I visited Riga, the capital of Latvia for a few days with my family as part of a summer holiday in Latvia and Estonia, and thought I’d share with you some of the things I enjoyed with my family, as well as other things that friends have recommended.

Old Town Riga

At the heart of Riga, you can wander round the cobbled medieval streets or relax in the many bars and cafes.  Start your walk  in Town Hall square and see the impressive House of the Blackheads, which was once used by merchants but is now a museum and concert hall. Then visit the free Museum of Occupation, which our whole family enjoyed, despite the unlikely subject.  You can take a virtual tour of some of the exhibits, such as the felt boots and fabric face masks worn by political prisoners to keep out the cold here. Still in the old town, take the elevator to the top of the tower of St Peter’s church for a great view of the whole of Riga.

Neighbourhood walking

A student friend recommended that for something a bit more off-beat, you could visit the Andrejsala neighbourhood of Riga which was an industrial area by the docks but now houses venues for art and music – apparently there are some great music clubs and street-art here. You can walk there in 15 minutes from the centre.

If your interests are more in Art Nouveau than industrial architecture, then take a walk up Albertas Iela or Albert Street to see beautiful art nouveau style apartment buildings in one of the most expensive residential areas of the city.

Cafes, bars and nightlife

Although we were travelling en famille, so didn’t spend that much time partying, I did ask my local friend for some recommendation and these were his favourites;

- Cuba Cafe at Jauniela St,15 for coffee and snacks in the day and cocktails and music in the evening all with a Latin American theme. Free WiFi and a chance to try out your salsa some nights.
- John Lemon Bar at Peldu, 21 is the place where arty types go for light meals, wraps, pizzas and breakfast all day.
- Just opposite at Peldu 26/28 is a popular alternative nightclub called Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta (translated as Nobody writes to the colonel)
- For a bar with a great view of the city try the Skyline bar at Reval Hotel Latvija, although the drinks will be a bit more pricey here.

A trip to the seaside at Jurmala

Being with the family, we could’t miss a trip to the seaside. Since the 1930s the seaside resort of Jurmala  has drawn holiday makers and in the Soviet era became a popular holiday destination for Communist Party officials. It was famous for its spa treatments and healthy outdoor activities. Nowadays there are plenty of activities around the beach, restaurants and cafes and concerts in the summer. There are regular trains or buses to Jurmala from the centre of Riga and the journey takes 30-40 minutes.

And if you are travelling with children you might like to combine the trip to Jurmala with a visit to the Livu Aquapark which is just outside Riga in the direction of Jurmala. My children spent many happy hours there on the waterslides.

If you’ve been to Riga, do share your favourite things to see in the comments.

Photo credits: Marcel Germain and Mightymightymatze