Tours

Why Riga?

THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE CITY IS DIFFICULT TO RESIST!

LATVIA is the central country of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and is located in North-eastern Europe on the east coast of the Baltic Sea.

Latvia’s capital RIGA has hundreds of ways for enticing visitors – its rich history, architecture, spacious gardens and parks, museums, art galleries and world-class opera…and daily treats like a walk in the enormous colorful central market or going to a cozy cafe, club or pub…

Impossible not to be loved in Riga, because of its given inspiration to everyone – both for them which are delighted with ancient and which craves for new impressions.

THE RIGHT SIZE & LOCATION - Key venues, restaurants and sights are within walking distance in the centre.
EASY ACCESS – direct flights to 60 + destinations. Linked to Star Alliance, flights from around 850 destinations in more than 150 countries. International Airport of Riga within a 20 minute distance from the city center. Riga’s International Airport is one of the fastest growing travel hubs in Europe. Sea port with ferry traffic from Scandinavia and Germany. Convenient train and bus connections from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Railway station, bus station and see port of Riga located in the city center.
THE COOLEST CONFERENCE CITY – largest conference centres in Baltic’s.
RELAXATION – No capital in Europe has a historical SPA town so close and next to possibly the best white, sandy beaches in Europe.
A HANSEATIC CITY – Riga has been an important cent of trade, finance and culture for centuries.
A METROPOLIS OF ART NOUVEAU – No capital in the world has as much Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture as Riga. The richness and quality of Art Noveau architecture was a reason why Riga was included on the Worlds Heritage List of UNESCO.
MUSIC AND THE ARTS – Riga is the Capital of Baltic’s Opera and Ballet. For the city, dynamic and diverse music and arts activities are typical. Over centuries, the creative atmosphere evolved in Riga and inspired composers, poets and artists
NIGHTLIFE – As night is getting closer Riga’s pubs, night clubs, discos, casinos, cabaret shows and other entertainment establishments are being filled up. The inside temperature is sizzling hot all year long.
GREEN CITY – Riga is widely known for its parks and gardens. The art of parks in Riga started to rapidly develop in the first half of the 18th century

Tour of Riga with Highlights (~3 hours)

Take a walk through the labyrinth of cobble-stones streets and you will probably feel that you have made a journey back in time. Gothic churches and ancient buildings remind you of the Middle Ages.

During the walk along the Old Riga cobble-stone picturesque streets you will see numerous places of cultural and historical importance, such as the Dome Cathedral, St.Peters church, St.Jacob's church, Great and Small Guild houses, Parliament building, Swedish Gate, etc.

In addition to the walking tour of Old Riga you will be offered a comfortable bus tour around the beautiful 19th century Riga - the drive will take you along the Boulevard Ring to view the Bastion Hill, City canal park as well as visit to the Art Nouveau district. No other city in the world can boast of such a vast collection of authentic Art Nouveau examples in such dense concentration! Known as the New Style, Art Nouveau was first expressed in fabrics and graphic design. This style spread on architecture and furniture in the 1890's. Art Nouveau buildings often have asymmetrical shapes, arches and decorative surfaces with curved, plant-like designs.

Old Riga walking city tour (~3 hours)

The tour includes guide service around the old part of the Hanseatic city - Riga. During the tour you will be introduced a brief history of Riga and you will be shown the ancient places of interest the first of which dating back to the 15th century. During the walk along the Old Riga cobble-stone picturesque streets you will see numerous places of cultural and historical importance, such as the Dome Cathedral, St.Peters church, St.Jacob's church, Great and Small Guild houses, Parliament building, Swedish Gate, etc.

Entrance fees are not included but possible during the tour for additional charges.

Riga Art Nouveau tour (~1,5 hours)

This style, which at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century referred both to architecture and other fields of art, dominated in Riga for a short time, however, it left behind extraordinary colorful architectural examples. This coincided with the period when construction of high-rise residential buildings boomed in Riga and organically found a place in the architecture of Riga. Art Nouveau emerged in response to previous styles, especially to Eclectics, which required following particular historical styles. In contrast, Art Nouveau stresses a complete creative freedom, an expressive flight of fantasy with a tendency to show all utilitarian construction elements as artistic value. Characteristic features of Art Nouveau - sinuous lines, geometrical ornaments – divided into two main directions in Riga: decorative and romantic nationalistic Art Nouveau. Most characteristic examples of decorative Art Nouveau are buildings in Alberta Street.

Alberta Street is considered as the epitome of Art Nouveau in Riga. Each house is a different and unique construction achievement from the beginning of 20th century. Nowhere else in Riga will you observe so expressive and concentrated flights of architectural fantasy.

Tour of Jurmala (~5 hours)

The tour will take you to the seaside resort of Jurmala - just 20 km away from Riga.

Jurmala – the largest resort city in the Baltic States is well-known for its natural treasures – the mild climate, sea, healthy air and SPA's. The attraction of Jurmala hides in its almost 32 km long white sand beach, the large pine forest and the natural border of the city – the river Lielupe. In Jurmala, You will discover a combination of charming wooden houses built in the beginning of the last century and modern resort buildings.

Walk along the central promenade of Jomas street, visit the famous concert hall Dzintari or simply watch the sunset on Jurmala beach!

Tour to Open Air Etnographical Museum (~3 hours)

When entering the tiny Latvia of the former times that hides unobtrusively behind the pine forest at Lake Jugla, don’t strive to perceive it as a reality for it was a reality only to those who have gone long ago. But the objects, structures and households still continue to exist. You, a visitor and a stranger will be rewarded with the intimacy of these treasures of our predecessors for a while.

And yet, when walking into the dim rooms of our forefathers and bending your head to the low lintel, do remember the symbolic meaning of the movement and pay homage to the history of Latvian people.

Ethnographic Open-Air Museum was founded in 1924. The project envisaged to transport homesteads and social buildings characteristic of Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale to the museum and re-erect them there.

The collection of Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum is made up of 140 000 items. At present 121 ancient buildings with more than 3000 household objects are on display in the area of 87 hectares. Almost all the sections of the population and ethnic groups as well as their social and material culture are represented there. Like households of Livi fishermen and Russian old-orthodox, craftsmen workshops of woodworkers and smithies, Latgale potters, Vidzeme weavers and potters.

Tour to Rundale (~5 hours)

You will spend a memorable day in the region of Zemgale, the "bread basket" of Latvia. You will drive through the town of Bauska and stop to see the ruins of Bauska Castle dating back to the 15th - 18th century. The highlight of the tour is Rundale Palace - summer residence of the Duke of Courland Ernst Johan Biron, the most beautiful baroque architecture masterpiece in the Baltic’s. The Palace is an example of the early work of Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also created famed Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The Palace has been renovated and today you can see a number of halls decorated with the 18th century furniture, paintings and china. It is one of the few remaining places in Latvia, where the very essence of the 18th century may still be experienced. The Palace boasts a beautiful French-style park.

Tour to Sigulda (~5 hours)

It is a tour and it is scenic! You will see lovely castles and wonderful nature.

The tour will take you to the most picturesque towns of Latvia - Sigulda, located in the Gauja National Park. Sigulda is located about 50 km from Riga. The town is situated in the Gauja River valley and is well known as the most popular tourist and leisure destination. During the tour the guide will take you around the places of interest - Turaida castle dating back to the 13th century, Sigulda castle ruins, to hear the ancient legends of the Middle Ages. A chance to have a birds view from fortification tower. The tour includes walking in the Gauja River valley to enjoy the beautiful landscape and the sandstone grottoes on the ancient riverbank.

Tour to Ligatne Park (~5 hours)

Gauja NP was founded in 1973, and it was the first national park in the territory of Latvia at that time. It focuses mainly on nature protection but it is also used for educational and leisure tourism. Its territory of 91745 ha is divided into five functional areas. Tourists started to visit this area already in the 19th century.

While walking in more than 5 km long Ligatne Nature Trail (LNT) it is possible to see various Latvian forest animals that to Gauja National Park have come from various places because they have been hurt or not able to live without human help.