Riga. An Unspoiled Baltic Destination

Riga is a wonderful Baltic destination that has yet to be totally spoiled by tourism. As I described in a recent post about countries that did not exist when I started to travel … Riga has managed to maintain a charm that makes it a slightly ‘off the beaten path’ travel destination.

Riga Old Town

Riga maintains an eclectic mix of ‘old world’ charm, Soviet occupation, and modern development. Riga is easily walkable and there are several beautiful parks near the old town that give the city a less urban feel. Parts of the city are designated as an UNESCO World Heritage site … historically an excellent indicator for me that it is a city worthy of a visit. Within a short radius around the old town, there are beautiful examples of Art Nouveau architecture, evidence of the Hanseatic League, the 14^th century House of the Blackheads (don’t be childish … that is not what it is about), and remnants from the oppressive occupations by the Nazis and Soviets.

There are statues spread throughout the city. I’m not always a big statue fan. These however are very cool and most have a modern twist. There are the obvious statues such as the Freedom statue commemorating Latvian independence, statues honoring the resistance and determination of the Latvian people over occupation forces, and those honoring individual contributors such as Karlis Padegs. In front of the House of Blackheads, a small monument supposedly marks the earliest recorded account of a Christmas tree in Europe. By the way, their twinkly lights were not working either, so don’t feel bad. My favorite statue is located near the Swedish gate and is known as ‘the Ghost’. Discovering ‘the Ghost’ in the very early pre-dawn light with a completely empty city was particularly eerie. The locals who wandered by to dump their trash were probably as equally spooked by a strange person with a tripod taking photographs in their dark alley. Eerie does not even begin to describe how you feel visiting remnants of the KGB.

Soviet Occupation

Near Riga’s old town is the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. A series of interactive displays detail the complicated and tragic history of occupation forces in Latvia. Unfortunate geography places Latvia directly in between two power hungry ideologies. Sweden, Russia, the Nazis, and the Soviets have all used Latvia as a strategic foothold in their efforts to dominate Europe. The museum does an exceptional job of providing a chronological perspective of these sequential occupations. Imagine the mix of emotions that these people went through. Yippee … the Russians are gone. Nazis. I hate those guys. Oh good … the Russians are back. Oops. For an even more sobering perspective of these occupations, take a short walk to visit the former offices of the KGB. The building is now open to the public as a museum. Don’t expect gift shops and cafes. This is a dark, dreary, and depressing building. A guided tour in English is available and frankly … don’t bother going if you don’t intend on taking the tour. The tour is a solid ‘slap in your face’ reality check on the cruelty with which the Soviets controlled the Latvian population. After a visit, you will need a nice relaxing break and a cheery glass of wine.

Where to Stay

For those that have followed our adventures, you probably know that we often stay at hotels that are part of the Small Luxury Hotel brand. In Riga, we took the opportunity to stay at the Hotel Bergs, an SLH property just a short walk from the old town. The Hotel Bergs is a quintessential SLH property that provides exactly what the name implies … a very small property that delivers an understated, yet personalized level of luxury. The room that we stayed in was a large two-story suite with a small kitchenette, a balcony with nice summer breezes, and a comfortable family room. It felt like an apartment and it made our stay very relaxing and comfortable. Take our word for it, if you are in Riga … stay there.

Arriving in Riga

We arrived at the capital of Latvia on the overnight ferry from Stockholm. The majority of passengers on the Estonian based ferry appeared to be either groups of Latvian construction workers returning from Sweden, or large groups of young Scandinavians heading to Latvia to partake in the diversions that accompany cheap and accessible alcohol. It is pretty clear we fit into neither category, although everyone appeared in the Duty-Free shop as soon as we left Swedish waters. Alcohol in Scandanavia is very expensive. Similar migrations of Finns traverse the Baltic to Estonia on ferries for weekends of alcohol induced joviality. Although … really, how animated and out-going can a Finn get?

As the ‘Tallink Silja’ ferry left the Baltic sea and sailed down the Daugava river, it felt like we were entering Riga through the back-door. Crap. That sounded like a Rick Steves quote. Sorry … it won’t happen again. Along the banks, large coal handling operations and antiquated docks reminded us that it has not really been that long since Latvia emerged from Soviet control.

Latvian Cuisine

During our stay, we took a short food tour focused entirely within the Riga Central Market. When it opened in 1930, this market was the largest in Europe. What makes this market particularly interesting is that it is housed in several re-purposed Zeppelin hangers. The big balloon not the band. I would describe the food in Riga as a mash-up of Scandinavian, German, and Russian cuisine. Offerings frequently included herring, potatoes, a variety of Baltic seafood, pickled vegetables, smoked meats, hearty breads, soups, and cheese. This blend of cuisines should not be surprising, given the influence that each of these nationalities had as part of their occupation of Latvia. It should also not be surprising that you may need to accelerate your exercise program after a visit to Riga.

There is clearly a growing food scene in Riga and there are ample choices across a variety of budgets. Melnā Bite is a great spot for a quick lunch in Old Town with an excellent assortment of Baltic flavors, including some excellent fried sardines. Milda provides a comfortable and cozy restaurant on a side street, just a few blocks away from the House of Blackheads. The dumplings were outstanding and our waiter Maris was a great host who introduced us to all things Latvian. In the Art Nouveau district, the very quirky café Rasols provides a flavorful selection of Russian influenced soups and salads. In an old wine cellar, more rustic pork-based plates can be found in the tavern Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs along with an excellent selection of beers. The restaurant ‘3 Pavaru Restorans’ is an example of a restaurant combining new culinary experimentation with traditional local ingredients. While all of the food was excellent, the most memorable was the initial appetizer which consists of a series of sauces artistically drizzled and spread directly onto the table. I guess their mother was more tolerant about a 5 year old’s artistic expression at the dinner table than mine was.

As we departed Riga it became clear that this charming eclectic mix of culture and history may soon be overrun by a new occupation. Tourists. Latvia provides an excellent value for your dollar, the Euro is used, 4G and WiFi are abundant, and English is very common. The new airport is extremely modern and well equipped to handle an increasingly larger influx of tourists. And they are coming. As we departed, the city was preparing for an FIA Rally Cross event, a meeting of European leaders, and a visit by the Pope later in the month. So, if you are intrigued by Latvia … go soon. But please don’t all go at once.