one of my favorite places in Riga and I’m amazed by the beauty of 200 years old chapels and monuments in this cemetery. Unfortunately I must say that nothing is renovated there  - what means that it looks a little like lost world there. And now it’s more like a park not cemetery. I have posted some pictures of this place previously – on early spring – with the snow (It’s here: http://friendinriga.blogspot.com/2011/04/riga-which-you-dont-find-in-tourist_01.html). Some pieces of how it looks there now at the beginning of summer you can see here: 

See Riga From Height of Birds Flight!

And once again about being high! No, I don’t speak this time about flying, nor about smoking strange things to get high. I speak about seeing Riga from a bird’s point of view. Of course, dinner in the sky is something unique and must be really exciting, but not all of us can afford it and not always it is here.

You have probably red one of my previous posts about the TV Tower. (It’s here) It’s a great choice to go there, maybe you could just have some difficulties with getting there. But, no problem, there are other places, too.

What I usually advice for my friends and guests of Latvia is The Academy of Sciences. It’s in the centre of Riga, it’s easy to go there and the view to Riga is really wide  - you can see the Old Town, historycal centre, so called Moscow Suburbs of Riga, you can enjoy contrasts. The buiding itself was built after World War II, between 1953 and 1956 and it was the first skyscraper in the republic. The building is a cousin to similar Stalin-era skyscrapers in Warshaw and Moscow, and the example of Stalinist architecture. See the birds eye view to Riga from the 17th-floor balcony (height of 65 metres, 213 ft)! It's located next to the Central Market & Train Station.

You can also enjoy the view of Riga from the biggest church in the Old Town – St. Peter’s church. Another view you will get from the 26st floor of the Radisson Blue Hotel "Skyline" bar at the city centre – these are beautiful sunsets you can enjoy together with your friends with a glass of your favorite drink there! Radisson Blue you will easily see walking just some 3 min from the Freedom Monument to the historycal centre (away from the Old Town)

Wonders of Art Nouveau

It would be a sin not to write about Art Nouveau in Riga, because Riga boasts the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. Art Nouveau makes Riga to be a little wonderland – this architecture is unsurpassable.

The architectural and artistic answer to the literary Modernist movement that began in the late 19th century was the Art Nouveau movement in Europe. The Art Nouveau movement reached its peak in the early 20th century, which is when the majority of Riga’s Art Nouveau houses were built. Riga’s term for the movement, Jugendstil, comes from the German and Scandinavian movement named after the avant-garde periodical Jugend (“Youth”). Unlike the stiffer sensibilities of Victorian style, Art Nouveau stressed a complete creative freedom, mixing fantastic elements with a tendency to show all utilitarian construction elements as artistic value, with very characteristic elements such as dynamic, undulating, and flowing lines and geometrical ornaments.

Riga is one of the largest centres of Art Nouveau, with more than a third of the buildings of its Central District built in the style; other significant centres include Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Vienna, Krakow, Moscow and St. Petersburg, among others. The main street for Riga’s Art Nouveau architecture is Elizabetes street, which intersects Brivibas Boulevard. In addition to Elizabetes Street, Alberta and Strelnieku Streets also feature impressive examples of the style. In total, there are over 800 Art Nouveau buildings in Riga.

Riga Art Noveau centre can help you. Here you will find the information about architects, maps and routes: http://www.jugendstils.riga.lv/eng/turisms Of course, you are welcome to visit Art Nouveau museum!